CA1274314A

CA1274314A - Postage meter with non-dollar amount indicia

Info

Publication number: CA1274314A
Application number: CA000533672A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Sung S. Chang; Seymour Feinland; Hans C. Mol
Original assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Current assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
Priority date: 1986-04-04
Filing date: 1987-04-02
Publication date: 1990-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-18
Also published as: GB2188592B; GB2188592A; GB8708075D0; CH675495A5; FR2596898B1; JPS6312086A; DE3711211A1; FR2596898A1; JP2628643B2

Abstract

POSTAGE METER WITH NON-DOLLAR AMOUNT INDICIA

Abstract of the Disclosure A postage meter which imprints non-dollar amount indicia representative of postage value determining information. The meter receives postage value determining information, such as mail piece weight, associated with particular mail pieces;
computes the corresponding postage; imprints the particular envelope with the postage value determining information; and accounts for the postage thus expended. Because the range of postage value determining information is small compared the possible range of postage setting information the meter to print is quicker and easier. In one embodiment the meter also prints a validating indicia which assures that the rates used to compute the postage value are valid. In another embodiment the postage value determining information includes information which characterizes a batch of mail, for example as being entitled to a pre-sort discount.

Description

~27~3~

POSTA OE ~ER WIT~ ~O~-D~LAR A~o~r I~DICIA

~1 l. Field of the Invention.
- The subject invention relates to postage meters. More particularly it relates to high ~eed postage m~ters which may be used to meter high volume flows of mail pieces, such as those generated by existing in~erter system~.
~ Postage meters are well known devices. Simply pUt7 postage meters allow a user to print hi~ own stamp~. Upon payment to a postal service, such as the U.S.P~S., a dollar value is recorded in the postage meter. The postage meter may then be used to imprint indicia corresponding to selected postage values on mail piece~. The postage meter accounts for the po~tage value so expended and limits the total which may be imprinted to the prepaid dollar value.
Such postage meter systems may be implemented in m~chanical or electro-mechanical form. Typical of the latter type of po~tage meter systems, whi~h use microprocessors for many of the control and accounting function~ the system disclo~ed in U. S. Pat. No. 4,301,507, title; ~lectronic Posta~ Meter Having Plural Com~uting Systems, to; Soderberg et al., is~ued; November 17, 1981.

Heretofo~e, becau~e the printed indicia must cQrrespond to the selected postage value, prior postage meters have included a settable mechanism for prin~ing the selected postage value expre~sed in dollars and cents. In general this has proven to be a ~ati~factory mean~ for assuring the correspondence between the indicia and the s~lected postage value. ~owever, certain users, such a~ those having large inserter systems which produce hiqh volume flow~ of mail piece~ requiring various amount~ of po~tage have requirements which may approach the limi~ of th* capabilities of known postage meters~ In order to keep cost down and to reduce power disipation within the meter, the driver which se~s the ' ,, .. : . :. ..................... .

.. , ~. , .. . ~ :

~7~

dollar value has set each digit seque~tially and has been of relatively low power; resulting in a ~etting time for typical po~tage meters on the order of one second; which well may exceed the peak processing rate for high volume flows of mail pieces. As a result, heretofore, it has been the practice to use serial banks of postage meters preset to various postage values, with large inserter systems. Mail piaces pass sequentially through each meter and axe imprinted with the appropriate postage value by a selected meter.
Clearly this approach increases the costs and decreases the reliability associated with the postage meters in such mailing systems~
One solution to this problem would be simply to tol~rate the above described disadvantages relating to cost and power dissipation and simply decrease met~r ~etting times by "brute force~. Another, of cour~e, would be to slow th~ processing rate down to what a single postage meter could handle. In general neither of these approaches has been considered acceptable.
Accordingly, it is an object of an aspect of the subject invention to provide a high speed postage meter suitable for use with larger inserter systems and the like.
` It is an object of an aspect of the subject invention to provide such a postage me-ter with decreased, or mlnimally increased, costs.
It is an object of an aspect of the subject invention to provide such a postage meter with decreased power usage for setting.
Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the attached drawings and of the Detailed Description set forth below.

. ~: , . :: . :
-~ ~7~

Brief Summary of the Invention The above objects are achieved and the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the subject invention by means of a postage meter which includes a memory or other storage apparatus for storing postal rates; an establishing apparatus which establishes the particular postage value determining information imprinted on particular mail pieces; com~uting apparatus which responds to the establishing apparatus and the memory to compute the postage values for the particular mail pieces in accordance with the postal rates and the imprinted postage value determining information; and, accounting apparatus for accounting for the computed postage values so expended. By "postage value determining information" herein is meant information such as weight, class of service, etc. which comprises the independent variables operated on by the function defined by the stored postal rates to compute the appropriate postage values. By "establishing particular postage value determining information~ herein is meant as~uring that the information imprinted on a particular mail piece is ~he information which is used to compute the postage values associated with that mail piece and for which the postage meter accounts.
In a pre~erred embodiment oE the subject inventiun the I 25 postage meter further includes apparatus for assuring that - the postage rates used in the meter are valid ~i.eO current i~ and accurate).
In another preferred embodiment of the subject invention .
the above described assuring apparatus further includes , 30 secure apparatus for imprinting each mail piece with indicia - ~l indicating the currency and accuracy of the postal rates in use.
In still another preferred embodiment of the subject invention the postage value determining information includes an element which characterizes an entire batch of mail pieces which are to be processed.

3~

Other aspects of this invention are as follows:

A postage meter, comprising:
a) storage means for storing postal rate~;
~: 5 b) establishing means for establishing particular postage value determining informativn imprinted on particular mail piece~;
c) postage computing means responsive to said establishing means and said storage means for computing postage values associated with said particular mail pieces in accordance with said postal rates and said imprinted postage value determining information; and, d) accounting means for accounting for said computed postage values.

A method for franking mail pieces in accordance with a selecte~ postage value and accounting for postage values so expended, comprising the steps o~:
a) determining appropriate postal rakes;
~-~ 20 b) establishing particular postage value determining information imprinted on particular mail pieces;
c) computing postage value for said particular mail pieces in accordance with said postage value determining information and said postal ~ ratPs;
d) fxanking said mail pi~ces to validate said imprinted postage value determining information; and e) accounting for said po~tage value if and only - if said mail pi~ces are franked.

' '`~ ,. . `; ` '` ~ ` ' ' :
. ~ : ' .. ' ' `, ` :

3b Mail processing apparatus, comprisiny:
a~ processing means for proc~ssing a flow o~ mail pieces; and b) a postage meter for receiving said flow and franking said mail pieces, said postage m~ter ~urther comprising:

bl) storage means for storing postal rates;
b2) establishing means for establishing particular postage value determining : information imprinted on particular mail pieces b3) postage computing means responsive to said establishing means and said storage means ~or computing postage values associated with said particular mail .
pieces in accord~nce with said postal rates and said imprinting postage value : determininy information; and, b4) accounting means for accounting ~or said computed postage values.
:
A postage meter, aomprising:
a) accounting means for accounting ~or postaye values expended on partlcular mail pieces;
and, : b) con~rol means ~or controll}ng said accounting means to account for said postage values i~
and only if said mail pieces are imprinting with corresponding postage value determining information.

- . . ~

~ 4 ~ ~7~

Those skilled in the art will recognize that the subject invention achieves the objects set forth above and may adv~ntageously be used to meter a high volume flow of mail pieces. Other objects and advantages of the subject invention will be directly apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the attached drawings and of the detailed description set forth below.
' Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a prior art mail processing system including a postage meter.
Fig. 2 shows the set of variable indicia which may be used to imprint postage values by the meter of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows schematic block diagram of a mail processing system including a postage meter in accordance with the subject invention.
Fig. 4 shows a set of variable indicia which may be used with the postage meter of Fig. 3.
i Fig. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of the print mechanism used to imprint the variable indicia of Fig. 4.
,~ 20 FigO 6 shows a schematic block diagram of an alternative print mechanism.
Fig. 7 shows a flow chart of the operation of one embodiment of the subject invention~
Fig. 8 shows a flow chart of a rate update operation in accordance with the subject invention.
Fig. 9 shows a flow chart of the operation of a second embodiment of the subject inv~ntion.

Detailed Descri~tion of the Preferred Embodiment Fig. 1 shows a mail processing system in accordance with the prior art. A mail piece 10 is weighed upon a postal scale 20. Scale 20 includes a load cell 22, ~ rate memory 24, and a processor 26. Processor 26 computes the appropriate postage value for mail piece 10 in accordance with postal rates stored in memory 24 as a function of the weight measured by load cell 22 and other inputs which may be provided by an operator. A more complete description of .

~ 5 ~ ~27~3~

postal scale 20 may be found in U~ S. Pat. No. 4,376,981, title; Electronic Postage Metering System, to; Check et al., issued; Mar. 15, 1983. The computed postage value is then transmitted to a postage meter, such as that taught in the above referenced U. 5~ Pat. No. 4,301,507; as is also taught in the above referenced patents. Meter 30 includes control unit 32, accounting unit 34, and print unit 36. Meter 30 also includes keyboard 38 which may be used for manual setting of the meter and for other functions which are not relevant to this discussion. Control unit 32 receives the computed postage value and transmits it to accounting unit 34. Accounting unit 34 temporarily stores the postage value and retransmits it to print unit 36. Print unit 36 then selects appropriate indicia from sets of indicia 42, 44 shown in Fig. 2 to represent the postage value. As will be more fully described below, these indicia are carried on the surface of settable printwheels which are rotated by print unit 36 so that pairs of indicia (i.e. numerals) directly corresponding to the computed postage value are positioned for printing. (Those skilled in the art will recognize that though only two sets of indicia have been shown for simplicity of illustration typical prior art postage meters included three or more printwheels having indicia to allow printing of postage values in excess of one dollar and/or I 25 fractional cent values). Once the printwheels axe positioned i to select the appropriate indicia, meter 3~ is enabled to ,~ print. When mail piece 10 is positioned properly in meter 30 !- a detector (not shown) t commonly referred to as a ~'trip switch", signals print unit 36, which activates the print mechanism and signals accounting unit 34 to account for the postage value as expended. Account unit 34 su~tracts the postage value from the previously entered dollar value stored in a "descending register7' and adds it to the total value expended stored in the "ascending register"~ which registers are maintained in a non-volatile memory to account for postage expenditures. Shielded housing 40 is provided to provide additional security for this critical information stored in accounting unit 34.

~;2 7~3~L~

From the above description it may be seen that the critical ~unction of prior art postage metexs is to account Eor postage expended if and only if indicia directly corresponding to the postage value expended are imprinted on the mail piece.
Turning to Fig. 3 a mail processing system in accordance with the subject invention i5 shown. In contrast to prior art meter 30 the input to meter 100 is a signal representati~e of the weight of the mail pieces. This signal is provided by apparatus 50. Apparatus 50 provides a stream of weight signals corresponding to a flow of mail pieces, and its particular nature is not considered to be relevant to the subject invention. For example, apparatus 50 may be an intelligent inserter system, which computes the weight of mail pieces from an a priori knowledge of the weights of the constituent elements which make up the mail piece or may be a high speed "weigh-on-the-fly" scale for determining the , weights of mail pieces in a high volume flow.
¦, In another embodiment apparatus 50 may be a scanner which scans preprinted machine-readable postage value determining information from envelopes, in particular from encoded marks such as dashes aligned with the address field on an insert visible through the enwelope wi~dow, and placed there typically by a computer printer duriny a bill - 25 imprinting operation. In thi~ embodiment the scanned information may he confirmed by preprinting the postage value determining information in the manner to be described below;
depending upon the error rate and reliability which may be l~ achieved with a scanning system.
¦ In meter 100 the weight signal is received by proc~ssori 126 which then computes the appropriate postage value in I accordance wi~h postal rates stored in memory 1~4 as a function of the weight and other information which may be provided in a manner more fully described below. The operation of processor 1~6 and memory 124 is substantially similar to that of prior art processor 26 and memory 24, with the difference that processor 126 transmits both the computed postage value and the weight to control unit 132 of meter 7 ~2~743~L

lO0. Contxol unit 132 retransmits the postage value and weight to accounting unit 134. Accountiny unit 134 temporarily stores the postage value and retransmits the weight to printing unit 136.
Again, the person skilled in the art will recognize that, with the exceptions noted above, the operation of units 132, 134, 136 is substantially similar to the operation of prior art units 37, 34 and 36.
Print unit 136 then selects indicia corresponding to the weight from indicia set 142, shown in Fig. 4. A~ain, as with prior art meter 30, indicia 142 are carried on the surface of settable printwheels. However, in the embodiment of Fig. 3 advantage is taken of the fact that the maximum weight of : mail pieces in high volume flows in typically limited to 3.
Thus indicia set 142 includes only 3 characters, in contrast to the 100 character pairs of Fig. 2. Thus the selection of , the proper character from indicia set 142 will require at¦ most a single ~tep of a single wheel. As a result meter lO0 , may achieve much higher setting speeds without increased 1 20 costs or power disapation.
Fig. 4 also shows indicia sets 144 and 146. Indicia set 144 includes characters corresponding to the various "endorsements" available with fir~t clasR mail. (By "endorsementl' herein is meant th~ discounts which may be 1 25 applied to the postage according to the amount of pre-sorting done by the mailer.) For the embodiment sho~n in Fig. 3 these endorsements are:
FP - Pre-sort 1st. Class 2P - ZIP plus 4 Pre-sort CP - CAR-RT Pre-sort CN - Non-Sorted ZIP plus 4 F~ - 1st. Clas (without discount) Indicia set ~46 consists of a set of arbitrary characters which serve to validate that the postal rates used in meter lO0 are current and accurate.
Though indicia sets 144 and 146 are variable they are constant from mail piece to mail piece within a given batch of mailO Set 144 is changed only with successive batche~ of 3~

mail and set 146 is changed only when the postal rates stored in memory 124 are changed. Accordingly these indicia may be considered as fixed with respect to the operation of postag~
meter lO0 from mail piece to mail piece and they pose no burden on meter 100 with respect to setting speed.
The appropriate selection and setting of indicia sets 144 and 146 will be more fully described below.
Fig. 5 shows a schematic block diagram of printing unit 136 in accordance with one embodiment of the subject invention. Printing unit 136 includes microprocessor based controller 150 which is in bi-directional communication with accounting unit 134. Controller 150 receives weight information for controlling the setting of weight wheel 180 as well as additional information for controlling the setting of endorsement wheel 182 and rate validation wheel 184. A~
noted above wheels 182, 184 remain fixed through the , processing of a given batch of mail and the process of I setting these wheels will be described more fully below.When controller 150 receives weight information from accounting unit 134 it controls transmission l~0 to couple weight wheel 180 to drive motor 170 and then controls motor 170 to set weight wheel 180 in accordance with the received weight information.
When a mail piece is properly positioned in meter lO0 trip switch 192 ~ignals controller 150; which then activates 1 print driver l90 to print indicia on the mail piece, and also -l' signals accounting u~it 134 to acc3unt for the corresponding -I, postage value. The printed indicia includes characters ¦' selected from indicia sets 142, 144, 146 as well as fixea j~ 30 indicia ~not shown), such as logos or advertising material.
A more complete understanding of the control and mechanical aspects of the operation of print unit 136 in accordance with the embodiment of Fig. 5 may be obtain from the above referenced U. S. patents. Those skilled in the art will recogni~e that the mechanical aspects and immediate control of wheels 180, 182 and 184 are sub~tantially similar to that found in prior art meter 30; though, as will be seen, the sequence of operations and the meaning of indicia selected are very substantially different.

3~
9 A~

Fig. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of printing unit - 136 in accordance with another embodiment of the subject invention. Microprocessor base controller 250 again is in bi-directional communication with accounting unit 134 to receive weight information defining the setting of weight wheel 280.
In the embodiment of Fig. 6 an endorsement wheel 282 and rate validation wheel 284 are manually set by an operator through levers 283 and 285. Weight wheel 280 is directly coupled to motor 270 and when controller 250 receives a weight signal it directly controls motor 270 to set weight wheel 280. Also, as will be more fully described below prior to each operation of postage meter 100 controller 250 tests shaft encoders 260, 262 to determine the ~ettings of wheels 282, 284. When wheel 280 is set and the settings of wheels 282, 284 are determined meter 100 is enabled and when trip switch 292 detects a mail piece controller 250 activates print driver 290 to print indicia and signals accounting unit 134 to account for the postage value in the manner described above.
, Fig. 7 shows a flow chart of the operation of the subject invention in accordance wi~h the embodiment vf ~ig.
5. At 300 meter 100 prompts the operator to anter the appropriate endorsement, and the operator enters the endorsement through keyboard 138. At 302 control unit 132 transmits the endorsement information through accounting unit ¦ 25 134 to printing unit 136 to set endorsement wheel 182.
Control unit 132 also transmits the endorsement information , to processor 126 for use in computing postage values.
¦ Meter 100 is now initialixed for operation. At 304 meter 100 receives weight information from apparatus 50 and sets wei~ht wheel 182 accordingly. At 306 meter 100 compu~es the postage value as a function o the weight and the endorsement. At 308 meter 100 enables printing unit 136. At 310 meter 100 weights for a trip signal and when the trip signal is received at 312 prints the indicia and accounts for the postage value expended. The meter 100 will remain in this loop until the la~t mail piece is proce~sed and the ~;~ system is reinitialized for the next batch or until powered down O

``:
~. -3~

A meter as described above would provide satisfactory operation except for the unfortunate fact that postal rates change from time to time. Accoxdingly it is preferable that meter 100 includes some mean for validating that the postal rates used are current and accurate.
This validation function is achieved when meter 100 is operated in accordance with the flow chart of Fig. 8 to perform a rate update operation. At 400 metex 100 prompts the operator to input new po~tal rates. Given the relative simplicity of first class mail rates meters intended for use only with first class mail may be updated by entry of postal rate data through keyboard 138. Alternatively the new data - may be entered through conventional data links, portable mediar or Programmable Read Only Memories (PROMS). At 402 the operator then inputs a checkfield provided by the postal service or the vendor. At 404 the system computes a checksum i as an encrypted function of the new rates and of the meter ¦l identification number. (Use of unique checksums prevents¦I failure of security for a single meter from promulgating" 20 through the entire meter population.) At 406 meter 100 tests ~; if the check~um equals the checkfield. If they are equal at 408 meter 100 ~ets validation wheel 184 to the next, or other appropriate, ~etting and exit~. Since this routine is the only mechanism provided for setting o validation wheel 1~4 the postal service may be sure that the imprint of the proper ~- character chosen from indicia set 14Ç validates the postal ~i rates in use. If at 4Q6 the oheck~um does not e~ual the j checkfield an error routine is entered at 410. Preferably this routine will allow a predetermined number of attempts ¦ 30 and then lock up the system.
In embodiments of the subject invention in accordance with Fig. 6, where validation wheel 284 is manually set, at 408 meter 100 will store the appropriate ~etting for wheel 284 in a predetermined locationO For furthex security this setting may be stored in encrypted form unique to each particular meter.
:

.

~7~3~

Fig. 9 shows a flow chart of the operation of an embodiment of the subject invention in accordance with E~ig.
6. At 500 meter 100 prompts the operator to manually set endorsement wheel 282 and validation wheel 284. Meter 100 is then in operating mode and receives the weight and sets weight whael to the appropriate weight. At 504 meter 100 tests validation wheel 284 against the previously stored setting. If at 506 the rates are valid at 508 meter 100 tests endorsement wheel 282 to determine the endorsement and lo computes the postage value as a function of the weight and endorsement at 508. If the rates are not valid at 506 meter 100 enters an error routine at 510. At 512 meter 100 waits - for a trip signal and, when the signal is received, at 514 prints the indicia and accounts for postage. ~gain, meter 100 will remain in this loop until the last mail piece is j processed and the system is reinitialized for the next batch, ¦ or until powered down.
¦l It should be understood that the particular embodimentsIl disclosed in the above detailed description and the attached !1 20 drawings have been provided by way of illustration only. In particular those skilled in the art will readily recognize that other architectures then that shown are possible, and that particular sequences of operation may easily be rearranged. Indeed wikh the continuing decline in microprocessor prices and increases in their capability it may well prove preferable to combine functions now carried out by two or more separate units~ Accordingly limitations on the subject invention are to be ound only in the claims set forth below.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A postage meter, comprising:
a) storage means for storing postal rates;
b) establishing means for establishing particular postage value determining information imprinted on particular mail pieces;
c) postage computing means responsive to said establishing means and said storage means for computing postage values associated with said particular mail pieces in accordance with said postal rates and said imprinted postage value determining information; and, d) accounting means for accounting for said computed postage values.

2. A postage meter as described in claim 1 further comprising means for assuring that said postage rates are valid.

3. A postage meter as described in claim 2 wherein said assuring means further comprises secure means for imprinting said particular mail pieces with indicia indicative of the currency and accuracy of said postal rates.

4. A postage meter as described in claim 3 wherein said secure means further includes means for selecting appropriate new indicia if and only if valid new postal rates are input to said postage meter.

5. A postage meter as described in claim 4 wherein said selecting means further includes means for comparing a checksum generated as a function of said new postal rates with a checkfield input with said new postal rates.

6. A postage meter as described in claim 5 wherein said checksum is unique to said postage meter.

7. A postage meter as described in claim 4 wherein said secure means includes means for setting first printing means for printing one of a set of preselected indicia and said secure means selects said appropriate new indicia by resetting said first printing means.

8. A postage meter as described in claim 4 wherein said secure means further includes first operator settable print means for printing one of a set of preselected indicia and said secure means selects said appropriate new indicia by storing the appropriate setting for said first operator settable print means and comparing the actual setting with said stored setting.

9. A postage meter as described in claim 1 wherein said postage value determining information comprises the weights of said particular mail pieces.

10. A postage meter as described in claim 2 wherein said postage value determining information comprises the weights of said particular mail pieces.

11. A postage meter as described in claim 3 wherein said postage value determining information comprises the weights of said particular mail pieces.

12. A postage meter as described in claim 4 wherein said postage value determining information comprises the weights of said particular mail pieces.

13. A postage meter as described in claim 9 wherein said establishing means further comprises second printing means for printing a second set of indicia corresponding to said weights and establishes said postage value determining information by imprinting said particular mail pieces with their weight.

14. A postage meter as described in claim 10 wherein said establishing means further comprises second printing means for printing a second set of indicia corresponding to said weights and establishes said postage value determining information by imprinting said particular mail pieces with their weight.

15. A postage meter as described in claim 13 wherein said weights are determined by mail processing apparatus, such as an inserter system, and are input to said postage meter, and the output flow of mail pieces from said processing apparatus passes through said postage meter for metering.

16. A postage meter as described in claim 1 further comprising scanning means for scanning said postage value determining information from preprinted indicia on said particular mail pieces.

17. A postage meter as described in claim 9 further comprising scanning means for scanning said postage value determining information from preprinted indicia on said particular mail pieces.

18. A postage meter as described in claim 13 further comprising scanning means for scanning said postage value determining information from preprinted indicia on said particular mail pieces.

19. A postage meter as described in claim 1 wherein said postage value determining information comprises an element which characterizes a batch of mail pieces to be processed sequentially.

20. A postage meter as described in claim 19 wherein an operator inputs said characterizing element to said meter prior to processing said batch.

21. A postage meter as described in claim 20 further comprising third printing means for imprinting said mail pieces with characterizing indicia corresponding to said characterizing element.

22. A postage meter as described in claim 21 wherein said postage meter sets said third printing means in accordance with said characterizing information.

23. A postage meter as described in claim 20 further comprising second operator settable print means for printing characterizing indicia corresponding to said characterizing element, said operator inputs said characterizing element by appropriately setting said second settable print means, and said postage computing means determines said characterizing element from the setting of said second settable print means prior to computing said postage value.

24. A method for franking mail pieces in accordance with a selected postage value and accounting for postage values so expended, comprising the steps of:

a) determining appropriate postal rates;
b) establishing particular postage value determining information imprinted on particular mail pieces;
c) computing postage value for said particular mail pieces in accordance with said postage value determining information and said postal rates;
d) franking said mail pieces to validate said imprinted postage value determining information; and, e) accounting for said postage value if and only if said mail pieces are franked.

25. A method as described in claim 24 wherein said postage value determining information is established and said franking is accomplished by imprinting franking indicia, at least part of said franking indicia indicating said postage value determining information.

26. Mail processing apparatus, comprising:
a) processing means for processing a flow of mail pieces; and b) a postage meter for receiving said flow and franking said mail pieces, said postage meter further comprising:
b1) storage means for storing postal rates;
b2) establishing means for establishing particular postage value determining information imprinted on particular mail pieces b3) postage computing means responsive to said establishing means and said storage means for computing postage values associated with said particular mail pieces in accordance with said postal rates and said imprinting postage value determining information; and, b4) accounting means for accounting for said computed postage values.

27. Mail processing apparatus as described in claim 26 wherein said processing of said flow includes, at least, determining said postage value determining information for said particular mail pieces and transmitting said postage value determining information to said postage meter.

28. Mail processing apparatus as described in claim 27 wherein said postage value determining information includes, at least, the weight of said particular mail pieces.

29. Mail processing apparatus as described in claim 26 wherein said processing means comprises an inserter system.

30. Mail processing apparatus as described in claim 27 wherein said processing means comprises an inserter system.

31. A postage meter, comprising:
a) accounting means for accounting for postage values expended on particular mail pieces; and, b) control means for controlling said accounting means to account for said postage values if and only if said mail pieces are imprinting with corresponding postage value determining information.