US5387783A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for inserting and printing barcoded zip codes
Assignee: PostalSoft Inc
•
Filing: 1993-04-30
•
Granted: 1995-02-07
•
Expires: 2013-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A system is disclosed for inserting barcode graphics information representing a complete zip code. The system receives a document containing a street address from a wordprocessor via a data transfer in accordance with printer interface protocols. The system locates the address within the document and thereafter consults an index of ZIP CODES corresponding to street addresses. If the system is able to identify a correct, complete ZIP CODE in the index for the address contained within the document, then a barcode representation of that ZIP CODE is thereafter calculated according to postal service regulations. The system then generates graphics data for the barcode representation of the ZIP CODE and inserts the graphics data into the electronic representation of the document. The document, including the barcode graphics, is thereafter transferred to a suitable printer.
Inventors
- 👤 Terrance S. Mihm
- 👤 Douglas Schmidt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 12:42
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C3/00; B07C3/18; G; G06; G06Q; G06Q99/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for intercepting an electronically encoded print-ready document, said electronically encoded print-ready document including mailing address information, and appending a complete barcoded ZIP CODE to the electronically encoded print-ready document in accordance with the mailing address information, said system comprising: an input port coupled to a word processing system for receiving said electronically encoded print-ready document from the word processing system; means for identifying said mailing address information within said electronically encoded print-ready document; means for retrieving a complete ZIP CODE in accordance with said mailing address information; means for inserting barcode graphics data into said electronically encoded print-ready document, said barcode graphics corresponding to said complete ZIP CODE, in order to create an electronically encoded modified print-ready document; and an output port for transmitting said electronically encoded modified print-ready document to a printer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
135 words
A system for intercepting an electronically encoded print-ready document, said electronically encoded print-ready document including mailing address information, and appending a complete barcoded ZIP CODE to the electronically encoded print-ready document in accordance with the mailing address information, said system comprising: an input port coupled to a word processing system for receiving said electronically encoded print-ready document from the word processing system; means for identifying said mailing address information within said electronically encoded print-ready document; means for retrieving a complete ZIP CODE in accordance with said mailing address information; means for inserting barcode graphics data into said electronically encoded print-ready document, said barcode graphics corresponding to said complete ZIP CODE, in order to create an electronically encoded modified print-ready document; and an output port for transmitting said electronically encoded modified print-ready document to a printer.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for appending ZIP CODE barcode graphics data to an electronically encoded print-ready document, said electronically encoded print-ready document including a mailing address, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a word processing system, the electronically encoded print-ready document; identifying the mailing address within the electronically encoded print-ready document; retrieving a complete ZIP CODE in accordance with the identified mailing address; inserting barcode graphics data into the electronically encoded print-ready document, said barcode graphics corresponding to the complete ZIP CODE, in order to create an electronically encoded modified print-ready document; and transmitting the electronically encoded modified print-ready document to a printer.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
103 words
A method for appending ZIP CODE barcode graphics data to an electronically encoded print-ready document, said electronically encoded print-ready document including a mailing address, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, from a word processing system, the electronically encoded print-ready document; identifying the mailing address within the electronically encoded print-ready document; retrieving a complete ZIP CODE in accordance with the identified mailing address; inserting barcode graphics data into the electronically encoded print-ready document, said barcode graphics corresponding to the complete ZIP CODE, in order to create an electronically encoded modified print-ready document; and transmitting the electronically encoded modified print-ready document to a printer.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for appending ZIP CODE barcode graphics data to a plurality of bit patterns transmitted from a personal computer, said plurality of bit patterns comprising an electronically encoded print-ready document containing a mailing address, the system comprising: an input port communicatively coupled to the personal computer for receiving the plurality of bit patterns; an index for designating a complete ZIP CODE corresponding to the mailing address; a microprocessor-based device for (1) identifying a bit pattern within the plurality of bit patterns corresponding to the mailing address, (2) retrieving a complete ZIP CODE corresponding to the mailing address from the index, and (3) creating a modified plurality of bit patterns by inserting into the plurality of bit patterns a barcode graphics bit pattern representing barcode graphics data corresponding to the complete ZIP CODE; and means for transmitting to a printer the modified plurality of bit patterns.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for appending ZIP CODE barcode graphics data to a plurality of bit patterns transmitted from a personal computer, said plurality of bit patterns comprising an electronically encoded print-ready document containing a mailing address, the system comprising: an input port communicatively coupled to the personal computer for receiving the plurality of bit patterns; an index for designating a complete ZIP CODE corresponding to the mailing address; a microprocessor-based device for (1) identifying a bit pattern within the plurality of bit patterns corresponding to the mailing address, (2) retrieving a complete ZIP CODE corresponding to the mailing address from the index, and (3) creating a modified plurality of bit patterns by inserting into the plurality of bit patterns a barcode graphics bit pattern representing barcode graphics data corresponding to the complete ZIP CODE; and means for transmitting to a printer the modified plurality of bit patterns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of bit patterns further comprises a header bit pattern, and wherein the microprocessor based device includes means for controlling the execution of the identifying and creating functions in accordance with the header bit pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the header bit pattern includes a bit pattern designating a maximum number of mailing addresses within the plurality of bit patterns for which the microprocessor-based device may generate and insert barcode bit patterns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the header bit pattern includes a bit pattern for instructing the microprocessor-based device where to search for a bit pattern corresponding to the mailing address while performing the identifying function.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the header bit pattern includes a bit pattern for instructing the microprocessor-based device where to insert the barcode graphics bit pattern in relation to a bit pattern comprising the mailing address in the modified plurality of bit patterns.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the header bit pattern includes a bit pattern for instructing the microprocessor-based device where to search for a bit pattern corresponding to a mailing address while performing the identifying function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the electronically encoded print-ready document includes an incomplete ZIP CODE, and wherein the retrieving function performed by said microprocessor-based device comprises retrieving a complete ZIP CODE corresponding to the mailing address.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 3 wherein the electronically encoded print-ready document includes an incorrect ZIP CODE; and wherein the retrieving function performed by said microprocessor-based device comprises retrieving a correct complete ZIP CODE for the electronically encoded print-ready document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said input port comprises a parallel input port.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 3 wherein said input port comprises a modified parallel input port including a set of input pins for facilitating control of a printer, said set of input pins including an auto feed pin.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said input port is equivalent in function to the Centronics (Registered Trademark) parallel printer interface port.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said electronically encoded print-ready document is a letter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said electronically encoded print-ready document is an envelope.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a CD ROM including a database of complete ZIP CODES corresponding to said mailing address information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said means for retrieving includes means for parsing the mailing address information into at least city, and state fields.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of parsing the mailing address into at least city, and state fields; and wherein the retrieving step comprises retrieving the complete ZIP CODE in accordance with the contents of at least the city and state fields.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the electronically encoded print-ready document includes an incomplete ZIP CODE.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the electronically encoded print-ready document includes an incorrect ZIP CODE; and wherein the retrieving step comprises retrieving a correct complete ZIP CODE for the electronically encoded print-ready document.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4965829A
Cited
DE2945386A1
Cited
US4317030A
Cited
US4641753A
Cited
US4632252A
Cited
US4725718A
Cited
US4778062A
Cited
FR2591512A1
Cited
US4752675A
Cited
US5189180A
Cited
US5031223A
Cited
US5104681A
Cited
US4982785A
Cited
US5237156A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-02-06 | 1998-08-08 | 1999-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-02-06 | 2002-08-08 | 2003-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-02-06 | 2006-08-08 | 2007-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |