Electronic postal counter

• US 6,101,487 A
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canada Post Corporation (Government of Canada)
• Original Assignee: Canada Post Corporation (Government of Canada)
• Inventors: Yeung, Yukee
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/965,020
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 705/30, 705/39, 705/401, 705/408, 705/410
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• 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 17/00314 Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00137 In a LAN
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00379 Calculation of different sending options for a mail piece
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00475 Sorting mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00596 Printing of address
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0062 Label

Abstract

A postal service purchasing system involves the mailer entering information, such as delivery address, weight of mail piece, services required, about each mail piece using for example a personal computer. Electronic postal counter software installed at the mailer'"'"'s premises causes the information entered to generate a barcode identifier for each mail piece and this barcode identifier is printed on the mail piece. An electronic manifest containing the identifier for the mail pieces is transmitted to a computer at the Post Office Premises. As each mail piece is subsequently sorted the identifier information is captured and reconciled with the information on the electronic manifest.

Claims

1. A computer system for purchasing services from a delivery service without the use of franking systems for the delivery by the delivery service of deliverable items, comprising means at a sender'"'"'s premises for entering data by a sender relating to the deliverable items including for each deliverable item address information and type of service required, means for displaying an estimate of the cost of delivering each deliverable item, means for the sender to enter a method of payment and provide information related to the choice of payment, means for determining whether or not to accept the method of payment, means dependent on acceptance of the method of payment for creating a unique identifier for each deliverable item based on the data entered by the sender, means for printing the identifier in a coded format directly onto the deliverable item or onto an address label for the deliverable item, and means for transmitting to the delivery service premises an electronic manifest containing the data entered for each deliverable item.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for generation of and for displaying to the sender an optimal delivery plan, dependent upon delivery rates and other discount factors offered by the delivery service.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the identifier is printed in barcode format together with the delivery address.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, including deliverable item processing equipment on the delivery service premises to capture the unique identifier and other physical information on the deliverable items, verify amount of payment for delivery, and process the deliverable items accordingly.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, including means at the delivery service premises for reconciling the captured information including identifiers against the electronic manifest.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, including a recovery system for acting on exceptions from the reconciliation process to intervene in the normal processing of the affected deliverable items.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including means at the delivery service premises for electronically remitting back to the sender deviations from the reconciliation process, process confirmation and payment adjustments.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for deriving a security code for a sender and including the security code in the identifier, the electronic manifest including the security code.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, in which the identifier comprises, in addition to a security code and information relating to address and type of service required, information relating to the sender, the date and deliverable item serial number all of which is included on the electronic manifest.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the identifier is printed in barcode format.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including deliverable item processing equipment at the delivery service premises for capturing the unique identifier and for capturing weight and size information of the deliverable items and for processing the deliverable items accordingly.