System and method for processing a mailing label

Abstract

A system and method of processing a mailing label through a postal service that requires an account that can be charged for generating the mailing label are described. The method includes charging or deducting a fictitiously fundable or chargeable account to enable generation of a mailing label for a mail piece. The mailing label includes a tracking indicium associated with the fictitiously fundable or chargeable account. The method further includes receiving the tracking indicium scanned from the mailing label on the mail piece when the mail piece is inducted in the mail stream or during transit of the mail piece in the mail stream, and charging or deducting funds from an actually fundable or chargeable account based upon the received scanned tracking indicium.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present Patent Application is based on and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 229,181 filed on Jul. 28, 2009 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 291,499 filed on Dec. 31, 2009, the entire content of each is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention pertains to postage indicia, postage payment and in particular to a system and method for processing a mailing postage label.[0004]2. Discussion of Related Art[0005]Centralized, internet-based postage systems have achieved wide acceptance since their conception in the mid-1990's. U.S. Pat. No. 6,005,945 to Whitehouse describes in detail internet-based postage systems and methods. In this model, rather than having independent, stand-alone electro-mechanical postage meters located throughout the country, an array of equivalent “virtual meters” is maintained in a database at a cen...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

If these bars are not seen or detected and accounted for, the USPS will lose the revenue associated with the mail piece on which the label is applied.

Therefore, this is an expensive option for both the account holder and the Postal Service.

However, there is no way to tell at the time of induction if the EMCA account is valid or it belongs to the mailer.

However, this particular label format currently cannot be used for EMCA mailings.

The limitation of this type of return label is that the postage has been prepaid by the PC postage account holder.

If this label is not used, the postage is essentially wasted.

However, the limitation remains as the postage is consumed when the postage label is printed.

Those unfamiliar with the operational of National Posts may question why the revenue collection for return shipping labels is such a difficult problem.

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