FI76648B - OVER ANCHORING FOR FRANKERING AV POST. - Google Patents

Description

1 76648

Method and apparatus for postmarking mail

The invention relates to a method and a device for postmarking mail.

5 Known mailing machines are uneconomical in terms of low removal rate. Similarly, hand-stamping devices are only economically viable when relatively large volumes of mail accumulate. Therefore, when the mail accumulates in smaller quantities, 10 printed deletions are preferably used.

DE-A-27 01 072 discloses a small mail machine with a microcomputer, which is dimensioned in such a way that it can be held in the hand and used by hand and is always transportable. The small mail machine is equipped with a value setting specified at the central postage delivery point.

The disadvantage of such mailing devices is that value cards or stamps must be obtained from an authorized place or, otherwise, the postage memory must always be re-allocated again.

The object of the invention is to develop a mailing system and a corresponding mailing device which enables simple value setting and / or postage billing for a small amount of mail, is easy to handle, also suitable for private use and

This object is solved by the invention as set out in the characterizing parts of the claims.

In connection with the drawing consisting of two figures, the invention will be described in more detail below, in which Figure 1 shows a mailing device incorporated in a telephone station and Figure 2 shows a mailing device 2 76648 in addition to a telephone station.

In both figures, the same operating elements have the same reference numerals.

The mailing system is based on the connection of the mailing device 5 to a telephone station. In this case, two different settlement methods have been adapted for the postage amounts used, depending on the calculation method preferred by the depreciation institution in each case.

Thus, it is possible for the billing location 10 to set the value in a known manner via telephone lines, whereby the mailing device stores the value and the amount of postage is billed internally via the register and the memory.

Another solution is to calculate the consumption of postage free of charge at the point of invoicing. In this case, the mailing device transmits the value of the postage after each weighting directly via telephone lines to the sum calculator of the billing location.

For both solutions, there is an existing telephone exchange billing counter belonging to each telephone subscriber. In connection with this payment calculator, it is possible to set the value, for example, always as ten units of account for telephone payments, and also to register after one weight in smaller payment units. The overruns and balances resulting from the deviating values of the payment units in relation to the amounts of postage are entered into the memory of the mailing device and calculated with the next value weight.

The advantage of such a mailing system is a small invoice, a convenient purchase and always a postage available to the customer. Also when using a special postage calculator in a telephone exchange or postage billing office, the postage charge can be linked to the call charge.

35 The mail device is integrated in either telephone exchange

II

3,76648 (Fig. 1) or connected to an additional telephone exchange via an adapter connection (Fig. 2). The embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 2 are merely examples. Thus, the mailing device can also be arranged on the side, in front of or below the telephone exchange, and in connection with the additional device, an existing telephone exchange display device can be utilized.

The mailing device 10 has a slot 11 into which a stamp letter 20 or a card or strip of adhesive is inserted. 10 As the letter is upside down in the case of postmarking, virtually all envelope sizes can be postmarked without any problems and with certainty. The mailing device 10 still has keys 12-15 for controlling various functions. The mail key 12 toggles 15 telephone stations for mail significance. The telephone station then closes in the outgoing direction. Incoming calls can be answered at all times. The changeover performed by the mail key 12 further provides a changeover of the telephone station selection keypad 30 or also the dial pad, which 20 now serve to enter the mailing values. The entered postage value is displayed on the display device 16. If an incorrect value is entered, it is corrected with a new entry, so that the internal logic causes the display to be reset, for example from the fourth digit entered, without the need to use an additional delete key. The postmarking is started with the command key 13 and in parallel with it the postmarked value is registered at the billing location or forwarded to the call charge calculator or charged internally with the value setting. When the desired number of delete markings-30 have been completed, the clear key 14 must be used, which resets the devices to the home positions and toggles the dial pad 30 to dialing.

If the value setting memory is used in the mailing device, then the value setting key 15 is necessary. When the position key 12 and the value setting key 15 are used 4 76648, a multiple of the call charge units is always entered into the memory by means of the key field 30, while the value to be entered is displayed on the display device 16 and the command key 13 is started leenkytkentä.

Il

Claims (12)

Method for mailing postage, characterized in that the postage device (10) is connected to a telephone station, whereby the postage consumption via the telephone lines is directly offset with the billing point, that the selector device (30) in the telephone station serves as the selection device for the charge values, whereby additional centers ( 12-15) in the franking device affects the overthrow of the selector device, and an indicator device (16) for checking the selected charge values is provided. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the charge values ρΔ demanded by the consumer ρΔ are known in the known manner via the telephone lines from the billing station, are stored in the memory of the franking device and each used franking value is subtracted from the value stored in the memory. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the postage values 20 used after each value print are transferred directly by means of the postage device to the summary counter ρΔ counting point. Method according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the franking values used are recorded and counted by the telephone call counter. 25 Method according to claims 1, 2 and 4, characterized in that a value stipulation is stored as a multiple of a telephone call charge in the memory of the franking device. 6. A method according to claim 5, characterized in that the residual amounts remain in a memory and are added to a subsequent value determination. 7. A method according to claims 1-6, characterized in that the billing of postage charges is linked to the telephone call billing. 8. Device for the method according to the claim