Patent ID: 7120610
Filing Date: 2006-10-10
Classification: G06Q,G07B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for accounting for the consumption of postal resources comprising: a memory for providing a value indicative of the consumption of postal resources, the memory includes only a non-resettable ascending register and no descending register; a processor for generating at least one record including data related to the consumption of the postal resources; an output device for transmitting the at least one record related to the consumption of the postal resources to a data center, characterized in that said output device transmits said at least one record responsive to a request from the data center for the at least one record; and a settlement center adapted to receive a request for funds transfer from the data center based on the at least one record and to arrange for a transfer of corresponding user funds from a user account to a postal authority account, and to notify said data center that the transfer had been made; wherein there is no prepayment of postage funds by the user and the user is billed based on the value indicative of the consumption of postal resources provided by the memory.