Systems and methods for activation of postage indicia at point of sale
AssigneeStamps.com Inc.
InventorsJames Michael Bortnak, Kenneth Thomas McBride
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods which provide for activation of postage indicia at a point of sale are shown. In operation according to embodiments, unassigned (e.g., not yet activated or not yet representing postage value) tokens (e.g., IBI barcodes) suitable for later use as postage indicia are distributed to various point of sale locations, such as retail locations, consumer kiosks, vending machines, etc. and made available for purchase by users. Upon purchase, at a point of sale, such unassigned tokens are preferably activated as valid or “live” postage indicia. Thereafter, the postage indicia may be used to post mail items.
Claims20
A method for activating a postage indicium for shipment of a postal item at a kiosk, the method comprising:
- receiving, via a scanner of the kiosk, information associated with a pre-produced token configured for activation as a value bearing postage indicium for shipment of a postal item to an intended recipient;
- determining, by a processor of the kiosk, a postage value for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient;
- and
- activating, by the processor of the kiosk, the pre-produced token as value bearing postage based on the postage value, wherein the activating comprises:
- receiving full payment from a retail customer, and
- charging a postage account of an operator of the kiosk an amount corresponding to the postage value, wherein the operator is a third party with respect to:
- 1) the shipment of the postal item, 2) the retail customer, and 3) the intended recipient, wherein a status of the pre-produced token is changed from unactivated to activated after the postage account of the operator is charged, and wherein activation of the pre-produced token transforms the pre-produced token into a value bearing postage indicium for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations for activating a postage indicium for shipment of a postal item at a kiosk, the operations comprising:
- receiving information associated with a pre-produced token configured for activation as a value bearing postage indicium for shipment of a postal item to an intended recipient via a scanner of a kiosk;
- determining a postage value for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient;
- and
- activating the pre-produced token as value bearing postage based on the postage value, wherein the activating comprises:
- receiving full payment from a retail customer, and
- charging a postage account of an operator of the kiosk an amount corresponding to the postage value, wherein the operator is a third party with respect to:
- 1) the shipment of the postal item, 2) the retail customer, and 3) the intended recipient, a status of the pre-produced token is changed from unactivated to activated after the postage account of the operator is charged, and wherein activation of the pre-produced token transforms the pre-produced token into a value bearing postage indicium for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient.
A system for activating postage indicia for shipment of a postal item to a recipient using a postage account of a third party, the system comprising:
- a kiosk comprising:
- a scanner configured to scan a piece of stock having a pre-produced token thereon, wherein the pre-produced token is configured for activation as a value bearing postage indicium for shipment of a postal item to an intended recipient;
- at least one processor configured to:
- determine a postage value for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient;
- and
- activate the pre-produced token of the piece of stock as value bearing postage based on the postage value, wherein, during activation, the at least one processor is configured to:
- receive full payment from a retail customer, and
- charge a postage account of an operator of the kiosk an amount corresponding to the postage value, wherein the operator is a third party with respect to:
- 1) the shipment of the postal item, 2) the retail customer, and 3) the intended recipient, wherein a status of the pre-produced token is changed from unactivated to activated after the postage account of the operator is charged, and wherein activation of the pre-produced token transforms the piece of stock having the pre-produced token thereon into a value bearing postage indicium for shipping the postal item to the intended recipient;
- and
- a memory communicatively coupled to the processor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.