Postage stamps authenticating the sender of a mail piece, and methods for use therewith

Abstract

A would-be purchaser of postage stamps is required to provide information indicative of his or her identity, for example by means of an identity code. The identity code is then imprinted upon the stamps and the stamps are then provided to the purchaser. The imprint may be a bar code, and the imprinted information may be cryptographically signed. The imprinted information may be printed in such as way as to be invisible to the naked eye.

Description

Summary of Invention

[0011] A would-be purchaser of postage stamps is required to provide information indicative of his or her identity, for example by means of an identity code. The identity code is then imprinted upon the stamps and the stamps are then provided to the purchaser. The imprint may be a bar code, and the imprinted information may be cryptographically signed. The imprinted information may be printed in such as way as to be invisible to the naked eye.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0012] The invention will be described with respect to a drawing in several figures, of which:

[0013] Fig. 1 shows two exemplary postage stamps according to the invention;

[0014] Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing steps in purchasing postage stamps according to the invention; and

[0015] Fig. 3 shows an apparatus for printing information on postage stamps.

Detailed Description

[0016] As described in more detail below, to identify a purchaser of postage stamps from a postage stamp providing entity, the postage stamp purchase would require the purchaser to enter or provide an identity code. The code would be imprinted onto the stamp(s) prior to delivery to the purchaser. In this way, the system can provide a mechanism to identify the purchaser of postage stamps or other identity item, which becomes affixed to some item (such as a mail piece) as a notification of payment or authenticity. As in a bank where deposit receipts are machine printed for a customer, so would the postage stamps purchased by a user be machine-printed.

[0017] In a typical arrangement, the system would provide a postage stamp with a small portion of the stamp being blank, wherein the blank area would be imprinted an with an identity bar code representative of the stamp purchaser. the postage stamp would receive upon its face an invisibly printed bar code representative of the stamp purchaser. The bar code could be encrypted and/or signed for identity protection and to inhibit fraud. Typical of this mechanism is the incorporation of Public Key encryption.

[0018] As described below, a bar code printing machine will imprint the bar codes. At the point of purchase, the stamp(s), stamp booklet(s), stamp roll(s) will be run through the bar code printing machine, much the same as a bank teller inserts a deposit receipt into a printer to have customerdeposit information printed. The bar code printer of this invention will preferably be calibrated to accept single stamps, flats of stamps, stamp booklets, and stamp rolls. The customer enters, or has entered his or her password or password-like identification and the barcode printer will customize the stamp purchase to convey the customer's identity. Typical of a barcode to imprint (visibly or invisibly) onto the postage stamp is that of a two-dimensional construct, typified by a Data Matrix graphic.

[0019] Turning now to Fig. 1, what is shown are two exemplary postage stamps 10, 11 according to the invention. Each postage stamp has an area 12 for text and artwork, and after printing of the bar code, has a bar code 13. Before the bar code 13 is printed, there is a blank area to receive the bar code 13. In a typical arrangement, an adhesive postal indicium will comprise information indicative of a postage amount printed by a first process, information indicative of a country printed by the first process; and cryptographically signed information indicative of an identity of a purchaser of the adhesive postal indicium, the cryptographically signed information printed by a different process than the first process. A plurality of such indicia may be provided to a purchaser.

[0020] Fig. 3 shows an apparatus 32 for printing information on postage stamps. A spool of stamps 30 is preferably provided, which pass by a printer 33 and exit at 31. The purchaser of the stamps provides identifying information at terminal 34. This may comprise inserting an identification card into a reader, entering a PIN (personal identification number), or both. Identifying information is passed along communications line 35, and drives printer 33.

[0021] An exemplary printing apparatus may thus comprise a plurality of adhesive postal indicia, each postal indicium comprising information indicative of a postage amount and information indicative of a country, each postal indicium free of any cryptographically signed information indicative of an identity of a purchaser of the postal indicia; and a printer adapted to print upon the plurality of adhesive postal indicia cryptographically signed information indicative of an identity of a purchaser of the adhesive postal indicia.

[0022] An exemplary method for use with such a printing apparatus comprises the steps of receiving information indicative of an identity of a purchaser of the adhesive postal indicia, cryptographically signing the information indicative of the identity of the purchaser of the adhesive postal indicia, and printing upon the adhesive postal indicia, by means of the printer, information indicative of the cryptographically signed information.

[0023] Fig. 2 is a flow chart showing steps in purchasing postage stamps according to the invention. At 20, the post office receives information indicative of the identity of a purchaser of postage stamps. At 21, a printing device prints information on the indicium. At 22, the post office receives the mail piece. At 23, the post office delivers the mail piece.

[0024] An exemplary method proceeds as follows. The post office requires, as a precondition of purchasing at least one postal indicium, receipt of first information indicative of the purchaser's identity. Second information is functionally derived from the first information. The second information may for example comprise a bar code bitmap, or a cryptographically signed block of data. The second information is printed on the indicium. The post office receives the mail piece and delivers it.

[0025] In the case considered to be most common, the postal indicium is an adhesive postage stamp. It could in some circumstances be a meter strip, or be printed on an envelope or post card. The printed information may, as mentioned above, be visible or invisible.

[0026] In a related method, the precondition might not bar selling the stamps (in the absence of identity information), but might instead bar the receipt of the mail pieces into the distribution system of the post office. In such a case a cryptographic signature permits confirming the authenticity of the markings.

[0027] In still another method, a recipient of mail pieces would receive the mail piece, would read the information indicative of the identity of the sender; and would determine whether the sender whose identity is indicated by the information is an expected sender. If necessary, the mail piece could be investigated further, for example for presence of hazards.

[0028] Those skilled in the art will have no difficulty devising myriad variations and obvious improvements, all of which are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A method for use with mail pieces and with a purchaser having an identity, the method comprising the steps of:

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the postal indicium is an adhesive postage stamp.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the postal indicium is a meter strip.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the postal indicium is printed on an envelope.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the postal indicium is printed on a post card.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information is an invisibly printed bar code.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information is a visibly printed bar code.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information is a human-readable message.

9. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that the number of postal indicia comprise a plurality, and wherein the printing, receiving, and delivering steps are carried out with respect to each of the plurality of indicia.

10. A method for use with purchased postal indicia, with mail pieces and with a purchaser having an identity, the method comprising the steps of:

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the postal indicium is an adhesive postage stamp.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the postal indicium is a meter strip.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the postal indicium is printed on an envelope.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the postal indicium is printed on a post card.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the second information is an invisibly printed bar code.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the second information is a visibly printed bar code.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the second information is a human-readable message.

18. The method of claim 10 further characterized in that the number of addressed mail pieces comprise a plurality, and wherein the printing, receiving, and delivering steps are carried out with respect to each of the plurality of addressed mail pieces.

19. The method of claim 10 further characterized in that the information indicative of the identity of the purchaser is cryptographically signed, the precondition further characterized as requiring successful checking of the cryptographic signature.

20. A method for use with purchased postal indicia, with mail pieces and with a purchaser having an identity, the method comprising the steps of:

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the postal indicium is an adhesive postage stamp.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the postal indicium is a meter strip.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the postal indicium is printed on an envelope.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the postal indicium is printed on a post card.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the second information is an invisibly printed bar code.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the second information is a visibly printed bar code.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the second information is a human-readable message.

28. The method of claim 20 further characterized in that the number of addressed mail pieces comprise a plurality, and wherein the printing, receiving, and delivering steps are carried out with respect to each of the plurality of addressed mail pieces.

29. The method of claim 20 further characterized in that the information indicative of the identity of the purchaser is cryptographically signed, the precondition further characterized as requiring successful checking of the cryptographic signature.

30. A method for use with mail pieces and with a recipient possessing a list of expected senders, and with a sender having an identity, the method comprising the steps of:

31. The method of claim 30 further characterized in that the information indicative of the identity of the sender that is borne in the postal indicium is cryptographically signed, and further characterized in that the reading step further comprises checking the cryptographic signature.

32. The method of claim 30 comprising the additional step, performed in the event of the sender not being on the list of expected senders, of inspecting the delivered mail piece.

33. An adhesive postal indicium comprising:indicative of a postage amount printed by a first process;

34. A plurality of adhesive postal indicia, each postal indicium comprising:

35. Printing apparatus comprising:

36. A method for use with printing apparatus comprising a plurality of adhesive postal indicia, each postal indicium comprising information indicative of a postage amount and information indicative of a country, each postal indicium free of any cryptographically signed information indicative of an identity of a purchaser of the postal indicia, and a printer adapted to print upon the plurality of adhesive postal indicia, the steps of: