Postage value determining system.

This invention relates generally to a postage value determining system and a postage value calculating system. The system and method disclosed herein are intended to avoid incorrect postage calculations when mailing articles with special postal services.

In a U.S. Patent of Edward P. Daniels et al entitled Method and System for Computing Special Fees in a Parcel Postage Metering System, No. 4 325 440, a mailing system having a postage value determining system processor was disclosed. The mailing system included a keyboard for operator entry of information relating to a postage value determination and means for calculating a postage value for an article in accordance with a schedule of charges based upon article weight, destination and class of transportation. In addition, the keyboard included a plurality of keys, each of which was assigned a specific special service entry tunction in conjunction with a postage calculation fcr mailing an article. When special services such as c.o.d., registered or insured, were desired, the operator pressed the associated special service key. An internal key lamp was illuminated upon depression of the selected key and the key remained illuminated until completion of the article mailing cycle. Each illuminated special service key provided a constant optical signal indicating that the total postage value calculated included an amount for the special service fee associated with such key.

The apparatus determined the fee value associated with each selected special service, whether or not the selected special service was suitable for use with the selected class of service and whether or not multiple selected special services were compatible with each other.

Among the disadvantages of the mailing system described in this U.S. Patent was the keyboard design which required numerous keys for the purpose of special service entries and illumiiation indicators for such keys. Further, the illuminated keys often distracted the operator's attention from the display which indicated article weight, service class and postage amount.

According to the present invention, there is provided a postage value determining system capable of generating a postage value required for transporting an article, the system being characterised by the combination of a processor, means for providing article weight information, keyboard means for introducing postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, display means for visually indicating postage information and rate memory means for storing postage rate information, the processor being arranged in use to receive the weight information and the postage value related information, the processor being operable to retrieve the postage rate information from the memory means and generate a postage value for the article, the keyboard including means for generating a special service recall and display signaJ, the processor including means receiving the special service recall and display signal and in response thereto visually indicating in the display each of the selected special postal services upon which the generated postage value is based, for the purpose of minimising operator induced errors.

Also according to the invention, there is provided a postage value calculating system capable of computing a postage value required for operating an article, the system being characterised by the combination of keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, display means for visually indicating keyboard entries, means for providing article weight information, the display means including means for visually indicating the article weight information, the keyboard means including means for selecting special postal services from a plurality of special postal services available for use in conjunction with transporting the article, means for calculating a postage value for the article from the postage value related information, the weight information and the special service information, the display further including means for visually indicating the computed postage value for the article, and means for recalling all of the special services upon which the calculated postage value has been based and indicating such special services in the display.

Further according to the invention, there is provided a method of reducing operator errors in a postage calculating system, the calculating system comprising a processor, weighing means for providing article weight information, display means for visually indicating postal information, memory means for storing postal rate information and keyboard means for operator entry of postage value related information, the postage value related information including information related to special services, the method being characterised by the steps of: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none"><li>(a) recalling each special service upon which a calculated postage value has been based and</li><li>(b) indicating each recalled special service in the display means.</li></ul>

Optionally, in the use of such a system, the monetary amount or increment of the total postage calculated which has been attributed to each special service selected is indicated at a separate section of the display.

After displaying indicia indicative of all of the special services selected, the processor re-enters the prior indicia and the operator may proceed to change the postage value calculation to add additional special service fees or clear undesired special service fees.

The system processor is preferably housed within a stand alone electronic parcel scale which includes a weigh device for providing weight indicative signals, the keyboard, the display, suitable memories for storing postage data and optional interface boards for communicating with optional peripheral mailing system devices.

The present invention as particularly disclosed and illustrated herein is intended to provide a postage value determining system which includes a low cost multifunction keyboard for operator entry of information relating to postage determination; and, moreover, one which provides a visual display indicative of special service entries without employing illuminated keys for such purpose.

The invention will be better understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the description associated therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible exemplary embodiments of the invention, <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a postage value determining scale constructed in accordance with one example of the present invention;</li><li>Figure 2 is a schematized block diagram illustrating an automated mailing system which includes the postage value determining scale and a plurality of optional mailing system peripheral devices;</li><li>Figure 3 is a further schematized block diagram illustrating the postage value determining system;</li><li>Figure 4 is an enlarged size auxiliary view of the scale panel including a display and a keyboard, the same being taken substantially along the plane 4 --4 of Figure 1; and</li><li>Figures 5a, 5b and 5c comprise a composite flow chart indicating a special fee display sub-routine of a system processor of the postage value determining system.</li></ul>

In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals. An automated mailing system (depicted in Figure 2) is denoted generally by 10. The system 10 includes a processor controlled stand alone postage scale 12 which is adapted to calculate the postage. or other transportation charges required to transport an article or parcel. In most instances, transportation charges are based upon the article weight, class of transportation, and with respect to certain classes, distance to destination (zone). In addition, transportation charges are also based upon any desired special postal services such as certified mail, registered mail, special delivery, etc.

The scale 12 includes a weighing device 14 interconnected to a load cell 15. The load cell 15 is in turn interconnected to a main system processor 16 through an analog circuit board 17, all in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The sytem processor 16 is programmed to calculate the requisite postage or other transportation charges for the article or parcel placed upon a platform 19 of the weighing device 14.

The data necessary for determination of article postage, e.g. destination operands, class of transportation operands, special postal services desired, etc., are entered at a keyboard 18. Weight, keyboard and calculated information are indicated at a display 20.

With the weight, class of transportation, destination zone and special postal services operands entered, the system processor 16 determines the requisite postage by reference to a postage rate PROM 22 and provides a signal to the display 20 for indicating the calculated postage amount.

The scale 12 is constructed as a stand alone unit for use without peripheral devices associated with a complete mailing system 10. It maintains versatility for controlling, transmitting data to and receiving data from various peripheral devices if a complete mailing system is desired by the user. As described in a published U.K. Patent Application No.2 2 094 522 and incorporated herein by reference, a peripheral controller interface 24 is provided as part of a separate circuit board.

The interface 24 is adapted to establish communications links between the system processor 16 and various mailing system peripheral devices which are generally denoted by the reference numeral 26. Typical peripheral devices may include separate electronic postage meters for United States Postal Service postage denominations and Unitd Parcel Service fee denominations, an electronic accounting system, a scale computer interface, a Pitney Bowes Model 5976 printer, an an RS 232 communications link which in turn can interface with one of several available RS 232 printers or any other desirable peripheral device which communicates in ASCII code.

With reference now to Figure 3, the postage rate PROM card 22 may be mounted to a memory port socket of a circuit board which carries the main processor 16. The processor 16 is programmed for optional postage value related functions such as zip code to destination zone conversion. If such optional features are desired, in lieu of connecting the PROM card 22 directly to the memory port, a transition board is provided for connecting the main board to a ribbon cable assembly. The ribbon cable is connected at its opposite end, to a carrier board having a plurality of sockets and a cage for mounting several memory cards including the rate PROM card 22. The substitution of the PROM card 22 by the transition board and carrier board is depicted in dashed arrows on Figure 3.

In a manner similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 4 325 440, the processor 16 selects postal information indicative of the carrier type, class and destination of an article to be mailed, obtains weight information for the article, selects special service information indicative of at least one of a plurality of special service fee categories for use with the article and generates a postage value for the article from the postal information, the weight information and the special fee information.

It should be noted that in this application and in connection with this invention, the term "postage" is to be interpreted in its broadest sense to include calculatable rates used not only by governmental postal authorities such as the United States Postal Service but, in addition, rates used by private shipping or delivery organisations and services such as United Parcel Service.

The system processor 16 may comprise any suitable micro-processor such as an Intel 8085 processor available from Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, California. The basic mode of operation of the scale 12 is well known to those of skill in the art and typically illustrated in United States Patent No. 4 135 4 135 662 entitled Operator Prompting System.

In this application, the abbreviation C.O.D. means cash on

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4, the scale 12 includes an outer cabinet 28 with the weighing device platform 19 mounted at a substantially horizontal orientation along the rear upper surface thereof. A keyboard-display panel 30 is mounted within a cabinet aperture in the upper forward surface of the cabinet 28.

The keyboard-display panel 30 includes suitable apertures through which the inidivdual keys of the keyboard 18 project. A window 32 is provided for viewing the display 20. The window 32 includes suitable printed designations to assist the operator in interpreting the numerals and symbols appearing in the display.

The display 20 is itself divided into a nine character segment 34 wherein numeric indicia indicative of article weight, transporation class and destination zone appear and a six character segment 36 wherein numeric keyboard entries first appear and wherein the calculated postage value is displayed.

As previously mentioned, the keyboard 18 includes a plurality of multifunction nonilluminated keys which may be employed for entering desired special services. The panel 30 may include a suitable lable 38 wherein a listing of special services available and their corresponding numeric keys is imprinted.

Some typical special services available and indicated on the label 38 include C.O.D. mailing, the fee for which may be in- eluded in a calculated postage value through the numeral 2 key, SPECIAL DELIVERY services which may be entered through the numeral 3 key, INSURANCE which may be entered through the numeral 4 key, CERTIFIED MAIL which is entered through the numeral 5 key, SPECIAL HANDLING entered through the numeral 6 key, REGISTERED mail entered through the numeral 7 key and RETURN RECEIPT entered through the numeral 8 key. It should be appre- ciated that the foregoing listing is merely exemplary of presently available special services.

After a parcel is placed on the platform 19,the article weight appears in the display segment 34 above the appropriate designations. To thereafter enter the rate or class of transportation, the operator depresses the appropriate multifunction numeral key for the desired class, e.g. the numeral 1 key for PRIORITY MAIL. In the display segment 36, above the "NUMBER DISPLAY" designation, the numeral 1 will then appear. To complete entry of such class for postage calculation, the user thereafter depresses a CLASS ENTRY key 40 whereupon the numeral 1 will appear above the "CLASS" designation of the display segment 34.

If the postage calculation is dependent upon a destination zone, a zone prompt message will next appear in the display segment 36. The operator may then enter the destination zone by depressing an appropriate numeral key followed by depression of a ZONE ENTRY function key 42. The designated zone number will then appear in the display segment 34 above the ZONE designation. After entry of the weight, class and zone data, the processor determines the appropriate postage for mailing the article and enters such postage value in the display segment 36 as illustrated in FIG. 4.

If special services are desired in conjunction with mailing such article, the operator thereafter depresses the numeral key assigned for a selected special service such as the numeral 3 key for SPECIAL DELIVERY. Such keyboard entry is thereafter followed by depression of a SPECIAL SERVICE entry key 44 whereupon the postage value appearing in the display will comprise the total calculated postage value which includes the appropriate amount for SPECIAL DELIVERY mail. In operation, upon entry of a special service, the processor determines the appropriate special fee value, stores such value in a RAM and stores the total calculated value in the RAM.

Assuming the article is to be mailed with additional special services such as REGISTERED and RETURN RECEIPT, the operator would thereafter depress the numeral 7 key followed sequentially by depression of the SPECIAL SERVICE entry key 44 and the numeral 8 key followed by depression of the SPECIAL SERVICE entry key 44. The total postage value appearing in the display segment 36 will then be the total postage which includes appropriate fees for special delivery, registered and return receipt. In addition, the calculated value of each special fee is separately stored in the RAM.

Before proceeding with actuation of mailing system peripheral devices or dispensing the calculated postage value, the operator may, in accordance with the present invention, verify the entry of the selected special services and confirm the fee value of each service. To effect such recall and display, the operator merely depresses the special service entry key 44 without a prior numeral key depression.

Upon detecting such keyboard entry, the system processor 16 eters into a special service fee recall and display subroutine, a flow diagram of which is depicted in FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c. Referring now to such figures, the processor 16 first determines whether any special service fees have been entered as indicated at a decision block 46. If no special fees have been entered, the program returns. If any special service fees have been entered in conjunction with the postage value displayed, the program initially saves all display data and then enters S---X in the ZONE/CLASS portion of the display segment 34.

The program then determines whether the special service associated with numeral 2 key, i.e. C.O.D., has been entered as indicated at a further decision block 48. If C.O.D. special service has been entered, the display S---X is changed to S---2 which corresponds to the numeral designation for C.O.D. as indicated in the label 38. The program thereafter recalls the dollar value increment attributable to such special fee from the RAM and indicates such value in the display segment 36. After a delay for visual perception by the operator, e.g. two seconds, a further determination is then made as to whether or not the special service associated with numeral 3 key, i.e. SPECIAL DELIVERY, has been entered as indicated at a decision block 50. If such special fee has been entered, the program changes the indicia appearing in the display segment 34 to indicate S---3 and indicates, in the display segment 36,the dollar value for the selected special service fee which has been recalled from the RAM. After a delay for operator perception (visual feedback), the program then proceeds with a determination as to whether or not the special service associated with the numeral 4 key, i.e. INSURANCE, has been selected as indicated at a decision block 52. If such special service has been entered by the operator, the program thereafter changes the indicia in the display segment 34 to indicate S---4 and the dollar value for such special fee is recalled from the RAM and indicated in the display segment 36.

After a delay for visual feedback, the program then sequentially renders similar determinations in conjunction with the remaining available special services associated with the numeral 5 key, i.e. CERTIFIED MAIL, the numeral 6 key, i.e. SPECIAL HANDLING, the numeral 7 key, i.e. REGISTERED MAIL, and the numeral 8 key, i.e. RETURN RECEIPT, as indicated in the decision blocks 54, 56, 58 and 60 respectively. As shown in FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c, in the event any of the special services have been entered by the operator, the program displays the appropriate indicia with the letter symbol "S: followed by the numeral associated with such special service and further displays the dollar fee value of such selected special service.

In the event a particular special service has net been entered by the operator, the program proceeds to a determination regarding the next sequential special service. Upon completion of the sequential display of each special service indicia and their associated dollar values, the program thereafter returns the previously saved display data to the display as indicated in a block 62 and thereafter returns to the main program.

It should be appreciated that the subroutine need not display the dollar fee value attributable to each of the selected special services and may only provide a visual indication of the entered special services. For example, the display need only scroll the various special fee numbers preceded by the letter S which indicates that such number is a special service denotation.

It will be seen that there has been particularly disclosed a postage value determining scale with recall and display of special fee entries which is an improvement on prior scales and which is well suited to meet the conditions of practical use.

Various changes may be made in the postage value calculating system as set forth herein, so it is to be understood that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the specific features particularly disclosed and illustrated herein.