Mail receipt terminal having deposit tracking capability

Abstract

A mail receipt terminal for accepting an envelope having evidence of postage applied thereto. The mail receipt terminal includes a controller module and an input scanner module and a printer module, both in operative communication with the controller module. The controller module includes a control system and a clock module. The input scanner module: (i) receives the envelope, (ii) scans the evidence of postage to determine its veracity, and (iii) rejects the envelope if the evidence of postage is determined to be improper. If the evidence of postage is determined to be proper, then the printer module prints a receipt including data thereon corresponding to the envelope where the receipt data includes a date/time stamp and an ID tracking number that uniquely corresponds to the envelope.

1 . A mail piece receipt terminal for accepting a mail piece having payment information applied thereto, the mail receipt terminal comprising: 
 a controller module including a control system and a clock module;    an input scanner module in operative communication with the controller module for: (i) receiving the mail piece, and (ii) scanning the payment information to determine its veracity;    a receipt module in operative communication with the controller module for providing receipt data corresponding to the mail piece; and    an interface in operative communication with the controller module for providing the receipt data to a data center.    
   
   
       2 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the controller module includes a memory device in operative communication with the controller system for storing the receipt data.    
   
   
       3 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a portable data carrier for transferring the receipt data from the interface to the data center.    
   
   
       4 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the receipt data includes a date/time stamp and an ID tracking number that uniquely corresponds to the mail piece.    
   
   
       5 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the receipt data further includes a terminal ID number that uniquely corresponds to a particular terminal that received the mail piece where the particular terminal is one of a plurality of remotely distributed terminals.    
   
   
       6 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the receipt data further includes an indicator of a class of service for the mail piece.    
   
   
       7 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the receipt module includes an encoder for generating an encoded version of at least a portion of the receipt data.    
   
   
       8 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the receipt module includes a printer for printing a receipt including receipt data thereon corresponding to the mail piece.    
   
   
       9 . The mail piece receipt terminal of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the input scanner module rejects the mail piece if the payment information is determined to be improper.    
   
   
       10 . A method of operating a postal system for receiving a mail piece having payment information applied thereto, the method comprising the step(s) of: 
 receiving the mail piece at a mail piece receipt terminal;    scanning the payment information to determine its veracity;    generating receipt data corresponding to the mail piece; and    transferring the receipt data to a data center.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 storing the receipt data in a memory device.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 transferring the receipt data from the mail piece terminal to the data center using a portable data carrier.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 including within the receipt data a date/time stamp and an ID tracking number that uniquely corresponds to the mail piece.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 including within the receipt data a terminal ID number that uniquely corresponds to a particular terminal that generated the receipt data where the particular terminal is one of a plurality of remotely distributed terminals.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 including within the receipt data an indicator of a class of service for the mail piece.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 generating an encoded version of at least a portion of the receipt data.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 rejecting the mail piece if the payment information is determined to be improper.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step(s) of: 
 printing a receipt including receipt data thereon corresponding to the mail piece.