System and method of mailing

#The present invention relates generally to mailing services, and more specifically to a system and method of mailing particularly suitable for, although not strictly limited to, implementation within a public transportation facility for mailing to a traveler's residence those items removed from the traveler's baggage by security personnel.

#In view of ongoing terrorist attacks, a vast majority of public transportation facilities have implemented a variety of security measures to ensure the safety of their travelers, passengers and personnel. Specifically, many public transportation facilities, including airports, busing terminals, train stations and/or shuttle services, have instituted security check points and/or baggage check points where a traveler's person and baggage is checked for items or articles that have the potential of causing harm to other travelers or passengers once aboard the public transport vehicle, wherein such articles are generally confiscated upon discovery of same by security personnel.

#Unfortunately, non-terrorist, law-abiding travelers who may possess relatively innocuous articles, such as a nail file, grooming scissors or small pocketknife, are generally stripped of such articles as the articles present, at least facially, the potential of being utilized as a weapon. To the traveler's disadvantage, the articles are confiscated, and the traveler is forced to retrieve the articles upon his/her return. As such, the traveler is left inconvenienced by the security check process, and is forced to either replace the confiscated items with new items during his/her journey, or to go without. Such a system bears further ramifications when dealing with an irreplaceable item, perhaps of sentimental value to the traveler, wherein the traveler is left concerned with the safety of the item in the potentially careless hands of security personnel or related staff.

#The present invention will be better understood by reading the Detailed Description of the Preferred and Alternate Embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference numerals denote similar structure and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:

#FIG. 1 is a plan view of a system and method of mailing. according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention instituted proximal to a security checkpoint within a public transportation facility.

#FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a system and method of mailing according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention instituted proximal to a security checkpoint within a public transportation facility.

#In describing the preferred and alternate embodiments of the present invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. The invention, however, is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish similar functions.

#Referring now to FIG. 1, the present invention in a preferred embodiment is a system and method of mailing 10, preferably comprising mailing station 20 instituted within public transportation facility 100, proximal to security check point 150, for facilitating the mailing to a traveler's T residence or destination point, those items removed from the traveler's T person or baggage by security personnel S as a precautionary or security measure. Public transportation facility 100 is preferably an airport facility, wherein security check point 150 is preferably a conventional airport security check point commonly positioned proximal to and before boarding area 160. Although public transportation facility 100 is preferably an airport facility, it is contemplated in an alternate embodiment that public transportation facility 100 could be a busing terminal, train station, shuttle service, or the like, wherein system and method 10 could be implemented therein without departing from the appreciative scope of the present invention, as such facilities are in full contemplation of the inventor in describing the present invention herein.

#Preferably, mailing station 20 provides the requisite equipment to facilitate mailing of items removed from a traveler's T person and/or baggage, wherein the preferred method of mailing 10 is more fully described below. Preferably, mailing station 20 provides weight scale 22 for weighing the removed item, and postage meter 24 for dispensing postage according to the weight of the item, wherein postage meter 24 preferably possesses conventional payment means for receiving the requisite postage fees by traveler T, such as, for exemplary purposes only, coin deposit, bill deposit, credit card payment means, debit card payment means, or the like. At the selection of and payment by traveler T, postage meter 24 may provide the requisite postage for expedited and/or certified mailing services.