A system and method for mobile devices that do not have hardware interfaces to be able to control shipping peripheral devices that are not connected directly thereto are provided. Intermediary hardware devices are utilized that are connected to a local area network. A first device communicates with the user's mobile device using very-short range communication protocols. A second device has the peripheral devices directly coupled thereto, and includes preinstalled drivers and application software for the peripheral devices. The devices allow the mobile device and peripheral devices to communicate with each other over the local area network. Thus, the mobile device can be used to control the peripheral devices even though the peripheral devices are not directly connected to the mobile device.

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.

A method for uniquely identifying mailpieces having non-personalized enclosures during an inserting and printing process in a mailpieces production system, the method including: creating a Job file containing at least a mailing list of addresses to be printed on mailpieces, allocating a distinct mailpiece identifier for a mailpiece, allocating a temporary machine identifier to a non-personalized enclosure extracted from an insert feeder of the mailpiece production system, associating said temporary machine identifier with said distinct mailpiece identifier and recording the mailpiece identifier as being in process, creating the mailpiece by inserting at least the non-personalized enclosure into an envelope, printing on the envelope an address associated with the mailpiece identifier, and recording the mailpiece identifier as being inserted.

A depository system operates in response to data bearing records. Information regarding planned future deposits is recorded, at least one record visible appearance feature is stored or generated, and data corresponding to the at least one record appearance feature is stored in associated relation with deposit data. The at least one record appearance feature is made visible on a deposit item. The deposit item is subsequently presented to a depository that includes an image sensor. The image sensor operates to read the at least one record appearance feature. At least one controller in the depository causes a determination to be made that at least one record appearance feature corresponds to a pre-registered deposit and such determination enables the deposit item to be received in the depository.

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.

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.

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.

A distribution item is disclosed. The distribution item includes a first item comprising a container having an outer surface defining an enclosed space. A computer-readable code is disposed on the outer surface. The computer-readable code is associated with a first level entity. The first item also includes destination information associated with a second level entity disposed on the outer surface. The distribution item also includes one or more second items removably positioned within the enclosed space of the first item. Each of the one or more second items includes the computer-readable code associated with the first level entity.

Various embodiments of present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-program products containing executable code for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier. Various embodiments include a wireless computing device that may be one of several types of devices such as smartphones, mobile telephones, mobile computers, portable digital assistants, laptop computers, gaming devices, electronic tablets, or other types of similar devices that may be used to facilitate the shipping and expedited tracking of objects having a tracking number via multimedia capture and processing.

A depository system operates in response to data bearing records. Information regarding planned future deposits is recorded, at least one record visible appearance feature is stored or generated, and data corresponding to the at least one record appearance feature is stored in associated relation with deposit data. The at least one record appearance feature is made visible on a deposit item. The deposit item is subsequently presented to a depository that includes an image sensor. The image sensor operates to read the at least one record appearance feature. At least one controller in the depository causes a determination to be made that at least one record appearance feature corresponds to a pre-registered deposit and such determination enables the deposit item to be received in the depository.