Postage meter with non-dollar amount indicia

Claim 2

A postage meter having imprinting means for printing a postage indicia on a mailpiece, comprising: (a) said imprinting means having at least one print wheel, said print wheel having embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said print wheel; (b) microprocessor means having means for storing a plurality of weight ranges respective assignable to a particular postage rate and having actuation means for causing said drive means to position said print wheel such that one of said cipher characters uniquely corresponding to a respective one of said weight ranges is positioned to a print position for printing of said cipher character on said envelope; (c) informing means for determining the weight of said mailpiece and informing said microprocessor thereof; (d) said microprocessor means having comparison mean for determining which of said weight ranges said weight is within and actuating said actuation means to corresponding position said print wheel; (e) accounting means for accounting for said postage rate corresponding to said one of said cipher characters; and, (f) assuring means for assuring that said postage rates are valid;

Claim 3

A postage meter having imprinting means for printing a postage indicia on a mailpiece, comprising: (a) said imprinting means having at least one print wheel, said print wheel having embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said print wheel; (b) microprocessor means having computing means for computing a particular postage rate for a given mailpiece weight relative to a given weight range and having actuation means for causing said drive means to position said print wheel such that one of said cipher characters uniquely corresponding to a respective one of said weight ranges is positioned to a print position; (c) informing means for determining the weight of said mailpiece and informing said microprocessor computing means thereof; (d) accounting means for accounting for said postage rate corresponding to said one of said cipher characters; and, (e) assuring means for assuring that said postage rates are valid;

Claim 4

A postage meter having imprinting means for printing a postage indicia on a mailpiece, comprising: (a) said imprinting means having at least one print wheel, said print wheel having embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said print wheel; (b) microprocessor means having computing means for computing a particular postage rate for a given mailpiece weight relative to a given weight range and having actuation means for causing said drive means to position said print wheel such that one of said cipher characters uniquely corresponding to a respective one of said weight ranges is positioned to a print position; (c) informing means for determining the weight of said mailpiece and informing said microprocessor computing means thereof; (d) accounting means for accounting for said postage rate corresponding to said one of said cipher characters; and, (e) assuring means for assuring that said postage rates are valid;

Claim 5

A postage meter having imprinting means for printing a postage indicia on a mailpiece, comprising: (a) said imprinting means having a first and second print wheel, said print wheels having respectively embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and first and second print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said respective print wheel; (b) microprocessor means having means for storing a plurality of weight ranges as a function of postal mail classes respective assignable to a particular cipher character of said first print wheel and having actuation means for causing said first drive means to position said first print wheel such that a corresponding one of said cipher characters is positioned to a print position; (c) informing means for determining the weight of said mailpiece and informing said microprocessor thereof; (d) said microprocessor means having comparison mean for determining which of said weight ranges said weight is within as a function of postal mail class and actuating said actuation means to corresponding position said print wheel to said print position. (e) said microprocessor having input means for selectively informing said microprocessor of the desired cipher to be printed by said second print wheel and having second drive means for correspondingly positioning said second print wheel, whereby said cipher of said second print wheel is representative of said mailpiece postal mail class; (f) accounting means for accounting for said postage rate; and, (g) assuring means for assuring that said postage rates are valid.

Claim 6

A postage meter having imprinting means for printing a postage indicia on a mailpiece, comprising: (a) said imprinting means having a first and second print wheel, said print wheels having respectively embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and first and second print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said respective print wheel; (b) microprocessor means having means for storing a plurality of weight ranges as a function of postal mail classes respective assignable to a particular cipher character of said first print wheel and having actuation means for causing said first drive means to position said first print wheel such that a corresponding one of said cipher characters is positioned to a print position; (c) informing means for determining the weight of said mailpiece and informing said microprocessor thereof; (d) said microprocessor means having comparison mean for determining which of said weight ranges said weight is within as a function of postal mail class and actuating said actuation means to corresponding position said print wheel to said print position. (e) said microprocessor having input means for selectively informing said microprocessor of the desired cipher to be printed by said second print wheel and having second drive means for correspondingly positioning said second print wheel, whereby said cipher of said second print wheel is representative of said mailpiece postal mail class; (f) accounting means for accounting for said postage rate; and, (g) assuring means for assuring that said postage rates are valid.

Claim 7

A postage meter as claimed in claim 3 wherein said weights are determined by a mail processing apparatus, such as an inserter system, and are input to said postage meter, and the output flow of mail pieces from said processing apparatus passes through said postage meter for metering.

Claim 8

A postage meter as described in claim 3 said weights are determined by an apparatus such as a scanner for scanning said postage value determining information from preprinted indicia on said particular mail pieces.

Claim 9

A postage meter as claimed in claim 3 wherein said assuring means comprises: (h) said imprinting means having a third print wheel, said third print wheel having embossed circumferentially therearound a plurality of cipher characters, and third print wheel drive mean for rotatably positioning said third print wheel; and, (i) said microprocessor having second input means for selectively informing said microprocessor of the desired cipher to be printed by said third print wheel and having third drive means for correspondingly positioning said third print wheel, whereby said cipher of said third print wheel is representative of now valid postal mail class rate of said accounting means.