EP1096429A2 - Drucken von Postwertzeichen mit eingebetteter Information - Google Patents

Drucken von Postwertzeichen mit eingebetteter Information Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1096429A2
EP1096429A2 EP00203552A EP00203552A EP1096429A2 EP 1096429 A2 EP1096429 A2 EP 1096429A2 EP 00203552 A EP00203552 A EP 00203552A EP 00203552 A EP00203552 A EP 00203552A EP 1096429 A2 EP1096429 A2 EP 1096429A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
image
information
embedded
postal
receiver
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP00203552A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1096429A3 (de
Inventor
Xin Eastman Kodak Co. Patent Legal Staff Wen
Chris W. Eastman Kodak Co. Honsinger
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.)
Eastman Kodak Co
Original Assignee
Eastman Kodak Co
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 Eastman Kodak Co filed Critical Eastman Kodak Co
Publication of EP1096429A2 publication Critical patent/EP1096429A2/de
Publication of EP1096429A3 publication Critical patent/EP1096429A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00524—Printheads
    • G07B2017/00532—Inkjet
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00637—Special printing techniques, e.g. interlacing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00637—Special printing techniques, e.g. interlacing
    • G07B2017/00645—Separating print into fixed and variable parts

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to printing postage stamps with embedded information.
  • Postal stamps can be printed by gravure, intaglio, offset, and flexo techniques.
  • the official postage stamps are commonly printed using a Gravure process.
  • the Gravure process is capable of creating images of very high resolution, beyond the capabilities of most common printers.
  • the Gravure process is an intaglio process. It uses a depressed or sunken surface etched into a copper cylinder to create the image and the unetched surface of the cylinder represent non-printing areas. The cylinder rotates in a bath of ink and the etched area picks up the ink and transfers it to the media creating the image. Gravure printing is considered excellent for printing highly detailed marks or pictures.
  • the high set-up cost (including making the cylinders and so forth) of the Gravure printing process makes it not economic for printing small quantities of stamps, for example, batches from about of 10 to 1000. This prohibits a consumer from choosing an image and having a postage stamp created using that image. It also does not permit a consumer to choose an image from a gallery of images that have been previously approved and having a postage stamp created using that previously approved image.
  • the security, mailing or postage information can be printed in a bar code.
  • the bar code can be in one dimensional or two dimensional forms.
  • US-A-4,835,713 discloses security information encoded in binary code in printed indicia.
  • the security information is printed in an array of dots and can be retrieved by a special reader.
  • US-A-5,413,037 discloses an apparatus and method for enhancing the security of mechanical postage meters through use of an encapsulated fluorescence quenching substance. An encapsulated quenching substance is blended with red fluorescent inks that are used to print postage indicia.
  • An object of this invention is to provide postage stamps having embedded information in a postal image.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide invisible embedded information that can be used to carry security, payment or credit, and address information in the images on the postal stamps.
  • a digital printing apparatus for printing on a receiver a postal image having invisible embedded information in response to a digital image having a plurality of pixels each having at least one pixel value and input information to embedded, comprising
  • An advantage of the present invention is that the information such as security information can be embedded on the postal images of postal stamps.
  • the embedded information does not alter the image content of the postal image and is invisible to eyes. The security is therefore enhanced.
  • the embedded information can be extracted by a scanner and a software.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that the postal information such as the security, mailing or postage information can be printed as embedded information inside the area of the postal image which eliminates the need for additional area on a postal stamp or a mail piece for printing bar code or any other dedicated postal security marks, as in the prior art.
  • a further advantage of the present invention is that the embedded information is printed with the same printer as the postal image thus saving the need for using fluorescent or IR dyes as in the prior art.
  • Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it is compatible with many different types of digital printers such as thermal resistive printers, ink jet printers, or laser printers.
  • the embedded information can readily be extract by a system which can selectively display the embedded information or the postal image, or a combination of both.
  • stamp refers to a receiver sheet to be attached to a mailing envelope, or the postal mark printed on the mail envelope.
  • the stamp carries authenticated postal image including images and postage amount.
  • mailing envelope will be understood to include any article which can be delivered by the post office, which includes other articles such as letters or gifts, for example.
  • a digital printer 10 is exemplified as a thermal resistive printer in accordance with the present invention includes a print head assembly 12, a supply spool 14 and take-up spool 16 for supply and transporting a donor web 17.
  • the print head assembly 12 includes a plurality of resistive heating elements, each of which can print image pixels on a receiver sheet 28.
  • the donor web 17 is coated with colorant materials that can be transferred by the print head assembly 12 to the receiver sheet 28.
  • the colorant materials are preferably dye molecules in the present invention.
  • the digital printer 10 can also be an ink jet printer, an electrophotographic printer (or laser printer), a laser thermal printer, or a digital silver halide printer.
  • the digital printer 10 also includes a roller platen 18 for providing the pressure and compliance to the receiver sheet 28 and donor web 17 during printing, a pair of pinch rollers 20 and 22 for driving the receiver sheet 28, a receiver tray 24 for storing and supplying the receiver sheets 28, and a receiver guide 30 for guiding the receiver sheet 28 during transport.
  • the receiver sheet 28 includes a colorant (dye) receiving layer that can receive colorant from the donor web 17 under heat and pressure.
  • the receiver sheet 28 also preferably includes a substrate and peelable receiver portions 300 comprising the colorant receiving layer (FIG. 3). The peelable receiver portions 300 can be peeled off from the substrate after stamp images are formed on them.
  • the digital printer 10 is a dye-diffusion (also referred to as dye-sublimation) printer that is cable of continuous tone printing of photo quality images. It is well known in the art that thermal resistive dye-diffusion printer can provide photographic quality images that the other common thermal transfer printers cannot provide.
  • the receiver sheet 28 is loaded from the receiver tray 24.
  • the receiver sheet 28 is transported by the pinch rollers 20 and 22 through the receiver guide 30 while the print head assembly 12 is in a "up position” leaving a gap for the receiver sheet 28 to be transported underneath.
  • the print head assembly 12 is lowered to a "down position” which forms a pressure interface (nip) between the print head assembly 12, the donor web 17, the receiver sheet 28, and the roller platen 18.
  • the print head assembly 12 subsequently prints a dye postal image on the receiver sheet 28 by thermally activating the diffusion of dye molecules from the donor web 17 to the receiver sheet 28.
  • the dye postal image 320 (FIG. 3) is transferred from each color patch (see FIG.
  • the lamination material is then uniformly transferred from the lamination patch 210 (FIG. 2) over the dye postal image 320 (FIG. 3) printed on the receiver sheet 28.
  • the lamination layer on the receiver sheet 28 protects the printed dye postal image 320 from physical abrasion, finger print and light fade.
  • the receiver sheet 28 carrying the dye postal images 320 is finally ejected from the print head assembly 12.
  • thermal resistive printing Details of the thermal resistive printing are also disclosed in the commonly assigned US-A-5,176,458 and US-A-5,841,459, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • the image printed on the peelable receiver portion 300 (FIG. 3) in the receiver sheet 28 can include visible information such as the country of issue, denomination (postage), other postal indicia such as images stored in the database of the postal authority.
  • the image printed on the peelable receiver portion 300 can also include user-selected or user-produced images and annotations that are approved by the postal authority.
  • the personally selected or personally created images are appealing to many users.
  • the donor web 17 includes a sequence of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) color dye patches 200.
  • a lamination patch 210 (L) is often included for provide a protection sheet over the printed dye postal image 310 (FIG. 3) on the receiver sheet 28.
  • Each group of the Y, M, C, K and L patches (200,210) are used for producing one set of color dye postal images 320 on the receiver sheet 28.
  • the receiver sheet 28 of FIG. 1 and 2 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3.
  • the receiver sheet 28 includes one or a multiple of perforated peelable receiver portions 300.
  • a dye postal image 310 is printed on each peelable receiver portion 300 to form a peelable stamp 320 by the digital printer 10.
  • the postal image 310 also includes invisible embedded information such as security information, postage information, the credit information of the user, the printer serial number that can be stored in the computer memory or the printer memory, the mailing date, and the mailing address information.
  • invisible embedded information such as security information, postage information, the credit information of the user, the printer serial number that can be stored in the computer memory or the printer memory, the mailing date, and the mailing address information.
  • a peelable stamp 320 can be peeled off from the receiver sheet 28 and be adhered to a mail envelope 400 as shown in FIG. 4.
  • the mail envelope 400 includes a mailing address 410 and the attached peelable stamp 320.
  • the peelable stamp 320 contains self-adhesive on the back surface so that no adhesive is required to attach it to the mail envelope 400.
  • the postal image having the embedded information can be directly printed on a mail piece.
  • a mail piece can be an envelope or container in which the mail is contained.
  • the computer 500 will be understood to include a Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory storage device.
  • the computer 500 performs at least two operations the image processing 510 and embedding information 520.
  • At least one CPU and at least one memory although more than one can be used are necessary to provide the image processing in block 510 and embedding information in block 520.
  • the processed image is stored in a memory.
  • the digital image includes the basic image content to be printed in the postal image 310.
  • the input information can include one or more of the following: security information, postage information, the credit information of the user, the printer serial number that can be stored in the computer memory or the printer memory, the mailing date, and the mailing address information.
  • Image processing block 510 includes the scaling of the digital image to the proper image sizes for forming the postal image 310 and also includes tone scale calibration, color mapping, halftoning, and other image processing for printing a digital image well known in the printing art.
  • the input information is embedded into the processed digital images I(x,y) by modifying a predetermined number of pixel values in the processed digital image I(x,y), thus producing a modified digital image I (x,y).
  • the input information is first used to produce a message image M(x,y).
  • the message image M(x,y) can include alphanumeric or graphic information associated with the digital image.
  • a carrier image C(x,y) is also generated with a uniform or flat Fourier amplitude spectrum and a phase spectrum generated using a random number generator for each phase component. The random phase is required to distribute the message image to make the message invisible and unreadable to human eyes.
  • the message image M(x,y) and the carrier image C(x,y) are then convolved to form a scrambled signal S(x,y).
  • S(x,y) M ( x,y )* C ( x,y )
  • the symbol "*" denotes the mathematical operation of convolution.
  • a circular convolution can be efficiently performed in either space domain (image domain) or Fourier frequency domain representations for the present invention (see "Digital Signal Processing" by Alan V. Oppenheim and Ronald W. Schafer, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975, pp-101-115).
  • the scrambled signal S(x,y) is next added to the digital image I(x,y) to produce a modified digital image I (x,y) carrying the embedded information:
  • I '( x , y ) I ( x , y ) + ⁇ S( x , y )
  • the scrambled signal S(x,y) is scaled by a scale factor ⁇ a to maximize the signal of the embedded information while ensuring the invisibility of the scrambled message in the modified digital image I'(x,y). That is, the value of ⁇ is chosen in such a way that the maximum amplitude of the embedded signal does not exceed a pre-specified visibility threshold.
  • the value of ⁇ is determined by the printing parameters such as the bit-depth and the grain noise in the printed postal image 310 without the embedded information.
  • a plurality of blocks of scrambled signals S(x,y) can be superimposed to each processed digital image I(x,y) in one color plane.
  • the computer 500 sends electric signals to the digital printer 10 in accordance to the modified digital image I (x,y) having the embedded information.
  • a postal image 310 is subsequently printed in block 310 wherein the postal image 310 has the embedded information.
  • the embedded information on the postal image 310 is invisible to unaided eyes and can subsequently be extracted, as described below.
  • the information embedded in the postal image 310 can be extracted from the postal image 310 printed on a receiver by a extraction system 600.
  • the extraction system 600 includes a scanner 610, a processor 620, and a display device 630.
  • the optical density values of the printed postal image 310 is digitized by the scanner 610 that scans the printed postal image 310 at discrete pixel locations to produce a scanned postal image I (x,y).
  • the embedded information can be extracted from I (x,y) in a processor 620.
  • the display device 630 can selectively display human readable information corresponding to the extracted embedded information and the scanned postal image I (x,y) so that the user can determine the authenticity and all the security information associated with the postal image 310.
  • the extracted information as described above can be displayed or printed for verifying the authenticity, the postage, the user credit, the printer identity, the mailing date and the mailing address associated with the printed postal image 310.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Record Information Processing For Printing (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
  • Editing Of Facsimile Originals (AREA)
  • Dot-Matrix Printers And Others (AREA)
  • Control Or Security For Electrophotography (AREA)
  • Facsimiles In General (AREA)
  • Image Processing (AREA)
EP00203552A 1999-10-25 2000-10-12 Drucken von Postwertzeichen mit eingebetteter Information Withdrawn EP1096429A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US42625399A 1999-10-25 1999-10-25
US426253 1999-10-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1096429A2 true EP1096429A2 (de) 2001-05-02
EP1096429A3 EP1096429A3 (de) 2001-08-01

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Family Applications (1)

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EP00203552A Withdrawn EP1096429A3 (de) 1999-10-25 2000-10-12 Drucken von Postwertzeichen mit eingebetteter Information

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1096429A3 (de)
JP (1) JP2001197295A (de)
CN (1) CN1295931A (de)
AU (1) AU6668600A (de)
BR (1) BR0005001A (de)
CA (1) CA2316786A1 (de)
ID (1) ID27691A (de)
TW (1) TW466457B (de)

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004008674A3 (en) * 2002-03-22 2004-05-21 Neopost Ind Sa Remote authentication of two dimensional barcoded indicia
US6771797B2 (en) 2000-10-11 2004-08-03 Digimarc Corporation Watermarks carrying content dependent signal metrics for detecting and characterizing signal alteration
US6993154B2 (en) 2000-10-11 2006-01-31 Digimarc Corporation Measuring digital watermark strength using error correction coding metrics
DE102004055985A1 (de) * 2003-11-20 2006-04-27 Neopost Industrie S.A. Persönliche individuelle Gestaltung von Wertzeichen
US7054461B2 (en) 2002-02-15 2006-05-30 Pitney Bowes Inc. Authenticating printed objects using digital watermarks associated with multidimensional quality metrics
FR2896901A1 (fr) * 2006-01-31 2007-08-03 Neopost Technologies Sa Procede de paiement d'un service au moyen d'un systeme d'affranchissement ouvert
US7519819B2 (en) 2002-05-29 2009-04-14 Digimarc Corporatino Layered security in digital watermarking
US7828223B1 (en) 2004-07-27 2010-11-09 Stamps.Com Inc. Computer-based value-bearing item customization security
US7874593B1 (en) 2006-05-16 2011-01-25 Stamps.Com Inc. Rolls of image-customized value-bearing items and systems and methods for providing rolls of image-customized value-bearing items
US8505978B1 (en) 2006-12-20 2013-08-13 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for creating and providing shape-customized, computer-based, value-bearing items
US8805745B1 (en) 2004-07-27 2014-08-12 Stamps.Com Inc. Printing of computer-based value-bearing items
US9911246B1 (en) 2008-12-24 2018-03-06 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering
US9978185B1 (en) 2008-04-15 2018-05-22 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale
US10504298B2 (en) 2005-12-30 2019-12-10 Stamps.Com Inc. High speed printing
US10713634B1 (en) 2011-05-18 2020-07-14 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods using mobile communication handsets for providing postage
US10839332B1 (en) 2006-06-26 2020-11-17 Stamps.Com Image-customized labels adapted for bearing computer-based, generic, value-bearing items, and systems and methods for providing image-customized labels
US10846650B1 (en) 2011-11-01 2020-11-24 Stamps.Com Inc. Perpetual value bearing shipping labels
US10922641B1 (en) 2012-01-24 2021-02-16 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods providing known shipper information for shipping indicia
US11829499B2 (en) * 2020-03-26 2023-11-28 Bank Of America Corporation Securing PIN information using obfuscation by applying extra security layer

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102117572A (zh) * 2009-12-30 2011-07-06 北京华旗资讯数码科技有限公司 点读型邮票的使用方法
CN102117573A (zh) * 2009-12-30 2011-07-06 北京华旗资讯数码科技有限公司 多媒体邮票
CN102117630A (zh) * 2009-12-30 2011-07-06 北京华旗资讯数码科技有限公司 一种将邮票用作信息载体的方法
CN102117557A (zh) * 2009-12-30 2011-07-06 北京华旗资讯数码科技有限公司 电子邮票系统

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4835713A (en) 1985-08-06 1989-05-30 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter with coded graphic information in the indicia
US5176458A (en) 1992-06-08 1993-01-05 Eastman Kodak Company Multiple position thermal printer head mechanism which is disturbance insensitive
US5413037A (en) 1994-06-20 1995-05-09 Pitney Bowes Inc. Use of encapsulated ink for enhancing postage meter security
US5841459A (en) 1995-11-02 1998-11-24 Eastman Kodak Company Color-to-color registration in thermal printers by adjusting image resolution based on image content

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US4864618A (en) * 1986-11-26 1989-09-05 Wright Technologies, L.P. Automated transaction system with modular printhead having print authentication feature
DE3906945C2 (de) * 1989-03-02 1993-11-25 Francotyp Postalia Gmbh Verfahren zur Unterscheidung von Originaldrucken von Kopien
US5929415A (en) * 1997-04-28 1999-07-27 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage metering refill system that utilizes information contained in information based indicia to audit the franking process
US5946414A (en) * 1998-08-28 1999-08-31 Xerox Corporation Encoding data in color images using patterned color modulated image regions

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4835713A (en) 1985-08-06 1989-05-30 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter with coded graphic information in the indicia
US5176458A (en) 1992-06-08 1993-01-05 Eastman Kodak Company Multiple position thermal printer head mechanism which is disturbance insensitive
US5413037A (en) 1994-06-20 1995-05-09 Pitney Bowes Inc. Use of encapsulated ink for enhancing postage meter security
US5841459A (en) 1995-11-02 1998-11-24 Eastman Kodak Company Color-to-color registration in thermal printers by adjusting image resolution based on image content

Cited By (33)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6771797B2 (en) 2000-10-11 2004-08-03 Digimarc Corporation Watermarks carrying content dependent signal metrics for detecting and characterizing signal alteration
US6993154B2 (en) 2000-10-11 2006-01-31 Digimarc Corporation Measuring digital watermark strength using error correction coding metrics
US7286685B2 (en) 2000-10-11 2007-10-23 Digimarc Corporation Halftone watermarking and related applications
US7054461B2 (en) 2002-02-15 2006-05-30 Pitney Bowes Inc. Authenticating printed objects using digital watermarks associated with multidimensional quality metrics
US7225166B2 (en) 2002-03-22 2007-05-29 Neopost Technologies Remote authentication of two dimensional barcoded indicia
WO2004008674A3 (en) * 2002-03-22 2004-05-21 Neopost Ind Sa Remote authentication of two dimensional barcoded indicia
US7664710B2 (en) 2002-03-22 2010-02-16 Neopost Technologies Remote authentication of two dimensional barcoded indicia
US8345316B2 (en) 2002-05-29 2013-01-01 Digimarc Corporation Layered security in digital watermarking
US7519819B2 (en) 2002-05-29 2009-04-14 Digimarc Corporatino Layered security in digital watermarking
DE102004055985A1 (de) * 2003-11-20 2006-04-27 Neopost Industrie S.A. Persönliche individuelle Gestaltung von Wertzeichen
US7828223B1 (en) 2004-07-27 2010-11-09 Stamps.Com Inc. Computer-based value-bearing item customization security
US8805745B1 (en) 2004-07-27 2014-08-12 Stamps.Com Inc. Printing of computer-based value-bearing items
US10504298B2 (en) 2005-12-30 2019-12-10 Stamps.Com Inc. High speed printing
FR2896901A1 (fr) * 2006-01-31 2007-08-03 Neopost Technologies Sa Procede de paiement d'un service au moyen d'un systeme d'affranchissement ouvert
US7874593B1 (en) 2006-05-16 2011-01-25 Stamps.Com Inc. Rolls of image-customized value-bearing items and systems and methods for providing rolls of image-customized value-bearing items
US8336916B1 (en) 2006-05-16 2012-12-25 Stamps.Com Inc. Rolls of image-customized value-bearing items and systems and methods for providing rolls of image-customized value-bearing items
US10839332B1 (en) 2006-06-26 2020-11-17 Stamps.Com Image-customized labels adapted for bearing computer-based, generic, value-bearing items, and systems and methods for providing image-customized labels
US8505978B1 (en) 2006-12-20 2013-08-13 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for creating and providing shape-customized, computer-based, value-bearing items
US10325301B1 (en) 2006-12-20 2019-06-18 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for creating and providing shape-customized, computer-based, value-bearing items
US10769693B1 (en) 2006-12-20 2020-09-08 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for creating and providing shape-customized, computer-based, value-bearing items
US9978185B1 (en) 2008-04-15 2018-05-22 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale
US10424126B2 (en) 2008-04-15 2019-09-24 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale
US11074765B1 (en) 2008-04-15 2021-07-27 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale
US9911246B1 (en) 2008-12-24 2018-03-06 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering
US10891807B1 (en) 2008-12-24 2021-01-12 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering
US11893833B1 (en) 2008-12-24 2024-02-06 Auctane, Inc. Systems and methods utilizing gravity feed for postage metering
US10713634B1 (en) 2011-05-18 2020-07-14 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods using mobile communication handsets for providing postage
US11544692B1 (en) 2011-05-18 2023-01-03 Auctane, Inc. Systems and methods using mobile communication handsets for providing postage
US10846650B1 (en) 2011-11-01 2020-11-24 Stamps.Com Inc. Perpetual value bearing shipping labels
US11676097B1 (en) 2011-11-01 2023-06-13 Auctane, Inc. Perpetual value bearing shipping labels
US10922641B1 (en) 2012-01-24 2021-02-16 Stamps.Com Inc. Systems and methods providing known shipper information for shipping indicia
US11574278B1 (en) 2012-01-24 2023-02-07 Auctane, Inc. Systems and methods providing known shipper information for shipping indicia
US11829499B2 (en) * 2020-03-26 2023-11-28 Bank Of America Corporation Securing PIN information using obfuscation by applying extra security layer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
TW466457B (en) 2001-12-01
ID27691A (id) 2001-04-26
BR0005001A (pt) 2001-06-19
AU6668600A (en) 2001-04-26
EP1096429A3 (de) 2001-08-01
CA2316786A1 (en) 2001-04-25
CN1295931A (zh) 2001-05-23
JP2001197295A (ja) 2001-07-19

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