Patents by Inventor Michael J. Amato

Michael J. Amato has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20250165917
    Abstract: Systems and methods for digitally accompanied delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has supporting digital data, such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is scanned, read, and/or decoded, and the supporting digital data is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating or including at least part of the supporting digital data. The notification may include information about the enroute status of the delivery item. The recipient may access the delivery item's supporting digital data, e.g., as included directly in the notification or via a link provided with the notification, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2025
    Publication date: May 22, 2025
    Inventor: Michael J. AMATO
  • Patent number: 12205071
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has an associated digital resource(s), such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is scanned, read, or decoded, and the associated digital resource is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is enroute to the recipient and also indicating the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the digital resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20240046198
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has an associated digital resource(s), such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is scanned, read, or decoded, and the associated digital resource is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is enroute to the recipient and also indicating the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the digital resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Michael J. AMATO
  • Patent number: 11797917
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has an associated digital resource(s), such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is read, and the associated digital resource is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is enroute to the recipient and also indicating the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the digital resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20230091390
    Abstract: A system and method of verifying the identity of a user or registrant. The user or registrant provides identification information and registration information. The identification information may be a visual representation of an identifying item associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification information may be a visual representation of a government issued identity. An identification module verifies the identification information and compares the verified identification information to the registration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato, William G. Ackerman, Robert E. Dixon, Daniel W. Smith, Gregory Crabb, Paul Anthony Bernicchi
  • Publication number: 20230041705
    Abstract: Systems and methods for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has an associated digital resource(s), such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is read, and the associated digital resource is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is enroute to the recipient and also indicating the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the digital resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 11508024
    Abstract: A system and method of verifying the identity of a user or registrant. The user or registrant provides identification information and registration information. The identification information may be a visual representation of an identifying item associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification information may be a visual representation of a government issued identity. An identification module verifies the identification information and compares the verified identification information to the registration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato, William G. Ackerman, Robert E. Dixon, Daniel W. Smith, Gregory Crabb, Paul Anthony Bernicchi
  • Patent number: 11468399
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items such as mail. The sender of a delivery item creates custom electronic text, files, images, web pages, or other electronic/digital resource(s) to provide to the recipient. A postage meter, a server of the delivery service, or the like creates a digital indicia that includes the digital resource, associating it with the delivery item. When the delivery item is processed by the delivery service equipment during transit, the digital indicia is read and the associated digital resource is are identified therefrom. The delivery service equipment transmits, to the delivery item recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is en-route to the recipient, and also provides the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 11226640
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for use in delivery of items to a storage unit. The storage unit can include one or several storage receptacles and a control unit that controls and monitors the status of the one or several storage receptacles. The storage unit may be included in a storage unit system that can include one or several storage units and a central control unit. The central control unit can communicate with the one or several storage units, and can receive status and availability updates from the one or several storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20210241407
    Abstract: A system and method of verifying the identity of a user or registrant. The user or registrant provides identification information and registration information. The identification information may be a visual representation of an identifying item associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification information may be a visual representation of a government issued identity. An identification module verifies the identification information and compares the verified identification information to the registration information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato, William G. Ackerman, Robert E. Dixon, Daniel W. Smith, Gregory Crabb, Paul Anthony Bernicchi
  • Patent number: 10991061
    Abstract: A system and method of verifying the identity of a user or registrant. The user or registrant provides identification information and registration information. The identification information may be a visual representation of an identifying item associated with location information. In some embodiments, the identification information may be a visual representation of a government issued identity. An identification module verifies the identification information and compares the verified identification information to the registration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato, William G. Ackerman, Robert E. Dixon, Daniel W. Smith, Gregory Crabb, Paul Anthony Bernicchi
  • Patent number: 10920470
    Abstract: A lock and method of locking a lockable volume is described. The lock may be located on a door of a lockable volume, such as a locker configured to hold an item. The lock may comprise a post and a cam, the cam having an opening corresponding to the size and shape of the post. The cam is rotatable about an axis, wherein the rotation of the cam about the axis releasably secures the post within the opening, thereby locking the door to which the post is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William Albert Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20190354931
    Abstract: A system and method for enhancing digitally informed delivery of delivery items such as mail. The sender of a delivery item creates custom electronic text, files, images, web pages, or other electronic/digital resource(s) to provide to the recipient. A postage meter, a server of the delivery service, or the like creates a digital indicia that includes the digital resource, associating it with the delivery item. When the delivery item is processed by the delivery service equipment during transit, the digital indicia is read and the associated digital resource is are identified therefrom. The delivery service equipment transmits, to the delivery item recipient, an electronic notification indicating that the delivery item is en-route to the recipient, and also provides the associated digital resource. The recipient can then access the resource, e.g., the custom text, files, images or web pages associated with the delivery item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 10346891
    Abstract: A method and system is provided for notifying an addressee about a mail piece having an address. The system captures an image of the mail piece and determines a communication channel for the addressee using the address from the mail piece. The system provides the addressee with the image via the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
    Inventor: Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 10281931
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for use in delivery of items to a storage unit. The storage unit can include one or several storage receptacles and a control unit that controls and monitors the status of the one or several storage receptacles. The storage unit may be included in a storage unit system that can include one or several storage units and a central control unit. The central control unit can communicate with the one or several storage units, and can receive status and availability updates from the one or several storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20190112851
    Abstract: A lock and method of locking a lockable volume is described. The lock may be located on a door of a lockable volume, such as a locker configured to hold an item. The lock may comprise a post and a cam, the cam having an opening corresponding to the size and shape of the post. The cam is rotatable about an axis, wherein the rotation of the cam about the axis releasably secures the post within the opening, thereby locking the door to which the post is attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William Albert Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 10184277
    Abstract: A lock and method of locking a lockable volume is described. The lock may be located on a door of a lockable volume, such as a locker configured to hold an item. The lock may comprise a post and a cam, the cam having an opening corresponding to the size and shape of the post. The cam is rotatable about an axis, wherein the rotation of the cam about the axis releasably secures the post within the opening, thereby locking the door to which the post is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William Albert Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20180210468
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for use in delivery of items to a storage unit. The storage unit can include one or several storage receptacles and a control unit that controls and monitors the status of the one or several storage receptacles. The storage unit may be included in a storage unit system that can include one or several storage units and a central control unit. The central control unit can communicate with the one or several storage units, and can receive status and availability updates from the one or several storage units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Publication number: 20180202204
    Abstract: A lock and method of locking a lockable volume is described. The lock may be located on a door of a lockable volume, such as a locker configured to hold an item. The lock may comprise a post and a cam, the cam having an opening corresponding to the size and shape of the post. The cam is rotatable about an axis, wherein the rotation of the cam about the axis releasably secures the post within the opening, thereby locking the door to which the post is attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William Albert Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato
  • Patent number: 9958877
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for use in delivery of items to a storage unit. The storage unit can include one or several storage receptacles and a control unit that controls and monitors the status of the one or several storage receptacles. The storage unit may be included in a storage unit system that can include one or several storage units and a central control unit. The central control unit can communicate with the one or several storage units, and can receive status and availability updates from the one or several storage units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: United States Postal Service
    Inventors: Donald E. Irwin, Nan K. McKenzie, William A. Tartal, Victoria K. Stephen, Michael J. Amato