	US 7,580,902 B2
	Printing method for a compact machine and an associated machine
Marek Krasuski, Fontenay Aux Roses (France); and Michel Fajour, Chatillon (France)
Assigned to NEOPOST Technologies, Bagneux (France)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/988,264.
Claims priority of application No. 03 13573 (FR), filed on Nov. 20, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2005/0203859 A1, Sep. 15, 2005
Int. Cl. G06F 17/00 (2006.01); G07B 17/02 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 705—408 [705/401]

2 Claims

2. A printing method for printing a mail item in a franking machine including a print module disposed directly at the outlet from a differential weighing module, the mail item including postal-imprint data and other printed data, the method comprising the following steps:

determining the format and the thickness of a mail item so as to enable the postal imprint to be calculated in anticipation;

launching the weighing operation by conveying the mail item from the differential weighing module to the print module;

printing said other printed data on the mail item;

detecting the end of the weighing operation by the mail item being output from the differential weighing module;

determining the weight of the mail item;

calculating the postal imprint to be printed; and

printing postal-imprint data on the mail item, wherein the step of printing said other printed data occurs before the step of printing the postal-imprint data, wherein the process of printing on the mail item is performed continuously from its rear edge to its front edge, with the mail item then being upsidedown and the postal imprint being presented in the bottom lefthand corner.