System and method for selecting postal indicia size

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method of operating a postal indicia printing apparatus comprises storing, in the apparatus, a first indicia image format comprising a first dimension, storing, in the apparatus, a second indicia image format comprising a second dimension that differs from the first dimension, prompting a user of the apparatus to select one of the first and second indicia image formats, receiving a signal indicative of a selection of one of the first and second indicia image formats, and printing, on a mail piece, an indicia image in accordance with the selected indicia image format.

1 . A method of operating a postal indicia printing apparatus, comprising:
 storing, in the apparatus, a first indicia image format comprising a first dimension;   storing, in the apparatus, a second indicia image format comprising a second dimension that corresponds to and differs from the first dimension;   determining a size of a mail piece;   selecting one of the indicia image formats based at least in part on the determined size of the mail piece; and   printing, on the mail piece, an indicia image in accordance with the selected indicia image format.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises:
 comparing the first and second dimensions to the size of the mail piece;   determining that at least one of the first and second dimensions are smaller than the size of the mail piece; and   selecting at least one of the first and second indicia image formats based on the determination that at least one of the first and second dimensions are smaller than the size of the mail piece.   
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indicia image format associated with the smaller of the first and second dimensions is selected such that the indicia image printed in accordance with the indicia image format will not overrun an edge of the mail piece. 
   
   
       4 . A method of operating a postal indicia printing apparatus, comprising:
 storing, in the apparatus, a first indicia image format comprising a first dimension;   storing, in the apparatus, a second indicia image format comprising a second dimension that corresponds to and differs from the first dimension;   identifying a location of an object printed on a mail piece;   selecting one of the indicia image formats based at least in part on the identified location of the object printed on the mail piece; and   printing, on the mail piece, an indicia image in accordance with the selected indicia image format.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the object printed on the mail piece comprises at least one of a facing indication mark, a postage guide, a return address, or a barcode. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the object printed on the mail piece comprises multiple objects. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the identifying of the location of the object comprises:
 sensing, by the apparatus, the location of the object printed on the mail piece.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the sensing is conducted by directing a signal toward the mail piece. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 altering the selected indicia image format based at least in part on the identified location of the object printed on the mail piece.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the altering comprises:
 rearranging at least one portion of the indicia image format such that the indicia image printed in accordance with the indicia image format will not overlap the object printed on the mail piece.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the altering comprises:
 reducing a font size used within the indicia image format.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the altering comprises:
 deleting human-readable information from the indicia image format.   
   
   
       13 . A system, comprising:
 a postal indicia printing apparatus, comprising:
 a sensor to identify a mail piece; 
 a memory device to store a plurality of postal indicia image formats; 
 a processor to automatically select one of the plurality of postal indicia image formats, wherein the selection is based at least in part on the identified mail piece; and 
 a printing device to print, on the identified mail piece, an indicia image in accordance with the selected postal indicia image format. 
   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor is further to locate one or more objects printed on the identified mail piece. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the indicia image, when printed in accordance with the indicia image format, does not overlap the one or more objects printed on the identified mail piece. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the indicia image, when printed in accordance with the indicia image format, does not overlap an edge of the identified mail piece. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein one of the plurality of postal indicia image formats comprises a dimension that differs from a corresponding dimension of a second one of the plurality of postal indicia image formats.