US6430581B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Automated court document docketing filing system
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1998-04-10
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Granted: 2002-08-06
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Expires: 2018-04-10
Abstract
Abstract An automated court docketing system that supplies evidence of the time and date that a document was filed with the court. This invention also processes and accepts payment and generates a receipt reflecting the date/time of submission and payment of the required fees. When needed, a docket number is supplied.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick D. Mahoney
- 👤 Terrence M. Doeberl
- 👤 Ronald P. Sansone
- 👤 Ronald Reichman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:23
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47G; A47G29/00; A47G29/12; A47G29/122; G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/0014
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
247 words
A computer-controlled system for docketing documents, said system comprising: a housing located at a site; means for depositing a document in the housing; means for printing filing information on the document that indicates the date and time the document was placed in the housing; means for printing information on a receipt that indicates the date and time the document was placed in the housing; means coupled to the computer for paying for the filing of the various documents; means coupled to the computer, the document filing information means and the document receipt printing means for obtaining a unique docket number which comprises: means for obtaining an identification number of the housing located at a site; means for combining the identification number with the date and time of filing the document; means coupled to the combining means for encrypting the combined identification number with the date and time of filing, wherein the unique docket number, name of party filing the document, method for payment for the filing, and type of filing are stored in the computer and printed on the top page of the document by the document filing information means, and the unique docket number, name of party filing the document, method for payment of the filing and type of filing are printed on the receipt by the receipt printing means; and a scanner and printer coupled to the computer and the document to produce a user replica of the now marked top page of the document.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
247 words
A computer-controlled system for docketing documents, said system comprising: a housing located at a site; means for depositing a document in the housing; means for printing filing information on the document that indicates the date and time the document was placed in the housing; means for printing information on a receipt that indicates the date and time the document was placed in the housing; means coupled to the computer for paying for the filing of the various documents; means coupled to the computer, the document filing information means and the document receipt printing means for obtaining a unique docket number which comprises: means for obtaining an identification number of the housing located at a site; means for combining the identification number with the date and time of filing the document; means coupled to the combining means for encrypting the combined identification number with the date and time of filing, wherein the unique docket number, name of party filing the document, method for payment for the filing, and type of filing are stored in the computer and printed on the top page of the document by the document filing information means, and the unique docket number, name of party filing the document, method for payment of the filing and type of filing are printed on the receipt by the receipt printing means; and a scanner and printer coupled to the computer and the document to produce a user replica of the now marked top page of the document.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system claimed in claim 1 , further including: a computer coupled to the document filing information means and the document receipt printing means, wherein the computer stores the date and time the document was placed in the housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system claimed in claim 2 , further including: means for entering information about the document into the computer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system claimed in claim 3 , further including: means for entering information about a party filing the document into the computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system claimed in claim 2 , wherein the document comprises: various types of documents that require different fees.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system claimed in claim 5 , further including: means coupled to the computer for listing the fee required to file various documents.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , wherein the paying means comprises: a cash module.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , wherein the paying means comprises: a credit card module; and a credit card center that is coupled to the credit card module, wherein the credit card center approves payment of the required fee.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , wherein the paying means comprises: a debit card module; and a debit card center that is coupled to the credit card module, wherein the debit card center debits payment of the required fee.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , further including: means for obtaining a unique number that is printed on the document by the document filing information means and on the receipt by the document receipt printing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , further including: a scanner coupled to the computer and the receipt to produce a replica of the receipt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , wherein the document comprises: an article having a top surface; and means for attaching a surface that may be printed on to the top surface of the article.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system claimed in claim 6 , further including a data center that is coupled to the means for listing the fees to update the fees as required.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system claimed in claim 1 , further including a secure container; and means for transporting a document from the housing to the secured container.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
113 words
The system claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing, the means for depositing, the document filing information means and the document receipt printing means are located at a plurality of sites and means located at a data center for determining whether a filer has been adequately identified wherein the data center comprises: a data center computer that is coupled to the computers located at a plurality of sites so that information is exchanged between the data center and the plurality of sites to check the address of the filer, wherein the data center computer has a list that indicates the location of the sites and a national name and address data base.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system claimed in claim 15 , wherein the data center computer stores the information printed on the receipts and on the documents at the sites.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system claimed in claim 16 , wherein the data center computer stores the information appearing on the page of the documents at the sites.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing is secure.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for docketing documents, the method includes the steps of: depositing a document at one of a plurality of secure sites that have an identification code; printing filing information on the document that indicates the date and time the document was placed at one of the sites; printing information on a user receipt that indicates the document was placed at one of the sites; storing the date and time that the document was placed at one of the sites at the site that the document was deposited; paying for the docketing of the document; combining the identification code and the date and time the document was placed at one of the sites to form a unique number; encrypting the unique number; printing the unique, encrypted number, the name of the party filing the document, the method for payment for filing the document, and type of filing on the document; printing the unique, encrypted number, the name of the party filing the document, the method for payment for filing the document, and type of filing on the receipt; and scanning a top page of the document to provide a user replica of the document.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for docketing documents, the method includes the steps of: depositing a document at one of a plurality of secure sites that have an identification code; printing filing information on the document that indicates the date and time the document was placed at one of the sites; printing information on a user receipt that indicates the document was placed at one of the sites; storing the date and time that the document was placed at one of the sites at the site that the document was deposited; paying for the docketing of the document; combining the identification code and the date and time the document was placed at one of the sites to form a unique number; encrypting the unique number; printing the unique, encrypted number, the name of the party filing the document, the method for payment for filing the document, and type of filing on the document; printing the unique, encrypted number, the name of the party filing the document, the method for payment for filing the document, and type of filing on the receipt; and scanning a top page of the document to provide a user replica of the document.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method claimed in claim 19 , further including the step of: storing the unique number, the unique docket number and paying for the document at the site that the document was deposited.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method claimed in claim 20 , further including the steps of: transferring the unique number, the unique docket number, the paying for the document, and the date and time of depositing to the data center.
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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) | 2005-08-05 | 2006-02-04 | 2006-08-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-08-05 | 2010-02-04 | 2010-08-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-08-05 | 2014-02-04 | 2014-08-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |