Patent ID: 7529386

Claim:
A method for checking a postage indicium applied onto a mailpiece, comprising: detecting graphic information in at least one selected reading area of the mailpiece by a symbol recognition unit; subsequently comparing the detected graphic information to stored representations of postage indicia; evaluating the results of the comparison; when impermissible symbols are recognized, a first device for checking the presence of a security feature checking whether, in spite of the recognition of an impermissible symbol, a legitimately generated postage indicium is present, and for this purpose, checking whether the symbols are contained in a database; stamping and conveying mailpieces that have been recognized as being valid into a compartment for permissible mailpieces; conveying symbols that are not contained in the database to a second device for checking the presence of a second security feature, wherein checking for the presence of a second security feature comprises irradiating the mailpiece with light and detecting superfluorescence caused by the irradiating light; if a second security feature is present, stamping and conveying the mailpieces into a compartment for permissible mailpieces; and, rejecting and conveying remaining mailpieces into a compartment for impermissible mailpieces.