Patent ID: 7356517

Claim:
A method for automatic balancing of mail processing postage fund accounts for an inserter system, the method comprising: forming mail pieces on an inserter machine, the inserter machine comprising a postage meter for printing postage value on the mail pieces; gathering register information from the postage meter while forming mail pieces, the register information including an ascending register of postage funds printed by the postage meter, a descending register of postage funds available for printing by the postage meter, and a piece count; defining mail piece blocks based on gathered register information, the step of defining including assigning individual mail pieces to mail piece blocks using the following steps: (a) receiving register information indicating register status after a particular mail piece is processed; (b) comparing the register information for the particular mail piece to determine a difference in register values from the register information of a prior mail piece; (c) if the difference is consistent with processing of a single mail piece, then assigning the particular mail piece to a same mail piece block as the prior mail piece, and if the difference is not consistent with processing of a single mail piece, then assigning the particular mail piece to a new mail piece block; identifying gaps between defined mail piece blocks and mail pieces within the gaps; and accounting for the mail pieces within the gaps in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, the step of accounting further including examining a subset of mail piece blocks proximal to the identified gaps.