A mailbox provided with means for processing correspondence

Abstract: Weighing means (L1) for a letter posted in a slot (2) and a display (6) in the mailbox (1) make a user to read the amount of due postage calculated by a microprocessor (B1); key boards (3, 4) enable the user to compose the pertinent zip code and the type of letter he desires to send so that said details are printed on the letter; adapted means (7, 8, 9) anable the user to pay the amount by a magnetic card or bank notes or coins; a printing device (10) delivers to the user a receipt for the amount paid.

Description: The present invention relates to a mailbox provided with means for processing correspondence. The invention falls within the field of correspondence processing in mailboxes and, more particularly, concerns improvements to the mailbox described in the document EP-A-0 692 212. The said mailbox comprises a microprocessor that controls: a) a first optical means capable seeing whether a letter has been posted correctly as far as its positioning within the slot of the mailbox is concerned; b) if this is the case, an electric motor of a means that transports the posted letter to a device that stamps the postage stamps affixed to letter with the date and the time at which the letter is posted; c) a second optical means that sees whether the postage stamps affixed to the letter are of the correct amount and, if so, causes the said motor to restart in such a way as to let the letter drop to the bottom of the box, whereas in the contrary case it restarts the motor in such a way as to represent the letter at the slot of the mailbox; c) a third optical means that checks that the heap of letters at the bottom of the box does not exceed a predetermined value and, as soon as this is the case, any further letters posted will be refused by means of an acoustic signal and the stopping of the motor. The limitations of the said mailbox derive from the fact that it is not capable of either writing the address or weighing each posted letter to check the stamps that may have been applied by the user, and accepts only letters to which stamps have already been applied and does not accept registered letters, insured letters or express mail. Prior documents DE 24 30 413 A and EP-A-0 338 108 are known that show a progress with respect to document EP-A 0 692 212 cited above. DE 24 30 413 A discloses an automatic mailbox capable of controlling the posting of different types of letters by a microprocessor which is associated with and controls a magnetic card reader capable of cheking the credit present on a card that a user introduces into an appropriate slot; a first alphanumerical keyboard suitable for composing the pertinent zip code number; a second alphanumerical keyboard for indicating the type of letter it is desired to send; a device for weighing the letter posted in an appropriate slot, so that the microprocessor may calculate the price to be paid and show it on a dispay; a pushbuttonsuitable to be pressed by a user after havinbg operated the aforesaid means This mailbox also comprises a device which prints a receipt for the user as well as a roller operated by a motor for making the letter drop to the bottom of the mailbox, the microprocessor collecting the appropriate price from the credit card. Document EP-A-0 338 108 discloses a mailbox capable of writing the address on a posted letter by means of an alphanumerical keyboard suitable for composing the pertinent zip code number, a printing device for affixing the previously composed zip code and a stamping device for impressing the posting details. The present invention overcomes limitations of the prior art and solves further problems that will become evident in the course of the description, including that of making it possible for the user to read on a display the amount of postage due for the forvvarding of the letter, this mailbox is particularly suitable for being installed inside a post office. The invention is defined by the feature of the independent claim whereas preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The invention will now be described in greater detail with the help of an embodiment example and a series of drawings, where Figure 1 shows a front view of the mailbox, Figure 2 shows a block diagramme, and Figure 3 shows a function diagramme. Figure 1 shows the external appearance of the mailbox 1, while the other reference numbers are assigned as follows: 2 indicates the slot for posting the letters, 3 the first alphanumerical keyboard, 4 the second alpha-numerical keyboard, 5 the third alphanumerical keyboard, 6 the display unit, 7 the slot for the magnetic card reader, 8 the slot for bank notes, 9 the slot for coins, and 10 the slot corresponding to a device for printing and delivering a receipt. Figure 2 is the block diagramme of the principal parts; its reference numbers have the following meanings: 3 is the first alphanumerical keyboard, B1 is the microprocessor, 6 is the display, F1 is the printing device, F2 is the stamping device, L1 is the weighing device and 7 stands for the magnetic reader. The functioning of these parts can be explained in detail by referring to Figure 3. Figure 3 shows the association of the codification and printing block with the motor control card and the other parts. The figure is self-explanatory, but we shall nevertheless list its principal parts below, namely: 3 -the hexadecimal keyboard, 4 columns, 4 lines (first keyboard) B1 -the PIC 16C54 microprocessor 6 -a Sharp 40x2 alphanumerical display 7 -the magnetic reader L1 -the letter weighing device F1 -the matrix printing device F2 -the stampimg device G1 -the motor control card K1 -a Drift 12V 10Amp buffer battery R1 -a 1000 Ohm resistor R2 -a 1000 Ohm resistor R3 -a 1MOhm resistor R4 -a 400 Ohm resistor R5 -a 10,000 Ohm resistor R6 -a 100,000 Ohm resistor R7, R8 1000 Ohm resistors R9 -a 100 Ohm resistor C1, C2, C3 -1 microfarad condensers U1 -an integrated FLIP/FLOP circuit 4013 U2 -a monostable integrated circuit 74C221 Q1, Q2, Q3 -BC547 transistors FT1 -a photodiode TU -a phototransistor D1 -a 1N4001 diode D2 -a 2N4001 diode D3 -a 1N4002 diode RL1 -a 12 Volt relay, 1 point P1 -(+ 12 Volts) positive pole to be connected to the elactrcal parts forming part of the mailbox described in the previous patent application P2 -the test pin of the printer P3 -the negative (earth) pole of the system. Now, the addition of the binary coding device alters the functioning of the mailbox disclosed in the first cited patent document, mainly because the system now requires the input of the zip code, the type of letter it is desired to send and payment of the price therefor. A first optical means in the form of a photocell made up of the diodic light detectors (FT1 - TU) detects the passage of a letter before it reaches the stamping zone and the letter, after having been recognized by a second optical means that sees the stamp, moves forward and thus interrupts the infrared light beam of the optical means, thereby causes a negative pulse at the input of the monostable integrated circuit U2 (74C221), which serves to lengthen the time of the pulse in such a way as not to have false reading errors. The U2 output pulse constitutes the setting input of U2 (an integrated flip/flop 4013), which in its turn activates the relay RL1 via the transistor Q2, so that the relay cuts the current supply to the motor. The shutdown of the motor ensure that the letter will come to a halt before arriving at the stamping point. This interruption serves to activate the sequence for the binary coding and the stamping. When the motor stops, the microprocessor asks the user via the display unit to type the zip code or the name of the locality to which the letter is to be sent. At this point it should added that what is shown on the display can also be of the menu type, that is to say, all the operations that the user has to perform can be guided by instructions that appear on the display. By way of example, let us suppose that after the motor has come to a halt in the binary stamping position - the display asks the user to type the name of the place of destination. The user will then type MILAN, for example, and on the display there will appear the zip code 20100 followed by any other words or phrase that the designer may choose when programming the microprocessor. Once this has happened, the microprocessor program will quickly activate the printer, which always acting via the microprocessor - will then print the zip code in the binary code used by the mail services. As soon as the binary code has been printed, the microprocessor sends a resetting pulse to the integrated flip/flop circuit U1, which via one of the transistors will then give its new consent for the closure of the relay. Following the closure consent, the motor will start up again and activate the normal procedure of the mechanical device of the mailbox, thus causing the letter to be stamped and then inserted in the storage space where a third optical means control the level of the letter heap.

Claims: A mailbox (1) provided with means for processing correspondence in which a microprocessor (B1) is associated with and controls a first optical means (FT1-TU) capable of seeing whether a letter has been posted correctly as far as its position in the slot of the mailbox is concerned and, if this is the case, starts up an electric motor that drives a means that transports the posted letter to a device (F2) that stamps the postage stamps affixed to the letter with the date and the time at which the letter is posted, and a second optical means capable of seeing whether the postage stamps affixed to the letter are of the correct amount and, if this is the case, causes the motor to be restarted, so that the letter will be allowed to drop to the bottom of the mailbox, while in the contrary case it will restart the motor in such a way as to return the letter to the entry slot (2), and yet a third optical means capable of checking that the heap of letters at the bottom of the mailbox does not exceed a predetermined height, and yet again it also comprises, associated with and controlled by the microprocessor : a) a magnetic card reader (7) capable of checking the credit present on a card that a user introduces into an appropriate slot (2); b) a first alphanumerical keyboard (3) for composing the pertinent zip code number; c) a second alphanumerical keyboard (4) for writing the type of letter it is desired to send; d) a device (L1) for weighing the letter posted in an appropriate slot, so that the microprocessor (B1) calculates the price to be paid and show it on the display (6); e) a pushbutton suitable to be pressed by a user after having operated the aforesaid means to get under way a second series of operations performed by: a first printing device (F1) for affixing a bar code corresponding to the previously typed zip code, the said device being driven by the motor; - a second printing device (10) for compiling a receipt that is consigned to the user through an appropriate slot; a stamping device (F2) for impressing the posting details, at which point a roller operated by the motor causes the letter to drop to the bottom of the mailbox and the microprocessor (B1) collects the appropriate price from the magnetic card; the first keyboard (3) being also habilitated for cancelling the zip code whenever the user happens to have made a typing error, the mailbox being further defined in that: when the posted letter has preapplied postage stamps, the plane supporting the letters at the level of the appropriate slot (2) is associated with the second optical means capable seeing the applied postage stamps, so that the microprocessor (B1) may establish whether or not they correspond to the postal rate due in respect of the weight of the posted letter and the typed zip code; when payment is made in cash, the user, after reading the requested price on the display (6), inserts coins or bank notes into appropriate slots (9,10), the coins and the bank notes being checked by the respective readers associated with the microprocessor. A mailbox in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that a third alphanumerical keyboard (5) for accessing a codified magnetic card reader is provided to enable Post Office personnel, after duly typing their identity code on the said third keyboard, to start the motor for opening the mailbox and collecting the mail. A mailbox in accordance with claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the display (6) is programmed in such a way that whenever the mailbox is not actually being used, it will put messages of public utility or publicity prepared by the Post Office on view for users and passers-by. A mailbox in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an electric resistance, appropriately protected and supplied with a suitable current, is installed in an appropriate position inside the mailbox and, controlled by a thermostat, ensures that the mailbox environment will be maintained at a constant temperature.

Inventors: CARRIERO MICHELE, CARRIERO, MICHELE
Applicants: NEW POSTAL SYSTEM SA
Application year: 1998
Main classification: G07B17
IPC codes: G07B17