Remote postage meter resetting by facsimile communication

Claim 1

A method for recharging a postage metering system comprising the steps of: a) entering recharge information on a form, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; b) transmitting an image of said form to a remote data processing center; c) receiving said image at said center, extracting said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; d) said data processor responding to said recharge information to control output means to output a second image, said second image including a representation of a recharge code for recharging said postage metering system; e) transmitting said second image to the location of said postage metering system; f) receiving said second image at said location, extracting said recharge code from said second image, and entering said recharge code into said postage metering system; whereby said postage metering system is recharged by said amount; g) wherein said recharge information is entered on said form as machine readable indicia; and, h) wherein data signals representing said received image are transmitted to an image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information, and said extracted recharge information is translated into second data signals in accordance with a predetermined format for entry into said data processor.

Claim 2

A method for recharging a postage metering system comprising the steps of: a) entering recharge information on a form, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; b) transmitting an image of said form to a remote data processing center; c) receiving said image at said center, extracting said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; d) said data processor responding to said recharge information to control output means to output a second image, said second image including a representation of a recharge code for recharging said postage metering system; e) transmitting said second image to the location of said postage metering system; f) receiving said second image at said location, extracting said recharge code from said second image, and entering said recharge code into said postage metering system; whereby said postage metering system is recharged by said amount; g) wherein said recharge information is entered on said form as machine readable indicia; and, h) wherein data signals representing said received image are transmitted to an image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information, and said extracted recharge information is translated into second data signals in accordance with a predetermined format for entry into said data processor.

Claim 6

A method for recharging a postage metering system comprising the steps of: a) entering recharge information on a form, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; b) transmitting an image of said form to a remote data processing center; c) receiving said image at said center, extracting said recharge information form said image, and entering said recharge information into a data processor; d) said data processor responding to said recharge information to control output means to output a second image, said second image including a representation of a recharge code for recharging said postage metering system; e) transmitting said second image to the location of said postage metering system; f) receiving said second image at said location, extracting said recharge code from said second image, and entering said recharge code into said postage metering system; whereby said postage metering system is recharged by said amount; g) wherein said recharge information is entered on said form as machine readable indicia; h) wherein said representation of said recharge code in said second image is in the form of second machine readable indicia; and i) wherein said second image is printed at said location to generate a recharge form and said form is scanned to enter said recharge information into said postage metering system.

Claim 7

A method for recharging a postage metering system comprising the steps of: a) entering recharge information on a form, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering system is to be recharged; b) transmitting an image of said form to a remote data processing center; c) receiving said image at said center, extracting said recharge information form said image, and entering said recharge information into a data processor; d) said data processor responding to said recharge information to control output means to output a second image, said second image including a representation of a recharge code for recharging said postage metering system; e) transmitting said second image to the location of said postage metering system; f) receiving said second image at said location, extracting said recharge code from said second image, and entering said recharge code into said postage metering system; whereby said postage metering system is recharged by said amount; g) wherein said recharge information is entered on said form as machine readable indicia; h) wherein said representation of said recharge code in said second image is in the form of second machine readable indicia; and i) wherein said second image is printed at said location to generate a recharge form and said form is scanned to enter said recharge information into said postage metering system.

Claim 8

A method for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system, comprising the steps of: a) receiving recharge information, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering is to be recharged; b) generating said recharge code as a function of said amount; c) generating an image, said image including a representation of said recharge code; and, d) transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; e) wherein said recharge information is received as an image including a representation of machine readable indicia corresponding to said recharge information; f) wherein data signals representing said received image are transmitted to an image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information, and said extracted recharge information is translated into second data signals in accordance with a predetermined format for entry into a data processor said data processor generating said recharge code.

Claim 9

A method for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system, comprising the steps of: a) receiving recharge information, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering is to be recharged; b) generating said recharge code as a function of said amount; c) generating an image, said image including a representation of said recharge code; and, d) transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; e) wherein said recharge information is received as an image including a representation of machine readable indicia corresponding to said recharge information; f) wherein data signals representing said received image are transmitted to an image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information, and said extracted recharge information is translated into second data signals in accordance with a predetermined format for entry into a data processor said data processor generating said recharge code.

Claim 13

A method for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system, comprising the steps of: a) receiving recharge information, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering is to be recharged; b) generating said recharge code as a function of said amount; c) generating an image, said image including a representation of said recharge code; and, d) transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; e) wherein said recharge information is received as an image including a representation of machine readable indicia corresponding to said recharge information; f) wherein said representation of said recharge code in said second image is in the form of second machine readable indicia; and, g) wherein said second image is printed at said location to generate a recharge form and said form is scanned to enter said recharge information into said postage metering system.

Claim 14

A method for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system, comprising the steps of: a) receiving recharge information, said recharge information identifying the amount by which said postage metering is to be recharged; b) generating said recharge code as a function of said amount; c) generating an image, said image including a representation of said recharge code; and, d) transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; e) wherein said recharge information is received as an image including a representation of machine readable indicia corresponding to said recharge information; f) wherein said representation of said recharge code in said second image is in the form of second machine readable indicia; and, g) wherein said second image is printed at said location to generate a recharge form and said form is scanned to enter said recharge information into said postage metering system.

Claim 16

A system for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system; comprising: a) data processing means for generating a recharge code for a postage metering system as a function of a specified amount; b) input means for input of said specified amount to said data processing means; c) output means responsive to said data processing means for output of an output image, said output image including a representation of said recharge code; d) means for transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; wherein, e) said input means further comprises means for receiving an input image, said image including a representation of said amount; and wherein, f) said representation of said amount is in the form of machine readable indicia; and wherein, g) said input means further comprises an image processor, and wherein data signals representing said input image are input to said image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information for input to said data processor.

Claim 17

A system for providing a recharge code for recharging a postage metering system; comprising: a) data processing means for generating a recharge code for a postage metering system as a function of a specified amount; b) input means for input of said specified amount to said data processing means; c) output means responsive to said data processing means for output of an output image, said output image including a representation of said recharge code; d) means for transmitting said image to the location of said postage metering system; wherein, e) said input means further comprises means for receiving an input image, said image including a representation of said amount; and wherein, f) said representation of said amount is in the form of machine readable indicia; and wherein, g) said input means further comprises an image processor, and wherein data signals representing said input image are input to said image processor, said image processor operating on said data signals to recognize said machine readable indicia and extract said recharge information for input to said data processor.