Abstract: A weighing apparatus and method for measuring the weight of articles fed along a processing path. The weighing apparatus includes multiple segments, i.e., a primary scale segment adapted to weigh articles of a first configuration, and at least one secondary scale segment adapted to cooperate with the primary segment to weigh articles of a second configuration. The articles of the second configuration are larger than those of the first configuration in at least one dimension or direction. Inasmuch as the articles are fed along a processing path, a conveyor or transport means is provided to feed the articles to the scale segments. The conveyor may be controlled to momentarily pause the articles over each scale segment to obtain an accurate weight measurement. The weight measurement apparatus is particularly well-suited for use in mailing machines to calculate the value of postage indicia.

Abstract: According to some embodiments a system and a method are provided to assign a variable receptacle identifier to a mailbox, determine the variable receptacle identifier assigned to a mailbox at the time of delivery, receive delivery data regarding delivery of a mail piece to the mailbox at the time of the delivery, the delivery data including receptacle identification data, and compare the receptacle identification data with the variable receptacle identifier determined as of the particular time. This technique may allow for automatic confirmation that the mail piece was delivered to, or, at least present at, the destination mailbox at the time of delivery claimed by the mail carrier this may provide enhanced capabilities for auditing performance by mail carriers.

Abstract: A method of sending a targeted communication on behalf of an interested party to individuals that access media content through a media service provider includes receiving information regarding particular media content accessed by each of the individuals from the associated media service providers, storing that information in a secure manner, establishing one or more criteria for identifying desired recipients of the communication, identifying selected individuals to receive the communication based on the one or more criteria and the particular media content information, and causing the communication to be sent to the selected individuals by one of one or more communication methods.

Abstract: A vote-by-mail return envelope that includes a pouch portion for containing the ballot and a stub portion on which the voter applies his/her signature and method for processing are provided. Each portion of the envelope contains a respective barcode that identifies the respective portion. When the envelope is received at the vote-counting location, the stub is separated from the pouch, thereby separating the voter's signature, name, etc. from the ballot. The signature is then verified from the stub, and subsequent processing of the pouch uses the pouch barcode identifier as a link to the stub barcode identifier and/or to the result of the signature verification, to determine whether the ballot in the pouch is eligible for counting or whether some remedial procedure is necessary.

Abstract: A method and system of providing postage wherein delivery fee discounts are provided based on one or more sorting levels in which mail pieces are run through the system twice. In the first run, postal codes are obtained from the mail pieces, a running tally for each participating sorting level code in each sorting level is kept, and for each code in the highest sorting level that has a tally that reaches a predetermined minimum, an indicium reflecting the highest discount is printed on: (i) the mail piece whose postal code caused the tally to reach the minimum, and (ii) any mail pieces to that postal code that are processed thereafter. In the second run, for each mail piece not having a printed indicium, an indicium is printed which reflects a proper sorting level discount, if any, based on the postal code obtained therefrom and one or more of the tallies.

Abstract: Methods and systems for verification of indicia that do not require key management systems, and in which revocation of key pairs is easily performed without adding costs to the verification process are provided. Indicia are generated and authenticated utilizing an identity-based encryption (IBE) scheme. A key generating authority generates a private key for a PSD, distributes the private key securely to the PSD, and provides public information for use by a verification service when verifying cryptographic digital signatures generated with the private key. The corresponding public key is a string consisting of PSD information that is provided as part of the indicium. The verification service can verify the signature of each indicium by obtaining the public key string from the indicium, and utilizing the key generating authority's public information.

Abstract: A method of conducting an election including storing a signature image for each voter, providing a plurality of return envelopes, providing an indicium having a barcode on each of the return envelopes, for each of the return envelopes, associating the barcode of the indicium with a respective one of the voters, and mailing each return envelope and a ballot to the voter with which the barcode data of the indicium of the envelope has been associated. When each return envelope including a completed ballot and a written signature thereon is received, the method includes obtaining from the return envelope the written signature and the barcode of the indicium provided thereon, using the obtained barcode to access the stored authorized signature image of the voter with which the barcode is associated, and comparing the obtained written signature to the authorized signature in the accessed image.

Abstract: An improved method and system to return a mail processing control computer back into operation after a hard drive failure. A first phase is a back-up process for the primary drive of the mail processing computer. A second phase is the recovery process when a primary hard drive failure occurs. The back-up process includes copying the primary drive to be protected to a spare backup drive. The data copied to the backup drive reflects data of the primary drive at a particular point in time. Once the backup drive is installed, the machine returns to normal operation. In the course of normal operation, incremental changes to the primary hard drive are recorded to a backup computer. When there is a failure of the primary drive, a new primary drive is installed in its place. An image of the backup drive is then copied to the new primary drive, thereby causing the new primary drive to reflect the original primary drive at the particular point in time.

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 collation control mechanism is used to transfer a collation from a dual accumulator to an exit nip of a collation machine. The collation control mechanism has a middle drum and two side rollers to form an upper nip and a lower nip. The drum is caused to rotate alternately in a clockwise direction and in a counter-clockwise direction for transferring a collation from the upper bay and the lower bay, respectively, to the exit nip. A motor is used to drive the drum in both the clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. A coupling mechanism including two sets of one-way clutches is used to engage the motor to the upper and lower rollers of the exit nip so that the upper roller is caused to rotate only in the counter-clockwise direction while the lower roller is cause to rotate only in the clockwise direction.

Abstract: A mail processing system that includes dimensional rating capability that provides true length support for carrier rates to prevent improper classification of mail pieces. The mail processing system determines a first dimension, parallel to the path of travel, and a second dimension, transverse to the path of travel, of a mail piece. The first dimension and second dimension are compared to each other to determine which is greater. The greater of the two dimensions is assigned to be the length of the mail piece, regardless of the orientation of the mail piece. The format of the mail piece is then determined based on a comparison of the assigned length and assigned width dimensions to maximum dimensions specified by a format table. Based on the determined format of the mail piece, a delivery fee is then calculated, and an indicium can be generated for the mail piece.

Abstract: A mailing machine is provided for processing mailpiece envelopes including a housing having a transport deck adapted to convey an envelope along a feed path. The mailing machine is reconfigurable to perform one of two mailpiece processing operation by alternately selecting or activating one of two mailpiece modules/assemblies. A first processing module/assembly is disposed along the feed path and is operative to moisten a glue line disposed along an envelope flap during the first mailpiece processing operation. The second processing module assembly is disposed along the feed path and is adapted to cut and open an edge of the envelope during the second mailpiece processing operation. Further, a means is provided for selecting one of the first and second the processing modules/assemblies to perform the processing operations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for printing various length adhesive labels using continuous adhesive label stock and a mechanical cutter that eliminates problems associated with the build up of adhesive on the cutter blade are provided. A continuous label stock includes regions where adhesive is provided interspersed with regions where there is no adhesive provided. After printing has occurred, the continuous label stock is fed to a mechanical cutter that separates the printed label from the continuous label stock by cutting through a region where there is no adhesive provided. As such, no adhesive will be transferred to the cutter blade, thereby removing any possibility of a build up of adhesive on the cutter blade. Since there will not be any build up of adhesive on the cutter blade, problems associated with the build up of adhesive on the cutter blade are eliminated.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for the singulation and delivery of multi-sheet documents. The feed mechanism includes a support surface for receiving a stack of multi-sheet documents, a conveyor mechanism for transporting a lowermost document of the multi-sheet document stack and a restraint assembly defining an opening for the passage of the lowermost document. The restraint assembly is, furthermore, operative to retard the motion of documents disposed above the lowermost document during singulation and delivery thereof. The feed mechanism is characterized by a contour generator disposed in combination with the support surface which contour generator is operative to generate an arcuate cross section in connection with the stack of multi-sheet documents during singulation and delivery. The arcuate cross-sectional shape is disposed a plane orthogonal to the feed path of the multi-sheet documents.

Abstract: A print interface system including a printer integrated in combination with a sheet handling system such as a mailpiece inserter. The print interface system facilitates the handling of sheet material in various operating modes, including conventional printing, duplex printing, and mailpiece creation modes. The system includes a printer having multiple feed paths for printing on opposing face surfaces of a sheet material. One of the feed paths directs sheet material to a staging tray and another feed path directs sheet material to a downstream module of the sheet handling system. The system further includes a positionable diverter for directing sheet material to one of the feed paths and a sheet sensor for determining when a sheet of material has been directed along the feed path leading to the output tray. A controller is operative to alternately reposition the diverter from one of two positions.

Abstract: A print interface system includes a printer integrated in combination with a sheet handling system such as a mailpiece inserter. The print interface system facilitates the handling of sheet material in various operating modes, including conventional printing, duplex printing, and mailpiece creation modes. The system includes an interface module having upper and lower housing segments defining first and second feed paths. A first feed path directs sheet material to a stacking surface of the upper housing segment and a second feed path directs sheet material to a downstream module of the sheet handling device. A repositionable diverter bifurcates the path exiting the printer to direct sheet material to one of the two feed paths. Furthermore, the upper housing segment is pivotally mounted to the lower housing segment to provide internal access to one of the first and second feed paths.

Abstract: A method and system for protecting against side channel attacks on cryptographic systems that attempt to recover information from externally detectable signals, such as electromagnetic fields or power input variations. A system operates in accordance with the subject invention to process a message using a cryptographic protocol involving a secret key d.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of creating and printing a postal indicium incorporating a copy detection pattern (CDP) having one or more static portions, an optional semi-static portion, and one or more dynamic portions, including retrieving a previously generated static portion that is stored in a printing device, generating a dynamic portion in the printing device, combining the static and dynamic portions in the printing device to create the CDP, and printing the CDP using the printing device.

Abstract: A system and method for processing mailpiece content material in a mailpiece inserter including a printer integrated with the mailpiece creation system. The integrated printer receives print stream data from a software application and prints the mailpiece content material based upon command signals from a system controller. The system further includes at least one device disposed downstream of the printer for issuing a signal indicative of the rate that content material is processed by the inserter. The system controller monitors the throughput rate of the at least one downstream device and issues a command signal indicative thereof. The system and method of the present invention employs a page-based language monitor to throttle the print stream data received by the printer to vary the printing rate of mailpiece content material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a machine readable colored envelope and systems and methods for processing such envelopes are described. In certain examples, the machine readable colored envelopes are colored using a reversible negative photochromic colorant that bleaches when exposed to an activation energy such as ultraviolet radiation and returns to its original color after the activation energy is removed. In another example, the colorant has more than one stable color state.