A system for mailing bulk mail pieces in which credit rating is relied upon instead of security to assure payment of the mail. A mailer user sends a batch of mail to the post office which is accompanied by a statement sheet indicating the number of mail pieces and amount of postage due. Accompanying this statement is a check in the amount of the postage required for the batch of mail.
In a method and apparatus for paying for recrediting of an electronic postage meter machine, switchable into a reloading mode, and communicating with a data central, data is entered into the postage meter machine and the postage meter machine is switched into a communication mode or into a credit inquiry mode. Communication is established with the data central and a plausibility check of the entered data and register values is undertaken in the data central, and a credit inquiry process is begun by the data central if a credit card number has been entered via the postage meter machine. The data central contacts a credit card processing center for verifying the credit card status of the customer and, upon receiving an authorization indicating an acceptable credit card status of the customer, the data center processes the reloading event. If the credit card processing center indicates an unacceptable credit card status, the preceding steps are repeated. A list of successful credit inquiries can be produced. The credit card processing center authorizes a transfer of funds from a bank of the customer, and subsequently the transfer of funds is implemented to credit the bank of the nationally authorized postal carrier who is responsible for postal deliveries.
Teleprinting system, at a telephone user, comprising an apparatus containing a microprocessor corrected to a telephone line through a modem unit providing to distinguish data transmission messages from standard telephone messages using differences in the ring signal to send the received data to a printer, to a display, or through an interface circuit to an outer computer, and receiving messages from an optical reader or from a keyboard for their transmission through the modem unit to the corresponding apparatus of an agency or individual connected in order to embody the interaction, and is particularly applicable to telebilling or teleinvoicing methods from service agencies to an end user.
A system for certifying correctly accounted postage payment, the system includes an input for entering transactional mail run data and a data processor coupled to the input. Documents to be certified are fed along a document feed path, and certain parameters for the documents are determined. A printer under the control of the data processor, then places a certification imprint upon the documents after necessary accounting is done.
A method and system are provided for applying a volume discount scheme and rating transactions accordingly on a continuous basis, in a continuous processing system. At the time of a transaction or potential transaction, a cost including applicable volume discount is provided to a customer with reference to his current accumulated usage. When a customer is shopping on-line or placing a phone order, he can learn what discount he will obtain if he spends an incremental amount. A person using a service can inquire what the discounted cost or applicable rate is for a contemplated transaction.
A postal gateway system wherein information is conveyed through a gateway among a mailer, a post office, a bank, and a postal agent. With this gateway system, information can be sent virtually simultaneously to the various recipients so that each is current with regard to the mailing operations taking place and accounting therefor even though the format of data of the individual facilities are different.
