U.S. patent application number 10/630497 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-01 for postal services method and system.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Business Machies Corporation. Invention is credited to Lubart, Barry P..
Application Number | 20050192913 10/630497 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34886388 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050192913 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lubart, Barry P. |
September 1, 2005 |
Postal services method and system
Abstract
A postal service is provided for routing mail objects such as an
envelope or a parcel to a designated person. A user registers a
pseudo name which is displayed on the mail object. The user also
enters one or more profiles into a system. Various mail services
may be set up by the profiles. Mail services include a follow me
service allowing a user to specify a different delivery address for
a date range, a mail delivery notification service, a vanity stamp
service, and a bulk mail service. Changes made in the profiles take
immediate effect. A payment method may be designated in a franking
profile.
Inventors: |
Lubart, Barry P.; (Hurley,
NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IBM CORPORATION
IPLAW IQ0A/40-3
1701 NORTH STREET
ENDICOTT
NY
13760
US
|
Assignee: |
International Business Machies
Corporation
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
34886388 |
Appl. No.: |
10/630497 |
Filed: |
July 29, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/406 |
International
Class: |
B65B 035/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for routing a mail object in a postal service to a
designated person, the method comprising the steps of: locating a
user profile from a registered pseudo name displayed on the mail
object; and executing one or more mail services as selected by a
user in the user profile.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the profile comprises
one or more sub profiles.
3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the one or more sub
profiles comprise a franking profile, a naming profile or a dynamic
mail function profile.
4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the franking profile
comprises a designated method of payment for the mail object.
5. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the naming profile
comprises name and address, and return name and address information
for the registered pseudo name.
6. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the dynamic mail
function profile comprises a list of mail services available to the
user of the registered pseudo name.
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the dynamic mail
service comprises a follow me mail service, a mail delivery
notification service, a vanity stamp service or a bulk mail
service.
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the follow me mail
service comprises modifying the naming profile of the registered
pseudo name to update information to enable redirection of the mail
object.
9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the mail notification
service comprises displaying the registered pseudo name in a return
field on the mail object and sending an automated electronic
delivery notice to an email address.
10. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the vanity stamp
service comprises registering a personalised image to be displayed
on the mail object.
11. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the bulk mail service
comprises not sending the mail object to a registered pseudo name
having bulk mail blocked.
12. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the profile and the
one or more sub profiles comprise a valid date range for when the
profile and the one or more sub profiles are active.
13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pseudo name is a
unique pseudo name for the user.
14. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pseudo name is
registered via an Internet registration service or a central
reservation facility.
15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pseudo name is
linked to the profile and the user accesses the linked profile to
modify the information contained in one or more sub profiles.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the modified profile
is updated in a data store and made available to the postal service
to be performed as specified by the user in the modified
profile.
17. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the franking profile
is accessed to determine a designated method of payment based on a
sender name or a receiver name in the naming profile.
18. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising reading the
registered pseudo name with a scanning system.
19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the scanning system
further comprises an optical character recognition scanner.
20. A postal service for routing a mail object to a designated
person, the service comprising: registering a psuedo name to be
displayed on the mail object and a user profile for selecting one
or more mail services; determining the registered pseudo name
displayed on the mail object to locate the user profile; and
executing one or more mail services as defined in the user
profile.
21. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 wherein the profile
comprises one or more sub profiles.
22. The postal service as claimed in claim 21 wherein the one or
more sub profiles comprise a franking profile, a naming profile or
a dynamic function profile.
23. The postal service as claimed in claim 22 wherein the franking
profile comprises a designated method of payment for the mail
object.
24. The postal service as claimed in claim 22 wherein the naming
profile comprises name and address, and return name and address
information for the registered pseudo name.
25. The postal service as claimed in claim 22 wherein the dynamic
mail function profile comprises a list of mail services available
to the user of the registered pseudo name.
26. The postal service as claimed in claim 25 wherein the dynamic
mail services comprises a follow me mail service, a mail delivery
notification service, a vanity stamp service or a bulk mail
service.
27. The postal service as claimed in claim 26, wherein the follow
me mail service comprises modifying the naming profile of the
registered pseudo name to update information to enable redirection
of the mail object.
28. The postal service as claimed in claim 26, wherein the mail
notification service comprises displaying the registered pseudo
name in a return field on the mail object and sending an automated
electronic delivery notice to an email address.
29. The postal service as claimed in claim 26 wherein the vanity
stamp service comprises registering a personalised image to be
displayed on the mail object.
30. The postal service as claimed in claim 26, wherein the bulk
mail service comprises not sending the mail object to a registered
pseudo name having bulk mail blocked.
31. The postal service as claimed in claim 21 wherein the profile
and the one or more sub profiles comprise a valid date range for
when the profile and the one or more sub profiles are active.
32. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pseudo
name is a unique pseudo name for the user.
33. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pseudo
name is registered via an Internet registration service or a
central reservation facility.
34. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pseudo
name is linked to the profile and the user accesses the linked
profile to modify the information contained in one or more sub
profiles.
35. The postal service as claimed in claim 34 wherein the modified
profile is updated in a data store and made available to the postal
service to be performed as specified by the user in the modified
profile.
36. The postal service as claimed in claim 23 wherein the franking
profile is accessed to determine a designated method of payment
based on a sender name or a receiver name in the naming
profile.
37. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 further comprising
reading the registered pseudo name with a scanning system.
38. The postal service as claimed in claim 37 wherein the scanning
system further comprises an optical character recognition
scanner.
39. The postal service as claimed in claim 20 wherein the pseudo
name is a unique pseudo name.
40. A system for routing a mail object in a postal service to a
designated person, the system comprising: means for registering a
pseudo name and selecting one or more mail services in a user
profile; means for determining a registered pseudo name to locate a
user profile associated with the registered pseudo name; and means
for executing the one or mail services in the user profile.
41. A computer program product directly loadable into the internal
memory of a digital computer, comprising software code portions for
performing the steps of: locating a user profile having a selected
mail service, from a registered pseudo name displayed on a mail
object; and executing the selected mail service.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to the field of Internet technologies
and in particular to providing postal services.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The type of postal service known today was introduced in
1837. Around this time the penny post began to be prepaid rather
than paid for on receipt and the cutting of letter boxes in doors
or the use of mail boxes outside a person's home meant that a
letter need no longer be handed to the addressee.
[0003] Although the postal service and the systems that are used to
sort and route mail have changed since these early times, the way
in which an envelope or a parcel is addressed i.e., an addressee
field, a return to field and a stamp and the functionality offered
by each of these fields have not developed through the years.
[0004] It is only in recent years that postal services have started
to make services available over the World Wide Web. For example, it
is now possible to buy stamps on-line and change an address if
moving home, but for the majority of services a user is still
required to travel to their local post office. Taking an example of
a mail holding service a user is a) required to travel to their
local post office and fill out a form detailing a date range in
which the mail should be held at a sorting office and not be
delivered to the addressee's premises and b) detail all the
individual names of the addressee's who may have mail delivered
whilst away. The latter is frustrating as an addressee may be known
by a variety of different names.
[0005] Once the mail holding form is completed the service can take
up to seven working days to activate. This time frame is
unacceptable if an addressee is suddenly required to go away with
less than seven working days notice.
[0006] Further problems arise when the addressee is travelling to
different locations and wishes to have their mail `follow them` The
addressee is required to fill out a form for each location to be
visited and the associated date range. This approach is time
consuming, requires the addressee to be organised, know where they
are going to be at a particular point in time and it may take the
postal service a number of days to activate the service.
[0007] People send emails and buy goods on-line over the Internet.
People usually use an email address as an identifier and supply a
vendor with credit card details to complete a transaction. People
are uneasy about giving away their personal information and prefer
some form of anonymity in a virtual environment.
[0008] One approach to solving this problem is offered by U.S.
patent application 2002/0103766 A1 in the name of Leber, C et al
describes a controlled purchase system dealing with virtual
purchase information. Leber, C et al enables a customer to make a
purchase and receive delivery of the purchased item without
providing personal and financial account information to the
merchant. A disadvantage of the Leber, C at al approach is that a
single address is associated with a `Veto` account and therefore
provides no ability to provide such services as redirection to an
alternative receiver and therefore can be described as `static`
service.
[0009] Another type of service that is offered is tracking an
object from the time that it is sent until it reaches its
destination. US patent US005869819A in the name of Knowles, C et al
provides an Internet based system and method for tracking objects
bearing URL bar code symbols. Knowles, C et al uses URL/ZIP encoded
bar code symbols on parcels and packages for use in a shipping
system. Each person is required to carry with them a portable
package delivery subsystem to interpret the encoded bar code
symbols. Although Knowles, C et al allows for a package to be
tracked and its destination to be changed on route Knowles, C et al
require the use of barcode tracking technologies and would require
the user to access the providers web site for the tracking
information. Further Knowles, C et al does not lend itself to
current mail addressing formats.
[0010] While the advent of instantaneous communication such as
email provides users with a high level of functionality and the
concept of sending an email being equivalent to the delivery of the
email, postal services are falling behind and do not provide the
functionality and flexibility that email and other forms of
communication offer.
[0011] Therefore there is a need within the art for redefining
postal services to enable a postal service to execute a number of
services as defined by a user with the dynamic functionality
offered by other forms of instantaneous communication.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] Viewed from a first aspect the present invention provides a
method for routing a mail object in a postal service to a
designated person, the method comprising the steps of: locating a
user profile from a registered pseudo name displayed on the mail
object; and executing one or more mail services as selected by a
user in the user profile.
[0013] A user of a mail service is able to register a pseudo name
and place the registered pseudo name on a mail object such as an
envelope or a parcel. The pseudo name is used as a unique key to
access an associated user profile. The user is able to set up one
or more of mail services via a plurality of profiles and the mail
services are executed once the mail object is received and sorted
at a sorting office or a distribution centre.
[0014] The user is able to access a plurality of mail services such
as `follow me`. The `follow me` mail service allows a user to
define where mail objects that are addressed to a registered pseudo
name are delivered. A user can modify their profile at any time and
the modifications have immediate effect. A user does not have to
wait several days for the service to be executed.
[0015] In one embodiment the present invention provides a method
wherein a profile comprises one or more sub profiles for example a
franking profile comprising a method of payment for a mail object,
a naming profile comprising name and address information and a
dynamic mail function profile comprising a list of mail services
available to a user.
[0016] A mail service may comprise a follow me mail service, a mail
delivery notification service, a vanity stamp service and a bulk
mail service. Hence a user is able to take advantage of many postal
services that can be accessed and modified dynamically.
[0017] The profiles, sub profiles and mail services are not
necessary limited to the sub profiles and mail services defined
here. It will be appreciated that further profiles, sub profiles
and mail services could be implemented without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
[0018] Advantageously the invention allows for a user of a
registered pseudo name to update user specific information to
enable the redirection of a mail object. Thus a mail object is able
to follow the addressee to wherever is specified in the
profile.
[0019] A further advantage provided by the present invention allows
the user of the mail notification service to display a registered
pseudo name in a return field on a mail object and specify an
automated electronic delivery notice to an email address. When a
mail object is delivered to its destination a user will be notified
by an email to a specified email account.
[0020] In another embodiment a vanity stamp service is used to
register a personalised image to be displayed on a mail object. A
user is able to decide which graphic they would like displayed on
the mail object instead of a standard stamp. The graphic could be a
picture of a family pet, a picture of a holiday destination or a
picture of the family, to name but a few examples.
[0021] A user is also able to block unwanted mail by accessing the
bulk mail service thus, only sending a mail object to registered
pseudo names who do not have bulk mail blocked. The bulk mail
service allows a user to block unwanted mail is an easy manner. It
will no longer be necessary to sift through several items of post
to find the mail objects that are relevant to the addressee.
[0022] Each profile and one or more sub profile comprise a valid
date range defining when the profile and one or more sub profiles
are active and therefore a user can set a date range for a mail
service and after expiry of the date range the mail service will
revert back to a predate range profile.
[0023] Viewed from a second aspect the present invention provides a
postal service for routing a mail object to a designated person,
comprising a registration service for registering a psuedo name to
be displayed on the mail object and a user profile for selecting
one or more mail services; a sorting service for determining the
registered psuedo name displayed on the mail object to locate the
user profile; and executing one or more mail services as defined in
the user profile.
[0024] Viewed from a third aspect the present invention provides a
system for routing a mail object in a postal service to a
designated person, the system comprising: means for registering a
pseudo name and selecting one or more mail services in a user
profile; means for determining a registered pseudo name to locate a
user profile associated with the registered pseudo name; and means
for executing one or mail services defined in the user profile.
[0025] Viewed from a fourth aspect the present invention provides a
computer program product directly loadable into the internal memory
of a digital computer, comprising software code portions for
performing the steps of any one of claim 1 to claim 20 when said
product is run on a computer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The invention will now be described by way of example only,
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0027] FIG. 1, illustrates the operational steps that the present
invention performs, according to a preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
[0028] FIGS. 2a-2c, illustrate a plurality of pseudo names,
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 3a, illustrates a current envelope and addressing
format, as is well known in the art;
[0030] FIG. 3b illustrates envelope formatting according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 4, illustrates a pseudo name profile structure and it's
corresponding naming profile structure, according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention; and
[0032] FIG. 5, illustrates a franking profile, according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Today, a mail object has three areas of content:
[0034] a) a mandatory addressee (name/address) field
[0035] b) an optional return name/address field
[0036] c) a mandatory stamp
[0037] The invention enables each of the above fields to provide
enhanced functionality to a sender and a receiver of a mail object.
A mail object is defined as an envelope, a parcel, a package or any
other object that is suitable for sending through a postal service
or a delivery service.
[0038] In the mandatory addressee (name/address) field and the
optional return name/address field, a sender may specify a pseudo
name in place of either or both fields. In place of the mandatory
stamp, a sender may leave the field empty (i.e., without a stamp)
and set up alternative billing arrangements to pay for the
carriage. In addition, the sender may place an additional
designation on the envelope, which may result in additional mail
services to the sender.
[0039] To access the redefined postal service firstly, a user must
register a pseudo name. A pseudo name is a unique identifier that
identifies a user for example, an anagram of a name, a combination
of letters, a collection of numbers and letters, an email address,
the name of a pet or a user's legal name.
[0040] Each pseudo name is associated with a profile and the
profile comprises one or more sub profiles. A sub profile may
define a franking profile, a mail blocking profile, and a personal
preferences profile depending on the type of sub profile selected.
A sub profile comprises a plurality of elements for example a users
name, a home address, a current delivery address, an alternate
delivery name and address and an alternate pseudo name. The profile
and sub profiles contain a date range within which they are active.
The sum of these profiles constitute a series of mail services
available to a user of the registered pseudo name.
[0041] A pseudo name can be registered, profiles created and
modified by using an Internet based service or through any
designated central reservation management facility.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, at step 100 a user of the postal
service (a user is defined as a person, a business or other legal
entity) registers a pseudo name for example, `tracom` and providing
no other user has registered the pseudo name `tracom`, the user
creates their individual profile and configures one or more sub
profiles for example, a naming profile and a franking profile to
define one or more mail services at step 110.
[0043] Once created a user can access their profiles associated
with their registered pseudo name at any time and modify their
profile as desired. This enables future mail objects to be
delivered as directed by one or more modified profiles for example,
`tracom` s' profile may state that today all mail objects should be
delivered to IBM Hursley. `tracom` maybe in Chicago on business for
the next 10 days and therefore wishes to have all mail objects
redirected to IBM Chicago for the next 10 days.
[0044] To enable the redirection of all `tracom` s' mail objects,
`tracom` modifies a dated address profile and updates the `send to`
address field to state for the next 10 days all mail objects are to
be sent to IBM Chicago.
[0045] Each profile has a designated time frame in which it is
active and after the designated time frame has expired a user is
required to access the appropriate profile to reactivate a
particular mail service. As soon a modified profile is saved the
changes are immediately updated in a data store which is replicated
throughout a number of storage facilities to provide immediate
effect. Therefore a user does not have to wait a number of days for
the service to be activated. The modifications can be targeted to a
unique mail object or to all mail objects of the pseudo name
`tracom`.
[0046] The profile and sub profiles define one or more mail
services. A mail service may be defined by a dynamic mail function
pseudo name. Unlike the pseudo name `tracom` the dynamic mail
function pseudo name does not have to be a unique pseudo name. The
same pseudo name can be used by different users to imply the same
or a different mail service for example, the registered pseudo name
`tracom` may use the pseudo name `redirect` to imply a redirection
service and the registered pseudo name `Hadley` may also use the
pseudo name `redirect` to imply a redirection mail service or a
mail holding service.
[0047] Once the user has completed steps 100 to 110, the registered
pseudo name is displayed (by means of writing, printing or other
scribing means) on the mail object at step 120 and sent to the post
office or delivery service through the normal delivery
channels.
[0048] The mail object is received at a sorting office
(distribution centre) or a point of entry (post office) and the
mail object is scanned. A scanning system involves the manual
process of sorting mail objects and embodies technologies such as
optical character recognition, bar code reading, and video coding
to sort small packages. An optical character recognition scanner
scans the address and a digital camera takes a picture of each mail
object from several angles and a computer matches the address with
the national address database.
[0049] When the optical character recognition scanner (this process
can also be carried out manually by a person) detects a pseudo name
displayed on a mail object, the pseudo name is interrogated at step
130 to determine the profile associated with the pseudo name. The
scanner detects either a pseudo return name and/or a pseudo
addressee name and/or a dynamic mail function field. If a pseudo
addressee field is present, the scanning system accesses the
addressee profile which is date matched and charges the addressee
or sender in case of second class mail, a postal service defined
fee.
[0050] The destination address is determined (date matched) and the
mail service which may include additional addressee defined mail
services are carried out. Some mail services may carry additional
fees, and these are charged using the addressee's or sender's
franking profile as appropriate to the mail service. Upon
resolution, the `to address` and delivery date range are printed on
a label (or directly onto the mail object) which is attached to the
mail for delivery.
[0051] The registered pseudo name (either return or addressee) acts
as a key identifier accessing the corresponding profile at step
140. If a pseudo return name is present the system checks for the
presence of one or more dynamic mail functions placed on the
envelope by the sender. If there dynamic mail functions designated
on the mail object the dynamic mail function profile linked with
the pseudo function name is accessed and the mail service is
scheduled if active at step 150.
[0052] A dynamic mail function may comprise, but is not limited to,
one of the following mail services:
[0053] Follow me mail. A mailing address is determined using a
follow-me profile. A user of a registered pseudo name can change
their address to another person or pseudo name, a vacation address,
a hold mail service within a date range, restrict mail delivery to
certain listed names, or filter mail from certain names to be
delivered to an alternate address.
[0054] Mail delivery notification. This service, provided today by
special delivery, uses a pseudo name in the return address field
combined with a pseudo function of `mail delivery notification`. A
user can specify an automated electronic delivery notice to a given
Internet address to be generated when a particular piece of mail
has been scheduled for delivery or actually delivered. The user can
also specify a physical notice to be generated and mailed to a
designated pseudo name. This provides an additional advantage of
multiple party and legal auditing of mail delivery. The addressee
can also specify mail delivery notice for received mail. In this
case the addressee receives an e-mail notification of mail received
based on the e-mail address in the addressee's pseudo profile.
[0055] Vanity stamps. Using a registered pseudo name the user can
register a personalised image to be printed as a stamp on the
envelope. This service is accessed when a sending field dictates
the service is desired and the user's franking profile contains a
link to a stamp image to be used. The `stamp` is printed on the
envelope.
[0056] Bulk mail. Unaddressed bulk mailing is sent with a pseudo
function of `bulk mail: distributed to a list. The user's profile
is accessed to determine which particular bulk mail service is
requested. This can include automated bulk addressing and franking,
thus sending only to customers that do not have bulk mail blocked.
Blocking can be specified for second class mail and standard
mail.
[0057] The scanning system scans from a supplied list of users and
filters from the supplied list all eligible receivers (e.g., junk
mail not blocked when a pseudo name is found in the supplied list),
and addresses each piece of bulk mail to the eligible
recipients.
[0058] Optionally, if a copy service is activated, the service is
routed to an associated service which will copy and distribute
mailings from a supplied (hard copy or electronic) source. The
sender of the bulk mail pays for the current franking charge and
the follow-me service charges by accessing a franking profile of
the sender and a using fine grained transaction protocol. Bulk
mailings which originate electronically can also by Faxed or
e-mailed where the recipients follow-me profile allows and the
senders pseudo function profile allows.
[0059] Postage due. When a mail object is received with postage
due, the user may, via the user's pseudo name profile, indicate
that postage due mail is to be franked automatically and can
therefore be delivered to the addressee's address without
delay.
[0060] Mail tracking service. By using a pseudo name in the
addressee field and a function code of `mail tracking`, a sender
can receive automatically generated Internet messages which
describe the stage of mail delivery for any particular piece of
mail. It is triggered by a pseudo function `mail tracking`.
Tracking is also available to the addressee when enabled by the
sender. Tracking notification can also be accomplished by
interrogating the mail tracking service directly rather than
receiving an Internet mail notice.
[0061] Resolve address service. A mail or a package distributor can
access a pseudo name database to specify a pseudo name and receive
a location in return. An Internet service can input a pseudo name
and receive an e-mail address if one is provided in the pseudo
profile. The registered pseudo name owner can block this resolution
service.
[0062] FIG. 2a depicts the structure of a pseudo name as displayed
in an addressee field on a mail object. A pseudo name is surrounded
by // (denoting the start of a pseudo name) followed by a letter of
the alphabet, in this instance the letter N is used to denote an
addressee pseudo name, followed by a colon. The pseudo name is
followed by // to denote the end of the entry i.e. //N:// 200.
Examples of addressee pseudo name formatting are //N: Tracom//,//n:
tracom// 205 or //n: IBM PC sales// 210.
[0063] Turning to FIG. 2b, the structure of a `return to` pseudo
name is shown. Again the format is similar to the format
illustrated in FIG. 2a except the `return to` pseudo name is
denoted by the letter `R` or `r` 215. The examples shown are //R:
Barry Lubart// 220 or //r: My favourite Uncle/ 225, illustrating
the range of pseudo names that can be used. It is further possible
to use a URL as a registered pseudo name for example
`www.tracom.co.uk` and is placed on the envelope in a pseudo name
field.
[0064] The naming structure as depicted in FIGS. 2a and 2b further
provides for a target country designation, which allows a mail
object to be routed to a designated person in another country. The
format is similar to the formats described in FIGS. 2a and 2b
except a `//country//` designation is prefixed to the pseudo name
field. An example of this type of formatting is //country//R:
pseudo name or //country//N: pseudo name. If a pseudo name
displayed on a mail object is not prefixed with a target country
designation, the sender's pseudo name country and the receiver's
target country are taken to be the same. For example if the sender
is sending a mail object from within the U.K and the receiver
pseudo name does not comprise a target country designation, it is
presumed that the receiver is located in the UK.
[0065] Lastly, referring to FIG. 2c, the structure of a dynamic
mail function is illustrated. The structure is identical to those
shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, except a dynamic mail function is denoted
by the letter F or f. In this instance the mail services specified
are //F: vanity stamps// or //f: notify on delivery// 230.
[0066] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that
the above profiles can be modified to comprise other pseudo names,
identifying letters, identifying words, country designations and
mail services, without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
[0067] Turning to FIG. 3a, an envelope 300 is shown with a current
addressing format. An addressed envelope 300 comprises a name and
address (addressee) field 310 informing the postal service who to
deliver the envelope to, a stamp 315 to show that the carriage has
been paid and an optional return to field 305 informing the postal
service whom to send the envelope 300 back to if the envelope 300
is unable to be delivered.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 3b, it can be seen how a current
addressing format can be mapped to incorporate the present
invention. An envelope 300 displays a pseudo name 325 and 335 and
the type of mail service 340 to be carried out displayed on the
envelope 300. It is important to note that the two formats can be
intermixed and one format does not make the other format
obsolete.
[0069] A `//R: pseudo name//` 325 is used in place of the return
name and return address 320 and a `//N pseudo name//` 335 is
displayed on the envelope 300 instead of the name and address of
whom to send the mail object to.
[0070] A dynamic mail function `//F: mail service//` 340 may be
displayed on the envelope 300 informing the post office or delivery
service which mail service to perform according to the details
contained within the profile set up by the user.
[0071] The stamp field 315 may be left blank and if neither field
shows a pseudo name, or upon resolution via profile indication,
neither pseudo name is willing to pay for the mail, then the mail
is considered as not having a stamp and normal postal postage due
procedures apply for unstamped mail.
[0072] FIG. 4 depicts an envelope 300 and pseudo name formatting
325, 335 and 340. The scanning system scans each of the pseudo
names and using the key identifier accesses the appropriate
profile.
[0073] Each pseudo name is linked to a profile 400 for example, a
naming psuedo name 325 (addressee and return), is linked to a
naming profile 425, a mail service pseudo name 340 is linked to a
dynamic service profile 430 and the stamp field 315 is linked to a
franking profile 435.
[0074] The naming profile 425 comprises details such as the user's
name, addressee details and return to address details etc. Using an
example, a mail object addressed with a //N: tracom// 335, is
received by a sorting office and a scanning system scans //N:
tracom// and locates the associated naming profile 425 to determine
where the envelope 300 is to be delivered to. The same process for
//R: Hadley// 325 is carried out to determine to whom or to where
the envelope 300 should be return too if undelivered.
[0075] Envelope 300 comprises an optional //F: Dynamic mail
function// 340 designation, again this is scanned to locate the
associated dynamic function profile 430 in `Hadley`s profile, which
details which mail service the user has requested to be carried out
for example notify when delivered.
[0076] Lastly, if a stamp 315 has not been placed on the envelope
300, the scanning system accesses the associated franking profile
435 (again associated with Hadley). The franking profile 435
details the method of payment to be used at a particular time as
configured by the user. The payment method can be by credit card,
charge card, debit card or by redirecting the mail object to
another person for the recipient to pay.
[0077] The presence of `tracom` 335 on the envelope may indicate
that a follow-me mail service is active. In this instance, for
first class mail tracom's franking profile 435 is accessed and
charged a small follow-me service fee.
[0078] In another example if a mail object is sent as second class
mail Hadley's franking profile is accessed and charged the small
additional fee for use of the follow-me service.
[0079] Each time a profile is accessed by the scanning system
various security checks are performed before a dynamic service can
be carried out. The scanning system checks whether the pseudo name
is a registered pseudo name and whether the date range applicable
to the registered pseudo name is applicable 440. If a pseudo name
is not a registered pseudo name the dynamic service can not be
performed.
[0080] Similar checks are carried out for a dynamic mail function
profile 430 and a franking profile 435. The scanning system
performs a check to determine whether the dynamic mail function has
a valid date range 445 and if it is a valid mail service offered by
the postal service.
[0081] Further security checks are performed with regards to the
franking profile 435 to determine if a password is a valid
password, a payment method is a valid payment method 450, another
registered pseudo name is an authorised registered pseudo name for
the redirection of payment etc.
[0082] Rather than using the traditional method of paying for a
stamp for the carriage of the mail object, a user can set up a
franking profile 435 to detail various methods of payment. The user
can define a list of other registered pseudo names whom the user
will accept charges from. An example of this is shown in FIG.
5.
[0083] FIG. 5 illustrates two franking profiles one for pseudo name
`//My son at university//` 500 and the other for `//Dad//` 535. For
illustration purposes `//My son at University//` 500 is a
registered pseudo name and is the son of another registered pseudo
name `//Dad//` 535.
[0084] Whenever `//My son at univeristy//` 500 sends a mail object
(to anyone) the pseudo name is placed in the return field i.e.
`//R: My son at University//` 405 and the pseudo name profile
designates that //dad// will pay for any franking fee.
[0085] On this occasion `//My son at university//` does not place a
stamp 315 on the mail object. The scanning system detects the use
of the pseudo name `//My son at University// 500` and because there
is no stamp 315 on the envelope 300, the profile 515 for `//My son
at university//` 500 is accessed to find the franking profile 505
for mail sending charges.
[0086] In this case `//My son at University//'s` 500 franking
profile 505 indicates that charges are redirected to (paid by)
//Dad//` 535.
[0087] `//Dad//'s` 535 profile 520 is accessed to locate an
associated franking profile 510. The franking profile 510 contains
an accept list 560 which comprises a list 525 of registered pseudo
names that //Dad// 535 will accept charges for.
[0088] The accept list 560 is examined to determine if `//My son at
University//` 500 is authorised to redirect franking to //Dad//'s
profile 510. If passwords 545, 550 and a date range 555 allow this
charging, `//Dad//'s` franking profile 510 is again accessed to
determine how charging is to occur. In the example in FIG. 5, the
method of payment specified is via a credit card 530, but the
payment could equally be by a debit card, a postal service customer
account with the user being billed on a monthly basis or by a mail
service `top up` card with the `top up` card containing a
particular amount of monetary credit. Amounts available are
refreshed whenever the minimum threshold amount is reached.
[0089] Depending on the service performed, the sender's franking
profile or the recipient's franking profile is accessed to register
the mail transaction. A defined charge is registered using a
fine-grained transaction technique, similar to motorway toll
charging. A predefined amount may be kept in an account for
charging purposes. When a charge occurs it is registered but credit
card activity only occurs when a defined minimum is reached by a
charge. At that time the credit card is charged with a replenish
amount, which updates the available amount in the user's franking
profile.
[0090] Thus an additional charge for use of a pseudo name service
can be accrued and billed as each use of a service requires.
* * * * *