Patent ID: 6101487
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: G06Q,G07B

Abstract:
A computer system for purchasing services from a delivery service without the use of franking systems for the delivery by the delivery service of deliverable items, comprising means at a sender's premises for entering data by a sender relating to the deliverable items including for each deliverable item address information and type of service required, means for displaying an estimate of the cost of delivering each deliverable item, means for the sender to enter a method of payment and provide information related to the choice of payment, means for determining whether or not to accept the method of payment, means dependent on acceptance of the method of payment for creating a unique identifier for each deliverable item based on the data entered by the sender, means for printing the identifier in a coded format directly onto the deliverable item or onto an address label for the deliverable item, and means for transmitting to the delivery service premises an electronic manifest containing the data entered for each deliverable item.