US4852013A — Stationery item processing apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 172 words

Apparatus for processing a stationary item having a code thereon, said code identifying an addressee of said stationery item, said apparatus comprising: printing means; feeding means comprising means for normally feeding said stationery item in a first feed path to said printing means, means for selectively feeding said stationery item in a second feed path out of said first feed path, and means for sensing said code; computer means comprising means for controlling said feeding means and means for storing a dispositive data listing for said code, said dispositive data listing being changeable to include data defining one of said first and second feed paths, said controlling means including means for causing said feeding means to feed said stationery item in said second feed path when said code is sensed and said dispositive data listing corresponding to said code includes said data defining said second feed path; and means for changing said dispositive data listing, whereby said dispositive data listing may be changed to include said data defining said second feed path.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 172 words

Apparatus for processing a stationary item having a code thereon, said code identifying an addressee of said stationery item, said apparatus comprising: printing means; feeding means comprising means for normally feeding said stationery item in a first feed path to said printing means, means for selectively feeding said stationery item in a second feed path out of said first feed path, and means for sensing said code; computer means comprising means for controlling said feeding means and means for storing a dispositive data listing for said code, said dispositive data listing being changeable to include data defining one of said first and second feed paths, said controlling means including means for causing said feeding means to feed said stationery item in said second feed path when said code is sensed and said dispositive data listing corresponding to said code includes said data defining said second feed path; and means for changing said dispositive data listing, whereby said dispositive data listing may be changed to include said data defining said second feed path.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing means includes means for printing postage, and said computer means includes means for controlling said postage printing means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for feeding said stationery item includes means for selectively diverting said stationery item from said first feed path, whereby said stationery item is fed out of said first feed path.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 95 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said code sensing means includes means for providing a signal representative of said code, said computer means including means for receiving said signal and providing data corresponding thereto, said computer means including means for storing code data in association with said dispositive data listing, said stored code data being the code for said dispositive data listing, said computer means including means for comparing said provided code and said stored code data and in response to a match therebetween fetching the dispositive data listing associated with said stored data.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said computer means includes said changing means, and said changing means includes an operator controlled keyboard.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 including a remote computer, said remote computer including said changing means, and said changing means including an operator controlled keyboard.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer means is located in a mailroom environment.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing means includes means for printing a bar code on said stationery item.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said printing means includes means for printing a permit mail serial number on said stationery item.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said bar code identifies the addressee of said stationery item.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said bar code is a postal bar code.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said computer means comprises means for controlling said printer means, and said dispositive data listing comprises data corresponding to a message to be printed by said printer means when said code is sensed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 17 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said dispositive data listing includes data corresponding to an address.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said computer means includes means for displaying said dispositive data listing.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus according to claim 1 including means for inserting said stationery item into an envelope, and said inserting means being located in the feed path from said feeding means to said printing means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said inserting means includes means for sealing the envelope.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said printing means includes means for printing postage indicia on said envelope.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said inserting means includes means for folding said stationery item before insertion thereof into said envelope.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stationery item is a remittance slip.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stationery items is an envelope.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 204 words

Apparatus for processing a plurality of stationary items, each of said stationary items having an addressee and a code printed thereon which identifies said addresses, said apparatus comprising: (a) printing means; (b) feeding means comprising means for feeding said stationery items one at a time in a feed path to said printing means, means for selectively sorting respective stationary items out of said feed path and means for sensing the respective codes on said stationary items in said feed path; (c) computer means comprising means for controlling said feeding means and means for storing a dispositive data listing for each of said codes on a one-to-one basis, each of said dispositive data listings being changeable to include data indicating that the stationary item including the code for said dispositive data listing is to be sorted out of said feed path, said controlling means including means for causing said feeding means to sort said stationery item out of said feed path when said code is sensed and said dispositive data listing corresponding to said code includes said sort indicating data; and (d) means for changing said dispositive data listings, whereby any of said dispositive data listings may be changed to include said sort indicating data.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 204 words

Apparatus for processing a plurality of stationary items, each of said stationary items having an addressee and a code printed thereon which identifies said addresses, said apparatus comprising: (a) printing means; (b) feeding means comprising means for feeding said stationery items one at a time in a feed path to said printing means, means for selectively sorting respective stationary items out of said feed path and means for sensing the respective codes on said stationary items in said feed path; (c) computer means comprising means for controlling said feeding means and means for storing a dispositive data listing for each of said codes on a one-to-one basis, each of said dispositive data listings being changeable to include data indicating that the stationary item including the code for said dispositive data listing is to be sorted out of said feed path, said controlling means including means for causing said feeding means to sort said stationery item out of said feed path when said code is sensed and said dispositive data listing corresponding to said code includes said sort indicating data; and (d) means for changing said dispositive data listings, whereby any of said dispositive data listings may be changed to include said sort indicating data.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said computer means includes said changing means, and said changing means includes an operator controlled keyboard.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus according to claim 21 including a remote computer, said remote computer coupled to said computer means, said remote computer including said changing means, and said changing means including an operator controlled keyboard.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein at least one of said dispositive data listings includes data corresponding to a message to be printed.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 39 words

The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said computer means comprises means for causing said printer means to print said message when said message when said code for said at least one of said dispositive data listing is sensed.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus according to claim 24 including a remote computer coupled to said computer means, said computer means including means for transmitting said message to said remote computer when said code for said at least one dispositive data listing is sensed, said remote computer including a printer, and said remote computer including means for causing said printer to print said message when said message is received from said computer means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-07-24	1993-01-23	1993-07-25	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-07-24	1997-01-23	1997-07-25	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-07-24	2001-01-23	2001-07-25	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Stationery item processing apparatus

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag