← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0814434A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Controlled acceptance mail system securely enabling reuse of digital token initially generated for a mailpiece on a subsequently prepared different mailpiece to authenticate payment of postage

Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
•
Filing: 1997-06-10
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2017-06-10
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A method and system for mail payment evidencing includes processing a collation of mail (1020) where the collation is one of a series of mail collations being created. Payment rating parameters are determined for carrier services (1012) to be associated with the mail collation in process. It is determined if a previously generated digital token (1008) associated with a previous mail collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation in process. The previously generated digital token is utilized for the mail collation (1020) in process if the previously generated digital token is suitable for use on said mail collation in process. The created mail collations may be submitted to a carrier service (1012) with a digitally signed statement of mailing (1018).

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert A. Cordery
  • 👤 Leon A. Pintsov
  • 👤 Monroe A. Weiant, Jr.

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 20:34
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00467; G07B17/00508; G07B17/00661; G07B17/00733; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00314; G07B2017/00338; G07B2017/00483; G07B2017/00572; G07B2017/0058; G07B2017/00588; G07B2017/00701; G07B2017/00741; G07B2017/00959; G07B2017/00967

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 81 words
A method for mail payment evidencing, comprising: processing a collation of mail where said collation is one of a series of mail collations being created; determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous mail collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation in process; and, utilizing said previously generated digital token for said mail collation in process if said previously generated digital token is suitable for use on said mail collation in process.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 85 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 1 including determining payment rating parameters for carrier services to be associated with said mail collation in process and wherein said determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previously collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is based on the similarity of at least one rating parameter of the carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 68 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 2 wherein said determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previously collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is based on said at least one rating parameter of the carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process being the same.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 2 or 3 wherein one said rating parameter is the anticipated weight of said previous mail collation which was not completed and of said mail collation in process.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 70 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein said determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previously collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is based on the similarity of more than one rating parameter carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 5 wherein said rating parameters include anticipated special handling carrier services for said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 71 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previously collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is based on all of the rating parameters for carrier service for said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process being the same.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 34 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of the preceding claims including maintaining a list of previously generated digital token associated with a previous mail collations which were not completed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 8 wherein said digital tokens are generated without addressee information.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 52 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of the preceding claims including generating a statement of mailing for the created mail collations to be submitted to the carrier service, said statement of mailing including data concerning generated digital tokens not utilized in said series of completed mail collations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 34 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 10 wherein said statement of mailing data concerning generated digital tokens not utilized in said series of completed mail collations is piece count data.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 48 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of the preceding claims further comprising generating a statement of mailing without an error documentation file to account and reconcile for the issuance of said previously generated digital token utilized in said series of completed mail collations.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 22 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of the preceding claims including digitally signing said statement of mailing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 13 further including digitally signing said statement of mailing prior to submission of said completed collations to said carrier service.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 89 words
A system for mail payment evidencing system, comprising: means (1002) for processing a collation of mail where said collation is one of a series of mail collations being created; means for determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous mail collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation in process; and, means for utilizing said previously generated digital token for said mail collation in process if said previously generated digital token is suitable for use on said mail collation in process.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 92 words
A system for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 15 including means for determining payment rating parameters for carrier services to be associated with said mail collation in process and wherein said means for determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is arranged to operate based on the similarity of at least one rating parameter of the carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 73 words
A system for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is arranged to operate based on said at least one rating parameter of the carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process being the same.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method for mail payment evidencing as defined in claim 17 wherein said one rating parameter is the anticipated weight of said previous mail collation which was not completed and of said mail collation in process.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 75 words
A system for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of claims 16 to 18 wherein said means for determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is arranged to operate based on the similarity of more than one rating parameter carrier service between said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process.
Claim 20
Independent Claim 76 words
A system for mail payment evidencing as defined in any one of claims 16 to 19 wherein said means for determining if a previously generated digital token associated with a previous collation which was not completed is suitable for use on said mail collation is arranged to operate based on all of the rating parameters for carrier service for said previous mail collation which was not completed and said mail collation in process being the same.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag