Patent EP0090630A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0090630A2
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EP
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Postage value determining system
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1983-03-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-03-28
Abstract
Abstract A postage value determining scale includes a system processor 16, a weigh device 14 which generates weight indicative signals, a display and a keyboard 18 for operator entry of information relating to the determination of postage and one or more memories which store postage data. The keyboard includes a plurality of non-illuminated multifunction keys 40,42, 44 with specific keys being assigned for the entry of special services wuch as certified mail, c.o.d., special delivery and the like. Upon detecting a keyboard entry assigned for such purpose, the processor 16 recalls and sequentially displays in a display 20 indicia of special services previously selected by the operator and optionally the fee amount of each selected service. Afterdisplaying indicia of all the special services selected, the processor thereafter re-enters the previously displayed indicia in the display.
Inventors
- 👤 Edward Pieter Daniels, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 11:58
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00661; G01; G01G; G01G19/00; G01G19/002; G01G19/005; G01G19/40; G01G19/413; G01G19/414; G01G19/4148; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00193; G07B2017/00258; G07B2017/00266; G07B2017/00298; G07B2017/00701
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A postage value determining system capable of generating a postage value required for transporting an article, the system being characterised by the combination of a processor, means for providing article weight information, keyboard means for introducing postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, display means for visually indicating postage information and rate memory means for storing postage rate information, the processor being arranged in use to receive the weight information and the postage value related information, the processor being operable to retrieve the postage rate information from the memory means and generate a postage value for the article, the keyboard including means for generating a special service recall and display signal, the processor including means receiving the special service recall and display signal and in response thereto visually indicating in the display each of the selected special postal services upon which the generated postage value is based, for the purpose of minimising operator induced errors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A postage value determining system capable of generating a postage value required for transporting an article, the system being characterised by the combination of a processor, means for providing article weight information, keyboard means for introducing postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, display means for visually indicating postage information and rate memory means for storing postage rate information, the processor being arranged in use to receive the weight information and the postage value related information, the processor being operable to retrieve the postage rate information from the memory means and generate a postage value for the article, the keyboard including means for generating a special service recall and display signal, the processor including means receiving the special service recall and display signal and in response thereto visually indicating in the display each of the selected special postal services upon which the generated postage value is based, for the purpose of minimising operator induced errors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the keyboard means includes a plurality of multifunction keys having indicia thereon, selected keys being provided for the entry of selected special postal services, the system further including tabulated indicia, the indicia including visual correlation means between available selected special services and indicia on corresponding keys.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system in accordance with claim 2 wherein the corresponding keys are free of means for internal illumination.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means for providing article weight information comprises a scale, the scale including a cabinet, the keyboard being mounted to the cabinet and the processor being caried within the cabinet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
149 words
A postage value calculating system capable of computing a postage value required for operating an article, the system being characterised by the combination of keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, display means for visually indicating keyboard entries, means for providing article weight information, the display means including means for visually indicating the article weight information, the keyboard means including means for selecting special postal services from a plurality of special postal services available for use in conjunction with transporting the article, means for calculating a postage value for the article from the postage value related information, the weight information and the special service information, the display further including means for visually indicating the computed postage value for the article, and means for recalling all of the special services upon which the calculated postage value has been based and indicating such special services in the display.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
149 words
A postage value calculating system capable of computing a postage value required for operating an article, the system being characterised by the combination of keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, display means for visually indicating keyboard entries, means for providing article weight information, the display means including means for visually indicating the article weight information, the keyboard means including means for selecting special postal services from a plurality of special postal services available for use in conjunction with transporting the article, means for calculating a postage value for the article from the postage value related information, the weight information and the special service information, the display further including means for visually indicating the computed postage value for the article, and means for recalling all of the special services upon which the calculated postage value has been based and indicating such special services in the display.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein the means for recalling and indicating the special services includes means for displaying both indicia indicative of each of such selected special services and indicia indicating the portion of the computed postage value attributable to each selected special service.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
A system in accordance with claim 6 wherein the calculating means includes random access memory, the calculating means determining a fee value for each selected special service and storing each determined fee value in the random access memory, the means for recalling and indicating the special services including means for recalling each stored determined fee value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein the means for recalling and displaying the selected special service indicia includes means for removing and storing information indicated in the display means prior to displaying the selected special services and for replacing the stored indicia in the display means after sequentially indicating the selected special services.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
A system in accordance with claim 5 wherein the means for recalling and indicating all of the special services includes means for sequentially indicating each special service upon which the calculated postage value has been based.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of reducing operator errors in a postage calculating system, the calculating system comprising a processor, weighing means for providing article weight information, display means for visually indicating postal information, memory means for storing postal rate information and keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, the method being characterised by the steps of: (a) recalling each special service upon which a calculated postage value has been based and (b) indicating each recalled special service in the display means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
93 words
A method of reducing operator errors in a postage calculating system, the calculating system comprising a processor, weighing means for providing article weight information, display means for visually indicating postal information, memory means for storing postal rate information and keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, the method being characterised by the steps of: (a) recalling each special service upon which a calculated postage value has been based and (b) indicating each recalled special service in the display means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 10 further including the step of recalling a fee value for each selected special service and indicating such fee value in the display.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 10 further including the steps of storing the postal information appearing in the display and clearing the display of such postal information prior to the step of indicating each recalled special service.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 12 further including the step of restoring the stored postal information to the display after indicating each recalled special service.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 10 wherein the recalled special services are sequentially indicated in the display.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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