Abstract: A personal communications system includes an interface unit which transmits calls received on a mobile wireless phone to one or more hard-wired telephones. In one embodiment, the interface unit includes a connector which mates with a voice communications port of a wireless device, which may be a cell phone, web-enabled phone, personal digital assistant adapted for wireless communications, or a so-called pocket PC. When a call is received by the wireless device, a processor automatically sends the call to a hard-wired telephone through the connector. In another embodiment, the interface unit is equipped to receive multiple wireless devices, and calls from each device are managed to prevent calls from two or more of the devices from being sent to the hard-wired telephone at the same time. This system thereby advantageously allows a use only one telephone number to satisfy all his personal communications needs.

Abstract: A method for processing mail provides a pre-sorting service to a market which is not recognized by any public or private entity in the mailing and shipping industry. This market includes businesses and/or individuals who alone are unable to satisfy the minimum requirements of a postal service for pre-sort mail. The method in includes providing a mail box for collecting pre-sort mail in an office building, business area, or another publicly accessible venue, collecting mail from the mail box, and then combining it into pre-sorted bundles which satisfy postal service requirements for pre-sort mail. The bundles are then submitted to a post office to thereby realize a profit. The invention is also a smart mail box which includes a processor for performing at least one of a variety of mail-related and communications functions. To aid the customer, the box may include a display. A remotely located management center may monitor the status of the box to provide enhanced services to consumers.

Abstract: A system and method for computing postal/carrier rates encodes a weight value for an item to be shipped or mailed in bar code form. The bar code is scanned, at a different location, to input the weight value into a program which computes a postal/carrier rate. A mark bearing the correct postage is then generated and affixed to the item. By encoding and scanning weight information in bar-code form, office efficiency is enhanced and costs are significantly reduced. Instead of bar codes, maxicodes and other coded marks may be used. Further, additional data may be encoded with the weight value for billing and accounting purposes. The invention is also especially well suited to computing postal/carrier rates for heavy and unusually sized items of mail.

Abstract: A display for a personal computer includes a printer having a transport path which extends in a direction parallel to a surface in which a slot forming the path is located. A keyboard and a central processing unit for a personal computer are also each equipped with printers having similar parallel transport paths.

Abstract: A personal computer includes a built-in printer having a transport path which extends parallel to a surface of the computer housing. The transport path may extend along the entire length of the housing surface, or only partially so. Situated within the housing is a printhead which may be either fixed or movable relative to a print medium inserted into the transport path. If movable, the printhead may have one or two degrees of freedom. An arrangement of sensors, rollers, and other mechanisms may be situated into the housing to automatically move a print medium through the transport path. The personal computer may be incorporated within a system for printing a mark indicative of a stamp or private-carrier rate on an envelope inserted into the transport path. In this system, the scale may be weighed using a removable scale cartridge inserted into a communications port of the computer.

Abstract: An electronic scale cartridge plugs into a piece of office equipment and/or a portable electronic device to provide a weight signal to be used in computing a postal or private carrier rate. The piece of office equipment may be a personal computer or one of its peripheral or input devices. The portable electronic device may be a personal digital assistant or a wireless communications device. Preferably, the scale cartridge has a connector which fits a universal or standard port, thereby allowing the cartridge to be connected to any number of devices without modification. Postage is computed in accordance with a program stored in the computer or portable device. Preferably, the program is written to step a user through a postage-computing process using one or more interactive display screens. A second type of electronic scale is adapted for attachment to a piece of equipment using any one of a variety of fasteners which may establish a removable and/or rotatable connection to the equipment.

Abstract: An electronic scale integrally formed within the housing of a piece of office equipment increases a user's work space in a home or business environment. The piece of equipment may be a personal computer or one of its peripheral devices. A mailing system automatically computes postal and/or private carrier rates for items of mail based on weight signals derived from the electronic scale. Since the scale is integrated into the computer, all mailing tasks are performed at a user's desk using the least space possible. The system is performed in accordance with a computer program which steps a user through the postage-computing method using one or more interactive display screens.

Abstract: An electronic scale integrally formed within the housing of computer keyboard. The scale includes an item holder which may be removably attached to a weighing unit mounted in a clearance region located at a rear portion of the keyboard housing. In operation, the weighing unit outputs weight measurement signals along signal lines to one of a variety of processing and/or display devices so that, for example, postage for the item being weighed may be calculated. The electronic scale may also be incorporated within a housing having an attachment device for removably or permanently attaching the housing to any surface desired.

Abstract: A system for remotely modifying a mailing/shipping program at a customer terminal includes a mailing/shipping service provider terminal which communicates with the customer terminal over a communications path. The method includes selecting a feature of the mailing/shipping program to be modified, communicating a request for modification of the feature to the service provider terminal, and then communicating activation information to the customer terminal over a secure link to perform the requested modification. The modification may be the activation or de-activation of the program feature. According to another method, a data base of customer information at the service provider terminal is searched to identify customers who might be interested in a newly developed program feature or who have pre-purchased a rate table update service. An electronic mail message embodying the new feature or rate table is then automatically communicated to the terminals of the identified customers for installation.