Claims
- 1. A postage printing system, comprising:
a transport device for feeding an envelope in a path of travel through the postage printing system; a printer capable of printing a postal indicia and an ad slogan on the envelope; a control system in operative communication with the transport device and the printer, the control system for:
obtaining an indication from an operator of a selected print location for the ad slogan; and determining if the postal indicia and the ad slogan may be printed in a single pass through the postage printing system.
- 2. The postage printing system of claim 1, wherein:
if the control system determines that the postal indicia and the ad slogan cannot be printed in a single pass through the postage printing system, then the postal indicia is printed in one pass through the postage printing system and the ad slogan is printed in another pass through the postage printing system.
- 3. The postage printing system of claim 2, wherein:
before the another pass through the postage printing system, the control system provides the operator with an indication of an anticipated orientation of feeding the envelope through the postage printing system based upon the selected print location.
- 4. The postage printing system of claim 3, further comprising:
a scanner for detecting a distinguishing characteristic of the envelope; and wherein:
during the another pass, the control system is further for: using the scanner to determine a fed orientation of the envelope;
comparing the fed orientation with the anticipated orientation; and bypassing printing of the ad slogan if the fed orientation and the anticipated orientation do not correspond.
- 5. The postage printing system of claim 4, wherein:
the one pass occurs prior to the another pass; and the distinguishing characteristic of the envelope is the postal indicia.
- 6. The postage printing system of claim 5, wherein:
the postal indicia is printed along a top edge of the envelope; and if the selected print location is along a bottom edge of the envelope, then the control system prints the ad slogan upside down so that the postal indicia and the ad slogan both read right side up when the envelope is viewed properly.
- 7. A method of operating a postage printing system, the method comprising the step(s) of:
feeding an envelope in a path of travel through the postage printing system; printing a postal indicia and an ad slogan on the envelope; obtaining an indication from an operator of a selected print location for the ad slogan; and determining if the postal indicia and the ad slogan may be printed in a single pass through the postage printing system.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein:
if the the postal indicia and the ad slogan cannot be printed in a single pass through the postage printing system, then the postal indicia is printed in one pass through the postage printing system and the ad slogan is printed in another pass through the postage printing system.
- 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step(s) of:
before the another pass through the postage printing system, providing the operator with an indication of an anticipated orientation of feeding the envelope through the postage printing system based upon the selected print location.
- 10. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step(s) of:
detecting a distinguishing characteristic of the envelope; and during the another pass:
determining a fed orientation of the envelope based on detecting the distinguishing characteristic; comparing the fed orientation with the anticipated orientation; and bypassing printing of the ad slogan if the fed orientation and the anticipated orientation do not correspond.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein:
the one pass occurs prior to the another pass; and the distinguishing characteristic of the envelope is the postal indicia.
- 12. The method of claim 5, wherein:
the postal indicia is printed along a top edge of the envelope; and further comprising the step(s) of: if the selected print location is along a bottom edge of the envelope, printing the ad slogan upside down so that the postal indicia and the ad slogan both read right side up when the envelope is viewed properly.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to the following co-pending applications filed on Dec. 30, 1998 and commonly assigned to the assignee of this application: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/224,256, entitled POSTAGE PRINTING SYSTEM HAVING SUBSIDIZED PRINTING OF THIRD PARTY MESSAGES (Attorney Docket No. E-796); U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/223,504, entitled POSTAGE PRINTING SYSTEM HAVING VARIABLE SUBSIDIES FOR PRINTING OF THIRD PARTY MESSAGES (Attorney Docket No. E-803) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/223,643, entitled PRODUCTION MAIL SYSTEM HAVING SUBSIDIES FOR PRINTING OF THIRD PARTY MESSAGES ON MAILPIECES (Attorney Docket No. E-806), all of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09470611 |
Dec 1999 |
US |
Child |
09973458 |
Apr 2001 |
US |