Patent US5983209A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5983209A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System and method for determination of postal item weight by context
Assignee: Post N Mail LC
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Filing: 1996-10-02
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Granted: 1999-11-09
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Expires: 2016-10-02
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for determining a weight of a postal item from information associated with the generation of the postal item. A processor-based system accepts input of information including parameters associated with the context in which the postal item is being generated. These parameters may be accepted directly from a process which is generating the postal item or may be manually input. From these parameters, the system determines attributes of the postal item from which a determination of its weight may be made. The attributes may be specific to postal items generated by a particular user of the system or may be attributes found to generally represent postal items generated in the particular context indicated by the parameters.
Inventors
- 👤 Salim G. Kara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:32
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00362; G07B17/00016; G07B17/0008; G07B17/00193; G07B2017/00088; G07B2017/00096; G07B2017/00153; G07B2017/00177; G07B2017/00201; G07B2017/0037; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00661; G07B2017/00701; G07B17/00733; G07B2017/00959; G07B2017/00967
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
73 words
A system for automatically determining the weight of a postal item including at least one object, said system comprising: means for establishing generation parameters for said object; means for establishing attributes specific to said generation parameters, said attributes including information associated with said postal item exclusive of a weight of said postal item; and means for calculating a weight of said postal item as a function of said generation parameters and said attributes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
73 words
A system for automatically determining the weight of a postal item including at least one object, said system comprising: means for establishing generation parameters for said object; means for establishing attributes specific to said generation parameters, said attributes including information associated with said postal item exclusive of a weight of said postal item; and means for calculating a weight of said postal item as a function of said generation parameters and said attributes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said calculating means operates to calculate said weight of said postal item prior to generation of said object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said generation parameters comprise a size associated with said object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said generation parameter establishing means comprises means for accepting at least a portion of said generation parameters from a separate process in information communication with said system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said generation parameter establishing means comprises means for accepting at least a portion of said generation parameters from an operator of said system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attribute establishing means comprises means for accepting at least a portion of said attributes from a predetermined data array stored in said system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attribute establishing means comprises means for accepting at least a portion of said attributes from an operator of said system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said generation parameters comprise a number of component parts of said object.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 8, wherein ones of said component parts comprise individual pages of a document.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attributes comprise information indicating a paper stock weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said attributes are modifiable by a user of said system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said generation parameters comprise information associated with a context in which said object is generated.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 12, wherein said context information comprises information indicating a particular type of process utilized to generate said object.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said particular type is selected from the group consisting of a word processor program, a spread sheet program, an accounting program, and a graphics program.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said context information comprises information associated with a mode of output of said object by said process.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said attributes comprise information associated with a container to be utilized as a portion of said postal item.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said container comprises an envelope.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said attributes further comprise information associated with an alternative container to be utilized as a portion of said postal item upon the occurrence of a condition.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said condition is a number of pages associated with a component of said object exceeding a predetermined amount.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said attributes comprise a weight associated with said container.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said calculating means further comprises a function of said weight associated with said container.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for determining the weight of an item including at least a document, said method comprising the steps of: establishing generation parameters for said document; establishing attributes specific to said generation parameters, said attributes including information associated with said document exclusive of a weight of said item; and calculating a weight of said item as a function of said attributes.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
61 words
A method for determining the weight of an item including at least a document, said method comprising the steps of: establishing generation parameters for said document; establishing attributes specific to said generation parameters, said attributes including information associated with said document exclusive of a weight of said item; and calculating a weight of said item as a function of said attributes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said generation parameters comprise a document size associated with said document.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said generation parameters comprise a number of pages associated with said document.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said generation parameter establishing step comprises the substep of accepting at least a portion of said generation parameters from an independent process.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said generation parameter establishing step comprises the substep of accepting at least a portion of said generation parameters from an operator substantially concurrent with said calculating step.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said attributes comprise information indicating a paper stock weight.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said attributes are modifiable by a user of said system.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 22, wherein ones of said attributes are preselected to be general document attributes.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said attribute establishing step comprises the substep of accepting at least a portion of said attributes from a predetermined data array.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said attribute establishing step comprises the substep of accepting at least a portion of said attributes from an operator substantially concurrent with said calculating step.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said generation parameters comprise information associated with a context in which said document is generated.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 32, wherein said context information comprises information indicating a particular type of process utilized to generate said document.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 33, wherein said particular type of process is selected from the group consisting of a word processor program, a spread sheet program, an accounting program, and a graphics program.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 33, wherein said context information comprises information associated with a quality of output of said document by said process.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 22, wherein said attributes comprise information associated with a container to be utilized as a portion of said item.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 31, wherein said attributes further comprise information associated with an alternative container to be utilized as a portion of said item upon the occurrence of a condition.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 37, wherein said condition is a number of pages associated with said document exceeding a predetermined value.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 36, wherein said attributes further comprise a weight associated with said container.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 39, wherein said calculating step further comprises a function of said weight associated with said container.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
133 words
In combination with a postage metering apparatus, a system for determining a weight of a postal item, said system comprising: means for establishing a plurality of genesis parameters for a document associated with said postal item, said genesis parameters including a page size and a number of pages associated with said document; means for establishing characteristics specific to ones of said plurality of genesis parameters, said characteristics including information associated with said postal item being generated consistent with said genesis parameters, said characteristics being accepted at least in part from a predetermined data array associated with said system; means for calculating a weight of said postal item as a function of ones of said plurality of genesis parameters and said characteristics; and means for communicating said calculated weight to said postage metering apparatus.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
133 words
In combination with a postage metering apparatus, a system for determining a weight of a postal item, said system comprising: means for establishing a plurality of genesis parameters for a document associated with said postal item, said genesis parameters including a page size and a number of pages associated with said document; means for establishing characteristics specific to ones of said plurality of genesis parameters, said characteristics including information associated with said postal item being generated consistent with said genesis parameters, said characteristics being accepted at least in part from a predetermined data array associated with said system; means for calculating a weight of said postal item as a function of ones of said plurality of genesis parameters and said characteristics; and means for communicating said calculated weight to said postage metering apparatus.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said calculating means comprises means for determining a correct amount of postage for said postal item, and said means for communicating communicates said correct amount of postage to said postage metering apparatus.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said metering apparatus operates to cause a meter stamp to be included in said document upon genesis of said document.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said characteristics comprise information indicating a paper stock weight.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said characteristics comprise information associated with a container to be utilized as a portion of said item.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 45, wherein said characteristics comprise a weight associated with said container.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 46, wherein said calculating step further comprises a function of said weight associated with said container.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 41, wherein said plurality of genesis parameters further includes information associated with a context in which said document is generated.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 48, wherein said context information comprises information indicating a particular type of process utilized to generate said document.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 49, wherein said particular type of process is selected from the group consisting of a word processor program, a spread sheet program, an accounting program, and a graphics program.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 49, wherein said context information comprises information associated with an output quality of said document by said process.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 49, wherein said genesis parameter establishing means further comprises means for accepting at least a portion of said plurality of genesis parameters from an independent process.
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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) | 2002-11-08 | 2003-05-10 | 2003-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-08 | 2007-05-10 | 2007-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-08 | 2011-05-10 | 2011-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |