EP0917076A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for electronic mass mailing
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
•
Filing: 1998-11-11
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-11-11
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a plurality of mailpieces. The system includes a database having a plurality of instruction templates, wherein each template corresponds to one of a plurality of electronic delivery mechanisms. An electronic inserter operative to generate electronic insert mailpieces and a computer processor is provided for associating each mailpiece with at least one instruction template for coupling each mailpiece with at least one electronic mailpiece. An electronic message router is provided for delivering the electronic mailpieces and coupled electronic insert mailpieces by one of the plurality of electronic delivery mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 Clare E. Woodman
- 👤 Edward P. Daniels, Jr.
- 👤 Paul H. Mitchell
- 👤 John G. Rahrig
- 👤 John F. Kwant
- 👤 Karl H. Schumacher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 01:13
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/107; H; H04; H04L; H04L51/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
66 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces, the method comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of instruction templates, wherein each
template corresponds to one of a plurality of electronic delivery
mechanisms; associating each mailpiece with at least one of the plurality of
instruction templates; and delivering each mailpiece by one of the plurality of electronic
delivery mechanisms.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 1, further including the step of: notifying a recipient that a mailpiece has been delivered by an
electronic delivery mechanism other the electronic mechanism used to
deliver the mailpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 2, wherein the step of notifying a recipient includes the
step of notifying a recipient with a facsimile message indicating that the
mailpiece has been delivered.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 1 further including the steps of: associating at least one mailpiece with at least first and second
templates, wherein the first template provides a first choice electronic
delivery mechanism and the second template provides a second choice
delivery mechanism.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 4, further including the steps of: determining if the at least one mailpiece was delivered by the first
choice electronic delivery mechanism; and delivering the at least one mailpiece by the second choice
delivery mechanism if the at least one mailpiece was determined not to
be delivered by the first choice delivery mechanism.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 5, further including the step of: waiting a predefined amount of time before performing the
determining step.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 4, wherein the delivery mechanism is selected to deliver
the mailpiece in accordance with one of the following delivery methods:
an e-mail message; a pager message; a facsimile message or a site on
the world wide web.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 4, further including the step of: providing at least one electronic insert configured to accompany
an electronic mailpiece when being delivered by one of the plurality of
electronic delivery mechanisms; and associating at least one electronic mailpiece with the at least one
electronic insert such that the at least one electronic mailpiece is
accompanied with the at least one electronic insert when being delivered
to a recipient by one of the electronic delivery mechanisms.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
78 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 8, further including the step of: providing insert instructions with each electronic mailpiece
indicating whether the electronic mailpiece is to be associated with the at
least one electronic insert; determining from the insert instructions if an electronic mailpiece
is to be accompanied by an electronic insert; and delivering an electronic mailpiece with an electronic insert by one
of the plurality of electronic delivery mechanisms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 4 further including the steps of: providing a plurality of electronic inserts each being configured to
accompany an electronic mailpiece when being delivered by one of the
plurality of electronic delivery mechanisms; providing insert instructions with each electronic mailpiece
indicating whether the electronic mailpiece is to be associated with an
electronic insert, and if so, which one of the plurality of electronic inserts
is to accompany the electronic insert; determining from the insert instructions if an electronic mailpiece
is to be accompanied by an electronic insert; and delivering an electronic mailpiece with one of the plurality of
electronic inserts by one of the plurality of electronic delivery
mechanisms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for electronic mass mailing a batch of mail as
recited in claim 4 further including the step of: encrypting a mailpiece before delivering the mailpiece to a
recipient.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
93 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces, the system comprising: a database having a plurality of instruction templates, wherein
each template corresponds to one of a plurality of electronic delivery
mechanisms; an electronic inserter operative to generate electronic insert
mailpieces a computer processor for associating each mailpiece with at least
one instruction template for coupling each mailpiece with at least one
electronic mailpiece; and a message router for delivering the electronic mailpieces and
coupled electronic insert mailpieces by one of the plurality of electronic
delivery mechanism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces as recited in claim 12, wherein the message router
is configured to deliver at least one of the electronic mailpieces to a
World Wide Web server and the electronic insert is a link to a page on
the World Wide Web.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces as recited in claim 12, wherein the message router
is configured to deliver at least one of the electronic mailpieces via
electronic mail.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces, as recited in claim 12, wherein the message
router is configured to deliver at least one of the electronic mailpieces to
a pager.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces, as recited in claim 12, wherein the message
router is configured to deliver at least one of the electronic mailpieces to
a facsimile machine and the electronic insert is a document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces as recited in claim 12, wherein the message
router is configured to selectively deliver the electronic mailpieces to a
web server, an electronic mail address, a facsimile machine, and a
printer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A system for electronically delivering a batch of mail having a
plurality of mailpieces as recited in claim 12, wherein the message is
configured to send a notification message by one of the plurality of
delivery mechanisms.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
113 words
A method for electronically delivering a document, comprising
the steps of: providing an electronic document to be delivered to a recipient; providing a plurality of electronic document inserts; selecting an electronic insert to accompany the electronic
document when delivered to a recipient; providing a plurality of electronic delivery mechanisms for
delivering the electronic document and insert; selecting from one of the plurality of electronic delivery
mechanisms to choose a delivery mechanism to deliver the electronic
document and insert to the recipient; delivering the electronic document and insert to the recipient; and notify the recipient of the delivery of the electronic document with
an electronic delivery mechanism other than the chosen electronic
delivery mechanism.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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