Abstract: A voting indicium product including a human-readable portion to represent a unique vote identification element for a specific ballot choice by a specific voter. The voting indicium further including a bar-coded portion to represent the unique vote identification element for the specific ballot choice by the specific voter, the bar-coded portion encoding at least the unique vote identification element.

Abstract: Portable transaction terminal includes a processor, an imager configured to produce a digital image of a payment card using a source of continuous light, the imager being operably linked to the processor, and an image recognition module that performs image recognition and that is configured to produce or extract data for a transaction, from the digital image of the payment card, using the processor. The portable transaction terminal is configured to enter the data for the transaction that is produced or extracted, and wherein the data for the transaction is communicated and processed.

Abstract: A system and method of postal-charge assessment facilitates the production of mail pieces exhibiting a collective postage-fee payment code issued by a postage vendor and authorized to be applied to a plurality of mail pieces in response to a postal-customer request. There is associated with the process no inherent limit on the number of mail pieces exhibiting the collective postage-fee payment code that the requesting postal customer can cause to have produced; the postal customer is, instead, assessed a postal charged only for those mail pieces exhibiting the postage-fee payment code that are detected in the postal system. The requesting postal customer has the option of associating limitations with the collective postage-fee payment code such as (i) restrictions on authorized delivery addresses, (ii) a postage expiration date and (iii) a limit of the quantity of mail pieces exhibiting the postage-fee payment code that can be introduced into the postal system.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving and storing data about a unique postal indicium, the data being received from a printing location after printing of the postal indicium and determining whether scanned information about the postal indicium received from a reading location matches the stored data, is a duplicate, or is otherwise suspected of being fraudulent. The system and method may include sending instructions to the reading location on how to handle a mail piece to which the postal indicium is affixed; and sending information to an automatic revenue protection processing system, if the scanned information about the postal indicium does not match the stored data about the postal indicium, is a duplicate, or is otherwise suspected of being fraudulent.

Abstract: A method for verifying uniquely identifiable postal indicia in a closed loop system is provided. An embodiment of the method may include scanning a mail piece for human-readable and machine-readable images in a single image, including a postal indicium representing postage-related information associated with the mail piece, the postal indicium being uniquely identifiable and having human-readable and machine-readable portions. The method may further include sending information on the postal indicium to a point of automation for comparison against stored data on the postal indicium to determine whether the postal indicium is valid; receiving an instruction on how to handle the mail piece at the mail facility; and processing the mail piece in accordance with the received instructions.

Abstract: A method for performing automatic account adjustment including performing automatic account adjustment processing on an account associated with a source of a unique postal indicium, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed. The method may also include outputting information to report results of the automatic account adjustment processing, if scanned information about the unique postal indicium indicates an incorrect tariff associated with a mail piece to which the unique postal indicium is affixed.

Abstract: A system and method for processing business reply mail is provided wherein a stream of mail including business reply mail pieces is received at a mail processing facility. The business reply mail pieces are identified in the stream of mail and information from the business reply mail pieces is extracted. This information may be stored in electronic form and sent to the originating entity of the business reply mail piece. The physical business reply mail piece need not be delivered to the originating entity because the information contained thereon may be sent electronically.

Abstract: Provided is a method of reducing postal revenue losses associated with the processing and delivery of international mail pieces. Algorithmically-resolved image data associated with a mail piece is compared to international-mail-services postage data and a determination is rendered, based on the comparison, as to whether any postage indicated as paid is sufficient to further process the mail piece in accordance with the level of delivery service requested. In various aspects, an attempt to algorithmically ascertain the identity of the sender is undertaken for purposes of automated charge assessment relative to a mail piece for which it is determined that insufficient postage has been tendered. In accordance with alternative aspects, if the sender identity cannot be ascertained, the mail piece is variously (i) rejected for manual handling or (ii) routed for automated sortation and delivery in accordance with a “downgraded” delivery service level for which the amount paid is adequate.

Abstract: A portable transaction terminal has an imager and image recognition system. The image recognition system produces information from image data for transaction processing. An optional location system enables obtaining and recording data corresponding to the location of the terminal at the time a transaction is processed.

Abstract: A method to reduce lost postal revenue by identifying and sorting a mail piece by determining whether algorithmically-resolved image data corresponding to the mail piece indicates that the mail piece is business reply mail. The method is facilitated in part by maintaining data related to each business reply customer account. The business reply customer data is consulted and compared to a predetermined set of criteria to ascertain if the possibly incomplete, incorrect, or ambiguous data discernable from the captured image of the mail piece is indicative of, at a minimum, that the mail piece is business reply for the purpose of sortation to an appropriate business reply collection point, and in addition, that a high-confidence match to a customer account can be obtained for the purpose of automated charge assessment. Machine-readable sortation signals are generated in accordance with the most refined level of sortation indicated by the consultation.