Aspects of the technology described herein provide an activatable postage. As an initial step, the activatable postage is printed on a media, such as an envelope or sticker. Initially, the activatable postage has no postage value and will not have any value until activated. Each instance of activatable postage comprises a unique identifier encoded in a machine-readable format. Postage value is added to the activatable postage through an activation process. In order to activate an individual instance of activatable postage, the unique identifier encoded in the activatable postage needs to be provided to the activation application. At the end of the activation process, a central database is updated to associate the unique identifier with a postal value calculated during activation. When the Postal Service receives an item with activatable postage it validates the activatable postage and then deactivates the activatable postage by updating the central database.

In accordance with an embodiment, a package management system comprises a measurement device and an output device. The measurement device having a platform on which a package for measurement is to be placed, a camera positioned to capture an image of the package placed on the platform, a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of the package placed on the platform, and a processor configured to determine a length, a width, and a height of the package based on the captured image. The output device connected to a network and configured to output onto the network first information indicating the length, the width, and the height of the package and second information indicating the weight of the package.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for measuring package dimensions. The systems and methods may include determining, by a computing device comprising a processor, pixel locations of a plurality of corners of a package within an image. The systems and methods may also include determining, by the computing device, the package dimensions based on the pixel locations.

A package measurement apparatus according to an embodiment includes a housing having a first surface that supports a package to be placed thereon and a second surface above the first surface. A touch panel display is mounted on the second surface and is positioned facing upward. A camera is positioned to capture an image of the package when the package is placed on the first surface and configured to generate image data corresponding to the captured image.

Aspects of the technology described herein provide an activatable postage. The activatable postage is printed on a media, such as an envelope or sticker. Initially, the activatable postage has no postage value and may not have any value until activated. Each instance of activatable postage can include a unique identifier encoded in a machine-readable format. Postage value is added to the activatable postage through an activation process. To activate an individual instance of activatable postage, the unique identifier encoded in the activatable postage needs to be provided to the activation application. At the end of the activation process, a central database is updated to associate the unique identifier with a postal value calculated during activation. When the Postal Service receives an item with activatable postage it validates the activatable postage and then deactivates the activatable postage by updating the central database.

Systems and methods which provide for activation of postage indicia at a point of sale are shown. In operation according to embodiments, unassigned (e.g., not yet activated or not yet representing postage value) tokens (e.g., IBI barcodes) suitable for later use as postage indicia are distributed to various point of sale locations, such as retail locations, consumer kiosks, vending machines, etc. and made available for purchase by users. Upon purchase, at a point of sale, such unassigned tokens are preferably activated as valid or live postage indicia. Thereafter, the postage indicia may be used to post mail items.

Systems and methods which provide for activation of postage indicia at a point of sale are shown. In operation according to embodiments, unassigned (e.g., not yet activated or not yet representing postage value) tokens (e.g., IBI barcodes) suitable for later use as postage indicia are distributed to various point of sale locations, such as retail locations, consumer kiosks, vending machines, etc. and made available for purchase by users. Upon purchase, at a point of sale, such unassigned tokens are preferably activated as valid or live postage indicia. Thereafter, the postage indicia may be used to post mail items.

Systems and methods which provide metering of postage value using accumulated postage information are shown. Embodiments implement an accumulated postage register in a postage security device which is incremented each time a postage indicium is generated and which is reset when a postage value settlement operation is performed. Accumulated postage may be paid for using various accounts, including pre-funded or pre-paid accounts, credit accounts, debit accounts, and billing accounts. Accordingly, embodiments may be used with respect to a post-paid metering model, a pre-paid metering model, and combinations thereof.

Example aspects of the present disclosure relate to a method for determining a fee for sending a mailing, comprising the steps of: a) determining the weight and/or the volume of the mailing, b) selecting a three-dimensional body corresponding to the weight and/or the volume of the mailing, c) projecting the three-dimensional body onto the mailing, d) checking whether the three-dimensional body can enclose the mailing, e) if the three-dimensional body cannot enclose the mailing, selecting a larger three-dimensional body and repeating steps c) and d), f) if the three-dimensional body can enclose the mailing, determining the fee for sending the mailing in dependence on the determined weight and/or the volume and the selected three-dimensional body.

Provided is an unmanned mail/courier management system and method which can unmannedly receive a delivery of mail or a courier item, and can unmannedly store and receive a delivered mail or courier item. The system invention provides a configuration that enables a work, which is performed for unmanned reception and storage through interworking between an unmanned reception machine and a management server through a network in the art, to be input through and processed by a user terminal, and thus, does not require construction of a network for interworking with the management server in the unmanned reception machine for implementation thereof, thereby enabling easy installation of the unmanned reception machine, and minimizing a standby time by omitting a procedure of directly inputting in the unmanned reception machine.