US 5,802,498 AGranted

Computer-aided prepaid transmittal charge billing system

OwnerJorge Comesanasinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A computer-aided billing system which directs the printing of customer invoices to include current billing information and transmittal charges for a pre-paid return envelope which the debtor will receive with the invoice for use in return of the invoice payment and which also directs collation or assembly of the pre-paid return envelope, the invoice, and the shipping envelope in which the invoice and pre-paid return envelope will be sent to the debtor. The computer-aided billing system contemplates debtor agreement to pay the transmittal charges and the possibility of future transmittal charges for electronic transmittal of invoices and invoice payments. Applications include, but are not limited to, use by banking institutions and credit card companies.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A computer-aided method for preparing at least one invoice having account information and appropriate transmittal charges, at least one shipping envelope, and at least one pre-paid return envelope and collation thereof, said computer-aided method comprising the steps of providing a computer program for preparing and collating invoices with pre-paid transmittal charges, shipping envelopes, and pre-paid return envelopes, at least one computer database with debtor account information for a plurality of debtors which includes a mailing address for each of said debtors, at least one computer having adequate memory for executing said computer program and for storing said database, at least one printer interfaced with said computer, at least one postage metering device interfaced with said computer, a plurality of shipping envelopes, and a plurality of return envelopes;

loading said computer program into a selected one of said computers;
executing said program;
said computer program directing said selected computer to access one of said databases;
said selected computer reading debtor account information in said accessed database for a first one of said debtor's;
said selected computer generating an invoice for said first debtor from said information read in said first debtor's account;
said selected computer determining whether said first debtor signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for a pre-paid return envelope and if signed, adding said transmittal charges to said first debtor's invoice;
said selected computer determining whether one of said shipping envelopes is required for transmittal of said first debtor's invoice to said first debtor and if so directing one of said printers to select one of said shipping envelopes and print on said selected shipping envelope the mailing address of said first debtor in said first debtor's account, said selected computer also directing one of said postage metering devices to affix transmittal charges on said selected shipping envelope when required;
said selected computer directing one of said printers to print a paper copy of said invoice;
again determining whether said first debtor signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for a pre-paid return a envelope and if signed, directing one of said postage metering devises to affix transmittal charges on a selected one of said return envelopes to generate a first prepaid return envelope and further if signed directing collation of said first debtor's invoice with said selected shipping envelope and said first pre-paid return envelope;
transmitting said first debtor's invoice to said first debtor;
and repeating the above-mentioned steps of reading information, generating an invoice, determining whether an agreement was signed, determining whether envelopes are required, and transmitting said invoices for each next debtor in said database to said next debtor until all of said debtor account information in said database has been read and corresponding invoices for those of said debtors from whom a payment is required have been generated by said program.

8 more elements

A computer program comprising the steps of directing a computer to access a database containing debtor account information;

directing said computer to read said debtor account information for each successive debtor. In said database;
compiling current billing information from said debtor account information for selected ones of said debtors from whom a payment is required so as to generate an invoice for each of said selected debtors;
determining whether each of said selected debtors has signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for return payment and if such an agreement was signed, directing said computer to compile said transmittal charges for said return payment into the ones of said invoices generated for each of said selected debtors who had signed such an agreement;
determining whether each of said invoices is to be sent electronically or by mail, and if by mail directing a printer to print a paper copy of each of said invoices to be sent by mail:
directing said printer to address a return envelope with the address of each of said selected debtors who has signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for return payment, and fiber directing the collation of an invoices a shipping envelope, and a prepaid return envelope for each of said selected debtors who has signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for return payment by mail so that said current billing information in said invoices can be transmitted to each of said selected debtors in said database from whom a payment is required.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

loading said computer program into a selected one of said computers;
executing said program;
said computer program directing said selected computer to access one of said databases;
said selected computer reading debtor account information in said accessed database for a first one of said debtor's;
said selected computer generating an invoice for said first debtor from said information read in said first debtor's account;
said selected computer determining whether said first debtor signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for a pre-paid return envelope and if signed, adding said transmittal charges to said first debtor's invoice;
said selected computer determining whether one of said shipping envelopes is required for transmittal of said first debtor's invoice to said first debtor and if so directing one of said printers to select one of said shipping envelopes and print on said selected shipping envelope the mailing address of said first debtor in said first debtor's account, said selected computer also directing one of said postage metering devices to affix transmittal charges on said selected shipping envelope when required;
said selected computer directing one of said printers to print a paper copy of said invoice;
again determining whether said first debtor signed an agreement to pay transmittal charges for a pre-paid return a envelope and if signed, directing one of said postage metering devises to affix transmittal charges on a selected one of said return envelopes to generate a first prepaid return envelope and further if signed directing collation of said first debtor's invoice with said selected shipping envelope and said first pre-paid return envelope;
transmitting said first debtor's invoice to said first debtor;
and repeating the above-mentioned steps of reading information, generating an invoice, determining whether an agreement was signed, determining whether envelopes are required, and transmitting said invoices for each next debtor in said database to said next debtor until all of said debtor account information in said database has been read and corresponding invoices for those of said debtors from whom a payment is required have been generated by said program.

8 more elements