System and method for employing digital postage marks as part of value-added services in a mailing system

• US 6,532,452 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Biasi, Theresa, Joshi, Shirish S., Pintsov, Leon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worjloh, Jalatee
• Application Number:
  US09/339,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400-410
• US Class Current: 705/401
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• 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 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00072 Hybrid mail, i.e. mail delivered using different physical means along the mail delivery path, e.g. email and envelope
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00096 via phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00145 via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting

Abstract

System and method for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiece within a mailing system includes a determination of postal data required for postage evidencing of a mailpiece originated by a mailer. The postal data is combined with other data related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece. The value-added services data includes addressing information for a return receipt to the mailer. A digital postmark which includes the postal data and the value-added services data is created. At delivery of the mailpiece, the digital postmark is read and the value-added services data is captured from the read digital postmark. A confirmation message is sent to the mailer and/or other interested third parties, in accordance with information contained in the value-added services data.

Claims

1. A method for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of mailpieces within a mailing system, the method comprising:

determining postal data required for postage evidencing of a physical mailpiece originated by a mailer;

combining the postal data with other data related to value-added services desired for the mailpiece, the value-added services data including addressing information for a return receipt to the mailer;

creating a digital postmark on the physical mailpiece, the digital postmark including the postal data and the value-added services data;

reading the digital postmark off the physical mailpiece when the physical mailpiece is delivered;

capturing the value-added services data from the read digital postmark; and

sending a return receipt message to the mailer in accordance with the addressing information.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the addressing information is an electronic communication location identifier.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein the electronic communication location identifier is one of an e-mail address, a telephone number, a pager number and a facsimile number.