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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Certain organizations dispatch large amounts of mail periodically. Examples
of such organizations are: banking institutions, utility companies,
insurance companies, credit companies, and the like. With such large
quantities, these mailers normally pre-package and pre-sort their mail and
are given a lower postage rate by the postal service because of the time
saved by the postal service. There are generally two ways in which such
mail senders apply postage to their mail. The most common way is by use of
a postage meter which is leased by the mailer from a postage meter
manufacturer with which the amount of postage required is applied to each
mail piece. Inserter systems have been developed whereby inserts may be
placed into an envelope and the envelope may be sealed, addressed and have
a postage indicia applied thereto. The mail pieces may be weighed on the
fly or individual weighing may not be required if all the mail pieces are
of like kind, i.e., only a sample mail piece need be weighed. These acts
of processing mail may be performed at a relatively high rate of speed.
A second method of mailing large quantities of mail pieces is the permit
mail system. In such a system, the mailer places a permit number on the
mail pieces and prepares a manifest listing that shows the type of number
of mail pieces being mailed on each occasion and the postage required.
With both such systems, inspection at the site of the mail sender is
frequently required. In the case of the postage meter, the lessor of the
postage meter, i.e., the postage meter manufacturer, is required by law to
inspect the postage meter at least twice a year to assure that there is no
evidence of tampering with the postage meter that will indicate an attempt
to obtain unauthorized postage. In the case of permit mail, large
quantities of the same type of mail will be mailed at one time and the
postal service will conduct an inspection to verify that the manifest
listing accompanying the permit mail accurately accounts for the amount of
postage due for the mail that has been processed by the postal service.
This is accomplished through an inspection on the part the postal service
by examining the records of the mail sender on every occasion.
Obviously, each of these two systems has certain drawbacks. In the case of
on-site inspection of postage meters, with the large number of postage
meters in use by large mail senders it is an expensive matter for the
inspection thereof. Furthermore, postage meters that process large
quantities of mail must be replaced relatively frequently because of wear.
With regard to the permit mail system, the shortcoming lies in the need of
the postal service to send a representative frequently to the various mail
locations to assure that the mail sender is accurately accounting for the
quantity of mail being sent. Such a scheme is not totally reliable as it
relies largely upon on-site verification using the mailers records which
are not secure.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
A system has been conceived whereby a mailer is able to send large
quantities or batches of mail without the need of on-site inspections.
This is accomplished by the mailer having a secure accounting unit similar
to a postage meter in which postage value is received from a dispensing or
central station by charging a descending register in the accounting unit.
A statement accompanies each batch of mail which statement contains
information relative to the mail and the amount of postage required.
Communication between the central station and the mail sender allows
postage value to be transferred the to the user by the central station and
mailing and verification data to be sent to the central station from the
mailer. The mailing and verification data will be the same as that
contained on the mailing statements that accompany the batches of mail.
This system provides a central station for a large number of mail senders
whereby the postal service is relieved of its obligation of having on-site
inspections and the central station acts as a clearing house for the
postal service through whom verification of postage can be conveniently
and inexpensively achieved.
Another feature of the instant invention is that a unique serial number is
provided to the user to be loaded into and stored in permanent memory to
identify the user's accounting unit.
A further feature of this invention is that the security features of a
postage meter are provided while allowing a high speed, relatively
inexpensive printer to be used for printing the mail pieces.
A still further feature of this invention is that each mail piece is
printed with a number that is unique to that mail piece. Preferably this
unique mail piece number is a combination of the serial number of the
user's accounting unit and the value of the ascending register of such
accounting unit at the time mail is posted.
Still another feature of this invention is that postage information is
printed on each mail piece at the same level as the postal bar code.
Yet another feature of this invention is the use of a unique number on each
mail piece that uses a numbering system other than to the base 10.
Yet still another feature of the invention is that the statement sheet
accompanying a posted batch of mail will have a unique number thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a batch mailing system;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of an accounting statement sheet that would accompany
batch mail processed by the system of FIG. 1.; and
FIG. 3 is a plan view of an envelope containing data in accordance with the
instant invention.
FIG. 4 contain flow chart that describe the functions of the system shown
in FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing the process control code shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart describing the passport control code shown in FIG.
4.
FIG. 7 is a plan view on a windowed envelope containing data in accordance
with the instant invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1, a batch mailing system is shown generally at 10
and includes a post office 12, a central station 14 and a user location
16. The central station 14 has a processor 18. This processor 18 would be
a main frame type of computer having substantial capacity. Communication
is provided between the post office 12 and a plurality of central stations
14 (only one being shown) through a line or communication link 19 having a
communication device such as a telephone 20 therein. Associated with the
processor 18 and in connection therewith is a large storage memory unit 22
where large amounts of data can be stored and a register setting device 23
which includes meter setting software of the type required in the
resetting of postage meters remotely. Systems for the resetting of meters
remotely are well known, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,792,446,
4,097,923 and 4,447,890.
A remote user location 16 has a secure unit 25 which will be referred to as
a "server". The server 25 is supplied by the central station 14 to the
user and includes a user processor 24. Connected to the processor 24 is a
first memory 26 and a second memory 35. Preferably the memories 26,35 will
be non-volatile memories (NVM) that serve the function of a descending
register (Desc Reg) and ascending register (Asc Reg), respectively. The
user processor 24 is connected to the central station processor 18 through
a communication link or line 28. A telephone 30 or other communication
device may be disposed within the line 28 to thereby provide selective
communication between the processors 18, 24. Also connected to the
processor 24 are a RAM 32, a ROM 34, and a clock 36 whose respective
functions will be described in detail hereinafter. An input/processor 38
is connected to the user processor 24 whereby data may be supplied, either
manually or through, a medium such as a disc or tape, to the user
processor 24 for the purpose of providing data required in the processing
of mail pieces. The input/processor 38 may be any of a large number of
personal computers having keyboard and display which are commercially
available, such as an IBM XT personal computer.
A high speed inserter 39 is in electrical communication with the server 25
and performs the physical acts involved in processing the mail such as the
inserting of inserts into envelopes, sealing the envelop flaps, orienting
the mail pieces and conveying the mail pieces to a postage meter or
printer. The term insert includes bills, advertising materials, notices,
etc., which are of a size to be received within an envelope or the like.
High speed inserters of this type are readily available commercially, as
for example, Inserter Model No. 3100 series from Pitney Bowes Inc.
Stamford, Conn.
A first printer 40 is in communication with the user processor 24 of the
server 25 and with the input/processor 38 and is able to print upon mail
pieces 42 such as envelopes containing inserts which it receives from the
inserter 39. This printer 40 is a high speed printer which may be
controlled either through the processor 24 or through the input/processor
38. A second printer 44 is provided to print upon a statement sheet 46 or
other document. This second printer 44 may be a secure printer that is
provided by the central station 14 or an unsecured printer provided by the
user. By secure printer is meant a device constructed in the same manner
as a postage meter without access to the interiors thereof except by
authorized personnel. An example of such a postage meter is a Model 6500
postage meter available from Pitney Bowes Inc., supra. Throughout the
balance of the specification and claims the statement sheet 46 printed by
the printer 44 will be referred to as a "passport". Details of the
passport 46 will be described hereinafter in conjunction with FIG. 2.
Although only one user location 16 is shown and described, it will be
appreciated many user locations 16 will be serviced by the one central
station 14. The central station 14 may be the location of a postage meter
manufacturer or other accountable organization. Additionally, although
only one mail piece printer 40 is shown and described it will be
appreciated one server 25 may service a number of printers 40,44 and
inserters 39.
In operation, the user at the user location 16 will be a sender of large
quantities of mail who will be given a server 25 identification or serial
number by the central station 14 that will be stored in the memory 26 that
includes the descending register function. Obviously, this server 25
identification number may also be placed in the memory 35 that serves the
ascending register function. This identification number will be permanent
and unique for each server 25 and the user will have no access to that
portion of the memory 26,35 that stores such identification number. It
will be appreciated that this feature may be applied to postage meters as
well. Having the identification number in memory 26,35 eliminates the need
of having a plate applied to a postage meter or a server 25. It also will
be appreciated that a server may have many characteristics of a postage
meter, i.e., security, an ascending register, a descending register and
the like, but certain elements are absent. The most evident absent element
is a printer, the advantage of which is described hereinafter. Following
loading of the identification number into the memory 26, the user will
communicate with the central station 14 through the telephone 30 for the
purpose of indicating to the central station 14 the amount of postage
Value it wishes to have accredited to its memory 26. An access code will
be given to the user that can be addressed to the setting device 23. Upon
the receipt of the access code, the user will transmit to the central
station 14 the access code and his identification number and the request
for an amount of postage value. The setting device 23 will function to
charge, or increase, the postage value into the memory 26. As stated
previously, the memory 26 will include the descending register function.
As the user location 16 processes mail, the postage value in the
descending register will be decreased in accordance with the postage used
or required to mail the mail pieces. As stated previously, devices for
charging registers such as the descending registers are well known. In
addition, as postage is applied to mail by the user, the amount of postage
applied will be recorded in ascending register of the memory 35. Such
recording of postage applied occurs with the processing of each mail
piece. More specifically, after postage is applied to a mail piece, the
amount of postage value used to mail those mail pieces will be added to
the postage amount resident in the ascending register 35 from previous
transactions. Thus, the ascending register will store the amount of all
postage applied or debited throughout use of the particular server 25 in
which it is housed. This postage amount is, therefore, ever increasing
until such time as the server 25 is put out of service. In this way, the
ascending register 35 always shows a different postage value after postage
has been applied to a mail piece. For example, if the ascending register
35 had resident therein the number 1629457, this would indicate that the
server 25 has applied $16,294.57 worth of postage throughout its use. If
postage of $1,000.00 is applied to the next batch of mail pieces, the
number in the ascending register would increase to 1729457 indicating
$17294.57 worth of postage has been applied by the server 25 from its
inception. Thus, the number resident in the ascending register 35 changes
with every mailing transaction and is unique relative to that particular
server 25. By printing the server 25 number and ascending register 35
value on each mail piece, a unique numbering system is obtained.
The balance of the server 25 includes the ROM 34 that 30 outputs address
signals and stores a series of programs for controlling the functions of
the server 25, a RAM 32 that will hold and supply real time data and a
clock 36 that will provide the time and date.
It will be appreciated that the printer 40 is a high speed, inexpensive,
unsecured printer such as a ink jet printer or laser printer or any type
of dot matrix printer which will apply the addresses of the addressee and
addressor to the face of the mail pieces as supplied by the
input/processor 38. In addition to the value of the ascending register 35
and server number, other information can be printed optionally by the
printer 40 upon each mail piece 42. This information could include a
transaction number (T.A. No.), the run of the particular batch of mail,
the date and time of mailing, the class of mail and a batch number. The
transaction number is that number assigned to the user location 16 by the
central station 14 every time postage value is added to the server 25 and
will be stored in the NVM 26 This transaction number will be the same for
one or more batches of mail that are sent and will remain the same until
such time as the descending register of the NVM 26 is recharged with
postage value, at which time a new transaction number will be assigned and
stored in the memory 26 in place of the preceding transaction number. By
changing the transaction number upon each recharge, an element is provided
for verifying postage. The batch number is one assigned by the user
through the input/processor 38 whereby a given batch of mail, i.e., mail
of a particular type or character, will be identified by a number assigned
by the user. In addition, a run number, which is a subset of the batch,
may be given to identified particular segments of the batch. Also, each
mail piece may be numbered sequentially during each batch of mail
processing.
When a batch of mail is to be sent, the user will supply mailing and
verification information through the input/processor 38 into the user
processor 24 which will transmit at least a portion of this information to
the inserter 39. This information would include the number of mail pieces
to be processed and number of inserts to be placed in each envelope. The
time and date may be supplied to the printer 40 through the
input/processor 38 by overriding the clock 36. This overriding is useful
when future mail is being processed. The user processor 24 will then
command the printer 40 to print on each mail piece the appropriate
postage, time, date, transaction number and address. As the printer 40
prints the appropriate information upon each mail piece, the amount of
postage required will be determined and the required postage and amount
resident in the ascending register 35, after accounting for the amount for
postage of that particular mail piece, may be printed upon the mail piece.
At the end of the run or batch, the second printer 44 will print
authorization information upon a passport 46. The postage required to post
a batch of mail will be accounted for by the server 25 through the
decrementing of the descending register 26 as each mail piece is
processed.
Referring now to FIG. 2, the passport 46 is shown after having printed
thereon the total postage (Post. Total) required to mail the batch of
mail, the transaction number(T.A. No.), piece count for a batch,
descending register amount (Reg. Am.) after the postage total required for
the batch of mail has been accounted for, the date, the time, the class of
mail, the batch number and the run number (optionally). Additionally, the
server number, i.e., the identification number, by way of example the
number 7124, stored in the memory 26, user name and passport number as
well as any desired graphics may be printed on the passport 46. The server
number and passport number may be combined into a single number identified
as server/passport no. This information on the passport 46 serves many
purposes. Firstly, the register amount acts as a physical record of the
postage value stored in the descending register 26. This amount is printed
on the passport 46 on the upper right hand. The register amount will be
that amount in the descending register after all postal charges have been
made for the batch of mail to be posted. By placing this register amount
on the passport 46 after accounting for each batch of mail, an ongoing,
permanent record is maintained of the amount of postage value contained
within the descending register 26. In this way, if there is a disaster
wherein the server 25 is destroyed or the memory 26 therein is erased
inadvertently, the user will still have a means for verifying the amount
of postage value remaining from that amount of postage value purchased and
stored. The transaction number provides an authorization check as does the
identification or server number. By changing the transaction number with
each recharge of the server 25, one is aided in determinations of validity
of batches of mail. Also printed on the passport 46 will be the passport
number, the date and time the passport 46 is printed, the piece count,
i.e., the number of mail pieces mailed in the particular batch, and the
class of mail. At the time of the printing of the information on the
passport 46, the postage amount for the batch will be subtracted from
postage value stored in the descending register of the 26, i.e., the
debiting of the descending register 26 and printing of the passport 46
will be simultaneous. At the same time, the postage value stored in the
ascending register 35 will be increased in an amount equal to the postage
amount required to mail the batch of mail. Obviously, the ascending
register 35 will incremented the same postage value amount the descending
register 26 is decremented.
The information printed upon the passport 46 is transmitted to the central
station 14 through the communication line 28 after each batch or
periodically and is processed so that a record is maintained through the
processor 18 that communicates with memory 22. The memory 22 has an
ascending register therein that corresponds to the ascending register 35
in the server 25. As stated previously, an ascending register is one that
accumulates charges over a long term. Optionally, the memory 22 may have a
descending register that duplicates the amounts in the descending register
26 on an ongoing basis. By having the postage value contained within the
memory 22 that corresponds to the value of the server 25, a check may be
made to assure there is a correspondence between the passport 46
information and the amount of postage paid by the user. More specifically,
the total postage value credited to the user location 16 will be stored in
memory 22 and if the amount required to mail a particular batch of mail
exceeds the amount of postage value available to the user, the user
location 16 will be notified that there are insufficient funds.
When a batch of mail is sent to a post office for mailing, the passport 46
for that particular batch will accompany the mail. The postal employee can
determine whether it is an authorized batch of mail from the information
contained upon the accompanying passport 46. If there is any question on
the part of the postal service as to whether the information is authentic,
it will contact the central station 14 and through the line 19 obtain the
information from the central station 14 to verify the information
contained on the passport 46. If this information is accurate, then the
postal service will know that the mail is authorized, i.e., the postage
for the mail has been paid. On the other hand, if there is any
discrepancy, the postal service is able to act to ferret any fraud or
correct any discrepancy. As is the usual practice in the user of postage
meters, a user location 16 will send all its mail to an assigned post
office which is referred to as the entry point.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an envelope 42 is shown as it would be prepared by
the present system 10. The upper left hand corner contains the address of
the mail sender and the upper right hand corner contains a pre-print block
43 containing the class of mail and gives the identification number or
server number of the mail sender, in this example #7124. This information
may be preprinted on the envelopes 42 prior to processing of a batch of
mail. Such preprinting may accomplished through direct communication of
the input/processor 38 with the printer 44 without any participation of
the other components of the user location 16 or by another printer that is
independent of the system shown in FIG. 1.
In the processing of batch mail, the three address lines 60,61 and 62 will
first be printed in the address field with the name of the recipient, the
street address and the city, state, zip code, respectively. The first line
64, or postage line, is then printed using information supplied by the
processor 24. This postage line, includes the postage amount 171/2 cents,
the type of pre-sort discount (ZP) the date, May 12, 1986 and the postage
value stored in the ascending register 27 after postage has been applied
to the mail piece 42, which in this example is the value 0009998075. It
will be noted that the postage line is horizontally aligned with the
bar-half bar posted zip code 66. The bar-half bar code 66 is frequently
printed by the post office to facilitate the processing of mail. In
particular, post offices equipped with optical character reading/channel
sorting (OCR/CS) equipment will read the zip code printed on the face of a
mail piece. Subsequent to reading the zip code, the OCR/CS will print the
bar-half bar zip code on that mail piece. By having the postage line 64 at
the same level as the bar-half bar, the opportunity is afforded the user
to print both the postage line 64 and postal zip code 66 in one pass.
Printing of the postal zip code 66 by the user could result in a lower
postal rate. Other information may be given on the postage line 64 as
desired including the time the mail is processed. Although the postage
line is shown in alpha numerics it will be appreciated that the same may
be printed in bar code and, optionally, bar code address information may
be printed on the envelope as desired. Additionally, the information in
the pre-print block 43 may be printed in the address field with the other
information therein and the preprint block may be eliminated as will be
described with reference to FIG. 7.
The advantage of having the ascending number printed on the envelope 42 is
that a unique number or combination of numbers is obtained on each mail
piece. Because the ascending register number continually increases as long
as a particular server 25 is in use, a different number appears in the
postage line 64 of the envelope 42. This is not true of the descending
register value where numbers repeat upon the descending register 26 being
recharged. The ascending register 35 value printed upon an envelope 42 in
combination with the server 25 number, or other identification number,
will provide a unique number on envelopes. Of course, other servers 25
will produce duplicate ascending register numbers on mail pieces they
process; however, because the server serial number is different, every
mail piece 42 processed by all servers will have a unique number thereon
which is a combination of the server serial number and the ascending
register postage value at the time of processing. Although this unique
envelope number concept has been described as it relates to a server 25,
it will be appreciated that the concept applies equally as well to postage
meters since each postage meter is assigned a unique meter number and has
an ascending register that increases in value as long as the postage meter
is in service.
The advantage of printing a unique number on an envelope is security. Upon
inspection of mail pieces by postal authorities, if mail pieces with
identical server serial numbers and ascending register value numbers are
found, it will be known that the mail pieces are unauthorized, i.e.,
postage has not been paid. As stated previously, each server 25 is
assigned to a given post office, i.e., all the mail from a particular user
location 16 must be sent to an assigned post office. This affords the post
office the opportunity of monitoring mail with given server serial numbers
and reduces the ability of a fraudulent mailer to send unauthorized mail.
With OCR/CS equipment, in particularly, it becomes relatively easy to read
the unique numbers on envelopes and make a determination that one number
duplicates another.
Although an envelope 42 shown has the postage and address information
printed on the face thereof the same scheme will apply to a windowed
envelope. A windowed envelope 100 may be preprinted as previously
described but instead of the printer 40 printing on the face of the
envelope 42, an insert would be printed with the same address lines
60,61,62 shown on the face of the envelope 42 and inserted so as to be
viewed from the window. Alternatively, the postage and address information
may be printed upon a label and the label may be attached to the envelope
42.
FIG. 7 is an illustration of a windowed envelope 100 printed with data
thereon in accordance with the instant invention. The mailing or
destination address may be printed on a facing insert for the envelope, to
be visible in the window 101. The printer 40 also prints the postage line
102 which includes the postal rate 103, the class of mail 104, the date of
mailing 105, the serial number 106 of the server 25 and the ascending
register postage value 107. It is to be especially noted that the
ascending register postage value 107, as well as some or all of the
remainder of the postage line, may be presented in bar code format.
The server number in this particular embodiment is A012B79. This number is
from a numerical system premised on the base 32 rather than the base 10.
Such a numerical system that is premised on the base 32 is well known, for
example automobile license plates. In a base 32 numerical sequence both
numbers and letters must be used in formulating the numerical sequence.
For example, the letters of this alphabet would correspond to the first 26
digit in a number system to the base 10 then the next six digits would be
1,2,3,4,5,0. By way of example, the number 51 to the base 10 would be the
same as the number AS to the base 32 and the number 64 to the base 10
would be the same as B0 to the base 32. Such an expanded numerical system
is required because large sums are passed through a postage meter or
server in its lifetime and in order to keep the number of digits low
numerical system to the base 10 would be inconvenient.
Still another scheme for processing mail batches is to use truncated
numbers on the passport 46 or mail piece 42,100 that represent a
combination of at least a portion of two independent numbers. These
independent numbers could be the passport number, server number, postage
value of the ascending register, postage value of the descending register,
mail piece number and the like. Such a truncated number may be applied to
the passport 46 that accompanies the batch of to the post office.
Referring once more to FIG. 7, a truncated server/ascending register
number 106 is provided in which the first three digits A01 may represent
the server 25 identification number and the last four digits 2B29 may
represent the ascending register value number. Although the server
identification number may have more than three digits, only the last three
digits of that number would be used for the server/passport truncated
number. The same is true with regard to the ascending register number
where the last four digits would be used for the last four digits of the
server/passporrt number. Obviously, a degree of security would be
sacrificed since each mail piece would not have an absolute unique
number., but space would be saved. Where unique numbering is not required
these truncated numbers would be most beneficial. Another example is a
combination of a portion of the server number combined with a portion of
the passport number. Referring to FIG. 2 once more, the passport/server
number 1241685 could be the last three digits of the server 25 serial
number (7124) and the last four digits of the passport number that would
normally be assigned. Other combinations using the postage value of the
descending register, the mail piece number and the like, could also be
used.
In this way what is provided is a method of allowing a organization to send
large amounts of mail with self authenticating information. By having
combinations of identification numbers a visual examination would give a
degree of assurance that the mail being received by a post office is
authorized. Thus, the postal service is saved the problem of requiring
on-site inspections at the user location 16 in order to verify that no
unauthorized mail is being sent. By correlating the amount of postage, the
transaction number, piece count, server number, passport number and the
like, verification can be made. Additionally, a further check is provided
by printing upon each envelope 42 the combination of an indication of the
postage value in the ascending register and the server 25 identification
number. This provides a relatively simple method to assure additional mail
pieces for which postage has not been paid have not been added to a batch
of mail.
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