Claims
- 1. A customized modular mailing system including a module capable of metering value and having a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; means for generating an authorization code for enabling certain designated operating features; and means for entering the authorization code into the value metering module whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the desired operating features can be placed in communication with the metering value module to create the desired modular mailing system.
- 2. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 1, wherein said module capable of metering value is a postage meter.
- 3. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 1, wherein said disabled operating features include both hardware implemented features and software implemented features.
- 4. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 3, wherein said features include a scale and a postal security device.
- 5. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 4 wherein said scale is a dynamic scale or a static scale.
- 6. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 3, wherein said features include an accounting related system and a selection of letter flow speed.
- 7. A customized modular mailing system comprising:
a value metering module having a plurality of disabled operating features, wherein the disabled operating features are not available for use; means for selecting at least one of the operating features from the plurality of disabled operating features for enabling such features; a parameter list for storing operating features; means for determining a unique serial number from at least one of the selected operating features and adding the unique serial number to the parameter list; means for generating an authorization code based on the parameter list for enabling the selected features of the value metering module; and means for entering the authorization code into the value metering module for customizing the value metering module with the selected operating features.
- 8. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 7, further comprising:
means for transmitting said parameter list to a third party; and means for receiving said authorization code from the third party.
- 9. A customized module mailing system according to claim 8, wherein said third party is the manufacturer of said value metering modules.
- 10. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 7, wherein said value metering module is a postage meter and the system includes means for determining a country and a postal carrier for which the postage meter will be used.
- 11. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 7, wherein said features include a scale, a stacker, an envelope sealing mechanism, an envelope moistening apparatus, a feeder/separator, an inserter, and an addresser.
- 12. A customized modular mailing system adapted to have added thereto a new operating feature comprising:
a postage metering module having at least one disabled operating feature which is not available for use, and at least one enabled operating feature which is available for use; means to add a new operating feature for adding to the postage metering module from the at least one disabled operating feature; means for generating an authorization code from the enabled operating features available for use, and from the selected disabled operating feature; and means to enter the authorization code into the postage metering module for enabling the selected operating feature for customizing the postage metering module with the selected operating features.
- 13. A customized module mailing system in accordance with claim 12, wherein generating an authorization code includes generating a revenue required for said selected operating feature.
- 14. A customized modular mailing system in accordance with claim 12, wherein generating an authorization code includes:
transmitting said enabling operating features available for use and said selected disabled operating feature to a third party; and receiving the authorization code from the third party.
- 15. A customized modular mailing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein said third party to whom is transmitted said parameter list is a postage meter machine manufacturer.
- 16. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 14, wherein transmitting said enabling operating features available for use and said selected disabled operating feature to said third party includes transmitting via the internet to said third party.
- 17. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 14, wherein receiving said authorization code from said third party includes receiving said authorization code via the internet.
- 18. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 12, wherein entering said authorization code into said postage meter further includes creating an update chip card having the authorization code for releasing said disabled operator feature for use and inserting the update chip card into said postage meter and loading said authorization code from the chip card into said postage meter.
- 19. A customized modular mailing system comprised of a plurality of modules including at least:
a postage meter module having security means therein and printing means for printing a postal indicia; and a transport module comprising means for transporting a document, wherein the postage meter module includes a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; the mailing system further comprising means for generating an authorization code for enabling certain designated operating features and means for entering the authorization code into the postage meter module whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the desired operating features could be placed in communication with the postage meter module to thereby create a desired modular mailing system.
- 20. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 19, further comprising a scale module.
- 21. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 19, further comprising a document stacking module.
- 22. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 19, wherein said document is an envelope.
- 23. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 22, further comprising an envelope sealing module.
- 24. A customized modular mailing system including a module capable of feeding sheets and having a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; means for generating an authorization code for enabling certain designated operating features; and means for entering the authorization code into the module capable of feeding sheets whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the desired operating features could be placed in communication with the module capable of feeding sheets to create a desired modular mailing system.
- 25. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 24, wherein said module capable of feeding sheets and is also capable of separating sheets.
- 26. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 25, wherein said module capable of feeding sheets is also capable of moistening.
- 27. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 1, wherein said disabled operating features include both hardware implemented features and software implemented features.
- 28. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 24 wherein said sheets are envelopes.
- 29. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 24 wherein one of said disabled features is for a stacker.
- 30. A customized modular mailing system including a module capable of performing a mail related function and having a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; means for generating an authorization code for enabling certain designated operating features; and means for entering the authorization code into the capable of performing a mail related function module whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the desired operating features could be placed in communication with the module capable of performing a mail related function to create a desired modular mailing system.
- 31. A customized modular mailing system including a module capable of metering value and having a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; means for generating an authorization code for enabling designated operating features for a feeder function and a stacker function; and means for entering the authorization code into the value metering module whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the operating features for a feeder function and a stacker function could be placed in communication with the metering value module to create a desired modular mailing system.
- 32. A customized modular mailing system including a module capable of metering value and having a plurality of disabled operating features that are not available for use; means for generating an authorization code for enabling certain designated operating features for a feeder function and a scale function and a stacker function; and means for entering the authorization code into the value metering module whereby the desired combination of operating modules having the desired operating features for a feeder function and a scale function and a stacker function could be placed in communication with the metering value module to create a desired modular mailing system.
- 33. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 31 wherein said feeder function includes both a sheet separator and moistening function.
- 34. A customized modular mailing system according to claim 32 wherein said feeder function includes both a sheet separation and moistening function.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority of the following U.S. provisional patent applications: Serial No. 60/270,796 filed on Feb. 23, 2001, Serial No. 60/277,806 filed on Mar. 22, 2001, Serial No. 60/277,841 filed on Mar. 22, 2001, Serial No. 60/277,873, filed on Mar. 22, 2001, Serial No. 60/277,931 filed on Mar. 22, 2001, Serial No. 60/277,946 filed on Mar. 22, 2001, Serial No. 60/338,892 filed Nov. 5, 2001 and 60/338,892 filed Nov. 11, 2001.
Provisional Applications (7)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60270796 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
|
60277806 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60277841 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60277873 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60277931 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60277946 |
Mar 2001 |
US |
|
60338892 |
Nov 2001 |
US |