Abstract: The novel solution provides a method for feeding of individual envelopes from a stack of envelopes in a hopper for an inserter machine. At the downstream end of the hopper, a friction feeder serially feeds individual envelopes from the stack. A suction cup is selectively actuated to engage with the envelope to pull a leading portion of the envelope away from the stack to assist the friction feeder in feeding envelopes. Selective actuation is based on monitoring downstream movement of fed envelopes. The suction cup is engaged when the envelopes travel a shorter distance than would be expected based on the movement of the feeder.

Abstract: A method for automated insertion of a collation into an envelope. The envelope is fed onto an insert station. A preferred insertion depth is determined for the collation to be inserted into the envelope. The collation is pushed via a pusher that moves at a constant velocity towards an open end of the envelope. The location of the pusher is monitored as it approaches the insert station. The envelope is accelerated in the downstream direction from its stopped position to the constant velocity of the pusher. Acceleration is triggered by the pusher reaching a position whereby the envelope and the pusher will match velocities at the same time that the collation is at the insertion depth. As a result, the collation is inserted in the envelope to the insertion depth at the same time that the velocity of the envelope matches the velocity of the pusher.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for opening an envelope for insertion of a collation. The apparatus includes a plurality of actuated suction cups that are positioned above an envelope in an insertion station. The actuated suction cups move downward to engage a top surface of the envelope and to lift the top surface away from the bottom surface in order to facilitate insertion of the collation. The suction cups include a first group that is actuated for opening all envelopes, and a second group, independently actuatable from the first group, and that is actuated only for opening envelopes having characteristics that require the additional suction cups.

Abstract: A system for handling tape dispensers to be used by parcel preparation workers. Identification markings on the parcels are scanned. The identification markings are matched with corresponding different kinds of packaging tape. A tape dispenser receptacle holds a plurality of tape dispensers in respective cradles. Each of the cradles has an associated display indicator that is activated based on the type of packaging tape determined by the scanner and the processor.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing a customer to maintain multiple customer accounts used for generating and printing postage without having to maintain a minimum amount of funds in each account. When multiple accounts are maintained for a customer, only one the of the multiple accounts maintains pre-paid funds in the registers. The other accounts do not have any pre-paid funds, i.e., maintain zero funds, in the registers. When a customer account that does not have any pre-paid funds stored therein is utilized to generate postage, the register in that account is refilled for the exact amount of postage to be generated from a customer payment account. By performing on-demand postage refills for the exact amount needed to generate an indicium, the customer is no longer required to have funds committed to each customer account while still being able to utilize multiple accounts for multiple postage printing devices.

Abstract: A system and method that improves the location precision of the object taken in a geo-tagged photo. When a photo is taken of an object, the distance to the object in the photo is determined. The angle between magnetic north and the direction the mobile phone is facing is also determined. Using this information along with the location coordinates of the mobile phone, the coordinates of the object's location can be determined.

Abstract: A system for handling tape dispensers to be used by parcel preparation workers. Identification markings on the parcels are scanned. The identification markings are matched with corresponding different kinds of packaging tape. A tape dispenser receptacle holds a plurality of tape dispensers in respective cradles. Each of the cradles has an associated display indicator that is activated based on the type of packaging tape determined by the scanner and the processor.

Abstract: A system and method that allows two parties to find common records in their data sets without having to actually share the data sets with each other or a third party. Two primitives, perfect hash functions and public key cryptography, are combined in a unique way to obtain a secure and efficient private matching solution. Since the data that is exchanged is always encrypted during the match process, neither party reveals its data to the other party. This solution enables two parties to match sensitive data such as PII (Personally Identifiable Information) or PHI (Protected Health Information) without having to disclose the data to other or to any third party. One or both of the parties only learn of matching records without learning any information about the records that do not match.

Abstract: An automated mail tray filling apparatus for taking envelopes from a vertical stacker output of an inserter machine and placing them in mail trays. A vertical stack of envelopes rests on a long stacker table. The mail tray filling apparatus has a track positioned next the vertical stacker table parallel to the length of the vertical stacker table. A mail tray transport is positioned beneath the track and arranged to transport mail trays beneath the track in a direction parallel to the vertical stacker table. A movable mail tray filler is movably mounted on the track to travel in parallel next to the vertical stacker table and above the mail tray transport, and is arranged to withdraw envelopes from the end of the vertical stack in a sideways direction. Envelopes are then redirected into a downward direction and fed into a mail tray positioned beneath the movable mail tray filler.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for decelerating a sheet of paper in a paper-cutting system. The sheet of paper is cut using a cutter, and the sheet is then accepted into a take-away nip. The take-away nip is operated at an initial rate in order to move the sheet of paper away from the cutter at an initial speed. The take-away nip is then operated at a rate decreasing to a final rate, in order to decelerate the sheet of paper to a final speed by the time the sheet of paper exits the take-away nip. The take-away nip is subsequently operated at the initial rate again, prior to accepting another sheet of paper at the initial speed.

Abstract: Methods and systems for using ink-jet technology for high speed printing are provided. Print growth between pixels in an image is significantly reduced or eliminated by adjusting the printing of the pixels based on the status of the following pixel to be printed, i.e., whether the following pixel is either black or white. If a black pixel, formed by a plurality of columns of dots, is being followed by a white pixel, the column of dots closest to the white pixel will not be printed, and the column of dots in the black pixel next to the column of dots closest to the white pixel are staggered such that the pixel appears filled despite the absence of the column of dots closest to the white pixel and will still be properly read as a black pixel by a scanner reading the image.

Abstract: Methods and systems that provide parking meter expiration reminders based on location and distance of the driver from the vehicle are provided. The location, parking start time, and purchased parking duration of a vehicle are recorded using a smart device application to scan information printed on the parking meter card. The driver's location is tracked while he is away from the parking lot, and reminders are sent to the driver's smart device, based on the remaining parking duration and locate of the driver, that provide sufficient time for the driver to return to the vehicle from his current location before the parking meter card expires. Additionally, the driver can use a mobile payment option to extend the amount of purchased parking, thereby allowing the driver more time to return to the vehicle before the parking meter card expires.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling capture and replay of digital media files using multimodal documents including a context manager for managing multimodal documents with a virtual media content management system coupled to the context manager. The virtual media content management system contains digital content which is adapted to be managed by the virtual media content management system. An input system is coupled to the context manager and includes a stylus operable to select digital content to be processed. The context manager is operable to issue multimodal document management instructions to the virtual media content management system to process digital content selected by the stylus based on input information from the input system.

Abstract: A method and system for mail run balancing of critical documents on a sorter machine that comingles both critical and non-critical documents. A plan identifying a set of critical documents to be processed as part of a mail run is received at the sorter. The plan includes an individual identifier code for each critical document. Sets of critical and non-critical documents are sorted as part of the comingled mail run. A camera scans the documents for the individual identifier codes on the critical documents during sorting. The camera captures an image of the scanned critical documents. A list of scanned individual identifier codes of sorted critical documents is stored for later use, along with the captured images of the documents. The list of scanned individual identifier codes is compared to the identifier codes of the critical documents in the plan.

Abstract: A system and method that allows a business to obtain statistics to measure the progress of a marketing campaign while maintaining the privacy of consumer information, is provided. Using Private Information Retrieval (PIR) and other cryptographic privacy enhancing technologies, the consumer can request actions and receive responses from the business. The requests and responses are kept private from the business using PIR. The marketing strategy is represented as a graph with nodes representing the consumer states and links representing allowed transitions. The consumer request contains information about the consumer's state in the business's marketing strategy so that only allowed responses are made to the consumer. The business can monitor the overall execution of the marketing plan but cannot see the states or transitions of individual customers or their actions, searches or responses.

Abstract: An automated mail tray filling apparatus for taking envelopes from a vertical stacker output of an inserter machine and placing them in mail trays. A vertical stack of envelopes rests on a long stacker table. The mail tray filling apparatus has a track positioned next the vertical stacker table parallel to the length of the vertical stacker table. A mail tray transport is positioned beneath the track and arranged to transport mail trays beneath the track in a direction parallel to the vertical stacker table. A movable mail tray filler is movably mounted on the track to travel in parallel next to the vertical stacker table and above the mail tray transport, and is arranged to withdraw envelopes from the end of the vertical stack in a sideways direction. Envelopes are then redirected into a downward direction and fed into a mail tray positioned beneath the movable mail tray filler.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a high-precision geo-fence boundary for a business utilizing the property boundaries of a business are provided. The property boundaries for a business are obtained, and the longest diagonal of the polygon of the property is determined. This diagonal is used as a diameter to create a circle for a primary geo-fence monitoring area for the business. When a user enters the primary geo-fence monitoring area, a location updating feature of the mobile device can be activated to get the real time coordinates of the mobile device. The real time coordinates of the mobile device can then be used to accurately determine if the user is actually in the polygon of the business property.

Abstract: Methods and systems that allow a sender of a mail piece to easily specify delivery instructions and/or services for a mail piece and that allows mail processing systems to identify and account for the specified delivery instructions and/or services without the need for any pre-sorting or input of information prior to processing the mail piece. The sender of a mail piece provides a marking on the mail piece representing instructions desired for delivering the mail piece. A mail processing system utilized to process the mail piece reads the marking provided on the mail piece, and based on the type/color of the marking, interprets the delivery instructions requested by the sender. The mail processing system processes the mail piece according to the instructions requested by the sender based on the marking provided on the mail piece by the sender.

Abstract: A method for open systems printing including routing print jobs automatically from different types of source computers to different types of printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. The method including routing print jobs automatically from an arbitrary number of source computers to an arbitrary number of printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. The method using a print server for use with different types of source computers and different types of printers, the print server directs print jobs received from the source computers to the printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job. The print server being for use with an arbitrary number of similar types of source computers and an arbitrary number of similar types of printers, the print server directing print jobs received from the source computers to the printers without the source computers selecting printers for each print job.

Abstract: A method for assigning unique printer resolutions or signatures, i.e., a unique number of dots per inch, to a class, or models of printers or lines of postage meters. The number of dots per inch or resolution may be specified within a image on a document or within a postal indicia and later checked to determine if the image on document or the postal indicia has the correct resolution. The foregoing would be able to detect an image or postal indicia that was scanned into a computer and printed with a printer that did not have the number of dots per inch specified in the image or postal indicia.