GB2400926A - Postable item eg a greetings card, ordered via the Internet - Google Patents

Abstract

Means for generating a postable item (1) includes input means, for example, a computer keyboard, for allowing a user to input one or more data items representing text or other human readable indicia. At least one of the data items represents a selection of a voucher, token or ticket (5) to be included in the postable item (1). Control means can be operated to cause a printer to print on a substrate a postable item including an image (2) and/or text in dependence on the data items input by the user. In the same printing operation, the voucher token or ticket (5) is printed on a portion of the substrate.

Description

POSTABLE ITEM

The present invention relates to a method of and means for producing a postable item, for example, a greetings card, ordered over the Internet or computer network.

There is an increasing demand from the public to purchase and arrange delivery of goods and services of all kinds over the Internet. This includes a demand for gifts and greetings cards which are to be delivered, not to the customer, but to a third party.

Our co-pending patent application No filed on 31 December 2002 describes a method, means and software for producing a postable item, for example, a greetings card, poster or art-print bearing a personal message and the required postage value or imprint by means of a single printing operation. The postable item can be generated by a customer communicating with the supplier over the Internet or other computer network from a remote location.

As described in our co-pending patent application referred to above, a card or other postable item such as a poster is generated by means of a single printing operation after which it can be folded or rolled and inserted into a clear plastic sleeve or a window envelope or other wrapper, so that the recipient's address and the postage value are clearly visible. Both the folding operation and insertion into an envelope or wrapper can be undertaken automatically by machines of a kind which are well-known for these purposes. This means that the personalized and addressed card or poster can be printed, folded or rolled and posted without the need for any human intervention at all. This results in a card or poster of higher quality because there is no overprinting of prestocked cards, and a smaller risk of misdirection because the image, the sender's personal message and the intended recipient's name and address are printed in a single unified operation. Consequently, there is no need to match up the item with a separately addressed envelope or wrapper. The print operation also generates the required 'postage stamp' or imprint, allowing the finished article to be mailed without a separate stamping operation.

When a customer wishes to arrange for the sending of a greetings card or other item, he or she is prompted to input, for example, by means of the keyboard of a personal computer, data items representing the name and address ofthe intended recipient, and, perhaps, a personal message or greeting. Alternatively, the customer may simply select one of a plurality of standard greetings.

By inputting the necessary data items, the customer assembles a card 'profile' which includes the recipient details, an image to be included on the card and a message to be printed on the card. Using this information, the system can print a complete greeting card including an image, suitably positioned on the front of the card, a message from the sender or standard greeting on, for example, the inside of the card and the recipient's name and address, in an unobtrusive position on the rear of the card so that it will be visible when the card is placed in a window envelope or transparent wrapper. Preferably, all of these elements are printed on a blank card substrate in a single printing operation as this results in better print quality for the finished product. However, the recipient's name and address and the chosen message or greeting may be printed onto a pre- printed image- bearing card, if necessary.

When the card profile is assembled, the system determines from the data items input by the customer how big the card is, and, hence, how much it weighs, and where it is to be sent. The latter piece of information can be determined, for example, from the zipcode or postcode forming part of the recipient's address or from a country name appearing in that address. From this information, the system can determine the proper postage to be paid and can retrieve from memory the appropriate one of the range of stored postage values so as to print on the card or other postable item a postage imprint as part of the printing operation. This postage value or postage imprint is chosen so that it can be read by machinery used for handling mail by the postal services.

The item, as printed, may also include other information provided by the supplier, for example, product or design number identification codes. Any of the information may be printed in either human-readable form or in machine readable format, for example, as bar codes. Such information may be visible to the human eye or printed invisibly, using ink of a kind which can be read using, for example, ultraviolet or infra red radiation.

The finished, printed card may be passed through a paper-folding apparatus to form it into the traditional folded card shape and can then be inserted, using known envelope stuffing equipment, into an envelope or wrapper having at least one transparent portion so that the recipient's name and address and the postage value are visible.

We have appreciated that the method for printing a postable item outlined above and described in the co-pending application referred to above may be extended to include other information which can be incorporated by means of the printing operation, in particular, that the postable item may incorporate a gift voucher or token.

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided means for generating a postable item, including input means for allowing a user to input one or more data items representing text or other human readable indicia, at least one of which data items represents the selection of a voucher, token or ticket to be included in the postable item, printer means, and control means operable to cause the printer means to print on a substrate a postable item bearing an image and/or text andlor other human readable indicia in dependence on the data items input by the user and, in the same printing operation, to print on a portion of the substrate a voucher, token or ticket.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a method for generating a postable item, the method comprising receiving one or more data items representing text or other human readable indicia input by a user, at least one of which data items represents the selection of a voucher, token or ticket to be included in the postable item, and printing on a substrate a postable item bearing an image and/or text and/or other human readable indicia in dependence on the data items input by the user and, in the same printing operation, on a portion of the substrate, a voucher, token or ticket.

The invention also provides a computer program recorded on a machine readable carrier for performing the method outlined above and a postable item generated according to that method, the postable item comprising a substrate having printed on it an image and/or text and/or other human readable indicia and on a portion of the substrate, a voucher, token or ticket.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawing which illustrates a postable item in accordance with the invention.

S As outlined above, a postable item I may include an image 2, and areas containing text (not shown) including the recipient's name and address which is usually printed on the rear 3 of the item 1 so as to be as unobtrusive as possible. As shown in the drawing, the item I is a standard greetings card folded along a central line I a.

However, unlike a conventional greetings card, the item I shown in the drawing includes a portion 5 which is printed to form a gift voucher or token which can be redeemed by the recipient at a chosen retail outlet or one of a selection of such outlets or, alternatively, a ticket for a theatrical performance or other event. The portion 5 forming the voucher or token can, preferably, be detached from the remainder of the card I by tearing a long a line of perforations 4 formed in the card.

It is envisaged that a customer wishing to arrange the sending of a greetings card and gift voucher to a third party will access the supplier by means of the Internet or other computer network and will be prompted to input data including the name and address of the intended recipient and/or a personal greeting and/or data indicating the selection of an image or other decorative feature from a range of stored images held by the supplier. In addition, the user will be prompted to choose whether the card or other postable item is to include a gift voucher or token and if so, the retailer(s) with whom the voucher may be redeemed and the value of the voucher or token to be sent.

As the customer inputs data items, a card 'profile' is built up and, once this is complete, the finished card I and voucher 5 or other similar item are caused to be printed by means of a single printing operation. The postable item so generated thus functions as both greetings card and gift, combined.

It is envisaged that retailers and others who are to redeem the vouchers or tokens generated in this way or who are to accept tickets for events and performances will wish to incorporate into their voucher schemes and the like some measure of security. This will, preferably, take the form of a security code or number which will be retrieved from memory or generated using a method or software supplied by the retailer etc and can be printed, visibly or invisibly to the human eye, on the portion 5 as part of the printing operation which generates the postable item.

The security code need not be in human readable form but may, rather be incorporated in the voucher, token or ticket as a bar code or other machine readable form. The placement of the security code or number may be chosen to meet the needs of the retailer or other party which is to redeem the voucher, token or ticket. Retailers may have their own equipment, readers or scanners, with which the vouchers, tokens or tickets are to be validated and it may be necessary to ensure that security codes for particular retailers' vouchers are placed in a particular location on the voucher for proper scanning to take place. Information about the placement of the security codes can be stored centrally by the supplier and used in generating the card profile.

One scheme which may provide a suitable means for providing security and validation of gift vouchers or tokens and tickets provided as part of a postable item produced in accordance with the invention is described in International patent application No WO 01/88863 published under the Patent Cooperation Treaty on 22 November 2001.

The scheme described in that application is based on creating unique 19 digit number codes, which essentially create an individual account (as part of a wider client account solution). This unique number or code can be produced as either a bar code or a number string. It offers high security, real-time validation and redemption tracking and a sophisticated backend for the retailers. Because it is number based and linked to a core real-time system that fits into established retail payment system standards, it is easily adaptable and provides the joint ability to redeem online and off-line. Other suitable security/validation schemes may also be adopted.

The supplier may, for security purposes, also be required by retailers who are to redeem vouchers, tokens or tickets to keep a full record of all vouchers, tokens, or tickets printed including, perhaps, the names and addresses of intended recipients. This information can easily be abstracted from data input by the customer whenever a voucher, token or ticket is created and made available to outlets where the vouchers, tokens or tickets are to be redeemed.

Thus, as described, the system of the invention allows a customer to select a postable item such as a greetings card, poster or art-print, to include a personal greeting, input the recipient's name and address and then choose whether to include a gift in the form of a voucher, token or ticket formed by a tear-offportion of the postable item. The entire operation, which may additionally include the incorporation of a suitable postage imprint, is performed by means of a single printing operation, automatically and without the need for manual intervention. The fished, printed postable item my be folded, rolled, perforated and inserted into an envelope or wrapper for mailing using conventional paper handling machinery.

The system preferably generates a single electronic file which contains any or all of the following data the recipient's name and address À one or more images to be printed on the finished item À a standard greeting selected from a range of predetermined greetings À a personal message from the sender to the recipient a postage imprint appropriate to the size of the item and the recipient's address a selected voucher, ticket or token, including the value thereof a security code or number to permit validation of the voucher, token or ticket by a retailer, including, if necessary, an indication as to the placement of the security code or number on the voucher, token or ticket This file can be used to generate the printed file locally or, if preferred, sent electronically to a local print outlet adjacent the recipient's address, so as to minimise postal charges.

Claims (13)

1. Means for generating a postable item, including input means for allowing a user to input one or more data items representing text or other human readable indicia, at least one of which data items represents the selection of a voucher, token or ticket to be included in the postable item, printer means, and control means operable to cause the printer means to print on a substrate a postable item bearing an image and/or text and/or other human readable indicia in dependence on the data items input by the user and, in the same printing operation, to print on a portion of the substrate a voucher, token or ticket.

2. Means according to claim 1 wherein the control means is operable to print on the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket, a security code or number facilitate validation of the voucher, token or ticket by a retailer.

3. Means according to claim I or 2 in which at least one data item input by the user serves to select one of a plurality of voucher, token or ticket formats and/or values stored by the control means.

4. Means according to any preceding claim including means for forming perforations so as to facilitate separation of the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket from the rest of the postable item by its recipient.

5. A method for generating a postable item, the method comprising receiving one or more data items representing text or other human readable indicia input by a user, at least one of which data items represents the selection of a voucher, token or ticket to be included in the postable item, and printing on a substrate a postable item bearing an image and/or text andfor other human readable indicia in dependence on the data items input by the user and, in the same printing operation, on a portion of the substrate, a voucher, token or ticket.

6. A method according to clarion 5 wherein, during the printing operation, a security code or number to facilitate vacation of the voucher, token or ticket by a retailer is printed on the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket.

7. A method according to claim 5 or 6 in which one of a plurality of stored voucher, token or ticket formats and/or values is selected in dependence on at least one data item input by the user. s

8. A method according to any of claims 5 to 7 in which perforations are formed so as to facilitate separation of the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket from the rest of the postable item by its recipient.

9. A computer program recorded on a machine readable carrier for performing the method of any of claims 5 to 8.

10. A postable item generated according to the method of claim S. the postable item comprising a substrate having printed on it an image and/or text and/or other human readable indicia and on a portion of the substrate a voucher, token or ticket.

11. An item in accordance with claim 10 including, on the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket, a security code or number for facilitating validation of the voucher, token or ticket by a retailer.

1 2. An item according to claim I O or 11 in which the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket bears one of a plurality of stored voucher, token or ticket formats selected in dependence on at least one data item input by the user.

13. An item according to any of claims 10 to 12 including means perforations for facilitating separation of the portion of the substrate bearing the voucher, token or ticket from the rest of the postable item by its recipient.