Stamp, envelope and meter in sticking, printing and cancelling

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for thermally cancelling postage and a thermally cancellable picture postage stamp for use therein. A picture postage stamp is disclosed wherein the design and postage information are affixed on thermally reactive paper. Alternatively, the indicia may be comprised of thermally reactive inks or dyes. Cancelling a thermally cancellable picture postage stamp is accomplished with a heat source such as a cancellation write head. Hidden text of code can be embedded in the thermal paper and the cancellation mark can be any indicia or information that can be generated by a thermal print head. Cancelling the thermally cancellable picture postage stamp may also be accomplished manually with a pointed instrument or any semi hard edge such as a pen cap, ring or fingernail. Cancellation of the present thermally cancellable picture postage stamp can be further verified by placing the stamp on a presently described envelope or mailer having a thermally reactive area for receiving postage and cancellations. Using an envelope with a thermally reactive area allows for thermal cancellations that extend beyond the boundary of the thermally cancellable picture postage stamp, thereby effectively matching the thermal cancellation of the stamp to the cancellation on the envelope. The present thermally cancellable picture postage stamps may be manually applied using a cancellation gun that simultaneously applies postage and cancels same on a mailer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.