Patent ID: 7131572

Claim:
A method for enabling a mailer to infer a number of business reply mail pieces that the mailer is going to receive on a given day and determine an amount of postage and fees that are due, the method comprising steps of: (a) placing a code that references a mailer's permit number and the postage associated with the business reply mail pieces, on the business reply mail pieces; (b) scanning the code on the business reply mail pieces; (c) determining the amount of postage and fees due for the scanned business reply mail pieces; (d) estimating a date on which the business mailer would receive the scanned mail piece; (e) funding an account at a carrier for the amount of business reply mail that the mailer is expected to receive on the estimated date so that the mailer will have on a daily basis sufficient funds in the account to cover the postage and fees due for the receipt of the expected business reply mail pieces; and (f) mapping the method to calculate a confidence level using scanning location to determine an amount of funding that is required.