EP0543397A2 - Frankiermaschinenverwaltungssystem mit Postgebührensteuerung - Google Patents

Frankiermaschinenverwaltungssystem mit Postgebührensteuerung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0543397A2
EP0543397A2 EP92119802A EP92119802A EP0543397A2 EP 0543397 A2 EP0543397 A2 EP 0543397A2 EP 92119802 A EP92119802 A EP 92119802A EP 92119802 A EP92119802 A EP 92119802A EP 0543397 A2 EP0543397 A2 EP 0543397A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
carrier
postage
microcomputer
operator
fee
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP92119802A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0543397A3 (en
Inventor
Roman Bystrianyk
Jacqueline Collins
Terrence M. Doeberl
Kevin D. Hunter
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Publication of EP0543397A2 publication Critical patent/EP0543397A2/de
Publication of EP0543397A3 publication Critical patent/EP0543397A3/en
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00733—Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
    • G07B2017/00153—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00266—Man-machine interface on the apparatus
    • G07B2017/00274—Mechanical, e.g. keyboard
    • G07B2017/0029—Soft buttons; buttons that can change function
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00266—Man-machine interface on the apparatus
    • G07B2017/00298—Visual, e.g. screens and their layouts
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00733—Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00935—Passwords

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a mail processing system having departmental accounting.
  • a mail processing system comprising: a postage meter for dispensing postage; printing means for printing postage information on an envelope; microcomputer means for accounting for postage dispensed by said postage meter and for providing departmental accounting of said dispensed postage; and data entry means for providing operator entering data to said microcomputer, the system further comprising: memory means for storing carrier and carrier fee information; memory means for storing permitted carrier and carrier fee sets for each department; and said microcomputer being programmed to cause said microcomputer to enable permitted carrier and carrier fee sets in accordance with an operator selected department account, and in response to operator data entry through said data entry means.
  • a method of processing mail comprising the steps of: dispensing postage; printing postage information on an envelope; providing departmental accounting for postage dispensed; and entering operator data, further comprising the steps of: storing carrier and carrier fee information; storing permitted carrier and carrier fee sets for each department; and enabling permitted carrier and carrier fee sets in accordance with operator data entry and an operator selected department account.
  • a postage meter mailing machine is comprised of a feeder section 2 and a postage meter mailing machine section 3.
  • envelopes are placed in a hopper 4 of the feeder section 2, whereupon the envelopes are serially fed through the feeder section to the mailing machine section 3 for imprinting of a postage indicia on fed envelopes by a postage meter print arrangement (not shown) detachably mounted within the mailing machine section 3.
  • the mailing machine 1 includes a scale 5 for weighing the envelope and communicating with a microcomputer system which controls the operation of the postage meter mailing machine such that proper postage is printed by the printing mechanism of the postage meter on the envelope according to the weight of the envelope.
  • the mailing machine 1 includes a user interface, generally indicated as 6.
  • the user interface 6 includes a visual display 7 and a plurality of soft keys 8 aligned to a respective portion of the screen 7 and a plurality of hard keys 9, which form a keyboard or keypad. At least one of the keys 9 are designated as an enter key 11 and another designated as a return key 13. Also one of the hard keys is designated as a start 16.
  • the interface 6 also includes first and second mimic displays 10 and 12, respectively. Each mimic display also has associated function hard keys, those generally indicated as 14 associated with the mimic display 10 and hard keys 15 associated with mimic display 12.
  • the microcomputer 20 is comprised of a plurality of programmable micro-processor based controller, memory units and suitable system interfaces (not here shown). A more detailed description of the microcomputer system of the mail processing system is set forth in European Patent Publication No. 0 492 439, herein incorporated by reference.
  • the microcomputer 20 is in communication with a meter unit, generally indicated as 22.
  • the meter unit 22 includes a printing mechanism 24 under the control of a setting mechanism 26.
  • the setting mechanism 26 is in communication with the microcomputer 20.
  • the microcomputer 20 is also in communication with a display driver 28 which in turn controls the display 7.
  • a input-output controller 30 is in communication with the display keypad 12 and the microcomputer 20.
  • each screen defines data window area DW, a soft key menu field MF, a screen title field TF, a prompt/error field PF.
  • the soft keys individually referred as 8a through 8f, are aligned to a respective portion of the screen menu field MF. Aligning the soft keys to the screen field MF in this manner allows a machine operator to easily associate the options presented in the menu field MF with the depression of the correspondingly aligned soft key. Operator instructions, request for operator variable data input and operator error messages are presented in the prompt field PF.
  • user system information pertinent to the current state of the mailing machine 1 or selected soft function can be presented to the operator.
  • the soft functions refer to data processing functions, such as funds accounting, and hard functions refer to machine control functions.
  • Fig. 5 Illustrated in Fig. 5 is a schematic of the carrier fee table structure which preferably stored in the non-volatile memory of the microcomputer 20. Represented within the enclosed area is the fee associated with the respective carrier (ABC through XYZ). Each carrier has a plurality of classes (e.g., Class A through AA). Each class has an associated range of fees(e.g., C1 through C10).
  • Class Bb may be assigned to a private carrier for two day service.
  • the specific fee may be determined by weight of the item to be posted.
  • the item weight is obtained from the scale 5.
  • a department e.g., Physic Department
  • a carrier set may be assigned, during account set up, a carrier set.
  • the microcomputer 20 upon initialization of power to the system operator at 100, the microcomputer 20 causes the display 7 within the prompt field PF to prompt the operator to enter the operator identification number at 102. If the operator enters erroneous information, the operator is then prompted at 104 to re-enter the proper information. The re-entered information is verified at 106, subsequent to which the operator is prompted to press start to run mail at 108. The operator is also presented with a menu in the menu field MF consisting of: change class at 110, change accounts at 112, site set-up at 114, service diagnostics at 116, access to additional menu options at 118 or quit at 120.
  • the operator may choose to change accounts at 112; hereafter the operator is prompted to enter the new account number at 122.
  • the operator may choose to change class of posting.
  • the operator is prompted to pick a mail class or enter a speed code at 124.
  • a speed code is a short cut data entry method to identify an account number.
  • An example is speed code 5 identifies a particular account number.
  • the operator is also presented with the option to pick a fee at 126.
  • the operator is then presented with the posting class available for that account at 128. If the operator has chosen to pick a fee, the operator is presented with the option to view fees at 130. The operator is then presented with the fees selected at 132 and prompted to hit the resume key to continue at 134. Should the operator select the resume key, the operator is again presented with the options of picking a class at 124 or picking a fee at 126. It should now be appreciated that an operator may choose a subset of the carrier class set from which to process the present mail run.
  • the microcomputer is programmed to enter a routine at logic block 400.
  • the operator inputs an account number, block 402, the routine then clears the class/carrier choice list at block 404.
  • the routine retrieves from the carrier table, the first class/carrier defined in the carrier table at block 406.
  • the class/carrier is then tested at block 408 to verify if it is permitted for the selected account. If the class is permitted for the selected account, the class is added to the class/carrier choice list at block 410.
  • the routine then proceeds to test whether additional class/carriers remain to be processed at decision block 412. If additional classes remain, the next class/carrier of mail defined for the chosen account is obtained from the carrier table at logic block 414.
  • the routine the returns to decision block 408 to verify if the class is permitted for the account.
  • the routine proceeds to decision block 416 to verify whether "All Others" class/carrier is permitted for the selected account.
  • the "All Others" selection designates an account defined to include all class/carrier or all class/carriers with an exception. If an "All Others" category is permitted for the account, the routine proceeds to logic block 410 to contain in a loop until all the appropriate class/carriers have been enabled. If an "All Others" category is not permitted for the account, the routine proceeds again to decision block 412.
  • the operator is presented with a class/carrier of choice list at block 418.
  • the operator selects a class/carrier through the soft keys at block 420.
  • the routine then clears the fee choice list and fees chosen list at block 422.
  • the first fee defined in the account set for the class/carrier selected that is in the fees chosen list is obtained from the carrier table at block 424, and tested to verify if the fee is permitted for the account selected at decision block 426.
  • the routine proceeds to test the fee to determine if the fee is consistent with previous fees selected by the operator at decision block 428, using pre-defined postal rules, e.g., in the United States as set forth in the United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual. If the fee is consistent with previous fee selections, the fee is added a fee choice list at logic block 430. The routine proceeds to decision block 432. If, at decision block 432, it is determined that there are fees remaining to be processed, the next fee selected is retrieved from the carrier table at block 434, wherefrom the routine returns to decision block 426. If at decision block 426 it is determined that a fee is not permitted for the selected account, the routine tests whether an "All Others" category is permitted for the account at decision block 436. If an "All Others" category is permitted for the account, the routine proceeds to decision block 428 and proceeds as described above. If an "All Others" category is not permitted for the account, processing continues at decision block 432.
  • pre-defined postal rules e.g., in the United States as set forth in the
  • the fee choice list is presented to the operator at block 438.
  • the operator selects the desired fee, block 440.
  • the routine adds the selected fee to the fees chosen list at block 442.
  • the system determines if any fees remain unselective by the operator at decision block 444, and if so, queries the operator, at decision block 446, whether additional fees are to be added to the fees chosen list. If the operator requires additional fees, the routine returns back to block 424 to begin the process of obtaining the additional fees. If at the decision block 444 no fees remain to be chosen or at decision block 446, the operator does not wish to add more fees, the process is completed at block 448.
  • a suitable postage meter mailing machine may include a feeder assembly for automatically feeding envelopes to the mailing machine in a serial manner for individually posting each envelope.
  • the mailing machine preferably includes a display and keypad data entry system for providing a user interface with the mailing machine.
  • the mailing machine operates under the control of multi-processor microcomputer system.
  • the microcomputer is programmed to selectively enable mailing machine function and account for postage dispensed by the postage meter mailing machine.
  • the microcomputer includes a read-only memory (ROM) which has stored therein the respective carrier class and rate structure information.
  • ROM read-only memory
  • each account established has assigned a specific carrier set and for each carrier, a specific class and rate set.
  • the class and rate set is comprised of the permissible mail class and fee range for the respective carrier mail classes.
  • the machine is presented with a menu option set which includes the option to enter a charging account number and set a carrier, otherwise the accounting system will default to the last accessed account and carrier information.
  • the operator may optionally view the permissible fees for the selected carrier class for that account.
  • the microcomputer verifies that the chosen carrier and class is with the chosen account carrier set and identifies the permissible fee range as specified in the account set. The operation may then initiate mail posting by the mailing machine.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
EP19920119802 1991-11-22 1992-11-20 Postage meter accounting system with rate control Ceased EP0543397A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US79615791A 1991-11-22 1991-11-22
US796157 1991-11-22

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0543397A2 true EP0543397A2 (de) 1993-05-26
EP0543397A3 EP0543397A3 (en) 1993-11-10

Family

ID=25167465

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19920119802 Ceased EP0543397A3 (en) 1991-11-22 1992-11-20 Postage meter accounting system with rate control

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0543397A3 (de)
CA (1) CA2082235A1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6148292A (en) * 1997-07-14 2000-11-14 Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Method for statistics mode reloading and for statistical acquisition according to statistics classes in the storing of a dataset
WO2002047312A2 (en) * 2000-10-23 2002-06-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postal counter postage evidencing system with closed loop verification

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0107187A2 (de) * 1982-10-22 1984-05-02 Pitney Bowes Inc. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Bestimmung besonderer Postgebühren
EP0209392A2 (de) * 1985-07-18 1987-01-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. System zur zentralisierten Verarbeitung von Rechnungs- und Zahlungsfunktionen
EP0333043A1 (de) * 1988-03-14 1989-09-20 Neopost Industrie Verarbeitungssystem für Paketversand
US5040132A (en) * 1989-03-15 1991-08-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. System for preparing shipping documents

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0107187A2 (de) * 1982-10-22 1984-05-02 Pitney Bowes Inc. Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Bestimmung besonderer Postgebühren
EP0209392A2 (de) * 1985-07-18 1987-01-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. System zur zentralisierten Verarbeitung von Rechnungs- und Zahlungsfunktionen
EP0333043A1 (de) * 1988-03-14 1989-09-20 Neopost Industrie Verarbeitungssystem für Paketversand
US5040132A (en) * 1989-03-15 1991-08-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. System for preparing shipping documents

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6148292A (en) * 1997-07-14 2000-11-14 Francotyp-Postalia Ag & Co. Method for statistics mode reloading and for statistical acquisition according to statistics classes in the storing of a dataset
WO2002047312A2 (en) * 2000-10-23 2002-06-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postal counter postage evidencing system with closed loop verification
WO2002047312A3 (en) * 2000-10-23 2004-01-08 Pitney Bowes Inc Postal counter postage evidencing system with closed loop verification
US6904419B1 (en) 2000-10-23 2005-06-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postal counter postage evidencing system with closed loop verification

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2082235A1 (en) 1993-05-23
EP0543397A3 (en) 1993-11-10

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