System and method for instant online postage metering

• US 20050192912A1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Euchner, James A., Chamberlin, David B., Obrea, Andrei, Rich, David L., Foth, Thomas J., Riley, David W., Bator, Felix
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/402
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• 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 17/00733 Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00056 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00137 In a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00145 via the Internet
• 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 2017/00967 PSD [Postal Security Device] as defined by the USPS [US Postal Service]

Abstract

A system and method for instantly printing PC postage before establishing a postage meter account. The method includes the steps of a meter vendor obtaining a first meter license from the Post for a first meter; loaning the use of a first meter licensed in the customer'"'"'s zip code to a customer; requesting a second meter license for the customer; initializing the first meter for use by the customer; and transferring the first meter to the Customer'"'"'s meter license when the second meter license is received. Alternatively, when the second meter license is received a second meter is assigned to the customer and the first meter is reassigned to the meter vendor.

Claims

1. A method for a vendor to dispense postage to a customer over a network, the method comprising:

obtaining a meter license from the Post, said meter license being associated with a meter account assigned to the vendor, said meter account being maintained at a data center;

receiving, via the network, a transaction request for Postage from a customer, said transaction request including information from the customer, said information corresponding to the transaction requested and payment method;

processing the requested transaction by requesting the data center to create evidence of postage payment and to account for the created evidence of postage payment in the meter account assigned to the vendor;

effecting payment for the transaction based on the information received from the customer;

receiving the evidence of postage payment created by the data center; and

sending the evidence of postage payment to the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an origin of deposit postal code for the requested transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information from the customer includes a username, password and credit card information whereby a personal account is established for subsequent transactions.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the origin of deposit postal code is included in the information from the customer.

4-8. -8. (canceled)

10. A method for a vendor to dispense postage via a network comprising:

receiving a request for postage from a customer;

processing the request for postage by requesting a data center to create evidence of postage payment and to account for the created evidence of postage payment in a postal account assigned to the vendor; and

sending the evidence of postage payment to the customer via the network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the evidence of postage payment includes a transaction number.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving a request for postage from a customer further comprises:

receiving information to identify the customer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information to identify the customer includes at least one of a user name and a password.

14. A system for dispensing postage over the Internet to any PC for printing, the system comprising:

a data center accessible over the Internet;

at least one metering account licensed to a vendor and maintained at the data center;

means at the data center for receiving over the Internet a request for postage, the request being initiated by a customer of the vendor;

means at the data center for generating evidence of postage payment in response to the request for postage; and

means at the data center for accounting for the generated evidence of postage payment in the metering account licensed to the vendor.