Method and system of printing postage indicia from an envelope design application

• US 6,721,717 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Kramer, Allen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US09/816,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20030069861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 283/71, 283/116, 705/401, 705/408, 705/410
• US Class Current: 705/408
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00298 Visual, e.g. screens and their layouts
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0033 Communication with software component, e.g. dll or object
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00419 Software organization, e.g. separation into objects

Abstract

The invention is a method and system for printing a postage meter indicia from a data processing system. The printing of the indicia is under control of an indicia control in an object linking and embedding (OLE2) environment. The method begins with instantiating an indicia control in the design application that will utilize the object control for indicia printing. The indicia control is attached to an application window for use by the application. Once established, the control will be passed a set of postage meter data from an interoperatively linked postage meter. The interface is enhanced by displaying an envelope representation on a monitor screen to a system operator, wherein the envelope display comprises design fields and wherein one of the design fields is a representation of the postage indicia. The postage indicia additionally comprises postage meter data such as available funds, a transaction value, and a postage meter identification. Additional parameters which may be set by transferring data from linked routines include: a date; a zip code; and a postage value. The envelope design fields comprise: a return address field; a destination address field; and, optionally, a Postnet barcode and/or an advertising slogan. The method then continues with the printing of the postage indicia to the application file and subsequently to an envelope. Printing to the application, as opposed to an indicia file, causes decrementing of the funds available to the data processing system by an amount equal to the postage value in the printed indicia.

Claims

1. A method of printing a postage meter indicia from a data processing system comprising the steps of:

(a) instantiating an indicia control in an application wherein said control is representative of a postage indicia;

(b) attaching said indicia control to an application window;

(c) passing a set of postage meter data to said indicia control;

(d) displaying an envelope on a monitor screen to a system operator, wherein said envelope display comprises design fields and wherein one of said design fields is a representation of said postage indicia, said postage indicia comprising said postage meter data;

(e) entering one or more parameters to said postage indicia;

(f) entering a postage value to said postage indicia;

(g) printing said postage indicia to said application;

(h) decrementing funds available to said data processing system in response to printing said postage indicia to said application to reduce said funds by an amount equal to said postage value; and

(i) subsequently printing said postage indicia to a printable media.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said postage meter data comprises:

(a) available funds; and

(b) a postage meter identification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said printing to said application causes said decrementing of said funds available to said data processing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from a set of parameters comprising:

(a) a date;

(b) a zip code; and

(c) a postage value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said displayed postage indicia is positionally responsive to instructions from said application for re-sizing said displayed envelope.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein duplicate postage indicias are prevented from printing by establishing blocking means for blocking the printing of said indicia to an indicia file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said envelope design fields are printed to a printable medium exclusive of said postage indicia field and wherein said postage indicia field is printed subsequent to said envelope design fields.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said envelope design fields comprise:

(a) a return address field; and

(b) a destination address field.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said envelope design fields further comprise a Postnet barcode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said envelope design fields comprise an advertising slogan.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicia control is an object in an object oriented environment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said object comprises action methods, said action methods further comprising printing instructions for instructing said data processing means to print said indicia.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said object further comprises:

(a) a programming interface;

(b) a human interface; and

(c) a set of value instructions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said set of value instructions further comprises:

(a) a set of postal value linking instructions;

(b) a set of display instructions; and

(c) a set of default instructions.

15. A system of printing a postage meter indicia utilizing a data processing system, said system comprising;

(a) means for instantiating an indicia control in an application wherein said control is representative of a postage indicia;

(b) means for attaching said indicia control to an application window;

(c) means for passing a set of postage meter data to said indicia control;

(d) means for displaying an envelope on a monitor screen to a system operator, wherein said envelope display comprises design fields and wherein one of said design fields is a representation of said postage indicia, said postage indicia comprising said postage meter data;

(e) means for entering one or more parameters to said postage indicia;

(f) means for entering a postage value to said postage indicia;

(g) means for printing said postage indicia to said application;

(h) means for decrementing funds available to said data processing system in response to printing said postage indicia to said application to reduce said funds by an amount equal to said postage value; and

(i) means for subsequently printing said postage indicia to a printable media.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said postage meter data comprises:

(a) available funds; and

(b) a postage meter identification.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said data processing system comprises calculation means for determining a value to be subtracted from said available funds and then decrementing said value from said available funds.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said one or more parameters are selected from a set of parameters comprising:

(a) a date;

(b) a zip code; and

(c) a postage value.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said displayed postage indicia is positionally responsive to instructions from said application for re-sizing said displayed envelope.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein duplicate postage indicias are prevented from being printed by establishing blocking means for blocking the printing of said indicia to an indicia file.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein said envelope design fields are printed to a printable medium exclusive of said postage indicia field and wherein said postage indicia field is printed subsequent to said envelope design fields.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein said envelope design fields comprise:

(a) a return address field; and

(b) a destination address field.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein said envelope design fields further comprise a Postnet barcode.

24. The system of claim 15, wherein said envelope design fields comprise an advertising slogan.

25. The system of claim 15, wherein said indicia control is an object in an object oriented environment and wherein said object further comprises:

(a) a programming interface;

(b) a human interface; and

(c) a set of value instructions.