Abstract: A method and system for authenticating an item by using a security marking. The security marking is provided on the item with an OVD ink capable of absorbing light in a visible wavelength range to appear visibly black and producing a red fluorescent emission under ultraviolet excitation. Under visible light illumination and ultraviolet excitation, a visible image and a fluorescent image are obtained from the security marking using image scanners. The images are compared to find a substantial match with each other. The security marking can be a postage indicium, a barcode, a symbol, a message or an image. The item to be authenticated can be a mailpiece, a banknote, a tag, a ticket, a document, an identification card, or the like.

Abstract: A printed indicium including a first section and a second section. The first section includes a first ink having a first color under normal daylight. The second section includes a second different ink. The second ink includes a fluorescent ink which has a second color under normal daylight which is substantially the same as the first color. The fluorescent ink has a fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation. The second section is imbedded with the first section such that the first and second sections are substantially visually indiscernible from each other in normal daylight.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a method for embedding key information into a printed document is disclosed. The method comprises creating a first section comprising a first ink having a first color under white light; and creating a second section comprising a second different ink. The second ink comprises a fluorescent ink and has a second color under white light which is substantially the same as the first color, and the fluorescent ink has a fluorescence when subjected to fluorescent-exciting radiation. The first section and the second section are visually indiscernible from each other on the printed document in white light. Also, the second section comprises key information, which is selected or highlighted by a user during creation of the document, and the first section comprises non-selected information.

Abstract: An ink supply system for a printer including an inner chamber comprising a controlled security ink; an outer chamber comprising a chemical; an ink conduit from the inner chamber through and out of the outer chamber; and a rupture wall at a junction between the inner chamber and the outer chamber. The ink conduit keeps the chemical away from the ink when the ink travels from the inner chamber out of the ink supply system. When the rupture wall is ruptured, the chemical is adapted to interact with the controlled security ink to indicate that the rupture has occurred.

Abstract: A method for improving the readability of composite images by determining available areas on a document where no text or graphics will be printed in visible ink and printing one or more 2-D bar code with invisible ink at a size pre-determined based on the available areas. The one or more auxiliary 2-D bar codes are printed in luminescent ink, either invisible or lightly colored when viewed under white light.

Abstract: A method for printing a large invisible luminescent bar code on a mail piece addresses the problem of obscuration of modules by printed text such as the address. The bar code is printed large enough so that the line width of the characters is substantially less than the module size of the bar code components. Overprinting does not then completely obscure any module and so the bar code is still readable. The readability is especially enhanced by the high contrast of the luminescent image. When a fluorescent bar code is viewed under UV illumination, the bar code emits fluorescence in the areas of printed modules without text overprinted. Because the modules are wider than the text line width, the text does not completely obscure any module. The contrast of the bar code is reversed in fluorescence—that is, printed areas emit light.

Abstract: Water-soluble, photosensitive, optically variable (POV) inks exhibit improved OCR readability due to improved infrared absorption properties. The inks can produce images that can be viewed with both visible and ultraviolet light to have physically coincident positive and negative images. The new inks contain at least two types of colorants in addition to the IR absorber and other suitable ingredients. The first colorant comprises a fluorescent dye or pigment emitting light within a characteristic emission band when excited by fluorescent-exciting radiation. The second colorant comprises a carbon black infrared radiation absorbing composition alone or with one or more dyes or pigments having a light absorption band at longer wavelengths than the characteristic emission band of the first colorant or also overlapping the emission wavelength of the first colorant in such a way as to result in a dark color.

Abstract: A method for printing indicium on an article including steps of providing a supply of ink including a multi-signal transmission ink which is adapted to provide an optically visual signal when viewed in normal daylight and adapted to provide a different signal which is adapted to be machine readable; and printing at least a portion of the indicium on the article by halftone printing the multi-signal transmission ink. The portion is adapted to be visually observable in normal daylight. The portion is adapted to be read as a non-halftoned signal by a machine even though the portion is halftone printed.

Abstract: Signature protected photosensitive optically variable (POV) inks are provided, which are capable of providing a unique signature in addition to other security features of POV inks. The inks contain at least two types of colorants, and a third, signature component and other ingredients to enable printing. A first colorant comprises a fluorescent dye and/or pigment emitting light within a characteristic emission band when excited by fluorescent-exciting radiation. A second colorant comprises a dye and/or pigment having a light absorption band at overlapping or longer wavelengths than the characteristic emission band of the first colorant in such a way as to result in a dark color. The third component is a fluorescent/phosphorescent rare earth composition. The inks give dark visible ink images, which also produce detectable coincident fluorescent and phosphorescent images. The inks can be used with detectors of red phosphorescence to achieve a new level of security in high speed sorting operations.

Abstract: A method of reissuing digital tokens in an open system meter includes the steps of calculating a digital token using the predetermined postal information including addressee information, postage amount and piece count; debiting postal funds by the postage amount; issuing the digital token for generation of an indicia; storing the digital token and the predetermined postal information as part of a transaction record in a transaction record file indexed according to addressee information; determining that an indicia generated from the digital token has not been successfully printed on a mailpiece for a particular addressee; and reissuing the digital token from the transaction record in the transaction file to generate the indicia for another attempt to print the indicia on the mailpiece.

Abstract: A method for exchange of information I over a communications link, a communications system including a data processor for carrying out the method, and computer readable media for providing program code to the data processor. The system receives a signal transmitted over the link, the signal being generated in accordance with a braid group based cryptosystem; transforming the signal to obtain a word expressive of a braid in Bn, braid encoding the information; and transforming the word into a word in novel standard form to recover the information. Word is represented by arrays a[m], a[m] in {0, 1, . . . , n?1}, and p[m], p[m] in {?1, 1}, and transforming the word to a standard form includes: inputting the arrays a[m], and p[m]; processing a[m] and p[m] to obtain array b[s], b[s] in {0, 1, . . . , n?1} and representing a positive braid word P, and variable r, ?r·P being a word in standard form representative of the braid; and outputting b[s] and r.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing forecasting using time series data are described. In one embodiment, the method includes designating a last portion of the time series data as a base pattern, searching the remaining portion of the time series data for candidate patterns using the base pattern, and identifying candidate forecasts corresponding to the candidate patterns. The method further includes calculating a set of final forecast values based on the candidate forecasts.

Abstract: A transaction evidencing system includes a personal computer (PC) comprising a processor, memory and hard drive, with a plurality of non-metering application programs that selectively run on the PC. An unsecured printer is operatively coupled to the PC for printing in accordance with the non-metering application programs. A portable vault card that is removably coupled to the PC is programmed to generate tokens generation and perform transaction accounting. An application interface module in the PC, which interfaces with the non-metering application programs, issues a request for digital tokens in response to requests for indicia from a non-metering application program. A secure communications module in the PC, which securely communicates with the vault card when the vault card is coupled to the PC, sends the request for digital token to the vault card and receives a digital token generated by the vault card.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing confirmation and messaging relating to the distribution of a mail piece within a mailing system. Information including a mailer's address is included in a digital post mark or printed directly on the mail piece. During delivery of the mail piece, the information is read, and the mailer's address is captured. A message, which may include a mail piece image, a recipient response and physical image of a recipient, is sent to the mailer in accordance with read information.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a message recipient and for secure communication of messages from a sender to the message recipient through a server, the method being carried out by one or more data processing systems in accordance with instructions carried on one or more computer readable media. The message is communicated by sending message data encrypted with a symmetric key algorithm, a private key for the encryption algorithm being generated by hashing first data, to the message recipient through a server. The message recipient is authenticated by the exchange of second data encrypted with the encryption algorithm, an authentication key for said encryption algorithm being generated by hashing third data. The first and second data include a password, which has previously been provided to the message recipient over a separate secure channel. The first and third data are hashed with an encryption algorithm defined hash algorithm using said encryption algorithm and based on Merkle's meta-method for hashing.

Abstract: A method for positioning an indicium for printing on substrate. The indicium can be an IBIP type indicium and the substrate can be the surface of an envelope. The substrate has printable and complementary unprintable areas and a reserved clear area where printing is possible but unacceptable. The unprintable area is determined as function of printer characteristics and substrate dimensions. If the indicium overlaps the reserved clear area the indicium is modified by shifting portions of the indicium with respect to each other so that none overlaps the reserved clear area.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for providing confirmation relating to the distribution of a mailpiece within an international mailing system. The invention includes a determination of postal data required for performing value-added services desired for the mailpiece. The value-added services data includes addressing information for a return receipt from an intended mailpiece recipient through a final handling postal authority and a first postal authority to the original mailer. A machine readable mark is created which includes return data and value-added services data. During the delivery process, the value-added service is captured by the final handling postal authority, the mailpiece is delivered to the intended recipient, the value-added service is performed, and the data related to the delivery is captured by the final handling postal authority.

Abstract: FIG. 6 shows the operation of modules 22 in processing a request for a digital postal indicium. At 72 the selected one of modules 22 receives the indicium request and the requested meter record and, at 76 confirms that sufficient funds are available. If not the request is rejected at 78; again in a manner whose details form no part of the subject invention. At 80 the selected module constructs an indicium message having an appended indicium signature, which when printed in relevant part on a mailpiece will evidence payment of postage in the amount shown, and at 84 updates the requested meter record and appends a meter record signature. Generation of indicia and updating meter records is more fully described in specifications for the Information Based Indicia Program (IBIP) published by the United States Postal Service and further discussion is not believed necessary for an understanding of the subject invention.) At 86 the selected module updates the audit data.

Abstract: A closed loop postage metering system includes networked meters that provide mailers and/or recipients the capability to request additional or modified services during processing of a mail piece by a carrier. The networked meter allows the Post to charge the mailer, or even the recipient for these services or to provide them with a refund or credit. The services can include changing the processing of the mail piece. Further, the closed loop postage metering system enables more precise methods of paying for services when multiple carriers handle a mail piece. A special case of such multiple carriers handling is the handling of international mail.

Abstract: A method for improving the readability of composite images by determining available areas on a document where no text or graphics will be printed in visible ink and printing one or more 2-D bar code with invisible ink at a size pre-determined based on the available areas. The one or more auxiliary 2-D bar codes are printed in luminescent ink, either invisible or lightly colored when viewed under white light.