DE69927959T2 - SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING CORRESPONDENCE - Google Patents

Abstract

In the system of the invention, a user provides inputs at a user interface (51). The user's inputs relate to the expected type of delivery (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Alternatively, the system may already have information stored as to the type of delivery (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) to be used with particular correspondents. Based on the type of delivery (2, 3, 4, 5, 6), the system (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) determines for each item of correspondence, whether the delivery will be by physical delivery of a printed document (2, 3, 4), by fax (5) or by e-mail (6). The system (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) further determines for each item of correspondence, which is to be delivered by physical delivery a printed document (2, 3, 4), whether an envelope (10, 11) is required and if the address information is to be printed on the envelope or on a label (12) that is to be applied to the envelope. Further in the case of an item of correspondence, which is to be delivered by physical delivery a postage indicia is printed on the envelope or on a label (12) that is to be applied to the envelope. If the system (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) determines for an item of correspondence that the delivery will be by fax (5), then the correspondence is sent using fax (55). If the system (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55) determines for an item of correspondence that the delivery will be by e-mail (6), then the correspondence is sent using SMTP server (54).

Description

The This invention relates generally to postage meters (franking machines) and refers in particular to systems where items of correspondence pass through one of several different means to be sent. The application claims priority from U.S. application no. 60 / 078,487, filed March 18 1998, which application herein to the extent designated by the and selected States for this is allowed to be incorporated by reference.

background

It has been known for many decades to be a postage meter use a billing device within a secure housing and a printing device. The billing device comprises an ascending register indicating a postage that printed was, and usually a piece counter that the number of mail pieces indicates that have been printed. In many countries, even in the United States, the billing facility also includes a descending register, the amount of postage available for printing displays. The printing device is used to postage indicia or postage indicia or indicia on mail pieces, usually by a relief printing forme with a characteristic fluorescent ink. Such postage meters have been outstanding for decades worked and proved to be reliable proved. While it is technically possible is to print postal stamps for which there is no money at the post office paid, such a scam is relatively rare since this by a physical examination of the measuring device for manipulation would be readily detectable.

The Postage meter saves the postal authority a large part of Work of printing, storing and selling stamps. If Postage change, can the postage meter simply print the new amount of postage, while the stamp user must queue at the post office to Acquire stamps in the new class.

In In recent years, it has been suggested that postage stamps be issued by means of conventional not secure printer, such as As laser printers, inkjet printers and Thermal transfer printer, to print. Such printers are called "not sure" because of Printer itself is not in a secure enclosure, and since the communication channel, which connects the printer to other devices, not sure is. Under such a proposal is of course the Question, which would prevent a user from repeating the same postal clause to print, printing postage indicia for which no Money was paid at the post office. The proposed anti-fraud measure exists in storing information in the postage stamps, which would allow the detection of fraud. The franking mark would not only one for Human readable text, such as A date and a portfolio size, include, but would also include machine-readable information, eg. B. by means of a two-dimensional Barcodes. The machine-readable information would be cryptographic signed and would within it contain certain information that is thereon aim to make fraud more difficult. Information would be common an identification of the postage metering license (by the Measuring device manufacturers or by the postal authorities, depending on the country), an indication of the number of franked items of mail Postomenge, a mail security device identifier, about that later more is stated, the date and time and a postal code or a postal code of the addressee of the mail piece.

It there are, of course many potential disadvantages to such an approach to printing of postal stamps. A user who wants to cheat the post could be one Use barcode reader to read the contents of the franking mark to read. (This ability represents the futility of trying the printing device physical security, or the communication channel, by which the printing device is controlled, dar.) The content of the barcode could used to identical or nearly identical postage indicia to print, perhaps at a geographical distance. It would stay then left to the post office, to carry out an analysis of all or almost all franking marks which scanned on a given day to try to duplicate to identify.

In turn Another disadvantage is that it is common for a piece of mail to be on the way to the post office or within the post office before the authentication scan polluted by the post office. The post office can then use the barcode no longer read, the post office has to decide if the mailpiece to the Sender returned will risk or forfeiting a mailpiece that is a fake one Postage due.

A typical device for printing such a postage of "encrypted indicia" includes what is called a mail security device or PSD, the PSD has a secure housing and within the secure housing There are billing registers and a cryptographic engine. The machine allows cryptographic identification and signing for communication with an external device, such as an external device. As the computer of the measuring device manufacturer or the post office. The machine also allows for the creation of postal indicia that contain specified information and that are cryptographically signed. The PSD could be physically small compared to conventional postage meters. The PSD could be the size of a PCMCIA card or the size of a smart card.

Within The PSD needs to protect the memory from accidental damage a malfunction of the processor of the PSD be protected, such. B. in the U.S. Pat. 5668973, Protection system for critical memory information for critical Storage information), the owner of which is the same applicant as the assignee of the present invention. The PSD must have a power failure in a controlled manner and Handle manner, such. In U.S. Patent No. 5,712,542, Postage meter with improved handling of power failure (postage meter with improved handling of a power failure), the owner also the same Applicant as the Applicant of the present invention, handle.

Around To reduce soiling, the printer could preferably the one disclosed in PCT Publication No. 97-46389, Printing apparatus, whose owner is also the the same applicant as the applicant of the present invention is described. While It has been proposed that the PSD contains a real time clock, the keeps the time continuous, could this requirement, desirably be avoided, as in PCT Publication No. 98-08325, Printing postage with cryptographic clocking security (postage printing with cryptographic clocking security), whose owner is as well the same Applicant as the Applicant of the present invention is described. PSDs can form part of a network with multiple printers, as in the PCT Publication No. 98-13790, proof of postage digital franking (examination of a digital postage payment), whose owner is also the same applicant as the applicant of the present invention is described.

It has been common in recent years become to correspond by a variety of different means, such as By means of printed documents, physically, by fax or delivered by email. Under physically delivered Documents there are documents that are sent in envelopes, the one carry on the same printed address, and documents in envelopes or Parcels addressed using adhesive labels.

It would be from Advantage over a system with great flexibility to dispose of to accommodate a number of delivery procedures.

The US 5 586 037 discloses an automated self-service mail processing system with integrated weighing system. The system also has email and fax capability.

Summary the invention

According to the invention a correspondence management system is provided a processor having a user interface, a Printer, a fax modem, a single mail transport protocol server and a postal security device, wherein the processor communicatively coupled to the printer, the printer being arranged is to print adhesive labels, letters and envelopes, the Processor is also communicatively coupled with the fax modem, wherein the processor also communicates with the single mail transport protocol server is coupled; the system further comprising means for receiving of information indicating correspondence items to be delivered, the information relating to each item further being at least a delivery agent for to display the object; the system further comprising means for responds to the information that the at least one delivery tool Show, to effect a transfer by fax over the fax modem, if the information that the at least one delivery means View, View Fax, to effect a transmission by email over the Simple mail transport protocol server, in case the information, the the show at least one delivery means, show email, and if the information that the at least one delivery means view, post, indicate that the postal security device generates a postage indicium, and to cause the Printer prints the postage indicium, and wherein the system further comprises means for inserting printed letters into respective ones envelopes and for closing the envelopes having.

description the drawing

The The invention will be described with reference to a drawing. It demonstrate:

1 a flowchart illustrating a handling of correspondence according to the invention; and

2 a functional block diagram of the system.

detailed description

The system according to the invention is by a personal computer 50 , in 2 shown, embodied. The personal computer 50 receives information about a number of correspondence items to be sent, which for clarity in 2 all are omitted, or has stored the same in itself. The computer 50 has at least one printer 53 and preferably includes more than one printer, one optimized for printing on sheets of paper, and another optimized for printing on a label stock and envelopes. The computer 50 has a postal security device 52 on, as explained above. The mail security device 52 comprises a nonvolatile memory and a cryptographic engine and is capable, under a stored program control, of generating digitally printed postal indicia accepted by the postal authorities for payment of a postage. The franking marks are printed on the printer 53 printed. In addition, with the computer 50 a single mail transport protocol (SMTP) server 54 and a fax server or fax modem 55 connected or he includes these. The user controls the computer 50 through a user interface 51 ,

As in 1 there is a user interface. This could be a keyboard, touch screen, or other user input device. The computer 50 handles input requests, formulates desired outputs, and manages the system in terms of configuration parameters, such as: B. departmental balances. The data guide can be a document print path 2 , a serial production pressure path 3 , a label print path 4 , a fax way 5 and an email route 6 to take. In the case of a correspondence item requiring a postal delivery address, it is desirable to have the address hygiene as with a box 7 to check and correct the address accordingly. In the case of an organization which offsets postage by department or other accounts, balancing will be made e.g. In a box 9 carried out. Many post types, including business and private envelopes, qualify for discounts when the correspondence is presorted, so presorting and bundling information becomes boxes 8th generated. In the case of a correspondence item intended for an envelope with a printed address, the correspondence and the envelope could be placed in a box 10 be typed. Preferably, a number of moderate capacity printers are used so that if one fails, the load can be shared among other printers.

In the case of serial production printing, the path of Block 3 followed. If necessary, the mail piece is inserted in an envelope and at block 11 locked.

In the case of a fax message, the path of Block 5 followed. The computer 50 Forwards the correspondence to a fax modem or to a fax server 55 who is in the computer 50 could be integrated or separated from it. The correspondence will be sent by fax.

In the case an email message will block the way 6 followed. The computer 50 directs the correspondence to a single mail transport protocol server 54 who is in the computer 50 could be integrated or separated from it. The correspondence is over a TCP / IP connection, which for clarity in 2 is omitted, sent by email.

one the main disadvantages of the cryptographically signed postal clause in that the postal service might require that the franking mark partly on a postal code or one Postal code of the associated mail piece based. this leads to too big Difficulty if an indicium and its associated addressed envelope or a package mismatched. The postal authorities assume that the sender is involved in a post fraud, z. For example, you may try to keep a single indicium more than once on more than one mail piece to use. So it is very desirable Build the system so that when labels are printed This not only prints postage stamps, but also also prints the delivery address on a label. The address and the Postage labels are preferably "zweinutzig", side by side or adjacent printed in the label printer. This allows an automated equipment or a human user, the two labels in about the same time on a mail piece (such as an envelope or package), which is the probability reduced by a wrong match.

In other words, the invention has a correspondence management system comprising a processor 50 which has a user interface 51 wherein the processor 50 communicatively with a printer 53 coupled to the printer is arranged to print adhesive labels, wherein the processor 50 also communicatively with a fax modem 55 The processor is also communicative with a single mail transport protocol server 54 is coupled; the system further comprising means for storing In receiving information items to be delivered, the information relating to each item further indicating at least one delivery means for the item; the system further comprising means, responsive to the information indicating the at least one delivery means, for effecting transmission by facsimile over the fax modem 55 if the information indicating the at least one delivery means indicates fax for effecting e-mail transmission via the single mail transport protocol server 54 if the information indicating the at least one delivery means indicates e-mail, and if the information indicating the at least one delivery means indicates mail that requires labels to cause the postal security device 52 generates a postage indicium, and to cause the printer 53 prints the postage indicium on a label. Optionally, if the information indicating the at least one delivery means indicates mail requiring labels, the system prints an address label in response to the information indicating the item to be delivered along with the label bearing the postage indicium.

professionals In this field, no difficulty in developing becomes more obvious Updates and improvements of the invention have all should be included within the invention, as by the following claims is defined.

Claims (3)

A system for managing correspondence, a processor having a user interface, a Printer, a fax modem, a single mail transport protocol server and a postal security device, wherein the processor is communicative coupled to the printer, the printer being located, to print adhesive labels, letters and envelopes, the Processor is also communicatively coupled with the fax modem, wherein the processor also communicates with the single mail transport protocol server is coupled; the system further comprising means for Receiving information, Display the correspondence items to be delivered, with the information with respect to each article further at least one delivery means for the Show item; the system further comprising means for responds to the information that the at least one delivery tool Show, to effect a transfer by fax over the fax modem, if the information that the at least one delivery means View, View Fax, to effect a transmission by email over the Simple mail transport protocol server, in case the information, the the show at least one delivery means, show email, and if the information that the at least one delivery means view, post, indicate that the postal security device generates a postage indicium, and to cause the Printer prints the postage indicium, and wherein the system further comprises means for inserting printed letters into respective ones envelopes and for closing the envelopes having. The system according to claim 1, wherein, if the information that the at least one delivery means display, post, labels needed, the system, appealing to the information indicating the item to be delivered, an address label along with the label containing the postage stamping note wearing, prints. The system according to claim 1, wherein, if the information that the at least one delivery means display, post, labels needed, the system the postage indicium prints on a label.