[0001] The invention relates generally to postage meters (franking machines), and relates
particularly to systems in which items of correspondence are to be dispatched by any
of several different means. The application claims priority from US application no.
60/078,487, filed March 18, 1998, which application is incorporated herein by reference
to the extent permitted by the designated and elected States hereto.
Background
[0002] It has been well known for many decades to use a postage meter which has within a
secure housing an accounting means and a printing means. The accounting means includes
an ascending register indicative of postage that has been printed, and typically a
piece counter indicative of the number of mail pieces that have been printed. In many
countries including the United States, the accounting means also includes a descending
register indicative of the amount of postage value available to be printed. The printing
means is used to print postage indicia on mail pieces, typically by a relief printing
die with characteristic fluorescent ink. Such postage meters have worked exceeding
well for decades and have proven to be reliable. While it is technically possible
to print postal indicia for which no money has been paid to the post office, such
fraud is relatively infrequent because it would be readily detectable through physical
inspection of the meter for tampering.
[0003] The postage meter saves the postal authority from much of the work of printing, stocking
and selling postage stamps. When postal rates change, the postage meter user can simply
print the new postal amount, while the stamp user must queue up at the post office
to purchase stamps in the new denomination.
[0004] In recent years it has been proposed to print postal indicia by means of conventional
nonsecure printers such as laser printers, ink-jet printers, and thermal transfer
printers. Such printers are termed "nonsecure" because the printer itself is not in
a secure housing and because the communications channel linking the printer to other
apparatus is nonsecure.
[0005] Under such a proposal, the question naturally arises what would prevent a user from
printing the same postal indicium repeatedly, thereby printing postal indicia for
which no money has been paid to the post office. The proposed anti-fraud measure is
to store information within the indicia which would permit detecting fraud. The indicium
would include not only human-readable text such as a date and a postage amount, but
would also include machine-readable information, for example by means of a two-dimensional
bar code. The machine-readable information would be cryptographically signed, and
would include within it some information intended to make fraud more difficult. The
information would typically include an identification of the postage meter license
(granted by the meter manufacturer or by the postal authorities, depending on the
country), an indication of the number of mail pieces franked, the postage amount,
a postal security device identifier about which more will be said later, the date
and time, and a zip code or post code of the mail piece addressee.
[0006] There are, of course, many potential drawbacks to such an approach for printing of
postal indicia. A user who intends to defraud the postal service might use a bar-code
reader to read the contents of the indicium. (This capability illustrates the pointlessness
of trying to give physical security to the printing means or of the communications
channel by which the printing means is controlled.) The contents of the bar code could
be used to print identical or nearly identical indicia, perhaps at a geographic distance.
It would then fall to the postal service to perform an analysis on all or nearly all
of the indicia scanned on a particular day, to try to identify duplicates.
[0007] Yet another drawback is that it is commonplace for a mail piece to get smudged on
the way to the post office or within the post office, prior to the authentication
scanning by the post office. If the post office is unable to read the bar code, the
post office has to decide whether to return the mail piece to the sender, or risk
delivering a mail piece bearing a counterfeit indicium.
[0008] The typical apparatus for printing such "encrypted indicia" postage includes what
is called a postal security device or PSD. The PSD has a secure housing, and within
the secure housing are the accounting registers as well as a cryptographic engine.
The engine permits cryptographic authentication and signing for communication with
an external device such as the computer of the meter manufacturer or of the post office.
The engine also permits creation of postal indicia which contain specified information
and which are cryptographically signed. The PSD may well be physically small as compared
to traditional postage meters. The PSD may be the size of a PCMCIA card or the size
of a smart card.
[0009] Within the PSD the memory must be protected against inadvertent damage due to malfunction
of the processor of the PSD, for example as set forth in US Pat. No. 5668973,
Protection system for critical memory information owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application. The PSD must
handle power failure in a graceful fashion, for example as set forth in US Pat. No.
5712542,
Postage meter with improved handling of power failure, also owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application.
[0010] To reduce smudging, the printer may preferably be that described in PCT publication
no. 97-46389,
Printing apparatus, also owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application. While
it has been proposed that the PSD contain a real-time clock which is keeping time
continuously, desirably this requirement may be avoided as described in PCT publication
no. 98-08325,
Printing postage with cryptographic clocking security, also owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application. PSDs
can form part of a network with multiple printers as described in PCT publication
no. 98-13790,
Proof of postage digital franking, also owned by the same assignee as the assignee of the present application.
[0011] It has become commonplace in recent years to correspond by a variety of different
means, for example by means of printed documents that are physically delivered, by
means of fax, and by means of email. Among physically delivered documents there are
documents sent in envelopes bearing addresses printed thereon, and documents sent
in envelopes or packages that are addressed by means of adhesive labels.
[0012] It would be advantageous to have a system with great flexibility to accommodate a
number deliver methods.
[0013] US 5 586 037 discloses an automated self-service mail processing system with integrated
weighing system. The system also has email and fax capabilities.
Summary of the invention
[0014] According to the invention, there is provided a system for management of correspondence,
comprising a processor having a user interface, a printer, a fax modem, a simple mail
transport protocol server and a postal security device, wherein said processor is
communicatively coupled with the printer, said printer disposed to print adhesive
labels, letters and envelopes, said processor also communicatively coupled with the
fax modem, said processor also communicatively coupled with the simple mail transport
protocol server; said system further comprising means receiving information indicative
of items of correspondence to be delivered, the information regarding each item further
indicative of at least one means of delivery for said item; said system further comprising
means responsive to the information indicative of the at least one means of delivery
for causing transmission by fax via the fax modem in the event that the information
indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates fax, for causing transmission
by email via the simple mail transport protocol server in the event that the information
indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates email, and in the event
that the information .indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates mail,
causing the postal security device to generate a postage indicium, and causing the
printer to print the postage indicium, and wherein the system further comprises means
for inserting printed letters into respective envelopes and sealing said envelopes..
Description of the drawing
[0015] The invention will be described with respect to a drawing, of which:
Fig. 1 shows a flow chart depicting handling of correspondence in keeping with the
invention; and
Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the system.
Detailed description
[0016] The system according to the invention is typified by a personal computer 50, shown
in Fig. 2. The personal computer 50 receives, or has stored within it, information
about a number of items of correspondence to be sent, all omitted for clarity in Fig.
2. The computer 50 has at least one printer 53, and preferably has more than one printer,
one optimized for printing on paper sheets, and another optimized for printing on
label stock and envelopes. The computer 50 has a postal security device 52, as discussed
above. The postal security device 52 has nonvolatile memory and a cryptographic engine,
and under stored program control it is able to generate digitally printed postal indicia
which will be accepted by the postal authorities for payment of postage. The indicia
are printed on the printer 53. In addition, the computer 50 has connected with it,
or includes, a Simple Mail Transport Protocol(SMTP) server 54, and a fax server or
fax modem 55. The user controls the computer 50 through a user interface 51.
[0017] As described in Fig. 1, there is a user interface. This may be a keyboard, a touch
screen, or other user input device. The computer 50 handles input requests, formulates
desired outputs, and manages the system with respect to configuration parameters such
as departmental charge-backs. The data routing can take a document-printing path 2,
a high-volume production printing path 3, a label printing path 4, a fax path 5, and
an email path 6. In the case of an item of correspondence needing a postal delivery
address, it is desired to check the address hygiene as at box 7 and to correct the
address accordingly. In the case of an organization that charges back postage charges
by departmental or other accounts, then chargeback is done for example in box 9. Many
mail types, including business and personal envelopes, are eligible for discounts
if the correspondence is presorted, so presort and bundling information is generated
in boxes 8. In the case of an item of correspondence that is intended for an envelope
with a printed address, the correspondence and envelope may be typed in box 10. Preferably
a number of moderate-capacity printers are employed so that if one breaks, the load
may be distributed among other printers.
[0018] In the case of high-volume production printing, the path of block 3 is followed.
If necessary, the mail piece is inserted into an envelope and sealed in block 11.
[0019] In the case of a fax message, the path of block 5 is followed. The computer 50 passes
the correspondence to a fax modem, or to a fax server 55, which may be integral with
the computer 50 or may be separate from it. The correspondence is sent by fax.
[0020] In the case of an email message, the path of block 6 is followed. The computer 50
passes the correspondence to a simple mail-transport protocol server 54, which may
be integral with the computer 50 or may be separate from it. The correspondence is
sent by email over a TCP/IP link, omitted for clarity in Fig. 2.
[0021] One of the chief drawbacks of the cryptographically signed postal indicium is that
the postal service may require that the indicium be based in part on a Zip code or
post code of the associated mail piece. This leads to great difficulty in the event
that an indicium and its associated addressed envelope or package become mismatched.
The postal authorities will assume that the sender is engaged in mail fraud, for example
trying to use a single indicium more than once on more than one mail piece. Thus it
is highly desirable to set up the system so that if it is printing labels, it will
not merely print postal indicia labels, but will also print the delivery address on
a label. The address and postage labels are desirably printed "two-up", side by side
or adjacent in the label printer. This permits automated equipment, or a human user,
to place the two labels on a mail piece (e.g. an envelope or package) at about the
same time, thus reducing the likelihood of a mismatch.
[0022] Stated differently, the invention comprises a system for management of correspondence,
comprising a processor 50 having a user interface 51, said processor 50 communicatively
coupled with a printer 53, said printer disposed to print adhesive labels, said processor
50 also communicatively coupled with a fax modem 55, said processor also communicatively
coupled with a simple mail transport protocol server 54; said system further comprising
means receiving information indicative of items of correspondence to be delivered,
the information regarding each item further indicative of at least one means of delivery
for said item; said system further comprising means responsive to the information
indicative of the at least one means of delivery for causing transmission by fax via
the fax modem 55 in the event that the information indicative of the at least one
means of delivery indicates fax, for causing transmission by email via the simple
mail transport protocol server 54 in the event that the information indicative of
the at least one means of delivery indicates email, and in the event that the information
indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates mail requiring labels,
causing the postal security device 52 to generate a postage indicium, and causing
the printer 53 to print the postage indicium on a label. Optionally, in the event
that the information indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates mail
requiring labels, the system prints an address label responsive to the information
indicative of the item to be delivered, along with the label bearing the postage indicium.
[0023] Those skilled in the art will have no difficulty devising obvious enhancements and
improvements to the invention, all of which are meant to be encompassed within the
invention, as defined by the claims that follow.
1. A system for management of correspondence, comprising a processor having a user interface,
a printer, a fax modem, a simple mail transport protocol server and a postal security
device, wherein said processor is communicatively coupled with the printer, said printer
disposed to print adhesive labels, letters and envelopes, said processor also communicatively
coupled with the fax modem, said processor also communicatively coupled with the simple
mail transport protocol server; said system further comprising means receiving information
indicative of items of correspondence to be delivered, the information regarding each
item further indicative of at least one means of delivery for said item; said system
further comprising means responsive to the information indicative of the at least
one means of delivery for causing transmission by fax via the fax modem in the event
that the information indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates fax,
for causing transmission by email via the simple mail transport protocol server in
the event that the information indicative of the at least one means of delivery indicates
email, and in the event that the information indicative of the at least one means
of delivery indicates mail, causing the postal security device to generate a postage
indicium, and causing the printer to print the postage indicium, and wherein the system
further comprises means for inserting printed letters into respective envelopes and
sealing said envelopes.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein in the event that the information indicative of the
at least one means of delivery indicates mail requiring labels, the system prints
an address label responsive to the information indicative of the item to be delivered,
along with the label bearing the postage indicium.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein in the event that the information indicative of the
at least one means of delivery indicates mail requiring labels, the system prints
the postage indicium on a label.
1. Ein System zur Verwaltung von Korrespondenz, das einen Prozessor, der eine Benutzerschnittstelle
aufweist, einen Drucker, ein Faxmodem, einen Einfachposttransportprotokoll-Server
und eine Postsicherheitsvorrichtung aufweist, wobei der Prozessor kommunikativ mit
dem Drucker gekoppelt ist, wobei der Drucker angeordnet ist, um Haftetiketten, Briefe
und Umschläge zu bedrucken, wobei der Prozessor auch kommunikativ mit dem Faxmodem
gekoppelt ist, wobei der Prozessor auch kommunikativ mit dem Einfachposttransportprotokoll-Server
gekoppelt ist; wobei das System ferner eine Einrichtung aufweist, die Informationen
empfängt, die auszuliefernde Korrespondenzgegenstände anzeigen, wobei die Informationen
in Bezug auf jeden Gegenstand ferner zumindest ein Ausliefermittel für den Gegenstand
anzeigen; wobei das System ferner eine Einrichtung, die auf die Informationen anspricht,
die das zumindest eine Ausliefermittel anzeigen, zum Bewirken einer Übertragung durch
Fax über das Faxmodem, falls die Informationen, die das zumindest eine Ausliefermittel
anzeigen, Fax anzeigen, zum Bewirken einer Übertragung durch E-mail über den Einfachposttransportprotokoll-Server,
falls die Informationen, die das zumindest eine Ausliefermittel anzeigen, Email anzeigen,
und falls die Informationen, die das zumindest eine Ausliefermittel anzeigen, Post
anzeigen, zum Bewirken, dass die Postsicherheitsvorrichtung einen Portofreimachungsvermerk
erzeugt, und zum Bewirken, dass der Drucker den Portofreimachungsvermerk druckt, aufweist,
und wobei das System ferner eine Einrichtung zum Einführen gedruckter Briefe in jeweilige
Umschläge und zum Verschließen der Umschläge aufweist.
2. Das System gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei, falls die Informationen, die das zumindest eine
Ausliefermittel anzeigen, Post anzeigen, die Etiketten benötigt, das System, ansprechend
auf die Informationen, die den auszuliefernden Gegenstand anzeigen, ein Adressetikett
gemeinsam mit dem Etikett, das den Portofreimachungsvermerk trägt, druckt.
3. Das System gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei, falls die Informationen, die das zumindest eine
Ausliefermittel anzeigen, Post anzeigen, die Etiketten benötigt, das System den Portofreimachungsvermerk
auf ein Etikett druckt.
1. Système de gestion de correspondance, comportant un processeur ayant une interface
utilisateur, une imprimante, un modem de télécopie, un serveur de protocole de transfert
simplifié de message et un dispositif de sécurité postale, dans lequel ledit processeur
est couplé en communication avec l'imprimante, ladite imprimante est agencée pour
imprimer des étiquettes adhésives, des lettres et des enveloppes, ledit processeur
est aussi couplé en communication avec le modem de télécopie, ledit processeur est
aussi couplé en communication avec le serveur de protocole de transfert simplifié
de message; ledit système comportant de plus des moyens pour recevoir des informations
représentatives d'articles de correspondance à distribuer, les informations concernant
chaque article étant de plus représentatives d'un moyen de distribution pour ledit
article ; ledit système comportant de plus des moyens répondant aux informations représentatives
dudit au moins un moyen de distribution pour provoquer la transmission par télécopie
au moyen du modem de télécopie dans le cas où l'information représentative dudit au
moins un moyen de distribution préconise la télécopie, pour provoquer la transmission
par courrier électronique par l'intermédiaire du serveur de protocole de transfert
simplifié de message dans le cas où l'information représentative dudit au moins un
moyen de distribution indique le courrier électronique et, dans le cas où l'information
représentative dudit au moins un moyen de distribution préconise le courrier électronique,
déclencher le dispositif de sécurité postal pour produire un montant d'affranchissement,
et provoquer l'impression par l'imprimante du montant d'affranchissement, et dans
lequel le système comporte de plus des moyens pour insérer des lettres imprimées dans
des enveloppes associées et fermer lesdites enveloppes.
2. Système selon la revendication 1 dans lequel, dans le cas où l'information représentative
dudit au moins un moyen de distribution préconise un courrier nécessitant des étiquettes,
le système imprime une étiquette d'adresse en réponse aux informations représentatives
de l'article à distribuer, ainsi que l'étiquette portant le montant d'affranchissement.
3. système selon la revendication 1 dans lequel, dans le cas où l'information représentative
dudit au moins un moyen de distribution préconise un courrier nécessitant des étiquettes,
le système imprime le montant d'affranchissement sur une étiquette.