Apparatus, system, and method for postage genertion

Description of equivalent WO 2005041150 A2

0001APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR POSTAGE GENERATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to postage stamp generation and more particularly relates to systems and methods for remotely selecting or creating customized postage stamps. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART For over 150 years postage stamps have been the primary currency of the United States Postal Service. Little has changed the way in which letters are sent and received in the United States. In the 1920's metered mail was introduced for businesses. For the next seventy years there was little innovation for the stamp. However, in the late 1990's the United States Postal Service approved the first "e-stamp" or electronic stamp that enabled a user to purchase postage over the internet. The electronic stamp appears very similar to a metered stamp, and is generally nothing more than an encrypted barcode. While this may be suitable for the business customer, individual customers desire to personalize letters and envelopes and for this reason the United States Postal Service offers a wide range of image based stamps. However, despite the large selection of stamps available today, it has been found that there is a larger demand for variety. For example, businesses desire to use their logo as postage, and individuals would like to use their own images on a stamp. Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus, system, and/or method that enables a customer to create a customized stamp that employs a personal image, special text, or company logo. Additionally, there is a need for the apparatus, system and/or method to validate the customized stamp as a proper legal tender for the United States Postal Service. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available customizable postage stamp systems. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a process, apparatus, and system for postage stamp generation that overcomes many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. A postage stamp generation apparatus is provided. The apparatus may comprise a print module configured to print a text or image based stamp, and a communication module configured to receive verification from a server. In one embodiment the postage stamp generation apparatus may also include a creation module configured to create a text or image based stamp. Furthermore, the apparatus may comprise a plurality of pre-approved stamps stored within the postage stamp generation apparatus. In one embodiment, the plurality of pre- approved stamps are contained within a database. Alternatively, the plurality of pre-approved stamps may be located on a remote server. The postage stamp generation apparatus may comprise a selection module configured to select a text or image based stamp from the plurality of pre-approved stamps. A preview module is provided to preview a stamp generation request. Also, a print module is provided to finalize and format the stamp generation request for a printer. In one embodiment, the postage stamp generation apparatus further comprises a purchase module configured to accept payment information for the stamp generation request, and the printer coupled to the print module and configured to print the stamp generation request. The present invention may also include a server for validating stamp generation requests. In one embodiment, the server comprises a database coupled to the server, comprising a pre- approved selection of postage stamps, and a verification module configured to verify stamp generation requests. Additionally, the server may include a communication module configured to receive stamp generation requests and send validations of the request. Operatively coupled to the server is a validation module configured to communicate with the database in order to validate the stamp generation request. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises a computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code configured to carry out a method for stamp generation. The method may comprise identifying a text or image based stamp to be printed, communicating the stamp with a server for verification, verifying that the stamp may be used as legal postal tender, previewing the stamp before purchasing the stamp, purchasing the stamp, and printing the stamp. Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a postage stamp generation system in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a postage stamp generation apparatus in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 3 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method for postage stamp generation in accordance with the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like. Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of executable code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module. Indeed, a module of executable code could be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed over different locations including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network. Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a postage generation system 100 of the present invention. The postage generation system 100 may comprise user access device or an access module 102, a printer 104, a stamp operation server 106 (herein referred to as a "server"), and a data communication network or communications channel 112. In one embodiment, the access module 102 may be a desktop computer or server configured with a stamp generator module 110. Alternatively, the access module 102 may comprise a PDA, mobile phone, or any electronic device wherein the access module 102 may be configured to operate. The stamp generator module 110 may be configured to likewise operate within portable computers such as notebooks and handheld devices. In a further embodiment, the access module 102 may be configured to communicate with a printer 104 over the communications channel 112. The communications channel 112 is preferably a local area network. Alternatively, the communications channel 112 may comprise a WAN, WLAN, or a direct connection such as USB™, Firewire™, or the like. The access module 102 may communicate with the server 106 over the communications channel 112. In one embodiment, the communications channel 112 may comprise the Internet 112. In a further embodiment, the server 106 and the access module 102 may be configured to operate within the same local area network. The server 106 may comprise a verification module 114, and a database 116. The verification module 114 may be configured with a communication module 118 and a validation module 120. The communication module 118 may comprise a network interface card that is well known in the art and does not require further explanation herein. In one embodiment, the stamp generator module 110 may communicate a stamp generation request to the verification module 114. The communication module 118 receives the request, and the validation module 120 validates the request. Validating the request may be one advantage of the present invention. The present invention enables a customer to create a customized postage stamp or individually selected postage stamp. As defined herein, customized postage may comprise any image, text, numbers, or combination thereof as selected or created by a user. However, it would not be beneficial to allow a customer to create and use postage that resembles the copyrighted logo of another company. For example, without the validation module 120 a user would be able to create postage that resembles the Coca Cola® logo. The validation module 120 validates the stamp generation request by accessing the database 116. This process will be discussed in greater detail with reference to Figure 3. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a stamp generator module 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the stamp generator module 110 may comprise a creation module 202, a selection module 204, a communication module 206, a preview module 208, a print module 210, and a purchase module 212. The creation module 202 may be configured to enable a user to draw or write a customized stamp. It is also contemplated to design the creation module 202 to interface with drawing and image manipulation programs such as Adobe Photoshop®, Adobe Illustrator®, or MGI Photosuite®. For example, the creation module 202 may be activated from the drawing or illustrating program as an export option. Alternatively, the creation module 202 may comprise an image manipulation program configured for creating image or text based stamps. If a user or access module does not want to design their own image, text or use their company logo, it is contemplated to let a user select a stamp from a pre-approved selection of stamps. The selection module 204 may be configured to allow the user to select from the pre-approved stamps. In one embodiment, the stamp generator module 110 may access the database 116 and download a selection of pre-approved stamps. Alternatively, the stamp generator module 110 may comprise a local database (not shown) configured to store a selection of pre-approved stamps. Once a stamp is created or selected, the communication module 206 may communicate with the server 106 over communication channels 112. As described above with reference to the communication module 118, the stamp generator communication module 206 may comprise a network interface card. In another embodiment, the preview module 208 may be configured to preview the stamp before printing. Once approved by the user, the print module 210 is configured to prepare the stamp for printing. Alternatively, the print module 210 may be operatively coupled to the printer 104, and configured to receive stamp generation requests from the access module 102. In a further embodiment, the purchase module 212 may be provided and configured to accept payment information from the user and transmit the information to the server 106. It is also contemplated to allow payment information to include credit card information. Alternatively, the payment information may comprise account information for automatic billing. Figure 3 is a schematic flow chart diagram illustrating one embodiment of a method 300 for stamp generation of the present invention. The method 300 starts and a user selects 304 an image or text from a selection of pre-approved stamps. Alternatively, the user may create 306 the image or text based stamp using the creation module 202 of Figure 2. Once the image is selected 304 or created 306, the communication module 206 sends 308 the image or text for validation over the communication channel 112. The communication module 118 of the server 106 receives the stamp 312 and the validation module 120 validates 314 the stamp. In one embodiment, the validation module 120 validates 314 the stamp by accessing the database 116 and comparing the stamp to the stamps stored in the database 116. Furthermore, the validation module 120 may be configured to authorize the user to use a corporate or copyrighted logo. Once validated 314, the server 106 communicates the validation to the access module 102, and the scaling module 120 determines 318 whether the stamp was validated or not. If not, the method 300 starts 302 again. If validated 318, the stamp may then be previewed 320 and the user may accept 322 the stamp. In one embodiment, the accepted stamp may then be finalized 324 by the print module 210, and the user then purchases 326 the stamp as discussed above. The communication module 206 may then transmit the stamp to the printer 104 for printing 328 and the method 300 ends 330. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.