| US 7,526,454 B2 | ||
| Method and system for conveying funds to postage meters | ||
| Mariano R. Lau, Ossining, N.Y. (US); Ralph G. Mezzoni, Derby, Conn. (US); and Surya R. Sagi, Southbury, Conn. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, Conn. (US) | ||
| Filed on Dec. 31, 2004, as Appl. No. 11/26,789. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0149690 A1, Jul. 06, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G07B 17/02 (2006.01); G07B 17/00 (2006.01); G06Q 10/00 (2006.01); G06F 17/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 705—403 [705/401; 705/410] | 15 Claims |
| 8. A postage meter comprising:
a funds storage location for storing funds for funds consumption of the postage meter;
a scheduling device for setting date-based rules defining a plurality of idle periods;
a mechanism for determining:
if a level of funds in the funds storage location is below a predetermined amount;
a period of time between the time the level of funds is below the predetermined amount and a beginning of a next idle period
based on the date-based rules; and
a funds requesting module in the postage meter whereby, if the period of time until the next idle period is greater than a
predetermined length, as indicated in the date-based rules, the funds requesting module is configured to automatically request
a transfer of funds to the postage meter funds storage location; and if the period of time until the next idle period is less
than the predetermined length, as indicated in the date-based rules, then the funds requesting module is configured to delay
requesting the transfer of funds to the postage meter funds storage location until after the idle period.
|