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AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsRoy R. Gordon, Wayne E. Wilkerson, Dan Lord
Estimating the term…
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for conducting secure transactions via postal authority cryptographic transformations. In particular, value is issued in the form of a value message including a cryptographic transformation enabling a recipient to determine the authenticity of the value message. The recipient applies additional cryptographically transformed information to endorse the value message. The postal authority, receives the endorsed value message, cryptographically transforms the value message, and registers the transfer of value from the payor to the payee. Similarly, the cryptographic transformations can be used to protect the identity of a mail order customer while ensuring the authenticity of a purchase order and payment by a customer to a mail order merchant. In yet another application, the cryptographic transformations facilitate payment of bills via submission of “endorsed” postcards to the postal authority.
A method for negotiating value using cryptographically transformed electronically interpretable indicia media comprising the steps of:
A system for conveying value using cryptographically transformed electronically interpretable indicia media, the system comprising:
A method for executing at least part of an electronic commerce transaction in a manner such that the privacy of a customer is maintained with regard to a vendor, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for conducting parcel delivery utilizing the email accounts of parcel recipients, the method comprising the steps of:
A method for performing bill payment by a customer to a vendor via scanning of postcards, the method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.