Patent · US Expired

Postage meter having a dot matrix printer

US5694526A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
16References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 10, 1996
Grant dateDec 2, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 10, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG07B2017/0062
  • WIPO fieldControl
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A postage meter includes a keyboard for inputting postage information, a memory for storing the input postage information, a programmable read-only memory for storing standard postage indicia information, a dot matrix printer, the dot matrix printer comprising a staggered arrangement of a plurality of dot matrix printheads, and a controller which 1) retrieves the input postage information and the standard postage indicia, 2) combines the input postage information and the standard postage indicia information to form a postage indicia to be printed, 3) divides the formed postage indicia into equal portions wherein the formed postage indicia is divided by a number of the dot matrix printheads in the dot matrix printer, 4) routes divided portions to each of a plurality of dot matrix printheads, and 5) instructs each of the dot matrix printheads to print its portion of the divided postage indicia at a specific time such that upon completing the printing of the divided portion, a complete postage indicia is printed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.