Method for automatic determination of origination ZIP code using caller I.D.

• US 5,943,658 A
• Filed: 12/31/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Gravell, Linda V., Ryan, Frederick W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/775,818
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 364/400, 364/479.01, 364/479.02, 364/479.05, 705/400, 705/401, 705/410
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• 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 2017/00032 Determining the location of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00096 via phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00161 from a central, non-user location, e.g. for updating rates or software, or for refilling funds
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00927 Certificates, e.g. X.509
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00967 PSD [Postal Security Device] as defined by the USPS [US Postal Service]

Abstract

A method is provided for determining origin ZIP code for a postage meter. The method includes receiving at a data center a call that originates from the location of the postage meter. Using caller ID, the data center determines the phone number originating the call. The data center also determines the identification of the postage meter. If the phone number has changed from a phone number from the previous phone call for the postage meter, the data center obtains a five-digit ZIP code for the address corresponding to the phone number. If the five-digit ZIP code has changed from a previous ZIP code used for postal accounting during previous transactions for the postage meter, the data center obtains a new certificate based on the five-digit ZIP code and downloads the new certificate to the postage meter. The data center transfers postage meter register values to a new postal account for the new certificate.

Claims

1. A method for determining origin ZIP code for a postage meter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication originating from the location of the postage meter;

obtaining an origin identifier of the originating communication;

obtaining an address corresponding to the origin identifier; and

obtaining a five digit ZIP code for the address.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

obtaining a meter license from the USPS based on the five digit ZIP code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is a phone call and the identifier is a phone number and the step of obtaining the origin identifier comprises using caller ID to obtain the phone number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication is a network and the identifier is a network address.

5. A method for determining origin ZIP code for a postage meter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication originating from the location of the postage meter;

obtaining an origin identifier of the originating communication;

determining if the origin identifier has changed from a previous communication for the postage meter;

obtaining an address corresponding to the origin identifier when the origin identifier is different from the previous identifier obtained during the last communication for the postage meter;

obtaining five-digit ZIP code for the address; and

determining if five-digit ZIP code has changed from previous ZIP code used during the last communication for the postage meter.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the communication is a phone call and the identifier is a phone number and the step of obtaining the origin identifier comprises using caller ID to obtain the phone number.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the communication is a network and the identifier is a network address.

8. The method of claim 5, comprising the further steps of:

requesting a new certificate based on the five-digit ZIP code when the five-digit ZIP code is different from previous call for the postage meter;

downloading the new certificate to the postage meter; and

transferring postage meter register values to new post office for the new five-digit ZIP code.

9. A method for determining origin ZIP code for a postage meter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call at a data center, the call originating from the location of the postage meter;

determining the identification of the postage meter and a first phone number originating the call using caller ID;

determining if the first phone number has changed from a second phone number from a previous phone call from the location of the postage meter;

obtaining an address corresponding to the first phone number when the first phone number is different from the second phone number;

obtaining a five-digit ZIP code for the address;

determining if the five-digit ZIP code has changed from a previous ZIP code used for postal accounting during previous transactions for the postage meter;

obtaining a new certificate based on the five-digit ZIP code when the five-digit ZIP code is different from the previous ZIP code;

downloading the new certificate to the postage meter; and

transferring postage meter register values to a new postal account for the new certificate.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of obtaining an address corresponding to the first phone number comprises the steps of:

searching an on-line phone book database for the first phone number; and

reading from the on-line phone book the address corresponding to the first phone number.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of obtaining an address corresponding to the first phone number comprises the step of:

requesting the address or the five-digit ZIP code from the originator of the originating phone call.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the steps of obtaining a five-digit ZIP code for the address comprises the step of:

searching a ZIP+4 database for the address; and

reading from the database the five-digit ZIP code corresponding to the address.

13. The method of claim 9 comprising the further step of:

comparing the postage meter identification with a database of lost and stolen meters to determine if the postage meter has been lost or stolen.