Method and system of accounting for transaction costs and currency exchange in a hybrid mail system

• US 5,742,932 A
• Filed: 12/24/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Levitsky, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/772,790
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 364/464.11, 364/464.14, 364/464.2, 395/201, 395/216, 395/235, 395/239
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/0008 Communication details outside or between apparatus coin-freed apparatus for franking per se G07F17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0037 Calculation of postage value

Abstract

The invention is a method of accounting for a transaction cost and currency exchange relative to customer accounts in a hybrid mail system. The method begins by establishing a data center, a first remote data entry point, and a second remote data entry point which has mailpiece production means. The first remote data entry point, the second remote data entry point, and/or the data center may be co-located. A set of parameters which define a mailpiece, a unit cost where known for each parameter, a destination for the mailpiece, and a choice of debiting or crediting a customer account are determined at the first remote data entry point. The parameters and known costs point are transmitted to the data center and to the second remote data entry point. The mailpiece is produced at the second remote data entry point and a unit cost for each of the mailpiece production and delivery elements is calculated at the second remote data entry point and transmitted to the data center. A total unit cost of the transaction is calculated at the data center and then converted to a transaction cost by multiplying the total unit cost by a currency conversion factor. The transaction cost is then entered into customer account database, a transaction database, and transmitted to the first remote data entry point; additionally, a billing statement is generated by the data center in respect of the transaction and a similar statement can be generated by the first remote data entry point for the benefit of the transaction initiator.

Claims

1. A method of accounting for a transaction cost and currency exchange relative to a customer accounts in a hybrid mail system, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a data center;

(b) establishing a first remote data entry point comprising a first data entry program;

(c) establishing a second remote data entry point comprising a second data entry program and a mail piece production means;

(d) selecting, in said first data entry program, a set of parameters and a unit cost for each parameter of said set of parameters which together define a mailpiece, a destination for said mailpiece wherein said destination is designated as said second remote data entry point, and a choice of debiting or crediting a customer account wherein said account is maintained at said data center;

(e) transmitting said set of selected parameters, and a unit cost associated with a predetermined subset of parameters wherein said predetermined subset comprises costs known to said first remote data entry point, to said data center and to said second remote data entry point;

(f) producing said mailpiece at said second remote data entry point wherein said mailpiece is comprised of a first set of elements determined by said selected set of parameters;

(g) calculating, at said second remote data entry point, an unit cost for each of said mailpiece production and delivery elements;

(h) transmitting said calculated unit cost from said second remote data entry point to said data center;

(I) calculating, at said data center, a total unit cost of said transaction;

(j) converting said total unit cost to a transaction cost by multiplying said total unit cost by a currency conversion factor and wherein said factor is selected from a set of factors predetermined by currency type;

(k) transmitting said transaction cost to said customer account database, to said transaction database, and to said first remote data entry point; and

(l) accounting for said transaction cost by storing said transaction cost in said customer account database, said transaction database and at said first remote data entry point for use in accounting records.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said data center further comprises:

(a) a customer account database;

(b) a transaction database;

(c) a currency exchange database; and

(d) a currency exchange program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein payment is made to said second remote data entry point by said data center as pre-determined by a second set of elements comprising costs of said production and delivery of said produced mailpiece wherein said costs were incurred at said second remote data entry point.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said currency type is determined by selecting a currency type corresponding to a local currency as based upon the physical address of said first remote data entry point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a billing statement is generated by said data center in respect of said transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a billing statement is generated by said first remote data entry point in respect of said transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first remote data entry point and said second remote data entry point are co-located.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first remote data entry point and said data center are co-located.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second remote data entry point and said data center are co-located.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said first remote data entry point, said second remote data entry point, and said data center are co-located.

11. A system of accounting for a transaction cost and a currency exchange relative to a customer account in a hybrid mail system, comprising:

(a) first data entry means, located at an initiating location, for entering a set of parameters which together form a mailpiece, and a unit cost for each parameter of said set of parameters;

(b) first transmission means for transmitting data from said first data entry means to second data entry means for processing said set of parameters transmitted from said first data entry means;

(c) second transmission means for transmitting data comprising production costs from said second data entry means to a data center;

(d) value determination means located at said initiating location, at the location of said data entry means, and at said data center for determining an individual value for each of said parameters, said individual value being determined in a currency associated with a particular location;

(e) calculator means for calculating said transaction cost based upon a sum of said individual values;

(f) table look-up means for comparing said transaction cost in said currency with a corresponding value in another currency as listed in a currency database; and

(g) billing means for billing a customer in respect of said other currency corresponding value as charged against said customer account.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said customer is an initiator of said transaction.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said particular location corresponds to said initiating location.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein said particular location corresponds to a location of said second data entry means.