US5963927A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mailing system
Assignee: Neopost Ltd
•
Filing: 1997-01-30
•
Granted: 1999-10-05
•
Expires: 2017-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A mail item is disclosed comprising a cover for carrying contents and formed of flexible electrically insulating material. The cover acts as a substrate on which semi-conductor elements and electrical connections are formed or deposited. The electronic circuit comprises semi-conductor elements interconnected to provide at least a memory and an interface to said memory and electrical connections are formed to be flexible. Mail handling apparatus is disclosed for communicating with the interface of the mail item and for writing information to and reading information from the memory via the interface.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond John Herbert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 07:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/07; G06K19/077; G06K19/07749; G06K19/07758; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B2017/00612; G07B2017/00629
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A mail item including an envelope; said envelope being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being flexible to enable flexing of the mail item; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
102 words
A mail item including an envelope; said envelope being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being flexible to enable flexing of the mail item; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A mail item as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flexible electrically insulating material comprises a polymer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A mail item as claimed in claim 1 wherein the flexible electrically insulating material comprises polyester.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A mail item as claimed in claim 1 wherein the semi-conductor elements comprise polymer semi-conductor material deposited on the substrate of flexible electrically insulating material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A mail item as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electronic circuit includes data processing means connected by the conductive tracks to the memory and to the interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A mail item as claimed in claim 1 wherein the interface provides contactless external communication with the electronic circuit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
An article for use as a mail item including a flexible cover; said flexible cover being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being flexible to enable flexing of the mail item; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
109 words
An article for use as a mail item including a flexible cover; said flexible cover being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said semi-conductor elements and said conductive tracks being flexible to enable flexing of the mail item; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
A mail item including an envelope; said envelope being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements comprising flexible semi-conductor material deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically conductive material and said conductive tracks comprising flexible electrically conductive material deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
A mail item including an envelope; said envelope being formed of a substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; an electronic circuit; said electronic circuit comprising at least first and second semi-conductor elements and conductive tracks interconnecting said first and second semi-conductor elements; said semi-conductor elements comprising flexible semi-conductor material deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically conductive material and said conductive tracks comprising flexible electrically conductive material deposited on said substrate of flexible electrically insulating material; said electronic circuit including at least a memory for storage of postal information relating to the mail item and an interface for external communication with said memory.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3913219A
Cited
US5032823A
Cited
US5557096A
Cited
WO1993019993A1
Cited
GB2275668A
Cited
EP0680012A2
Cited
US5574470A
Cited
US5627517A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-10-04 | 2003-04-05 | 2003-10-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-10-04 | 2007-04-05 | 2007-10-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-10-04 | 2011-04-05 | 2011-10-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |