Abstract: A mail processing method for franking mail items, which franking machine is connected to a first server that is itself connected to a second server in communication with a sorting machine, the franking method including scanning the destination addresses borne on the mail items as the mail items are inserted, storing the digital images of the addresses scanned in this way, in association with respective unique identification numbers, and periodically transferring the digital images as indexed in this way to a first server. The first or second server extracts determined data from the digital images, which data, associated with the unique identification numbers, is suitable for enabling the sorting machine to be controlled automatically on receiving the franked mail items.

Abstract: A method of determining the dimensions of a parcel, in which method the parcel to be measured is placed against an orthogonal reference support made up of at least two perpendicular vertical side panels, each of which is provided with a grid, and an image of the support and of the parcel together is acquired so as to determine at least three perpendicular edges of the parcel, and then the number of intervals of the grid that form each of the edges is counted so as to obtain the dimensions in mm of the parcel.

Abstract: Various embodiments consistent with the invention relate to a secure electronic entity including a communications interface, the entity being characterized in that it includes means that act, when it is connected via said communications interface to a portable electronic device, including means for connection to a telecommunications network, to enable it: to authenticate a remote transaction verification server in the telecommunications network and to authenticate itself with said remote server; to establish a secure connection, via the telecommunications network, with said remote server; and to receive, via said communications interface, data relating to an intended transaction with a third party device, and to transmit that data, via the secure connection, to the remote server so that it can analyze the data in order to take a decision as to whether to authorize the transaction.

Abstract: A mail processing method for franking mail items, which franking machine is connected to a first server that is itself connected to a second server in communication with a sorting machine, the franking method including scanning the destination addresses borne on the mail items as the mail items are inserted, storing the digital images of the addresses scanned in this way, in association with respective unique identification numbers, and periodically transferring the digital images as indexed in this way to a first server. The first or second server extracts determined data from the digital images, which data, associated with the unique identification numbers, is suitable for enabling the sorting machine to be controlled automatically on receiving the franked mail items.

Abstract: A method of accessing digital images of mailpieces from a workstation of a sender, includes franking the mailpieces on a franking machine of the sender; acquiring a digital image of each of the franked mailpieces at an office for receiving the mailpieces; extracting, from the digital images, a first identifier of the sender and a second identifier of a dealer of the franking machine; feeding a first database with the digital images and with the identifiers; making portions of the first database available to each of the servers of the dealers, the portions being determined as a function of the second identifier; feeding a second database with the determined portion; making portions of the second database available to a workstation of each of the senders, the portions being determined as a function of the first identifier; and accessing the digital image of each of the franked mailpieces on the workstation.

Abstract: A method of determining the dimensions of a parcel, in which method the parcel to be measured is placed against an orthogonal reference support made up of at least two perpendicular vertical side panels, each of which is provided with a grid, and an image of the support and of the parcel together is acquired so as to determine at least three perpendicular edges of the parcel, and then the number of intervals of the grid that form each of the edges is counted so as to obtain the dimensions in mm of the parcel.

Abstract: A method of determining the three dimensions of a parcel, in which method the parcel to be measured is placed against an orthogonal reference support and an image is acquired of said orthogonal reference support having three graduated scales defining the three perpendicular axes of the frame of reference, and a correspondence table is established giving the correspondence between the real distance between each of the graduations of the scales and the corresponding number of pixels of the image, and then an image is acquired of the parcel disposed on the orthogonal reference support, the edges of said parcel are determined along three perpendicular axes, the number of pixels forming each of the edges of the parcel is counted, and a corrector coefficient is applied taken from the correspondence table in order to obtain the looked-for three real dimensions.

Abstract: A method of enabling mailpieces to be distributed and consulted in electronic form, including the steps of scanning each of the mailpieces and transmitting the images of the mailpieces to a first server; displaying the images on a first viewing screen associated with the first server, and assigning each of the images to a recipient by “dropping ” the image into one of the pigeonholes of a virtual sorting rack associated with the recipient and displayed on the first viewing screen or on a second viewing screen also associated with the first server; and displaying a dynamic dialogue box on at least one consultation screen of a final recipient.

Abstract: A method of searching for a destination price zone applicable to a mailpiece, the method consisting in scanning the mailpiece so as to obtain an image of the destination address, in extracting an item of destination data from said image, in comparing the destination data extracted in this way with destination price zones previously stored in a database, in preventing any printing of a postal imprint by the franking means of the franking machine if said destination data does not belong to any of the destination price zones in said database or if such belonging cannot be established before the mailpiece goes past said franking means, and in incrementing a counter totaling a number of non-franked mailpieces that is associated with at least one determined reason for non-franking.

Abstract: A method of accessing digital images of mailpieces from a workstation of a sender of said mailpieces, which method comprises the following steps: franking the mailpieces on at least one franking machine of said sender; acquiring a digital image of each of the franked mailpieces at an office for receiving said mailpieces; extracting, from each of the digital images, at least a first identifier of the sender and a second identifier of a dealer of the franking machine; feeding a first database with the digital images and with the identifiers; transferring portions of said first database to each of the servers of the dealers, said portions of said first database being determined as a function of the second identifier; feeding a second database with said determined portion of said first database; transferring portions of said second database to a workstation of each of the senders, said portions of said second database being determined as a function of the first identifier; and accessing the digital image of ea

Abstract: A method of franking mailpieces in a closed franking machine fed from a mixed batch of mailpieces, said method comprising the following steps, for each mailpiece: acquiring a digital image of the mailpiece by using optical read means; locating a recipient's address block by using search software means; extracting at least one item of postal data from the recipient's address block by using OCR software means; when the at least one extracted item of postal data is not identified or is improperly identified, automatically stopping the transport of the mailpiece in the franking machine; correcting the at least one item of postal data, the correction being performed by the user on the keyboard of a user interface of the franking machine on the basis of an image of the previously located address block, which image is displayed on a screen of the user interface; and restarting the transport of the mailpiece in the franking machine automatically once the correction has been validated by the user by acting on a

Abstract: A method of enabling mailpieces to be distributed and consulted in electronic form, said method comprising the following steps: scanning each of the mailpieces and transmitting the images of the mailpieces scanned in this way to a first server on which said images are stored; displaying said images stored on said first server on a first viewing screen associated with said first server, and assigning each of said images to a recipient by “dropping” said image into one of the pigeonholes of a virtual sorting rack associated with said recipient and displayed on said first viewing screen or on a second viewing screen also associated with said first server; and displaying a dynamic dialogue box on at least one consultation screen of a final recipient, said dynamic dialogue box including at least one counter whose value depends on the number of images that are assigned to the pigeonhole of said final recipient and that are accessible on said first server from said consultation screen via a local area network con

Abstract: A mail processing system including a franking machine for franking mail items, which franking machine is connected to a first server that is itself connected to a second server in communication with a sorting machine, the franking machine including scanner means for scanning the destination addresses borne on the mail items as said mail items are inserted, storage means for storing the digital images of the addresses scanned in this way, in association with respective unique identification numbers, and communications means for periodically transferring the digital images as indexed in this way to the first server, the first or second server further including means for extracting determined data from the digital images, which data, associated with said unique identification numbers, is suitable for enabling said sorting machine to be controlled automatically on receiving said franked mail items.

Abstract: A method of automatically paying for a franking service in a self-service mail-handling machine, in which method the user inputs parameters of the requested franking service into the mail-handling machine which displays a first item of encoded information relating to the requested franking service, the user captures said first item of encoded information by means of a handheld communications device which automatically sends a payment request to a first server system which receives said request, verifies the entitlements of the user and, if said entitlements are valid, generates a second item of encoded information and sends it to the handheld communications device for display, and the user transmits said second item of encoded information to the mail-handling machine which verifies whether said second item of encoded information as received is valid, and, if it is valid, implements the requested franking service.