Closed loop transaction based mail accounting and payment system with carrier payment through a third party initiated by mailing information release

• US 5,826,247 A
• Filed: 04/09/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Pintsov, Leon A., Shannon, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/629,719
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 364/400, 364/464.14, 364/464.11, 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 395/239, 395/244, 705/39, 705/44, 705/404, 705/401
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• 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 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• 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 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• 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 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00701 Measuring the weight of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0075 Symmetric, secret-key algorithms, e.g. DES, RC2, RC4, IDEA, Skipjack, CAST, AES
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00766 Digital signature, e.g. DSA, DSS, ECDSA, ESIGN
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00967 PSD [Postal Security Device] as defined by the USPS [US Postal Service]

Abstract

A method for mail accounting and payment includes creating a mail batch including a plurality of mailpieces and creating a statement of mailing containing data relating to the mail batch. The statement of mailing is digitally signed to facilitate a subsequent verification of the integrity of the data in the statement of mailing. The digital signature is included as part of the statement of mailing. The statement of mailing is submitted to a transaction processing center. The transaction processing center initiates a funds transfer to a carrier delivery service for carrier delivery services payment for the batch of mail. The statement of mailing or other mailing data may be stored in a nonvolatile memory means. The nonvolatile memory means allows the statement of mailing to be stored therein and erased therefrom but not modified.

Claims

1. A method for mail accounting and payment, comprising the steps of:

creating a mail batch including a plurality of mailpieces;

creating a statement of mailing containing data relating to said mail batch;

digitally signing said statement of mailing, said digital signature included as part of said statement of mailing;

submitting said statement of mailing to a transaction processing center;

said transaction processing center authenticating the signed statement of mailing and then initiating a funds transfer to a carrier delivery service for carrier delivery services payment for said batch of mail; and

delivery the mail batch to the carrier delivery service upon confirmation by the transaction processing center.

2. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 1 further including the step of said transaction processing center submitting a confirmation of acceptance or non acceptance of said statement of mailing to the submitter of said statement of mailing.

3. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 2 wherein said submitting of said confirmation of acceptance or nonacceptance of said statement of mailing to the submitter of said statement of mailing occurs after said transaction processing center has created a request for fund s transfer from said mailer'"'"'s financial institution to said carrrier'"'"'s financial institution and has received a confirmation of funds transfer.

4. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 3 wherein each mail piece of said plurality of mail pieces has an encrypted indicia printed thereon.

5. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 4 wherein said steps of submitting are electronic communications between said submitter of said statement of mailing, transaction processing center and said carrier service.

6. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 5 further including the step of the submitter of said statement of mailing additionally submitting said statement of mailing to said carrier service.

7. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 6 further including the step of said carrier service submitting information to said transaction processing center and said transaction processing center submitting said information to said submitter of said statement of mailing.

8. A method for mail accounting and payment, comprising the steps of:

creating a batch of mail including a plurality of mailpieces;

creating a statement of mailing containing data relating to said mail batch; and

,

storing said statement of mailing in a nonvolatile memory means, said nonvolatile memory means allowing said statement of mailing to be stored therein and erased therefrom but not modified.

9. A method for mail accounting and payment, compromising the steps of:

creating a mail batch including a plurality of mailpieces;

creating a statement of mailing containing data relating to said mail batch;

digitally signing said statement of mailing to facilitate a subsequent verification of the integrity of the data in said statement of mailing, said digital signature included as part of said statement of mailing;

submitting said statement of mailing to a transaction processing center;

said transaction processing center authenticating the signed statement of mailing and then initiating a funds transfer to a carrier delivery service for carrier delivery services payment for said batch of mail;

delivering the mail batch to the carrier delivery service upon confirmation by the transaction processing center and

storing said statement of mailing in a nonvolatile memory means, said nonvolatile memory means allowing said statement of mailing to be stored therein and erased therefrom but not modified.

10. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 9 further including the step of said transaction processing center submitting a confirmation of acceptance or nonacceptance of said statement of mailing to the submitter of said statement of mailing.

11. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 10 wherein said submitting of said confirmation of acceptance or nonacceptance of said statement of mailing to the submitter of said statement of mailing occurs after said transaction processing center has created a request for funds transfer from said mailer'"'"'s financial institution to said carrrier'"'"'s financial institution and has received a confirmation of funds transfer.

12. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 11 wherein each mail piece of said plurality of mail pieces has an encrypted indicia printed thereon.

13. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 12 wherein said steps of submitting are electronic communications between said submitter of said statement of mailing, transaction processing center and said carrier service.

14. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 13 further including the step of submitter of said statement of mailing additionally submitting said statement of mailing to said carrier service.

15. A method for mail accounting and payment as defined in claim 14 further including the step of said carrier service submitting information to said transaction processing center and said transaction processing center submitting said information to said submitter of said statement of mailing.