Abstract: Systems and methods for managing business machine assets are described. In one configuration, the system analyzes alternate cost structures and provides for alternate asset model replacement suggestions. The asset management system provides for asset comparison analysis. The system uses historical data for a current asset and charts potential replacement asset performance using those historical parameters or predicted or entered future parameters. In an alternative configuration, the compare and contrast report does not include the current asset, but only compares potential replacement assets.

Abstract: A system and method that can match closed account records to active account records for use in analyzing multi-account customer locations across several time periods is provided. The output contains the best possible groupings of the active and inactive customer accounts. The process begins with the most recent view of the customer and goes back in the history of the match results generated using the known four part process. The process generates new groupings of the active and inactive entities of the same customer locations using different rules for historical groups to determine in which new groupings each old group should be placed. The new groupings group together not only the current accounts of a business location but also the accounts that used to belong to that location earlier during the period being analyzed to allow for a complete analysis of the customer location.

Abstract: Various election methods are provided wherein voters are able to verify their votes through public means. In one embodiment, each of the ballots includes a ballot identifier and each of the choices thereon is associated with a selection identifier. After the completed ballots are received by the voting authority, the authority publishes the ballot identifiers obtained from the ballots in association with the selection identifiers of the selected choices to enable each voter to verify his or her vote. In another embodiment, the voter provides the ballot identifier and the selection identifiers of the selected choices on a delivery mechanism (e.g., envelope). The relevant identifiers are then obtained by the authority from the delivery mechanisms and published. In another embodiment, the voters generate their own selection identifiers on the ballot which are then published by the authority to enable each voter to verify his or her vote.

Abstract: A system and methods to provide updates of an oblivious database that is based on an original database without compromising privacy guarantees, and without requiring a periodic downtime to re-initialize the database. According to embodiments of the present invention, update caches are provided at the random servers that are not emptied or sent to the oblivious database after every update in a predictable fashion. Instead, updates are made incrementally to the oblivious database in an order that is independent of how the original database is updated. Hence there is no way for the server to learn which record of the oblivious database corresponds to an updated block from the original database.

Abstract: Methods and systems that allow a user to receive location-based services for user selected businesses while maintaining the privacy of his/her location when not in the vicinity of a user selected business. A user designates selected businesses to the LBS provider. The user's mobile device sends its location, in encrypted form, to the LBS provider. The LBS provider performs a computation on the encrypted location and returns an encrypted result to the user's mobile device. The user's mobile device decrypts the result and determines whether the user is near any selected businesses based on the decrypted result. Only if the decrypted result indicates the user is near an approved location will the users mobile device return its location, in an unencrypted form, to the LBS provider. Thus, the LBS provider will only know the user's location if and only if the use is near a business selected by the user.

Abstract: A method facilitating a transaction between a camera-phone user and a business entity. The business entity produces a printed medium indicating a transaction. The printed medium includes a barcode that includes direct contact data for communicating with the business entity. The barcode further includes specific transaction data relating to the transaction in the printed medium. Using the digital camera feature, the user captures a digital image of the barcode. The camera-phone is programmed to decode the digital image to retrieve the direct contact data and the transaction data embedded in the barcode. The camera-phone then automatically initiates a direct communication with the business entity via the mobile communications device using the decoded direct contact data. One communications are established, the camera phone further transmits the transaction data derived from the barcode to further facilitate the transaction.

Abstract: A method for creating an intelligent physical mailpiece includes looking up a mailpiece preference of an addressee concerning mail received by the addressee. A physical mailpiece to the addressee is prepared and includes on the mailpiece the addressee preference. The mailpiece is scanned to determine the addressee preference. The mailpiece may also be processed to link the owner of a meter employed to imprint an indicia on the mailpiece to the mailpiece. The intelligent physical mailpiece system may include a database of recipient preferences. A sender mail creation means is coupled to the recipient preference database. A processor is coupled to a scanner. A communications means is coupled between the processor and the sender mail creation means for communicating recipient preferences to the sender mail creation means for storage in the database of recipient preferences.

Abstract: Systems and methods for efficient and timely electronic new user authentication in a digital mailbox system using a sliding scale approach to include one or more identity authentication systems as appropriate for system security needs are provided. The system first obtains new user name and address data. Because the address is an important data point, the system first verifies the address before expending the resources of an identity data search. If the address is valid, the system calls an identity verification system and provides an identity quiz to the user based upon additional identity verification data. If the user passes the quiz, then a new account is setup and any other systems users having an account at that address are notified.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a user to receive location-based services for user selected locations while maintaining the privacy of his/her location unless in the vicinity of a user selected location. A user designates selected locations to the LBS provider. The LBS provider digitally signs grid cell identifiers of approved locations and the signatures are stored in the user's mobile device. The mobile device determines the grid cell identifier of its current location, blinds the grid cell identifier, and sends the blinded grid cell identifier to the LBS provider. The LBS provider digitally signs the blinded grid cell identifier, and returns the signature to the mobile device. The mobile device removes the blinding from the blinded signature to obtain the digital signature for the grid cell identifier. The user's mobile device then compares the signature of the grid cell identifier with those stored in its memory to determine whether the user is near any approved locations.

Abstract: An improved mailpiece fabrication system assembles finished mailpieces from content materials and from wrapping materials. The wrapping materials include printed cut quality marks at predetermined positions relative to cut lines. Content materials are placed on the continuous web. The continuous web is then folded and sealed around the content materials to form a continuous tube enclosing the content materials. A cutter downstream of the conveyance deck cuts individual envelopes from the continuous tube of folded wrapping material. A downstream imaging device captures image data indicative of a cut quality mark on the individual envelopes. A controller receives the captured image data from the imaging device and compares an actual dimension of an imaged cut quality mark with an expected dimension of a cut quality mark. An error signal is produced if the difference is not within a predetermined tolerance.

Abstract: A network connectivity device that when coupled to a mail processing machine enables a cloud application running on a personal computer or other device to interface with and control the mail processing machine without requiring any software to be installed on the personal computer other than a web browser. The network connectivity device plugs into a standard USB port on the mail processing machine to allow wired or wireless connectivity to a network. There is no software or other code required to run on the personal computer other than a standard web browser running a hosted web application. The network connectivity device allows the mail processing machine to be found and addressed by the hosted web application. This allows a user to control operations of the mail processing machine, as well as giving the mail processing machine network connectivity for outside world communication activities.

Abstract: A powder and gel concentrate for a sealing solution is provided. The concentrate is comprised of a biocide, dye and acid buffer. This concentrate can be hydrated or dissolved using standard tap (mineralized) water to produce a sealing solution. The acid buffer keeps the minerals in the tap water suspended in solution, thereby preventing the solid scale (mineral build-up) that would otherwise clog the filters of a sealing system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrated delivery and storage of digital mail are provided that combine consumer driven opt-in preferences with mailer driven matching criteria to ensure more accurate delivery. In one configuration the system obtains a digital mail piece intended for a particular digital mailbox. The system determines user opt-in preferences for the digital mail piece and obtains mailer matching criteria data associated with the digital mail piece. The system then delivers the digital mail piece to the digital mailbox only if consistent with the opt-in preferences and the matching criteria data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing database query results to a user in an intuitive graphical format are provided. The system utilizes an intuitive graphical user interface dashboard that displays top-level query statistics data and selected record cards to the user in the dashboard. The user may iteratively update the query and the displayed top-level query statistics and selected records cards are updated in real time. Each customer card include customizable fields and supports intelligent zoom to provide additional fields and data as the user zooms into each successive smaller group of cards and eventually down to opening a single customer card.

Abstract: A system and method for preparing mail packages to be sent to recipients includes a carrier envelope with a front address window and a back window. A content document having a style code printed on it is positioned at the back of the carrier envelope. The content style code is positioned to be visible through the back window of the carrier envelope. A reply envelope is enclosed with an address area aligned with the front window of the carrier envelope. Mail packages are prepared by storing a corresponding content style for the recipient. While transported, the content style code is scanned. From the style code, a recipient having the corresponding content style is selected from the stored list. That recipients name and address are printed onto the address area of the reply envelope.

Abstract: A stacking assembly is operative to protect stacked mailpieces from damage due to abrasion. The stacking assembly includes a support blade moveably mounted to a bin for accepting a stack of mailpieces and an ingestion assembly including a Leading Edge (LE) urge roller and Trailing Edge (TE) alignment device. The LE urge roller is operative to accept mailpieces from a supply of mailpieces, and urge a leading edge portion thereof toward a sidewall of the stacking bin. The TE alignment device includes a first cam driven about an axis of rotation by a digital rotary positioning device which cam defines a surface operative to urge the trailing edge portion of each mailpiece into parallel alignment with the support blade. The stacking assembly also includes an anti-abrasion linkage responsive to rotation of the digital rotary positioning device to forcibly displace a surface of the stacked mailpieces away from a moving surface of the ingestion assembly.

Abstract: A printing system has fixed print heads in positions that are subject to adjustment between print jobs. The system provides a print preview display that includes a representation of the item of printing stock on which the printing is to be performed. The print preview display also includes a first printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a first one of the print heads. The print preview display further includes a second printing field that is at a location in the representation that corresponds to the position of a second one of the print heads.

Abstract: The present invention provides for automation of the process of ensuring that the contents of the return mailed digital media, comprising a disc enclosed in a sleeve, is correct for redistribution. A camera on a sorting machine is used to scan a first code on a hub of the disc through a sleeve opening. The camera also scans a second code printed on the sleeve. The sorter computer compares the first and second codes to determine whether the first and second codes correspond. If the first and second codes do not correspond, the sorter outsorts the mailed digital media so that the mismatch problem can be corrected. In a further embodiment, the system detects whether there are more or less than a single disk in the mail package. In the preferred embodiment, the mailed digital media is further composed of an envelope that receives and encloses the sleeve.

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: Improvement of the quality of name and address matching processes using e-mail domains is provided. A distinction is made between e-mail domains designed to be used by employees of an entity and domains designed to be used by individuals or organizations who aren't employees of the domain owner entity. By analyzing domain names in conjunction with known relationships between e-mail addresses and names of companies, it is possible to differentiate between employee-use domains and public-use domains and maintain a collection of employee-use domains that are associated with the domain owner's business name. When performing a name and address matching process, the e-mail domains of the input records can be checked against the collection of employee-use domains and the records for the input name and address can be supplemented to include the domain owner's name and address as alternative information.