WO2004040868A2 - Systeme et procede de distribution de supports - Google Patents

Systeme et procede de distribution de supports Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2004040868A2
WO2004040868A2 PCT/IB2003/005402 IB0305402W WO2004040868A2 WO 2004040868 A2 WO2004040868 A2 WO 2004040868A2 IB 0305402 W IB0305402 W IB 0305402W WO 2004040868 A2 WO2004040868 A2 WO 2004040868A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
server
sender
media
delivery
privileges
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2003/005402
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2004040868A3 (fr
Inventor
Gary M. Shannon
Original Assignee
Shannon Gary M
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 Shannon Gary M filed Critical Shannon Gary M
Priority to AU2003283631A priority Critical patent/AU2003283631A1/en
Publication of WO2004040868A2 publication Critical patent/WO2004040868A2/fr
Publication of WO2004040868A3 publication Critical patent/WO2004040868A3/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/06—Message adaptation to terminal or network requirements
    • H04L51/066—Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
    • 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
    • G07B17/00024—Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
    • 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
    • G07B17/00024—Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
    • G07B2017/00048—Software architecture
    • 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
    • G07B2017/00145—Communication details outside or between apparatus via the Internet

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to methods and systems for delivery of media such as letters.
  • the current global mail system relies on a structure of international post compensation for the delivery of international mail, as promulgated by the Universal Postal Union ("UPU").
  • UPU Universal Postal Union
  • the UPU operates as follows. Where the recipient is not the within the same jurisdiction as the sender, the jurisdiction of the sender merely provides the document to the postal system in the jurisdiction of the recipient. Upon receipt of such document the obligation is upon the recipient's postal system to deliver the document to the recipient.
  • the compensation to the recipient's postal system is based on mail weight classes, types of mail services selected, and the volume of international mail sent and received by participating nations. For example, scales are set based on so-called Special Drawing Rights (“SDR”) which are intended to compensate recipient postal systems where inequalities in inbound and outbound mail exist.
  • SDR Special Drawing Rights
  • the scales for mail from industrialized to developing countries are typically set at a much higher rate than from mail between industrialized countries. For example, at a UPU conference in Beijing in 1999, the scale for printed matter and small packages under twenty grams was set at a maximum of 1.684 x SDR per kilogram for mail between industrialized countries. In addition, the scale was set at a maximum of 3.427 x SDR per kilogram for mail from industrialized to developing countries.
  • the system involves a data center that receives electronic mail from a kiosk or a home computer, sends the mail to a destination node (which can be in another country) which prints the mail, franks it with a local stamp and enters it into the local postal stream. Methods of crediting the destination node in local currency are also discussed.
  • Sansone describes payment transfers in some detail, including downloading the transaction data (Remote Meter Resetting Service, debit/credit account, billing address, etc.) to an accounting application in a data processing system, which then transmits a credit to the destination node in local currency based upon the franking charges and the parameters of the completed mail piece. In general, however, Sansone simply describes purchasing stamps from the local system, and therefore is still limited in that a conversion point is required in each destination country.
  • U.S. Patent 6,285,777 to D. Kanevsky, et al. (“Kanevsky”) describes a hybrid mail system that transmits internet messages to a traditional post address, or that transmits traditional post mail to an email address. Kavensky is limited to use of the Internet for the electronic transfer portion of the hybrid system, and discusses a system for billing senders.
  • U.S. Patent 5,805,810 to R.L. Maxwell (“Maxwell”) discloses a hybrid mail method of converting electronic mail to postal mail. Although the invention discloses the transfer of mail from electronic to postal form, a significant aspect to Maxwell is a database system for converting email addresses to postal mail addresses. Maxell includes elements that determine whether the sender has a sufficient financial balance to send a message to the recipients.
  • U.S. Patent 5,742,932 - P.A. Levitsky discloses a method and system for accounting for transaction costs and currency exchange in a hybrid mail system.
  • the method involves two data centers, a first data center linked to the user, and a second data center (which can be in a remote country) which has mailpiece production and delivery components.
  • the second data center franks the mail, and bills for the first data center in local currency.
  • the first data center does a foreign exchange conversion and bills the customer.
  • Computer discloses an 'electronic mail box', which includes an entry slot for receiving a letter to be transmitted electronically to a remote point, an optical reader for converting the letter text to electronic signals, and a keyboard for receiving the address of the addressee.
  • the text is sent to the destination, where the letter is recreated and delivered by regular mail, making it quite similar to other types of prior art hybrid mail systems.
  • U.S. Patent Application 2001/0051988 discloses methods for retrieval of information regarding mail sent in a hybrid manner. Methods include a method to estimate the delivery period of a letter sent in a hybrid manner, and a method for determining receipt status for a letter sent in a hybrid manner.
  • the foregoing art does not provide certain throughput efficiencies for the local postal system that can be desired in order to help increase reliable delivery of the mail to its destination.
  • a system for compensating the postal system of the recipient for the delivery of media on any fixed medium which did not originate within its jurisdiction comprising:
  • a means for compensating said delivery system comprising the following steps:
  • a system for compensating the postal system of the recipient for the delivery of media on any fixed medium which did originate within its jurisdiction comprising:
  • An aspect of the invention provides a routing server including processmg means for receiving electronic media and a physical address from at least one of a plurality of sender clients connectable with the routing server.
  • the routing server is operable to forward the electronic media directly to one of a plurality of delivery servers that are connectable with the routing server.
  • the delivery servers are directly associated with a local postal system.
  • the routing server forward the electronic media to a delivery server corresponding to the physical address.
  • the media is received by the delivery server the media is converted into a physical format for delivery processing within the local postal system to the physical address.
  • the media can be letters, audio recordings, video recordings, software files,
  • the server, the clients and the delivery servers are interconnected via the
  • a client that is sending an electronic media is in a different country than the local postal system to which the media is destined.
  • the server can be further operable to maintain privileges associated with each 5 of the sender clients, and can be further operable to selectively refuse or allow the media to be forwarded to the at least one delivery server according to the privileges.
  • the privileges can include a user id and password associated with a sender operating one of the sender clients.
  • the privileges can include at least one virtual stamp associated with the sender.
  • the server can be operable to assign the at least one virtual stamp to the privileges in response to a request from the sender.
  • the request can include a transfer of consideration from the sender that corresponds to a value associated with the at least one virtual stamp.
  • the routing server can be operable to present a plurality of different virtual stamps on a monitor at the sender client.
  • the request for the virtual stamp can be made, at least in part, by the sender using a pointing device to place a cursor over a desired virtual stamp and issuing a confirmation instruction.
  • the pointing device can be a mouse and the confirmation instruction can be a mouse-click.
  • the at least one virtual stamp is associated with at least one of the local postal
  • the server is operable to forward the media to the delivery server only if the at least one virtual stamp corresponds to the delivery server's postal system that is responsible for physical delivery to the physical address.
  • the server can be operable to transfer consideration from the routing server to the local postal system that corresponds to a value associated with the delivery processing.
  • the post office system can be a national postal service; a regional postal sorting station within a national postal service; and a private courier service.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a system for delivering media comprising a plurality of sender clients and a plurality of delivery servers interconnected by a routing server via a network.
  • the sender clients are operable to receive an electronic
  • the sender clients are further operable to transfer the document to the routing server.
  • the routing server includes processing means for receiving the electronic document and is operable to forward the electronic document directly to a selected one of a the delivery servers associated with the address.
  • the delivery servers can be directly associated with a local postal system corresponding to the address such that when the 5 electronic document is received by the one of a plurality of delivery servers the document is convertable into a physical format for delivery processing within the directly associated postal system.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a delivery server including processing means for receiving electronic media and a physical address from a routing server.
  • the electronic media and the physical address are typically generated at, or otherwise input into, a sender client that is coimectable to the routing server.
  • the delivery server is typically directly associated with a local postal system corresponding to the physical address. When the media is received by the delivery server the media is convertable into a physical format for delivery processing within the local postal system to the physical address.
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a method of establishing sender privileges comprising the steps of:
  • the privilege options including a list of post office systems to which an electronic media is to be sent;
  • Another aspect of the invention provides a method of delivering media comprising the steps of:
  • the method can further comprise the steps of: after the receiving step, determining whether the sender has sender privileges to send media to the local postal system; and, terminating the method prior to the transferring step if the sender lacks the privileges.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a system for media delivery in accordance with an embodiment of the invention
  • Figure 2 is a flowchart depicting a method of establishing sender privileges in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 3 is a sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is another sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 2;
  • Figure 5 is another sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 2;
  • Figure 6 is a flowchart depicting a method of media delivery accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 7 is a sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 6;
  • Figure 8 is another sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 6;
  • Figure 9 shows the system of Figure 1 including a pathway of communication that can exist when performing the method of Figure 6;
  • Figure 10 is another sample webpage that can be presented on the clients of the system in Figure 1 when performing the method of Figure 6;
  • Figure 11 shows the system of Figure 1 including pathways of communication that can exist when performing the method of Figure 6;
  • Figure 12 shows a system and method for media delivery in accordance with other embodiments of the invention.
  • System 50 comprises a plurality of sender clients 54 1 ⁇ 54 2 ... 54 n (generically referred to herein as clients 54) all of which are connected to a routing server 58 through the Internet 62. While the present embodiment utilizes the Internet, in other embodiments other networks or combinations of networks can be used, hi the present embodiment, the media being delivered is a letter, but other types of media are within the scope of the invention.
  • Sender clients 54 each belong to individuals or entities that wish to send media to a recipient, typically to a recipient located in a country other than the country in which a given client 54 is situated, although this need not be the case. Clients 54 can all be located in one country, but typically one or more clients 54 are located in a plurality of different countries. Each client 54 is generally operable to conduct communications with server 58 over Internet 62, and is typically a computing device such as a personal computer having a keyboard and mouse (or other input devices), a monitor (or other output device) and a tower connecting the keyboard, mouse and monitor and including one or more central processing units, random access memory, storage devices and network interfaces to allow the client 54 to communicate over Internet 62. However, it is to be understood that client 54 can be any type of computing device, such as a personal digital assistant, cell phone, laptop computer, email paging device etc.
  • Server 58 can be any type of computing device operable to communicate with computing devices connected to Internet 62, such as an IBM® serverPseries running Linux®. Further details about the function of server 58, and by extension the various types of hardware that can be used to implement server 58, will become apparent in the discussion below.
  • System 50 also includes a plurality of delivery servers 66 ⁇ , 66 2 ... 66 0 which are integral with a respective local postal system 70 ⁇ , 70 2 ... 70 0 .
  • Delivery servers 66 are each connected to an output device 74.
  • output device 74 is a printer operable to convert an electronic document into paper form, and is further operable to » stuff the paper document into an envelope and apply a postal address and stamp to that envelope.
  • the output tray of output device 74 is connected to a postal sorting machine 78, and accordingly, each output device 74 is operable to automatically transfer the stuffed, stamped/franked and addressed envelope into postal sorting machine 78.
  • Each local postal system 70 is thus typically located in a different country, or
  • postal sorting machine 78 can be a pre-existing postal sorting machine (or plurality thereof) within its respective postal system 70, and to which a respective server 66 and output device 5 74 can be connected using the appropriate mechanical interfaces on such a pre-existing postal sorting machines.
  • a method for establishing sender privileges in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, is indicated generally at 200. h order to assist in the explanation of the method, it will be assumed that method 200 is operated 0 using system 50. Furthermore, the following discussion of method 200 will lead to further understanding of system 50 and its various components. (However, it is to be understood that system 50 and/or method 200 can be varied, and need not work exactly as discussed herein in conjunction with each other, and that such variations are within the scope of the present invention.)
  • a sender will access the routing server and request an account.
  • a sender operating, for example, sender client 54 ⁇ will open a web browser, such as Netscape or Internet Explorer, and enter in a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with routing server 58, and send an instruction by way of a mouse click on the page presented by server 58 0 that requests a new account.
  • routing server 58 will return a account registration screen, in a format such as that shown at reference 300 in Figure 3, that requests that the sender operating sender client 54 ⁇ provide identifying information. As seen in registration screen 400, such information can be entered in fields that include a sign-in name, password, email address, first name, last name, address and telephone numbers. Additional, fewer or alternate fields can be provided, as desired.
  • step 230 identity of the user, and such other information as may be requested or required in registration screen 300 will be entered by the sender operating client 54 ⁇ , and transferred to routing server 58, so signalled to router server 58 by way of a mouse- click on an appropriate location on registration screen 400.
  • a sender account is created.
  • routing server 58 will thus utilize the information submitted on registration screen 400 to verify accuracy of information and to set up an appropriate sender account to thereafter be resident on routing server 58.
  • sending privilege options are presented.
  • routing server 58 will next present a privileges screen that requests the sender at client 54 t to make a selection of desired sending privileges.
  • the means for presenting and selecting privileges is not particularly limited.
  • An exemplary privilege options screen is shown at reference 304 in Figure 4.
  • privilege options screen 404 allows the sender to select, by way of mouse-click, one or more "virtual stamps", that correspond with various postal systems 70.
  • the sender can point-and- click to select one or more virtual stamps that correspond to a postal system 70 that delivers to a recipient to which the sender wishes to send a letter.
  • the sender is prompted to select various privilege options corresponding to the choices offered at step 250. h a present embodiment, these options are selected by having the sender enter data into a privilege selection screen 308 as shown in Figure 5. Accordingly, the sender at client 54 ⁇ can enter data corresponding to desired privileges by completing privilege selection screen 308. As shown in screen 308, in the present embodiment the sender can thus identify which postal system 70 that the sender wishes to access, by selecting a virtual stamp. In the present embodiment, in order to complete the privilege request, the sender also provides means of delivering consideration to the operator of server 58. hi the present embodiment, the consideration is delivered by way of a credit card, but any other means of delivering consideration such as debit card, etc. can be provided as well.
  • Method 200 thus advances to step 270, at which point the account of the sender is updated with the privileges selected at step 260.
  • serer 58 will update the account of the sender to reflect the privileges selected at step 260.
  • a method for delivering media in accordance with i another embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 600.
  • method 600 is operated using system 50.
  • method 200 has been executed for a sender at client 54 , and that the sender at client 54 ⁇ has obtained privileges at steps 260 and 270 that give the sender at client 54 t privileges to access at least postal system 70 ⁇ .
  • the discussion of method 600 will lead to further understanding of method 200 and system 50 and its various components. (However, it is to be understood that system 50, method 200 and/or method 600 can be varied, and need not work exactly as discussed herein in conjunction with each other, and that such variations are within the scope of the present invention.)
  • a sender will login in to the routing server, and the routing server will authenticate the sender.
  • a sender operating client 54 ⁇ will open a web browser and enter in a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with routing server 58, and send an instruction by way of a mouse click on the page presented by server 58 that requests a login, in a format such as that shown
  • URL uniform resource locator
  • Routing server 58 will then receive this information and either allow or deny access to the sender. Assuming that the sender inputs appropriate information, routing server 58 will authenticate the sender and the method will advance to step 620.
  • the document to be delivered is generated by the sender, and the document and destination address is received by the routing server.
  • Document input page 704 in Figure 8 shows an exemplary web form that can be presented on client 54 ⁇ by server 58 as part of effecting steps 620-630.
  • the sender at client 54 ⁇ can input data into the various fields shown in page 704, including the address of the recipient, and the text of the 0 document to be delivered to the recipient. Once entered, this information is sent to server 58.
  • the pathway of communications between client 54 ⁇ and server 58 are represented by the dotted line indicated at "A".
  • pathway A be conducted of a secure connection, such as using encryption at one-hundred- and-twenty-eight bits carried via a secure socket layer ("SSL"), commonly identifiable on a browser operating on client 54 with a website associated with server 58 having an "https://" prefix.
  • SSL secure socket layer
  • step 635 the privileges associated with the account of the sender are verified.
  • the purpose of this step is to determine whether the sender has privileges to send documents to the postal system 70 identified in the "country"
  • Document input page 704 is shown again us document input page 708 in Figure 10, wherein the fields therein have been completed, including a the field where a virtual stamp corresponding to one of the postal systems 70 is selected.
  • server 58 will access the information it holds regarding the account belonging to the sender at client 54 ⁇ to determine whether that sender
  • step 640 has privileges to access that postal system 70. If no privileges are found in the account, the method 600 terminates, but if privileges are verified, then method 600 advances to step 640.
  • a communication channel with a postal system identified in the destination address received at step 630 is opened.
  • Figure 11 shows the pathway of ,0 communications between server 58 and postal system 70 ⁇ represented by the dotted line indicated at "B". It is presently preferred that pathway B also be conducted of a secure connection. Also as shown in Figure 11, the connection is established between server 58 and server 66 ⁇ of postal system 70 ⁇ .
  • step 645 the electronic document generated at step 620 is delivered to the 5 destination postal system.
  • the document sent over pathway A is then passed over pathway B to server 66 ⁇ .
  • the routing server is authenticated.
  • server 66 ⁇ will authenticate router server 58 using a predefined authentication protocol known to both server 58 and 66.
  • server 66 ⁇ will receive the document sent at step 655.
  • server 66 ⁇ then verifies and updates the privileges associated with routing server 58.
  • the presence of a virtual stamp associated with postal system 70 ⁇ in the account in server 58, belonging to sender at client 54 t (and now associated with the document being transferred) will be used to verify that routing server 58 has privileges to have postal system 701 process and deliver the submitted document.
  • consideration will pass from the operator of server 58 to the operator of postal system 70 ⁇ , such consideration being associated with the virtual stamp associated with the document submitted at step 645. Such consideration can be passed by any way desired, such as wire transfer or the like.
  • the electronic document is converted into a letter and placed in the existing infrastructure associated with postal system 70 ⁇ .
  • the document received by server 66 ⁇ will be sent to output device 74 ⁇ for printing, and stuffing in an envelope that is addressed and stamped or franked in accordance with the local provisions of postal system 70 ⁇ . Having accomplished this conversion into a physical letter, the letter is passed into sorting machine 78 ⁇ where the letter is then processed and delivered in the usual manner associated with postal system 70 ⁇ .
  • a system and method for the delivery of media by way of a communication network in association with postal system in accordance with another embodiment of the invention is indicated generally at 800 in Figure 12.
  • an input device 810 is used for the creation or inputting of the digital media which is to be delivered to the recipient.
  • the media can be any form of media that is capable of digital form. For example, documents, videos, music and photographs.
  • the input device is preferably a software application which provides for the inputting of a recipient's address, the media to be sent to the recipient and permits the association of some form of payment with the media.
  • the input device 810 is able to access a network system 850, preferably a global network system such as the Internet but even a private network system, or the like, would be acceptable, particularly for use of the invention internally within one nation.
  • the preferred form of electronic payment would be an electronic or digital stamp 840 authorized by those nations which will be the recipient of the media.
  • any form of payment which can be associated with said media would be acceptable, including, "micro-payments" and other forms of electronic currency.
  • the digital stamp 840 can be depicted as a traditional or standard stamp with a monetary value noted on the front. Unlike a conventional postal system wherein the stamps are all issued by the postal authority within the sender's jurisdiction, digital stamps in the present embodiment are issued or authorized, as the case may be, by the jurisdiction of the recipient.
  • each national postal system will preauthorize said digital stamps 840 for use as payment in association with the media.
  • the invention does not require the use of digital stamps so long as there is some manner in which payment associated with the media is sent to the receiving device.
  • the digital stamp 840 can be purchased 860 by the sender from the system administrator 940 through any e-commerce application which utilizes credit cards or other such payment methods, including direct debit of the sender's bank accounts.
  • the sender could purchase each said stamp on a per need basis, however, the preferred method is for the sender to establish an account with the system administrator 940 and to purchase a minimum value of stamp credits at a time.
  • stamp credits are similar to buying a book of traditional stamps with the notable exception that the stamp credit could be applied to any stamp of any jurisdiction.
  • Another preferred means of payment would be to use an authorized code on a card 830 which is associated with a dollar value by the system administrator.
  • the card would entitle the sender to a mimmum value of stamp credits as described above.
  • the primary difference between cards 830 and stamps 840 is that the cards 830 can be purchased with standard hard currency and as such there is no need for the sender to disclose his or her credit card information to system administrator 940.
  • the card 830 can be purchased by the sender 860 from system administrator 940 or at any retail outlet which carries such cards as issued by system administrator 940.
  • a receiving device 890 is used in each jurisdiction to which the sender wishes to send the media.
  • the receiving device is connected to network 850 and capable of receiving the media.
  • Preferably device 890 would also be able to fix the media on the appropriate medium, such as paper, video cassette, CD, DVD or cassette tape, as applicable, seal it in an envelope, address said envelope with the recipient's address and place a stamp or stamp mark thereon.
  • the preferred receiving device 890 would be a Pitney Bowes DocuMatch mail system which is capable of receiving media in electronic form, fixing it on paper and sealing it within an envelope for delivery.
  • a manual delivery system 920 is used that is capable of delivery of the fixed media 900 created by the receiving machine 890 to the recipient.
  • the presently preferred manual delivery system is the postal system of each jurisdiction wherein a receiving machine 890 is located.
  • a private courier or private delivery organization may also be used.
  • the sender may create or input media on the input device 810 and address the media with the actual physical mailing address of the recipient.
  • Such address could be any address at which the recipient's receives mail, such as his or her home or place of work, etc.
  • the ) sender may also send existing media by inputting it into the input device 810 by way of any portable fixed medium, such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD, video or tape cassette.
  • the sender purchases some form of postage 960 by way of credit card or other payment system directly from the system administrator 940.
  • One means is for the sender to purchase a minimum number of digital stamps credits by establishing a credit account with the system administrator 940.
  • the credits can be used by the sender at any future time to purchase digital stamps 840 of any nationality corresponding to one or more post offices 920.
  • the sender Based on the mailing address of the recipient the sender selects a form of electronic payment to be associated with the media 820 such as the above-mentioned digital stamp 840 or a code from a card 830.
  • the sender directs the input device to transmit the media 830.
  • the input device may encrypt the associated payment, the media, or both, in a secure manner such as by way of Public Key Infrastructure ("PKI") technology.
  • PKI Public Key Infrastructure
  • the input device then transmits the media by way of network 850 to servers maintained by the system administrator 940.
  • the server Upon receipt of the media the server routes said media by way of network 850 to the receiving device 890 located at a post office or other delivery service provider within the jurisdiction of the recipient 920.
  • the jurisdiction may be based on nationality or any sort of internal division created within a single nation. Accordingly, the present invention could be used for the international delivery of media, or, even internally for the delivery of media within one nation.
  • An internal version of the present invention could be based on jurisdictions such as provinces, states or even postal code zones.
  • the system admmistrator 940 credits a percentage of the payment associated with the media to the recipient's post office 870. It is presently preferred that the credit is calculated substantially contemporaneously with the routing of the media, but it can be done at any interval or time. For example, on a monthly basis system administrator 840 remits to each post office those credits which have accrued to them for the volume of said media which have been routed to the receiving device 890 located within the jurisdiction of their post office 920.
  • system administrator 940 could compensate the receiving post office in part by payments 930 made monthly and by the bulk purchase of the local stamps of each post office 920.
  • the system administrator could pre pay the receiving post office 920 by purchasing a minimum quantity of local stamps on a monthly basis. As post office 920 receives media, the prepurchased local stamps would be reduced accordingly.
  • System administrator 940 would set off the costs for such local stamps against any credit owing to post office 920 for media routed thereto.
  • System administrator 940 receives compensation from this system by way of issuing said digital stamps 840 and stamp cards 830 to senders.
  • digital stamps 840 and stamp cards 830 can be used, including service payments by postal systems to participate in the 0 system of the invention.
  • the fixed media is then collected and sorted preferably by the local postal system 920, but any service provider could suffice and each step could be performed separately.
  • the sorted fixed media is then delivered to the applicable recipient 900, 0 preferably by way of the local postal system, but any service provider could suffice.
  • an audio file could be sent from client 54 ⁇ which can be converted into an audio cassette or compact disc or other corresponding physical media at an appropriate version of output device 74 ⁇ , for eventual transfer into postal system 70 ⁇ .
  • Other types of media include video files, software files, or electronic data files.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Sorting Of Articles (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un système et un procédé de distribution de support. Ce système comprend un serveur d'acheminement qui interconnecte une pluralité de clients expéditeurs avec une pluralité de systèmes postaux de destination. Ces systèmes postaux de destination comprennent un serveur de destination qui peut fonctionner pour recevoir un support électronique d'un client expéditeur via une connexion directe avec le serveur d'acheminement. Le système postal de destination comprend un dispositif associé au serveur de destination qui transforme le document électronique en une forme physique, qui y appose l'adresse et le timbre et, qui introduit la version physique du document dans le système postal classique.
PCT/IB2003/005402 2002-10-29 2003-10-29 Systeme et procede de distribution de supports WO2004040868A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2003283631A AU2003283631A1 (en) 2002-10-29 2003-10-29 System and method for mail delivery

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FR2924840A1 (fr) * 2007-12-10 2009-06-12 Logidoc Solutions Sarl Procede d'optimisation de traitement du courrier sortant
WO2009080983A1 (fr) * 2007-12-10 2009-07-02 Logidoc Solutions Systeme et procede de gestion de courrier par voie electronique
WO2011110406A1 (fr) * 2010-03-12 2011-09-15 Swiss It Management Ag Procédé d'affranchissement informatique d'envois postaux

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US5742932A (en) * 1996-12-24 1998-04-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system of accounting for transaction costs and currency exchange in a hybrid mail system
US20010051988A1 (en) * 2000-03-06 2001-12-13 Kim Hoon Dong Methods for forwarding hybrid mail
US6470327B1 (en) * 1999-12-29 2002-10-22 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for communicating with a postage meter through a web-browser in a postal or shipping system

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US5742932A (en) * 1996-12-24 1998-04-21 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system of accounting for transaction costs and currency exchange in a hybrid mail system
US6470327B1 (en) * 1999-12-29 2002-10-22 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for communicating with a postage meter through a web-browser in a postal or shipping system
US20010051988A1 (en) * 2000-03-06 2001-12-13 Kim Hoon Dong Methods for forwarding hybrid mail

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2924840A1 (fr) * 2007-12-10 2009-06-12 Logidoc Solutions Sarl Procede d'optimisation de traitement du courrier sortant
WO2009080983A1 (fr) * 2007-12-10 2009-07-02 Logidoc Solutions Systeme et procede de gestion de courrier par voie electronique
WO2011110406A1 (fr) * 2010-03-12 2011-09-15 Swiss It Management Ag Procédé d'affranchissement informatique d'envois postaux

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AU2003283631A1 (en) 2004-05-25
WO2004040868A3 (fr) 2004-07-22
AU2003283631A8 (en) 2004-05-25

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