System and method for printing multiple postage indicia

• US 6,208,980 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stamps.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: E-Stamp Corporation (LTWC Corp.)
• Inventors: Kara, Salim G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/965,015
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 101/71, 283/71, 364/479.01, 364/479.02, 364/479.03, 364/479.05, 380/51, 380/55, 705/401, 705/408, 705/410, 700/231, 700/232, 700/235
• US Class Current: 705/408
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00508 Printing or attaching on mailpieces printing mechanisms B41J; security printing B41M3/14; marking methods B41M5/00; inks C09D11/00; record carriers with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00201 Open franking system, i.e. the printer is not dedicated to franking only, e.g. PC (Personal Computer)
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0037 Calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00596 Printing of address
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00604 Printing of advert or logo
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0062 Label

Abstract

A system and method for printing an outbound and/or an associated return postage meter stamp, including a desired postage amount, onto a label or onto an outbound document and/or an associated return document. A processor based system is programmed to interact with a customer to produce individualized documents, printed address labels, and a printed postage meter stamp having in one embodiment, a customized postage indicia. The processor based system automatically calculates the postage due for each specific document, prints that postage amount as a meter stamp, interacts with the customer to generate a personalized stamp indicia, encrypts selected information into a machine readable format, and prints the information entered by the customer in a selected format, all on the document or documents for transfer to the outside of a mailing envelope.

Claims

1. A general purpose processor based system having a program running on said processor, said program operable for controlling document creation by a user giving input data and instructions to said processor, said document having a second document associated therewith, said system comprising:

means controlled by said processing system and responsive to input data from a user for creating a first document;

means for establishing a transfer section on said first document;

means for printing within said transfer section a first postage indicia corresponding to said first document, said printing means including a general purpose printer coupled to said general purpose processor-based system; and

means for printing a second postage indicia corresponding to said second document, wherein said means for printing said first indicia and said means for printing said second indicia operate substantially contemporaneously with said document creating means.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second postage indicia are customized under control of data provided on an interactive basis between said processing system and said user.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second document comprises a detachable portion of said first document.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, further comprising:

means for establishing a transfer section on said second document, wherein said second indicia printing means prints within said transfer section on said second document.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first document is a statement of account and said second document is a remittance form, and wherein said document creation control program is an accounting program operable to print amounts on said statement of account.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second indicia printing means prints said second indicia on said second document.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said document creation control program is a word processing program, and wherein said transfer section of said document contains a transfer medium.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said transfer medium is a peel off restick label.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for calculating from said input data from said user the amount of postage to print for each of said first and second document.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, and wherein said input data utilized by said calculating means includes address information with respect to an addressee and an addressor.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second indicia printing means prints within said transfer section on said first document.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said transfer section contains a transfer medium allowing the transfer of said first indicia to a mailing container associated with said first document and further allowing the transfer of said second indicia to a mailing container associated with said second document.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the transfer medium is a peel off restick label.

14. A method of operating a processor based system having a program running on said processor, said program operable for controlling document creation by a user giving input data and instructions to said processor, said document having a return document associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a first document under control of said program and responsive to input data from a user, said document having associated therewith a second document; and

printing substantially simultaneously said first document and a first postage indicia pertaining to said first document and a second postage indicia pertaining to said second document.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein said second document is a detachable portion of said first document.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14, further including the step of:

calculating from information provided said program by said user an amount of postage for each of said first and second indicia.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein said information utilized by said calculating step includes address information with respect to an addressee of said first and second documents.

18. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

creating said second document under control of said program and responsive to input data from a user, wherein said first indicia is printed in a preselected portion of said first document and said second indicia is printed in a preselected portion of said second document.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein said preselected portion of at least one of said first and second document includes a transfer media and said method further comprises the step of:

transferring said transfer media to a postal item associated with a corresponding one of said first and second document.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein the transfer media is a peel off restick label, and said transferring step comprises the step of:

peeling a label from said first document upon which postage indicia has been printed and repositioning said label on said postal item.

21. The method as set forth in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

establishing a transfer section on said first document, wherein said first indicia is printed within said transfer section.

22. The method as set forth in claim 21, further including the step of:

folding said first document so that said transfer section cooperates with a juxtaposed section of a mailing envelope to provide for viewing of said first indicia on the outside of said envelope.

23. The method as set forth in claim 21, wherein said second indicia is also printed within said transfer section.

24. The method as set forth in claim 23, wherein said transfer section includes a transfer media and said method further comprises the step of:

transferring at least a portion of said transfer media having said second indicia printed thereon to a postal item associated with said second document.

25. The method as set forth in claim 24, further comprising the step of:

transferring as least a portion of said transfer media having said first indicia printed thereon to a postal item associated with said first document.

26. An automated system for concurrently generating a first postage indicia and an associated second postage indicia, said system comprising:

means for determining the correct postage for mailing a first document associated with said first postage indicia;

means for determining the correct postage for mailing a second document associated with said second postage indicia;

means for generating said first postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said first document;

means for generating said second postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said second document; and

means for printing said first postage indicia and said second postage indicia on a single substantially continuous surface.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said substantially continuous surface comprises a face of said first document.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said second document is a demarcated portion of said first document, and wherein said continuous surface comprises a face of said first and second document.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for interfacing with a document generation program generating said first document, wherein said printing means includes means for printing said first document substantially concurrently with printing said first and second indicia.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said printing means further comprises:

means for printing said second document substantially concurrently with printing said first and second postage indicia.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein said substantially continuous surface comprises a transfer media.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said transfer media comprises:

means for separating said first and second postage indicia;

means for substantially permanently attaching said first postage indicia to a postal item associated with said first document; and

means for substantially permanently attaching said second postage indicia to a postal item associated with said second document.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said transfer media is affixed to a face of said first document upon printing of said first and second postage indicia by said printing means.

34. A system for generating an outbound postage indicia and an associated return postage indicia, said system comprising:

means for interfacing with a document generation program generating an outbound document to be associated with said outbound postage indicia, said outbound document being associated with a return document;

means for determining the correct postage for mailing said outbound document;

means for determining the correct postage for mailing said return document;

means for generating said outbound postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said outbound document;

means for generating said return postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said return document; and

means for printing said outbound postage indicia and said return postage indicia substantially concurrently.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein at least one of said generating means includes:

means for selecting one of a plurality of graphical configurations of a postage indicia; and

means for personalizing said selected graphical configuration.

36. The system of claim 34, further including:

means for automatically generating an encrypted message incorporating information entered into said system by said user, said encrypted message printed together with said printing of said outbound and return postage indicia.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said encrypted message printed together with said return postage indicia includes information selected from the group consisting of a date before which to post said return document, an indication of an area from which said return document is to be posted, and an indication that said return postage indicia is to be posted from an area foreign from that in which it was generated.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein said printing means comprises:

means for printing said outbound document substantially concurrently with printing said outbound and return postage indicia.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said printing means prints said outbound postage indicia on said outbound document.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein said printing means prints said return postage indicia on said outbound document.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein said printing means further comprises:

means for printing said return document substantially concurrently with printing said outbound and return postage indicia.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said printing means prints said return postage indicia on said return document.

43. A processor based system for generating an outbound document and an associated return document, said system also for generating an outbound postage indicia associated with said outbound document and a return postage indicia associated with said return document, said system comprising:

means for interfacing with a document generation program generating said outbound document and said return document;

means for determining the correct postage for mailing said outbound document;

means for determining the correct postage for mailing said return document;

means for generating said outbound postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said outbound document;

means for generating said return postage indicia having said correct postage for mailing said return document;

means for printing said outbound document and said return document substantially concurrently; and

means for printing said return document and said outbound postage indicia and said return postage indicia substantially concurrently.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said last mentioned printing means comprises means for printing both said postage indicia on predetermined sections of said outbound document.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein said first and last mentioned printing means comprise:

means for printing said outbound postage indicia on a predetermined section of said outbound document.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said predetermined section includes a transfer media, and wherein said transfer media comprises means for removing said outbound postage indicia from said outbound document and means for substantially permanently attaching said outbound postage indicia to a mailing container associated with said outbound document.

47. The system of claim 43, wherein said first and last mentioned printing means comprise:

means for printing said return postage indicia on a predetermined section of said return document.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein said predetermined section includes a transfer media, and wherein said transfer media comprises means for removing said return postage indicia from said return document and means for substantially permanently attaching said return postage indicia to a mailing container associated with said return document.