A method for franking mail items fed to a franking machine. The mail items are drawn from the underside of a stack for separation or are fed individually on a conveying section upstream of the franking machine to a printing unit for franking, after franking, are discharged in the opposite direction from the printing unit. The mail items are fed via a diverter section to the conveying section, after franking, are conveyed via the diverter section which is switched over to change the conveying direction into a depositing apparatus below the diverter section. The mail items are guided in the opening region of the franking machine into the printing position and are returned out of the printing position. The printing position of a mail item fed to the printing unit is determined by a print head movement-controlled from a readiness position pursuant to the format length of the mail item.

A method and system groups user accounts in a financial management system based on the similarities of the financial transactions associated with the accounts. The method and system groups merchants involved in the financial transactions based on how financial transactions involving the merchants are sorted into groups of merchants. The method and system group users based on how the users sort financial transactions into their accounts. The method and system assist users to sort future financial transactions based on the groups of accounts, the groups of merchants, and the groups of users.

Embodiments include techniques for estimating unknown or missing values for parameters of a motor based on high-level motor information and using the estimated parametric values in generating an executable model for modeling the behavior of the motor. An aspect of the techniques involves assumptions used to establish the predetermined parametric values that are applied to the algorithm for deriving estimates of the unknown parametric values for the motor. The estimated parametric values may then be used in the executable model of the motor to enable development and simulation of a plant (e.g., a closed loop system) including a plant model having a dynamic controller model and a lumped parameter model of a modeling environment of a technical computing environment executing on a data processing system. The simulation of the plant loop can be sufficient to test the dynamic (e.g., feedback-based) controller within a closed loop system, e.g., test motion control of a motorized vehicle seat.

Systems and methods of processing business related data arising from multiple revenue sources (e.g., sales, subscriptions, professional services, vendors, etc.). In some embodiments, the inventive system and methods enable a more flexible and efficient approach to identifying revenue source events (mediation), pricing those events (typically as part of a rating process), and subsequently leveraging those ratable events in the billing and revenue recognition subsystems according to configurable rules and schedules. Data regarding those charges or other aspects of a ratable event may then be used and processed by multiple sub-systems that are part of operating a business; such sub-systems may include one or more of ERP, CRM, HCM, financial, accounting, taxation, or other business-related system or function.

A mail piece processing apparatus and related method. A mail piece processing apparatus includes a base, a table connected to the base by a vertical member, a camera mounted above the table and positioned to take an image of a mail piece on the table, and a data processing system. The data processing system is configured to receive the image of the mail piece from the camera; determine address information and address information of the mail piece according to the image; determine a disposition result for the mail piece according to the image; and cause a label to be printed for the mail piece according to the disposition result.

Computerized apparatus useful within vehicles for causing provision of location-based services to users via a portable wireless computerized device. In one embodiment, the vehicle comprises a global positioning system (GPS) based receiver capable of providing location data to the computerized apparatus.

A system and a method for printing an environment blended package are disclosed. For example, the method is executed by a processor and includes receiving an order for a product, determining dimensions of a package to ship the product, receiving an image of a location of where the package is to be delivered, wherein the aspect ratio of the image that is captured is based on the dimensions of the package, printing a location image on a side of the package in the aspect ratio of the image to create the environment blended package such that the location image matches the location where the package is to be delivered.

A package shipping processing system is provided including a kiosk housing, a computer terminal with a video display, an input device such as a touch screen and/or keyboard, a data processor, and network data communications module. The package shipping processing system further includes a scale with a platform on which objects for shipment are placed and weighed, and an imaging device in communication with the computer terminal to transmit captured image data of objects for shipment. The data processor stores a fragility index which lists objects and different insulations which correspond to the listed objects. In use, shippers input the identification of an object to be shipped into the input device, and place the object on the scale for weight and dimensional determinations. The data processor analyzes the object's weight, fragility and dimensions to select a package and insulation for shipment.

A mail item sortation system and method that includes an external controller for culling candidate letters in a mailing job to produce groupings of letters based on industry average weights and/or thicknesses in order to place all the candidate letters going to a single address adjacent to each other, an internal controller, interfaced with the external controller, that utilizes the groupings of letters to manage multiple letter sorters, wherein a specific letter sorter is selected to pair a calculated number of pockets to accommodate the groupings with an actual number of pockets in the selected letter sorter, and a transfer process for moving letters within the letter sorter pockets to a StatementPack machine.

An individualization station has a supply deck for supplying flat goods to a goods processing apparatus following in the transport path in the transport direction x of a Cartesian coordinate system, with openings in the supply deck for a drum in an individualization region, and with individualization assembly as well as with a contact pressure box. The contact pressure box is movable in the z-direction, and has a linkage that is pivotable at a downstream end. An individualization assembly carrier forms an L-shape at an upstream end of the linkage that is pivotable in the contact pressure box. A stop side of the undeflected individualization assembly carrier is aligned parallel to the y/z-plane and extends counter to a y-direction. The individualization assembly carrier can be deflected above the supply deck at a variable distance corresponding to the thickness of the flat good to be individualized, and is adjustable in the y-direction and counter thereto by an adjustment assembly.