Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to the field of franking machines and, more particularly, to the return of funds for unusable printed postage. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Historically, postage meters have been mechanical and electromechanical devices that maintain, through mechanical or “electronic registers”, an account of all postage printed and the remaining balance of prepaid postage; and print postage postmarks (indicia) that are accepted by the postal service as evidence of the prepayment of postage. 
     Small business, mailers and home mailers currently are able to use their desktop computer and printer to apply postage in the form of an Information-Based Indicia (IBI) directly onto envelopes or labels while applying an address. The IBI consists of a two-dimensional bar code containing hundreds of bytes of information about the mail piece and certain human-readable information. The indicium includes a digital signature to preclude the forgery of indicia by unauthorized parties. The postal security device (PSD) is a unique security device that provides a cryptographic digital signature to the indicium and performs the function of postage meter registers. 
     The IBI technology of the United States Postal Service offers the postal customer a way to pay for postage without stamps. Envelopes are franked using the postal customer&#39;s personal computer, a personal computer compatible add-on, and the customer&#39;s printer. The PSD provides postal value storage and the link to the USPS and the manufacturer of the personal computer compatible add-on. 
     As part of the process of applying postage to a mail piece the postage vault or registers of electronic meters, or the PSD of personal computer meters, is debited for the amount of postage that is due. Sometimes, the mailer decides not to mail the mail piece after postage has been applied to the mail piece, i.e., the mail piece has an incorrect destination address, incorrect recipient information, etc. The mailer also may decide not to mail the mail piece, because the mail piece is not mailable, since the mail piece jammed in the printer, the indicium and/or address was not correctly printed, the flap of the envelope fused to the throat of the envelope before a letter was inserted into the envelope, etc. In all of the above examples, the mailer&#39;s meter was debited for the postage that was affixed to the mail piece. 
     If the mailer wants a refund for the amount that has been debited to their meter they have to physically deliver to the USPS and/or the meter manufacturer the mail pieces having indicia that were not used. The foregoing is costly and time consuming for the mailer as well as the USPS and/or meter manufacturer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a method that will easily and automatically recover postage that has been debited to the mailer&#39;s meter for mail pieces that are not going to be posted. The foregoing is accomplished by scanning and extracting information from a postage-evidenced mail piece that can be used to uniquely identify a mail piece and validate the postage evidence. This information is then reconciled against centralized or distributed remote logs of postage transactions and tracking information to determine if the mail piece has already been entered into the postal mailstream and protected against fraud. Once it has been verified that the mail piece has valid postage evidence and has not yet been entered into the mailstream, the postage evidence can be voided, and the postage amount can be credited or refunded. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a drawing of a mail piece having a indicia produced by an electronic meter; 
     FIG. 2 is a drawing of a mail piece having an Information-Based Indicia produced by a personal computer meter; 
     FIG. 3 is a block drawing of a process that is used for the recovery of unusable printed postage; 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart for the recording and upload transactions of electronic meter  40  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart for the recording and upload transactions of postal security device  45  and computer  47  of FIG. 3; and 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart for the postage recovery processing for refunding funds that have been paid for postal indicia  14  or postal indicia  24  that are not used. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the reference character  11  represents a mail piece that has a recipient address field  12  and a sender address field  13 . A postal indicia  14  that was made by an electronic meter is affixed to mail piece  11 . Indicia  14  contains a dollar amount  15 ; the date  16  that postal indicia  14  was affixed to mail piece  11 ; the place the mail piece was mailed from  17 ; the postal meter serial number  18 ; an eagle  19 ; and, a security code  20 . Security code  20  is a unique number that is derived from address field  12  and information contained in the postage meter that affixed indicia  14 . The manner in which security code  20  is obtained is disclosed in the Sansone et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,555 entitled “Unsecured Postage Applying System” herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIG. 2 is a drawing of a mail piece having an Information-Based Indicia produced by a personal computer meter. Mail piece  21  has a recipient address field  32  and a sender address field  33 . Indicia  24  contains a dollar amount  26 , the date  27 , that postal indicia  24  was affixed to mail piece  21 , the place  28  that mail piece  21  was mailed, the postal meter serial number  29 , a two dimensional encrypted bar code  30 , a FIM  34  and a security code  35 . Security code  35  may be contained within code  30 . The manner in which security code  35  is obtained is disclosed in the Sansone et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,555 entitled “Unsecured Postage Applying System” herein incorporated by reference. 
     FIG. 3 is a block drawing of a process that is used for the recovery of unusable printed postage. Electronic postage meter  40  is capable of producing postal indicia  14  of FIG.  1 . Meter  40  contains non-volatile memory  41 . Memory  41  maintains a transaction log for every indicium  14  that is affixed to a mail piece. Memory  41  will store the date and time that indicia  14  is produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  14 ; the serial number of meter  40  the value of the ascending register of meter  40 ; and, the value of the descending register of meter  40 . At scheduled intervals of time or upon the initiation of a manual trigger  42  from the operator of meter  40 , or upon a query from remote transaction log server  43 , a copy of the contents of memory  41  is transmitted to and subsequently stored in transaction log server  43 . Meter  40  also includes a scanner  50  that is used to scan and read the information on mail piece  11 . 
     Postal indicia  24  (FIG. 2) may be affixed to mail piece  21  by a computer  44  that is coupled to a postal security device  45  and a printer  46 . Computer  44  contains a memory that maintains a transaction log for every indicia  24  that is affixed to a mail piece. The memory of computer  44  will store the date and time that indicia  24  is produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  24 ; the serial number of postal security device  45 ; the value of the ascending register of device  45 ; and, the value of the descending register of device  45 . At scheduled intervals of time or upon the initiation of a trigger from the operator of computer  44 , or upon a query from remote transaction log server  43 , a copy of the above information in the memory of computer  44  is transmitted to and subsequently stored in transaction log server  43 . A scanner  52  is coupled to computer  44  in order to scan and read the information on mail piece  21 . 
     Indicia  24  may also be produced by personal computer  47  that is coupled to data center  48  and printer  49 . Computer  47  contains a memory that maintains a transaction log for every indicium  24  that is affixed to a mail piece. The memory of computer  47  will store the date and time that indicia  24  is produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  24 ; the identification number of computer  47  used by data center  48 ; the value of the ascending register; and, the descending registers of computer  47 . At scheduled intervals of time or upon the initiation of a trigger from the operator of computer  47 , or upon a query from remote transaction log server  43 , a copy of the above information in the memory of computer  47  is transmitted to and subsequently stored in transaction log server  43 . A scanner  51  is coupled to computer  47  in order to scan and read the information on mail piece  21 . 
     Refund kiosk  53  includes a scanner  54  that is used to scan the information on mail pieces  11  and  21 , a computer  55  that is coupled to scanner  54 ; a printer  56  (which may be used to void the indicia) that is coupled to computer  55 ; and, a shredder  57  (which may be used to destroy the mail piece) that is coupled to computer  55 . Computer  55  is coupled to transaction log  43 . The information scanned from indicia  14  and/or  24  is transmitted to and subsequently stored in transaction log server  43 . 
     Refund device  58  includes a scanner  59  that is used to scan the information on mail pieces  11  and  21 ; a computer  60  that is coupled to scanner  59 ; a printer  61  (which may be used to void the indicia) that is coupled to computer  60  and a shredder  62  (which may be used to destroy the mail piece) that is coupled to computer  60 . Computer  60  is coupled to transaction log  43 . The information scanned from indicia  14  and/or  24  is transmitted to and subsequently stored in transaction log server  43 . Device  58  may be located at a United States Postal Service facility or any other location approved by the Postal Service. 
     When someone did not want to post a mail piece that contained indicia  14  and they wanted a refund for the postage debited to meter  40 , they would have scanner  50  scan indicia  14 . Meter  40  would check with transaction log server  43  to determine if the information scanned from indicia  14  was reported to log server  43  and the post has not cancelled indicia  14 . Log server  43  would credit meter  40  for the value of indicia  14  when the printer in meter  40  (not shown) voided indicia  14 , or shredder  63  destroyed the mail piece containing indicia  11 . 
     When someone did not want to post a mail piece that contained indicia  24  and they wanted a refund for the postage debited to postal security device  45  or computer  47 , they would have scanner  52  or scanner  51  scan indicia  24 . Computer  44  or computer  47  would check with transaction log server  43  to determine if the information scanned from indicia  24  was reported to log server  43 , and the post has not cancelled indicia  24 . Log server  43  would credit postal security device  45  or computer  47  for the value of indicia  24  when printer  46  or printer  47  voided indicia  24 . 
     Is Refund Kiosk  53  or refund device  58  may also be used to obtain a refund for the postage charged for the production of indicia  14  or indicia  24 . Scanner  54  and/or scanner  59  would scan indicia  14  or indicia  24 . Computer  55  or computer  60  would check with transaction log server  43  to determine if the information scanned from indicia  24  was reported to log server  43 , and the post has not cancelled indicia  14  and/or indicia  24 . Log server  43  would credit meter  40 , postal security device  45  or computer  47  for the value of indicia  14  and/or indicia  24  when printer  56  or printer  61  voided indicia  14  and/or indicia  24 , and/or shredder  57  or shredder  62  destroyed the mail piece containing indicia  14  and/or indicia  24 . 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart for the recording and upload transactions of electronic meter  40  of FIG.  3 . In block  100 , the meter processing loop begins. Then the program goes to decision block  101 . Block  101  determines whether or not postage evidence, i.e., a valid postal indicia  14 , has been affixed to mail piece  11 . If block  101  determines that a valid postal indicia was affixed to mail piece  11 , the program goes to block  102 . Block  102  saves the information that “uniquely” identifies mail piece  11 , including information related to the mailer or meter  40  such as the date and time that indicia  14  is produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  14 ; the serial number of meter  40 ; the value of the ascending register of meter  40 ; and, the value of the descending register of meter  40  as well as the recipient address of mail piece  11 . If block  101  determines that a valid postal indicia was not affixed to mail piece  11 , the program goes to decision block  104 . 
     Block  103  determines whether or not meter  40  is configured to automatically upload information from memory  41  to transaction log server  43 . If block  103  determines that meter  40  is configured to automatically upload information from memory  41  to transaction log server  43 , then the program would go to block  107  to upload the transaction log stored in memory  41  to transaction log server  43  using secure Application Programming Interfaces (API). If block  103  determines that meter  40  is not configured to automatically upload information from memory  41  to transaction log server  43 , then the program would go to decision block  104 . Block  104  determines whether or not at this time meter  40  is configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 . If block  104  determines that at this time meter  40  is not configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  108 . Block  108  determines whether or not a manual upload trigger has been detected, i.e., trigger  42  has been set. If block  108  determines that a manual upload trigger has been detected, the program goes to block  107  to upload the transaction log stored in memory  41  to transaction log server  43  using secure API. If block  108  determines that a manual upload trigger has not been detected, the program goes back to the input of block  101 . If block  104  determines that at this time meter  40  is configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  105 . 
     Block  105  determines whether or not the current time is equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43  from memory  41 . If block  105  determines that the current time is not equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43  from memory  41 , the program goes back to the input of decision block  105 . If block  105  determines that the current time is equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43  from memory  41 , the program goes to block  107  to upload the transaction log stored in memory  41  to transaction log server  43  using secure API. At this point the program goes to block  109  and is done. 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart for the recording and upload transactions of postal security device  45  and computer  47  of FIG.  3 . In block  200  the print job begins, i.e., the printing of mail piece  21  including indicia  24 . Then the program goes to decision block  201 . Block  201  determines whether or not the print data is mail piece and postage information. If block  201  determines that the print data is not mail piece and postage information, the program goes back to the input of block  201 . If block  201  determines that the print data is mail piece and postage information, the program goes to block  202 . Block  202  will encrypt and save information that “uniquely” identifies mail piece  21 , including information related to the mailer or personal computer meter such as the date and time that indicia  24  is produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  24 ; the serial number of postal security device  45  or the number that data center  48  uses to identify computer  47 ; the value of the ascending and descending registers as well as the recipient address of mail piece  21 . At this point, the program goes to decision block  203 . Decision block  203  determines whether or not this is the end of the print job. If block  203  determines that the print job has ended, the program goes back to the input of block  201 . If block  203  determines that the print job has not ended, the program goes to the input of decision block  204 . 
     Block  204  determines whether or not postal security device  45  or computer  47  is configured to automatically upload information to transaction log server  43 . If block  204  determines that postal security device  45  or computer  47  is configured to automatically upload information to transaction log server  43 , then the program would go to block  208  to upload the transaction log stored in postal security device  45  or computer  47  to transaction log server  43  using secure API. If block  204  determines that postal security device  45  or computer  47  is not configured to automatically upload information to transaction log server  43 , then the program would go to decision block  205 . Block  205  determines whether or not at this time postal security device  45  or computer  47  is configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 . If block  205  determines that at this time postal security device  45  or computer  47  is not configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  209 . Block  209  determines whether or not a manual upload trigger has been detected. If block  209  determines that a manual upload trigger has been detected, the program goes to block  208  to upload the transaction log stored in postal security devise  45  or computer  47  to transaction log server  43  using secure API. If block  209  determines that a manual upload trigger has not been detected, the program goes back to the input of block  209 . If block  205  determines that at this time postal security device  45  or computer  47  is configured to have a scheduled upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  206 . 
     Block  206  determines whether or not the current time is equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43 . If block  206  determines that the current time is not equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes back to the input of decision block  206 . If block  206  determines that the current time is equal to the scheduled time of an upload to transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  207 . Block  207  determines whether or not there are any transactions to upload. If block  207  determines that there are no transactions to upload, the program goes to done block  210 . If block  207  determines that there are transactions to upload, the program goes to block  208  to upload the transaction log stored in postal security device  45  or computer  47  to transaction log server  43  using secure API. At this point, the program goes to block  210  and is done. 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart for the postage recovery processing for refunding funds that have been paid for postal indicia  14  or postal indicia  24  that are not used. The program starts in block  300 . Then the program goes to block  301  to scan the postage evidenced mail piece for which someone wants the postage. Now the program goes to decision block  302 . Block  302  determines whether or not the postage evidence, i.e., indicia  14  or indicia  24 , is readable. If block  302  determines that the postage evidence can not be read, the program goes to block  303  to report that it can not verify the postage. If block  302  determines that the postage evidence can be read, the program goes to block  304  to extract the meter serial number, extract the serial number of postal security device  45  or extract the number that data center  48  uses to identify computer  47 . 
     Now the program goes to block  305  to extract mail piece identification data, i.e., the date and time that indicia  14  or indicia  24  was produced; the amount of postage indicated in indicia  14  and/or indicia  24 ; and, the value of the ascending and descending registers. Then the program goes to decision block  306 . Block  306  determines whether or not the scanned transaction exists in transaction log server  43 , i.e., does the information scanned from mail pieces  11  or  21  coincide with information existing in transaction log server  43 . If block  306  determines that the scanned transaction does not exist in transaction log server  43 , the program goes to block  307  to report that it can not refund the postage. If block  306  determines that the scanned transaction exists in transaction log server  43 , the program goes to decision block  308 . Block  308  determines whether or not mail piece  11  and/or  21  has been mailed. If block  308  determines that mail piece  11  and/or mail piece  21  has been mailed, the program goes to block  307  to report that it can not refund the postage. If block  308  determines that mail piece  11  and/or mail piece  21  has not been mailed, the program goes to block  309  to destroy or void the mail piece that has a valid postal indicia that was not mailed. Then the program goes to block  310  to void the transaction in transaction log server  43  for the voided or destroyed mail piece. At this point the program goes to block  311  to issue a credit for the amount of postage scanned. Then the program goes to block  312  and is done. 
     The above specification describes a new and improved method for the recovery of unusable printed postage. It is realized that the above description may indicate to those skilled in the art additional ways in which the principles of this invention may be used without departing from the spirit. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3