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US 8,510,233 B1Granted
Postage printer
AssigneeStamps.com Inc.
InventorsJP Leon, John R. Clem
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention involve an integrated thermal printer with a scale that is connected to a computer. The computer is connected to a web server that is authorized by a government postal agency, e.g. the USPS, to issue postage.
Claims30
A system for printing a postage indicium for an item to be mailed comprising:
- a server that is authorized to generate postage data;
- a printer having an integrated scale for weighing the item and an interface for inputting at least one mailing preference for the item;
- a computer that is connected to the printer via a communication line and is connected to the server via a network connection, wherein the computer receives information regarding the at least one mailing preference from the printer and cooperates with the server to form the postage indicium using the information regarding the at least one mailing preference;
- whereby the printer prints the postage indicium after receiving the postage indicium from the computer.
1 more element
A method for printing a postage indicium comprising:
- weighing an item to be mailed at a printer;
- selecting, through operation of a printer user interface, at least one mailing preference for the item at the printer;
- calculating at least one postage rate for the item, at a computer that is connected to the printer, using the weight of the item and the at least one mailing preference;
- providing the at least one postage rate for the item to the printer for acceptance, by a user, of a postage rate to be used for the postage indicium;
- accepting, through operation of the printer user interface, the postage rate at the printer;
- generating postage data, at a server that is connected to the computer, based on the accepted postage rate;
- generating, at the computer, the postage indicium, having the accepted postage rate, based on the postage data;
- and
- printing the postage indicium at the printer.
6 more elements
A printer for printing a postage indicium for an item to be mailed comprising:
- a scale for weighing the item;
- a user interface adapted for input of at least one mailing preference for the item, display of at least one postage rate for the item, and acceptance of a postage rate of the at least one postage rate for the item, the at least one mailing preference being selected from the group consisting of an item type, a desired class, and a number of items;
- a computer interface that is operable to connect the printer to a computer, which allows the weight of the item and the at least one mailing preference to be provided to the computer, and which allows a postage indicium to be provided to the printer from the computer, wherein said postage indicium is created utilizing said weight and said user preference;
- and
- a print head for printing the postage indicium onto a medium used with the item.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.