173 results about "Postal service" patented technology

A mail delivery system for facilitating delivery of a plurality of mail pieces sorted into a plurality of containers to a postal service. The mail delivery system includes a mail piece information apparatus for determining information about each of the mail pieces, such as by scanning delivery addresses of the mail pieces. A sorting apparatus associates an identifiers of the containers with mail pieces sorted into the containers. A tracking system tracks the containers through delivery using the container identifiers. Paperless manifests describing the mail pieces in the containers and delivery of the containers to a postal service location are generated by the system by correlating tracking information on the containers with contents information for the containers using the identifier. The mail delivery system is also configured to implement quality control processes and billing using the tracking and manifest information, resulting in time savings and increased billing accuracy.

The invention relates to a universal delivery and collection box unit (UDCBU). In one implementation, a UDCBU includes a mail compartment (110 / 120) accessible by one door (210) and a storage compartment (130) accessible by a second door (220). The mail compartment allows the postal service to deliver and pickup mail. The storage compartment allows both the postal service and authorized delivery services to deliver larger parcels. In this implementation, information would be recorded regarding access to this storage compartment and transmitted electronically to a consumer.

The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for the computerized generation and printing of a U.S. Postal Service Shipping Label over the Internet that provides postage, shipping address, delivery address, and shipment and delivery tracking indicia. According to the invention, human-readable postage payment indicia is formatted in such a way that the actual price of shipping postage is obscured; postage payment can only be translated from the postage payment indicia by someone who knows the format template. The present invention further provides a United States Postal Service shipping label comprising a representation of paid postage, said representation of paid postage comprising a human-readable character string, said character string comprising imbedded postage price information. The present invention further provides a United States Postal Service shipping label, comprising a machine-readable representation of paid postage and a ship to address.

Systems and Processes allow for sales, validation, rewards and dispense of prepaid debit cards and the like, which may have multiple personalities and may be offer and market under a vast plurality of names. Said prepaid debit card is prepaid with the monetary value loaded on the card on fixed amounts or variable desired amounts, and the payment mode use of cash and / or the amount charged to another bank card (credit, debit, bank card, ATM, checks, and the like). Deliver only after a validation signal authorizes such deliver at point of sales or cash registers location at retail stores, services providers, businesses or entities, through the U.S. Postal Service, overnight facilities or by Automated Teller Machines with dispensing debit card feature. The said prepaid debit card is not linked to bank accounts or any other bank equity instrument, retailers, banks as well as other institutions, associations or entities may become issuers after been licensed.

Method to manage an electronic interface by radio-frequency identification (“RIFD”) transponder to retrieve supplemental data for U.S. Postal Service sent mailings under non-negotiable privacy and digital identity registration policy standards, pursuant to data registration templates and self-certification standards.

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.

The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the electronic recordation of the transfer of a package from a shipper to a responsible postal carrier. In one embodiment, a method of recording the acceptance of a package from a package shipper shipped via a post service includes the steps of: generating a unique header number to preface a record of package transactions made over a time period for a specific shipper, the header number being unique within the post service, wherein each package transaction is made with a centralized computer system and has an associated delivery confirmation number unique within the post service; transmitting the unique header number and transaction record to the post service; generating a scannable indicia representative of the unique header number; and scanning the indicia to confirm acceptance of the package by the post service, wherein the indicia is scanned by a post service representative.

A system and method is provided that enables a carrier of a mailpiece, such as a national postal service, to track a mailpiece as it passes from the control of a first carrier to the control of another, second carrier. The tracking of the mailpiece continues until the mailpiece is delivered, by the second carrier, to its ultimate recipient. In this manner the first carrier, who had control of the mailpiece when first posted, can monitor the handling of the mailpiece and can calculate delivery times when the mailpiece was in the control of the second carrier. The method and system of the present invention will find particular application to a national postal service seeking to track delivery performance of internationally addressed express mail that is first domestically posted and then ultimately delivered in a foreign country by the postal service of the foreign country.

A system that flexibly, retrieves, processes and distributes data across a global computer network is disclosed. Within the system, a first party identifier is captured and converted into a Linkage Key, such as a United States Postal Service Delivery point code (11-digit zip code). The Linkage Key is then used to retrieve Linkage Key indexed data from various network nodes that house components of a virtual Linkage Key indexed database. The retrieved information associated with the first party identifier is then distributed by the system to one or more network nodes to provide benefits to the first party and other network nodes.

The invention seeks to improve the effectiveness of sortation and delivery point processing of military mail on behalf of the U.S. military. A method for distributing military mail includes the steps of compiling military unit and associated delivery code information into a computer searchable military address management system database which associates a military unit zip code with a current geographic location for that unit; obtaining military unit personnel change of address information from a number of sources including a national change of address database maintained by a federal postal service and input from a military unit to which a military mail recipient belongs, which information is compiled into a computer searchable military change of address database, which information includes change of address information more recent than change of address information reflected in a federal national change of address database; and using information from the military address management system database and the military change of address database to redirect incorrectly addressed mail pieces to a military mail recipient's current address.

A currency distribution system and method. In accordance with the invention, a first transaction is facilitated by which currency is transferred electronically between a first entity and a second entity, and whereby a first balance of currency is maintained by said second entity. A second transaction is facilitated by which at least a portion of the first balance of currency is transferred electronically between the second entity and a third entity. In particular, the second transaction is facilitated by a processor that includes code for ascertaining data with respect to the third entity, the data pertaining to goods or services unrelated to the currency, and providing a qualification in response thereto. A second processor included for enabling the second transaction in response to the qualification. A database is employed and a query is made to determine the qualification for the second transaction. In an illustrative embodiment, the first entity is a postal service, the second entity is a vendor, and the third entity is a customer of the vendor. In the illustrative application, the currency is postage and the processor communicates the ability to print and utilize postage to the customer. The postage is used to return goods from the customer to the vendor.

The present invention provides a system and method of addressing and translating addresses in a network, such as a telecommunications, cellular or transportation network. The system and method in a telephone network assign a directory number to each user, and functional property code(s) to each device a user employs. The same directory number is then used to reach the user, whereby the system will automatically use the functional property code of each device to reach the user's voice line, cellular line, fax line, data line or other telephone network device. The system and method apply to transportation networks such as airlines, busses, rail, and shipping, to pipeline networks such as the oil industry, delivery networks such as postal services, and to other networks in which symbolic addresses are used to designate a source and a destination of traffic.

The invention discloses a postal service robot which is applied to a logistics company. The postal service robot is characterized by comprising apery limbs, a human-machine intercom system, a navigation system and a 3D (three-dimensional) vision system, which are respectively and independently connected with a data processing module and used for transmitting the data in a bi-directional manner. The postal service robot has the advantages that the automation for delivering mails can be realized, the manual delivery is changed to the automatic delivery of the robot, the unfavorable influence of multiple factors on the delivery quality can be avoided, the manpower of the logistics company is reduced, and the delivery efficiency is greatly improved.

A postage stamp providing an indication of successful completion of a sterilization process. The postage stamp is affixed to a mail article. The mail article is then collected by the postal service for processing. The mail article is subjected to sterilization by a sterilization apparatus to sterilize the mail article. Upon being successfully sterilized, the postage stamp turns color to indicate completion of the sterilization process.

The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the integration of a shipping label with a customs form to provide a single label having postage, addressing, customs and other information for international shipping. In one embodiment, a method for generating an international shipping a package comprises the steps of providing shipping information associated with the package, the information comprising address information of the origin, address information of the destination, postage information including a postage amount due to a post service and a customs form number unique within the post service; processing a shipping label having the shipping information displayed thereon; and affixing the shipping label to the package.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a system and method for facilitating electronic commerce over a network includes communicating with a user via a user device and a merchant via a merchant device over the network, receiving a purchase request from the merchant via the merchant device over the network on behalf of the user, generating an invoice with an invoice identifier related to the purchase request, printing the generated invoice with the invoice identifier, sending the printed invoice with the invoice identifier to the user via a postal service, receiving an invoice payment request from the user via the user device over the network, obtaining the invoice identifier from the invoice payment request, reconciling an invoice payment on behalf of the user via the user device over the network, and storing information related to the reconciled invoice payment.

A postal service is provided for routing mail objects such as an envelope or a parcel to a designated person. A user registers a pseudo name which is displayed on the mail object. The user also enters one or more profiles into a system. Various mail services may be set up by the profiles. Mail services include a follow me service allowing a user to specify a different delivery address for a date range, a mail delivery notification service, a vanity stamp service, and a bulk mail service. Changes made in the profiles take immediate effect. A payment method may be designated in a franking profile.

A communication system and method transmits electronic mail among multiple users that are senders or recipients of the mail, or both. The system and method use and augment the Internet with a postal server and software linked to the Internet. The sender and recipient have terminals also linked to the Internet. The sender uses postal sender software to select transmission with certain premium services. The system and method include payment and accounting functions for use of the premium services. The system and method can operate with plural postal servers at one or more locations. Communications can utilize the postal server and software only for processing data about the message and / or its transmission. Communications among the Sender, Recipient, and postal server can create virtual intranet-like qualities. Transmitted electronic mail uses message data to identify the Sender, authenticate and verify the email, and direct its processing.

A method, system and program product for managing and responding to receiving of mail items including the capture of a digital image by a mail item recipient taken of the outside of the mail item that includes the recipient and sender address blocks using, for example, a personal mobile intelligent communication device, and decoding a postal service barcode such as an Intelligent Mail Barcode.

A system having a postcard having a thickness not to exceed 5.5 mm while containing an audio message for playback and a power supply, the system also having a base recording unit for recording a message to the postcard when the postcard is inserted into the base recording unit. The base recording unit has no power supply and draws power from the power supply on the postcard. The postcard is suitable for mailing using the postal service. The unit for recording is compact, has no power supply, is easily portable and is attractive. The card has a play-back button, a compact battery power source to drive play-back and recording of audio messages. The postcard is absent a record button allowing the postcard with an audio message to be sent through the postal system without the risk of accidental erasure of the recorded message. The card may be recorded and re-recorded when placed in the recording unit. The card contains an audio board that has an IC chip having memory for storing an audio message. The card and the recording unit are both absent a central processing unit.

The exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a way for low-volume mailers to track individual outbound mail pieces, including tracking of individual U.S. Postal Service FIRST-CLASS MAIL® letters. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention encodes a unique mail piece tracking identifier as a CONFIRM® service identifier in a graphic symbology. The unique mail piece tracking identifier of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention conforms with requirements of a CONFIRM® service identifier, while at the same time, provides, for a defined period of time, mail-piece-level uniqueness for first class and other mail class mail piece tracking.

The invention relates to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composite electrical sleeve which comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 100 parts of PVC resin, 2-60 parts of natural anhydrite, 3-10 parts of titanium white, 0.01-15 parts of surface modifier, 1-20 parts of toughener, 0.5-2 parts of MBS (methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene) resin, 1-3 parts of PE (polyethylene) wax, 1-15 parts of stabilizer and 0.1-15 parts of lubricant, wherein the mesh number of the natural anhydrite is more than 400 meshes. The PVC composite electrical sleeve is a composite pipe made of PVC / natural anhydrite and other materials, has the advantages of high temperature resistance, high voltage resistance, high strength, shock resistance and the like, and can be used as various guide pipes for wire protection, guide pipes for wiring protection, pipes for postal service, telecommunication and network cabling and threading carriers for auxiliary electric / data transfer cables.

In an arrangement for accounting for consumption of a resource, e.g., utilization of a postal service or utilities, a data center (503, 803) periodically communicates with multiple franking systems (100, 505-1, 505-2, 505-n) dispensing postage for the postal service utilization. The data center (503, 803) receives transaction records (301, 303, 305, 307, 309), where a transaction record (301, 303, 305, 307, 309) is associated with each transaction performed by the franking system (100, 505-1, 505-2, 505-n) in each period. Each record (301, 303, 305, 307, 309) includes at least the postage dispensed (305) in the associated franking transaction, and an ascending register value (307) indicating the cumulative postage dispensed. Using the received records (301, 303, 305, 307, 309), the data center (503, 803) assesses the charges during the period and causes assessed charges to be charged to an account associated with the franking system (100, 505-1, 505-2, 505-n). In addition, the data center (503, 803) forwards a copy of the received records (301, 303, 305, 307, 309) to another system (507, 550, 565, 850, 865) for storage, which may be used by the postal authority or utility to audit the charges.

A personal information database in which a particular field (or fields) of an individual's personal information record that a requester receives is determined by the context of the transaction. When an e-mail application accesses the database, for example, the PID (personal identification of a database subscriber) identifies the database subscriber (and hence the record ID). The fact that an e-mail application is requesting information identifies the context of the transaction (e-mail address request). Thus, only the e-mail address is provided to the requester. The same inherent selection of particular information fields by context occurs if a cellular telephone system accesses the database (mobile telephone number field), the USPS (United States Postal Service) accesses the database (postal address fields), or a web browser accesses the database (web site URL field). The present invention comprises a centralized, distributed or hierarchical personal information database, and method for use, having wide access capability. The preferred method for accessing the database is the Internet, although other methods of retrieving data, such as telephone, FAX, paper mail, VPN (virtual private network), etc., may also be utilized.

Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will provide methods and systems for automatic tracking and reporting of refunds for parcels for which the United States Postage Service (the “USPS”) fails to provide delivery to the designated delivery address by a guaranteed delivery date. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically detect a parcel for which a delivery date has been guaranteed, but for which the USPS failed to make delivery by the guaranteed delivery date. For such guaranteed delivery failures, various embodiments of the present invention will display an online report to the user, or will send an electronic report of the failure, such as by electronic mail (“email”), to the user that printed the corresponding USPS Express Mail postage, or will otherwise notify the user of, or make available to the user information regarding, such failures. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze electronic and / or digital scanning events provided by the USPS regarding postage printed by users that used the subject Internet postage provider to print Express Mail Postage with a corresponding USPS Express Mail Label Number. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze such electronic and / or digital scanning events in order to determine whether a scanned tracking event indicates a delivery corresponding to postage printed by a user using the subject Internet postage provider and in order, then, to determine whether the actual delivery date and / or time, if delivered, exceeds the guaranteed delivery and / or time.

The systems and methods described herein relate generally to the electronic recordation of the transfer of a package from a shipper to a responsible postal carrier. In one embodiment, a method of recording the acceptance of a package from a package shipper shipped via a post service includes the steps of: generating a unique header number to preface a record of package transactions made over a time period for a specific shipper, the header number being unique within the post service, wherein each package transaction is made with a centralized computer system and has an associated delivery confirmation number unique within the post service; transmitting the unique header number and transaction record to the post service; generating a scannable indicia representative of the unique header number; and scanning the indicia to confirm acceptance of the package by the post service, wherein the indicia is scanned by a post service representative.

A virtual postage metering system and method provides value added services corresponding to postage metering transactions. Funds are not stored at a user's site, reducing the risk of unauthorized modification of accounting balances. There is a database record of every mailpiece, thereby improving verification since all valid pieces are known. Furthermore, the present invention enables the Post to know the volume of mail to be processed prior to receipt of physical mail pieces. Since more mailer data is available (e.g. when users usually mail, how much mail per day, average postage amount) the virtual postage metering system enables the postal service to predict mail handling patterns. Additionally, users have the option to pay as they go which contrasts present systems in which funds must be on deposit prior to being downloaded to a meter although such downloaded funds may remain in the meter for weeks before being used.

Methods and apparatus for weighing an article, such as a mail piece, while the article is moving at high speed, and for checking that the correct amount of postage has been paid for delivery of the article. An article (900) is received from an intake transport (1200), and gripped in a weighing station (1310), in between a capstan roller and a pinch roller (1316), which are synchronized to minimize slipping. A first precision closed-loop servo system (1252, 1250) alters the speed of the article, and in the process acquires torque data for storage and analysis (1212, 1282) to determine weight. Correct postage is determined in a processor (1212), and the postage actually paid is checked either by image analysis (1204, 1214, 1280) or by accessing a stored mailer manifest (1280).