초록 ▼

A postal service purchasing system involves the mailer entering information, such as delivery address, weight of mail piece, services required, about each mail piece using for example a personal computer. Electronic postal counter software installed at the mailer's premises causes the information en

A postal service purchasing system involves the mailer entering information, such as delivery address, weight of mail piece, services required, about each mail piece using for example a personal computer. Electronic postal counter software installed at the mailer's premises causes the information entered to generate a barcode identifier for each mail piece and this barcode identifier is printed on the mail piece. An electronic manifest containing the identifier for the mail pieces is transmitted to a computer at the Post Office Premises. As each mail piece is subsequently sorted the identifier information is captured and reconciled with the information on the electronic manifest.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A computer system for purchasing services from a delivery service without the use of franking systems for the delivery by the delivery service of deliverable items, comprising means at a sender's premises for entering data by a sender relating to the deliverable items inc

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A computer system for purchasing services from a delivery service without the use of franking systems for the delivery by the delivery service of deliverable items, comprising means at a sender's premises for entering data by a sender relating to the deliverable items including for each deliverable item address information and type of service required, means for displaying an estimate of the cost of delivering each deliverable item, means for the sender to enter a method of payment and provide information related to the choice of payment, means for determining whether or not to accept the method of payment, means dependent on acceptance of the method of payment for creating a unique identifier for each deliverable item based on the data entered by the sender, means for printing the identifier in a coded format directly onto the deliverable item or onto an address label for the deliverable item, and means for transmitting to the delivery service premises an electronic manifest containing the data entered for each deliverable item.