Abstract: A system for managing postage funds that includes a data center computer system for authorizing and accounting for postage fund downloads for one or more customers, a customer funds repository in electronic communication with the data center computer system, and a plurality of postage meters located at a customer site remote from the data center computer system. The postage meters may selectively request and receive or return postage funds that have been previously downloaded to the customer funds repository from the data center computer system. Also, a method of securely transferring a first amount of postage funds from a first postage meter to a second postage meter in a side load transaction.

Abstract: A multiple media feed system includes an adjustable media singulator feeder that is adjustable to feed from a stack of media items a selectable number of media items to form a group of overlapped media items. A thickness sensor is positioned to measure the thickness of media items fed from the stack of media items. A controllable media feeder is positioned to engage and feed media items fed from said stack of media items by the adjustable media singulator feeder. The controllable media feeder is controlled to feed media items when the thickness sensor has determined that the thickness of the selected number of media items is at the controllable media feeder. A method of feeding a selected number of media items from a stack of media items includes providing an adjustable singulating mechanism positioned to feed media items from the stack of media items. The drag force on the top media item in the stack of media items is measured.

Abstract: A method and system that increases the throughput of a mailing machine by continuously computing indicia prior to and during mail processing is provided. The indicia generation process is divided into two distinct parts, cryptographic calculation and funds committal/printing. Indicium data are continuously computed, asynchronously with the printing of the indicia, and stored in a buffer until needed. This enables several indicium data to be computed and stored prior to processing of a mail piece by the mailing machine. Prior to printing an indicium on a mail piece, the funds for the indicium are accounted for by updating the registers of the mailing machine. Since a number of indicium data may be pre-computed prior to the start of processing the mail through the mailing machine, the throughput of the mailing machine can be increased.