Patent Document ID: 8879785
Application ID: 13526188
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A computer implemented method for providing electronic postage, said method comprising: under the control of one or more computer systems configured with executable instructions, acquiring, using a camera of a portable computing device, an image of a signature located on a package containing an object that is to be shipped from a first geographic location to a second geographic location, the signature being hand-scribbled on the package by a person using a writing instrument; receiving the image; performing image recognition to determine whether the captured image of the signature contains sufficient features to be distinct from a plurality of other images stored in a database, and accepting the signature as electronic postage for the package if the captured image is determined to be distinct; and associating the captured image with information indicating at least a recipient address of the second geographic location if the signature is accepted as electronic postage and storing the captured image into the database; wherein the electronic postage is able to be verified by comparing a subsequently captured image of the signature on the package against the captured image stored in the database in order to determine a recipient address during the shipping of the package from the first geographic location to the second geographic location.