EP0889443A2 - Frankiermaschine für mehrere Währungen - Google Patents

Frankiermaschine für mehrere Währungen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0889443A2
EP0889443A2 EP98112417A EP98112417A EP0889443A2 EP 0889443 A2 EP0889443 A2 EP 0889443A2 EP 98112417 A EP98112417 A EP 98112417A EP 98112417 A EP98112417 A EP 98112417A EP 0889443 A2 EP0889443 A2 EP 0889443A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
currency
postage
postal indicia
currency denomination
denomination
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP98112417A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0889443A3 (de
EP0889443B1 (de
Inventor
Timothy c/o Pitney Bowes Limited Nicholls
Robert c/o Pitney Bowes Limited Allport
Steven c/o Pitney Bowes Limited Kelly
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 Ltd
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Ltd
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 Ltd filed Critical Pitney Bowes Ltd
Publication of EP0889443A2 publication Critical patent/EP0889443A2/de
Publication of EP0889443A3 publication Critical patent/EP0889443A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0889443B1 publication Critical patent/EP0889443B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime 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
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • 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
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G07B2017/00387—Currency calculation, e.g. from DEM to EUR

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for determining postage. More particularly, the present invention relates to digital postage meter systems configured to determine and print postal indicia in more than one currency denomination.
  • the "Euro” is a new currency that will replace the existing local currencies in selected countries of the European Community.
  • the Euro will have a fixed rate of exchange for each of the national currencies, which fixed rate will be determined at the time each respective country joins. This fixed rate cannot change once it is set.
  • the Euro is currently scheduled to exist as a currency from 1 January 1999 but will only gradually move into general use, with the introduction of coins and notes in 2002.
  • the Euro currency will have a subdenomination called a cent, which will be worth one hundredth of a Euro and the currency will be provided in the physical form of notes and coins. The length of time that banks and consumers will have to prepare themselves for the Euro currency differs.
  • Euro currency is postage meter systems.
  • postage meters are sophisticated systems that determine applicable postage for items to be mailed.
  • Such systems comprise a scale for determining the weight of an item to be mailed, a keyboard for entering data necessary to determine the applicable postage in accordance with the weight and entered data for each item to be mailed.
  • One such apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,325 to Dlugos, et al., for SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPUTING DOMESTIC AND INFORMATIONAL POSTAGE, filed Aug. 27, 1979.
  • the present invention provides an apparatus and method for converting postage expressed in a first currency denomination into at least a second currency denomination and printing the postage expressed in a second denomination in postal indicia.
  • the present invention includes a postage meter system that generates postage for items to mailed, which system includes input means for entering postage in a first currency denomination.
  • the system includes an image generator that is connected to the input means and is capable of generating postal indicia in a digital bit-map.
  • a printing device is connected to the image generator and is capable of printing the bit-map consisting of the postal indicia which is to be applied on items to be mailed.
  • the meter system further includes conversions means for converting the input postage that is expressed in a first currency denomination into postage expressed in a second currency denomination.
  • the system 10 comprises a computer controlled postage meter control system 12 (e.g. a digital postage meter), which is to be understood to be of any suitable configuration of hardware, software and framework.
  • the postage meter control system 12 includes an operating program 14, which provides the instructions for operating: a descending register 16; an ascending register 18; an image generator 20; a printer 22; and input means 24.
  • the postage meter control system 12 includes a rate conversion table 26 that is operative to enable system 12 to work in conjunction with both the Euro currency denomination and at least one other national currency denomination (e.g., British Pounds Sterling (£)).
  • postage meter systems are well known in the art, the operation of such postage meter systems need not be described in detail herein except to the extent necessary for one skilled in the art to understand the present invention.
  • the present invention is to be implemented in postage meters commonly known as POST PERFECT and PERSONAL POST available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford Ct., U.S.A. Examples of such known postal meter systems can be found in the following commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,535,419 to Dlugos, et al.; 5,280,531 to Hunter; and 5,592,034 to Felmus, et al., each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
  • the descending register 16 is preferably a re-settable register that decrements an amount to which is being printed on a mail piece.
  • the term "mail piece,” as used herein, is to be understood to encompass any type of medium capable of bearing postal indicia, such as: post cards, envelopes, labels, tape strips and the like. It is to be appreciated that the descending register 16 can be configured to be either user selectable or fixed as to the currency denomination that is utilized by the descending register 16 for tracking postage funds. For ease of explanation of this illustrative embodiment, the descending register 16 will be maintained in conjunction with the Euro currency denomination.
  • the ascending register 18 increments an amount equal to that being printed on a mail piece and will also be maintained in conjunction with the Euro currency denomination.
  • system 12 is to be described in conjunction with a pre-payment postage system whereby the currency value prescribed in the descending register 16 must already be paid for by the user, after which the descending register 16 is decremented an amount equal to that contained in the generated postal indicia, which is to be printed on a mail piece.
  • the descending register 16 of system 12 is equal to zero Euro's and the user pre-pays the Postal Office, either directly or indirectly, one hundred Euro's, the descending register 16 is correspondingly incremented to one hundred Euro's.
  • the descending register 16 is decremented by such an equal amount.
  • the operating program 14 prevents the system 12 from printing that amount until the descending register 16 is sufficiently incremented.
  • the operating program 14 is preferably a set of instructions, which are typically implemented in a microprocessor that enables the control of the various components of the present invention postage meter system 12.
  • the input device 24 consists of any known means capable of generating a currency value that is to be printed on a mail piece.
  • the input device 24 may consist of: a scale; a keyboard; a bar code reader; or any other type of input device adapted for use with the generation of postal indicia.
  • the image generator 20 is preferably a device operative to generate a digital bit-map, which forms the postal indicia to be printed on a mail piece.
  • the printer 22 is thus preferably a digital printer operative to print on a mail piece the aforesaid bit-map generated by the image generator 20.
  • the rate conversion table 26 it is controlled by the operating program 14 and performs the conversion calculations necessary to generate at least one other alternative currency value in a second denomination which is equal to the input Euro currency denomination.
  • the rate conversion table 24 converts the input Euro currency denomination into equivalent British Pounds Sterling (£) using the fixed rate of exchange.
  • system 12 may be operative to simultaneously print two currency denominations on the mail piece, or may enable the user to selectively choose which currency denomination is to be printed on the mail piece.
  • descending register 16 is to be understood to be initially set to one hundred Euro's and the ascending register is to be understood to be initially set to zero Euro's.
  • a user inputs a postage value in a primary currency denomination (e.g., two Euros)(step 100).
  • the rate conversion table 26 then converts the aforesaid postage using the fixed rate of exchange into a secondary currency denomination (e.g., British Pounds Sterling (£)) (step 102).
  • the descending register 16 is decremented by an amount equal to the aforesaid primary currency value (e.g., two Euros (so as to equal ninety eight Euros)) and the ascending register 18 is correspondingly incremented (so as to equal two Euros)(steps 104 and 106).
  • the image generator 20 then generates a bit-map of postal indicia containing a postal value expressed in both the aforesaid primary currency denomination (e.g., Euros) and its corresponding secondary currency denomination (e.g., British Pounds Sterling (£))(step 108).
  • the bit-map is then conveyed to the printer 22 which prints the bit-map 130 on a mail piece 132 as is shown in Fig. 2a, wherein the first currency denomination (e.g., Euros) is designated by reference numeral 134 and the secondary currency denomination (British pounds Sterling (£)) is designated by reference numeral 136.
  • a user inputs a postage value in a primary currency denomination (e.g., two (2) Euro's)(step 200).
  • a primary currency denomination e.g., two (2) Euro's
  • the user is asked to input which currency denomination is to be printed on the mail piece (step 202).
  • the user may select from one or a plurality of preprogrammed currency denominations. For example, the user may choose that only British Pounds Sterling (£) are to be printed on the mail piece or that the Euro currency denomination, British Pounds Sterling (£) and German Deutsch Mark (DM) are to be all printed on the mail piece.
  • the rate conversion table 26 then converts the aforesaid entered primary currency denomination (e.g., Euros) into the selected currency denominations upon the instructions of the operating program 14 (step 204).
  • the rate conversion table 26 converts the entered Euro denomination value into both British Pounds Sterling (£) and German Deutsch Mark (DM) using the fixed rate of exchange established for the Euro currency denomination.
  • the descending register 16 is then decremented by an amount equal to the aforesaid primary currency value and the ascending register is correspondingly incremented upon the instruction of the operating program 14 (steps 206 and 208).
  • the image generator 20 then generates a bit-map of postal indicia containing a postal value expressed in aforesaid selected currency denominations (e.g., Euros, British Pounds Sterling (£) and German Deutsch Mark (DM))(step 210).
  • This bit-map is then conveyed to the printer 22 which prints the bit-map 230 on a mail piece 232 as is shown in Fig. 3a (step 212), wherein the selected first, second and third selected currency denomination's are designated by reference numerals 234, 236 and 238, respectively.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mathematical Physics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
EP19980112417 1997-07-04 1998-07-03 Frankiermaschine für mehrere Währungen Expired - Lifetime EP0889443B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9714186 1997-07-04
GBGB9714186.5A GB9714186D0 (en) 1997-07-04 1997-07-04 Multi currency postage meter

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0889443A2 true EP0889443A2 (de) 1999-01-07
EP0889443A3 EP0889443A3 (de) 1999-04-14
EP0889443B1 EP0889443B1 (de) 2005-04-27

Family

ID=10815416

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19980112417 Expired - Lifetime EP0889443B1 (de) 1997-07-04 1998-07-03 Frankiermaschine für mehrere Währungen

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0889443B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69829916T2 (de)
GB (1) GB9714186D0 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0962893A1 (de) * 1998-06-05 1999-12-08 Neopost Industrie Frankiermaschine mit veränderbarer Währung
EP1047023A2 (de) * 1999-04-19 2000-10-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. Frankiermaschinensystem mit Sicherheitsmerkmal für Währungskompatibilität
EP1149360A1 (de) * 1999-04-19 2001-10-31 Pitney Bowes Inc. Frankiersystem mit mehrwhrungsfähigkeit

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4286325A (en) 1979-08-27 1981-08-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. System and method for computing domestic and international postage
US4535419A (en) 1982-10-22 1985-08-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. System and method for computing fractional postage values
US5280531A (en) 1991-10-28 1994-01-18 Pitney Bowes Inc. Apparatus for the analysis of postage meter usage
US5592034A (en) 1995-12-29 1997-01-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Power shut down delay circuit for a postage meter mailing machine having an ink jet printer system

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH675495A5 (de) * 1986-04-04 1990-09-28 Pitney Bowes Inc
US4933849A (en) * 1987-07-16 1990-06-12 Pitney Bowes Security system for use with an indicia printing authorization device
GB8808023D0 (en) * 1988-04-06 1988-05-05 Avery Ltd W & T Franking machine
CA2057673A1 (en) * 1990-12-19 1992-06-20 Terrence M. Doeberl Embedded user-interface having multiple language capability

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4286325A (en) 1979-08-27 1981-08-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. System and method for computing domestic and international postage
US4535419A (en) 1982-10-22 1985-08-13 Pitney Bowes Inc. System and method for computing fractional postage values
US5280531A (en) 1991-10-28 1994-01-18 Pitney Bowes Inc. Apparatus for the analysis of postage meter usage
US5592034A (en) 1995-12-29 1997-01-07 Pitney Bowes Inc. Power shut down delay circuit for a postage meter mailing machine having an ink jet printer system

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0962893A1 (de) * 1998-06-05 1999-12-08 Neopost Industrie Frankiermaschine mit veränderbarer Währung
FR2779550A1 (fr) * 1998-06-05 1999-12-10 Neopost Ind Dispositif d'affranchissement a monnaie convertible
EP1047023A2 (de) * 1999-04-19 2000-10-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. Frankiermaschinensystem mit Sicherheitsmerkmal für Währungskompatibilität
US6154734A (en) * 1999-04-19 2000-11-28 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage metering system having currency compatibility security feature
EP1047023A3 (de) * 1999-04-19 2000-12-20 Pitney Bowes Inc. Frankiermaschinensystem mit Sicherheitsmerkmal für Währungskompatibilität
EP1149360A1 (de) * 1999-04-19 2001-10-31 Pitney Bowes Inc. Frankiersystem mit mehrwhrungsfähigkeit
EP1149360A4 (de) * 1999-04-19 2008-02-27 Pitney Bowes Inc Frankiersystem mit mehrwhrungsfähigkeit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0889443A3 (de) 1999-04-14
GB9714186D0 (en) 1997-09-10
DE69829916T2 (de) 2006-02-16
DE69829916D1 (de) 2005-06-02
EP0889443B1 (de) 2005-04-27

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