US4649266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for verifying postage
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1984-03-12
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Granted: 1987-03-10
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Expires: 2004-03-12
Abstract
Abstract Indicia having an encrypted number that is stamped upon a mail piece representative of postage so as to provide a code for authentication of such postage.
Inventors
- 👤 Alton B. Eckert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:07
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B17/00733; G07D; G07D7/00; G07D7/004; G07D7/0047; G07B2017/00572; G07B2017/0058; G07B2017/00822; G07B2017/0083
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of verifying postage through an encrypted mark that is part of alphanumeric indicia applied to a mail piece, comprising: storing a seed number, inputting postal data to be imprinted on the mail piece, deriving a single encrypted alphanumeric character based upon the stored seed number and input postal data, and imprinting said mail piece with indicia including a string of alphanumeric characters representing at least a portion of said data and including said single encrypted alphanumeric character as the only encryption of said indicia.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of verifying postage through an encrypted mark that is part of alphanumeric indicia applied to a mail piece, comprising: storing a seed number, inputting postal data to be imprinted on the mail piece, deriving a single encrypted alphanumeric character based upon the stored seed number and input postal data, and imprinting said mail piece with indicia including a string of alphanumeric characters representing at least a portion of said data and including said single encrypted alphanumeric character as the only encryption of said indicia.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 including the step of providing the postage fee, the meter serial number, the piece count and the date as part of the input data.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said string of characters consists of a piece count terminated by said alphanumeric character.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
In the method for the validation of postage by applying an encrypted mark as a part of indicia applied to a mail piece, and applying the indicia to the mail piece, the indicia including said encryption mark and alphanumeric data; the improvement comprising deriving a single digit encrypted number from said data, combining said encrypted number as the terminal part and only encrypted part of said data; and imprinting said combined data and encrypted number on said mail piece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
79 words
In the method for the validation of postage by applying an encrypted mark as a part of indicia applied to a mail piece, and applying the indicia to the mail piece, the indicia including said encryption mark and alphanumeric data; the improvement comprising deriving a single digit encrypted number from said data, combining said encrypted number as the terminal part and only encrypted part of said data; and imprinting said combined data and encrypted number on said mail piece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said alphanumeric data comprises a piece count indicating the number of times a postage meter for imprinting the indicia has printed postage, said step of combining comprising combining said encrypted number as the terminal part of said piece count.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said alphanumeric data applied to said mail piece includes a postage amount and a date, and said method of deriving an encrypted number comprises deriving a single digit encrypted number that depends in a predetermined manner on said postage amount and date.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said step of imprinting comprises printing said single digit as the terminal part of an uncoded series of alphanumeric characters relating to postal information.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for verifying postage through an encyrpted mark that is part of alphanumeric indicia applied to a mail piece, comprising: means for storing a seed number, means for inputting postal data to be imprinted on the mail piece, means for deriving an encrypted alphanumeric character based upon the stored seed number and input postal data, and means for imprinting said mail piece with indicia including a string of alphanumeric characters representing at least a portion of said data and including said encrypted alphanumeric character as the sole encryption of the indicia.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for verifying postage through an encyrpted mark that is part of alphanumeric indicia applied to a mail piece, comprising: means for storing a seed number, means for inputting postal data to be imprinted on the mail piece, means for deriving an encrypted alphanumeric character based upon the stored seed number and input postal data, and means for imprinting said mail piece with indicia including a string of alphanumeric characters representing at least a portion of said data and including said encrypted alphanumeric character as the sole encryption of the indicia.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
83 words
In an apparatus for the validation of postage by applying an encrypted mark as a part of indicia applied to a mail piece, the indicia applied to the mail piece including said encryption mark and alphanumeric data; the improvement comprising means for deriving a single digit encrypted number from said data, means for combining said encrypted number as a part of and the only encrypted part of said data; and means for imprinting said combined encrypted number and data on said mail piece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
In an apparatus for the validation of postage by applying an encrypted mark as a part of indicia applied to a mail piece, the indicia applied to the mail piece including said encryption mark and alphanumeric data; the improvement comprising means for deriving a single digit encrypted number from said data, means for combining said encrypted number as a part of and the only encrypted part of said data; and means for imprinting said combined encrypted number and data on said mail piece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said alphanumeric data comprises a piece count indicating the number of times a postage meter for imprinting the indicia has printed postage, said means for combining comprising means for combining said encrypted number as the terminal part of said piece count.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a document having postal information including data representing a determined value, said document including a substrate, said postal information imprinted on said substrate, said postal information including a plurality of alphanumeric characters; the improvement wherein said postal information includes a string of alphanumeric characters, only one of said string of alphanumeric characters being an encrypted character, said character having an identity related to said postal information in accordance with a determined algorithm, said postal information data being representative of a determined value relating to said document.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a document having postal information including data representing a determined value, said document including a substrate, said postal information imprinted on said substrate, said postal information including a plurality of alphanumeric characters; the improvement wherein said postal information includes a string of alphanumeric characters, only one of said string of alphanumeric characters being an encrypted character, said character having an identity related to said postal information in accordance with a determined algorithm, said postal information data being representative of a determined value relating to said document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The document of claim 11 wherein said alphanumeric character is the terminal character of said string.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-03-09 | 1990-09-08 | 1991-03-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-03-09 | 1994-09-08 | 1995-03-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-03-09 | 1998-09-08 | 1999-03-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |