Stamp incorporating electronic article surveillance technology
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorMichael J. Critelli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of manufacture includes a substrate layer having an indicator of value thereon; an adhesive layer; and a switch attached to one of the substrate layer and the adhesive layer. The switch is activatable to produce a signal in the presence of a first magnetic field and deactivatable to prevent detection of the signal. The substrate may have a printed pattern and the indicator of value on one surface and the adhesive layer on the other surface, for example, as in a postage stamp. This article may be employed in a mail processing system where mailpieces are fed to a facer canceller where the stamp is deactivated to prevent reuse without pavement to the postal or other issuing authority.
Claims16
A method for authenticating and canceling a stamp having a switch therein, the method comprising the steps of:
- transporting a mailpiece having the stamp thereon into a first magnetic field thereby activating the switch to produce a signal in response to the first magnetic field;
- authenticating the stamp as being valid;
- and
- canceling the authenticated stamp by applying a second magnetic field to the authenticated stamp thereby deactivating the switch and preventing detection of the signal.
A system for handling mailpieces having a stamp with a switch therein, the system comprising:
- an EAS energizing and detection device including means for producing a first magnetic field;
- means for producing a second magnetic field;
- and
- means for transporting the stamp through the first and second magnetic fields;
- wherein as the stamp passes through the first magnetic field the switch is activated to produce a signal in response to the first magnetic field and the signal is detected by the EAS energizing and detection device to authenticate the stamp, and wherein as the stamp passes through the second magnetic field the switch is deactivated to prevent detection of the signal by the EAS energizing and detection device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.