EP1677260A2 - Design apparatus and machine for franking a personalised style of mail - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a read only memory (15) containing creation and edition programs to create a draft personalized template (PM2) from a general mail template and personalization data. A storage unit stores the template (PM2) in a protected memory (24). A certification unit computes and inserts a signature into a computer file representing the template (PM2) and saves the certified computer file in a memory (26) accessible via a network. An independent claim is also included for a machine of franking a mail item.

Description

The present invention relates to the general field of franking machines. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for designing custom mail templates, and a machine for franking these personalized mail.

The personalization of mail may for example consist of printing on the envelope slogans advertising or messages for a particular category of recipients.

US 6,816,838 discloses a mail production system in which each article comprises a bar code representative of a set of personalization data to be printed on this article.

This barcode is read by an insertion machine which prints the personalization data identified by this barcode on the article. This personalization data may in particular contain an advertising graphic image previously stored in a memory of the insertion machine.

Such a system has in particular a major drawback, in that it provides no tool to easily design the personalization data.

In addition, this system does not control that it is certified personalization data that is stored in the franking machine, and finally printed on the mail piece.

Object of the invention

• des moyens de sélection d'un modèle général de courrier dans une bibliothèque de modèles ;
• des moyens de réception de données de personnalisation du modèle général ;
• des moyens de création et d'édition d'un projet de modèle personnalisé à partir du modèle général et des données de personnalisation ;
• des moyens de mémorisation du projet dans une mémoire protégée ;
• des moyens pour valider le projet de modèle ; et
• des moyens de mémorisation du modèle de courrier personnalisé certifié, sous forme d'un fichier informatique, dans une mémoire accessible via le réseau de télécommunications.

The main purpose of the present invention is thus to overcome these disadvantages by proposing a device for designing a personalized model of mail in a telecommunications network. This device comprises:

• means for selecting a general mail template from a template library;
• means for receiving personalization data of the general model;
• means for creating and editing a custom template project from the general template and customization data;
• means for storing the project in a protected memory;
• means to validate the model project; and
• means for storing the certified personalized mail template, in the form of a computer file, in a memory accessible via the telecommunications network.

This design device thus allows the control of personalization data that can be printed on a mail piece.

Indeed, only personalization data certified by an operator of the design device can be stored in a memory accessible for later use.

Indeed, as long as the models of mail have not been certified by the operator (certifying body), they remain in a protected memory inaccessible by an external device.

On the other hand, the means for creating and editing the personalized mail template remain under the control of the design device, so that only the graphic functions authorized by this device can be used.

The person skilled in the art will understand that these graphic functions may depend on the postal specifications associated with the general model of mail used.

This design device therefore has two main functions, namely a provision of tools for creating and editing models for a client device connected to the network, and means of archiving certified models for this client device.

A company using this design device can thus ensure that the personalization data that will be printed on these mail items will meet compliance criteria.

In a preferred embodiment, the computer file representative of the mail template is in XML format.

This format is indeed particularly suitable for hierarchizing, in the form of objects, the constituent elements of the personalized model, to to know the general model of mail used, and all the elements of personalization (text, images, ...) associated or not with positions.

Indeed, in a first variant, the positions of the personalization data are fixed in a predetermined area of the general model, for example to meet postal regulations.

In a variant, the means for creating and editing the device according to the invention make it possible to freely position the personalization data in the non-reserved areas of the mail article template.

In a preferred embodiment, the validation means of the device are able to calculate and insert a signature in the computer file representative of the certified mail template.

Those skilled in the art will understand that a new signature can be calculated at the time of the actual use of the certified personalized mail template, and that any modification of this template would have the effect that the new calculated signature would be different from the signature inserted in the aforementioned computer file.

This characteristic advantageously allows to control in a certain way, and automatic, that no modification of the personalized model has been made by a malicious third party.

• des moyens d'obtention et de lecture d'un fichier informatique représentatif d'un modèle personnalisé certifié de courrier, tel que créé par un dispositif de conception tel que mentionné ci-dessus, à partir d'un modèle général et de données de personnalisation de ce modèle général et
• des moyens de transport d'au moins un article de courrier conforme au modèle général jusqu'à des moyens d'affranchissement ;
• ces moyens d'affranchissement étant adaptés à imprimer les données de personnalisation sur l'article conformément au modèle personnalisé certifié.

Correlatively, the invention relates to a franking machine an article comprising:

• means for obtaining and reading a computer file representative of a certified mail custom model, as created by a design device as mentioned above, from a general model and personalization data of this general model and
• means for transporting at least one mail item conforming to the general pattern to postage means;
• these franking means being adapted to print the personalization data on the article according to the certified personalized model.

Thus, in accordance with the invention, this franking machine prints on the mail items only the personalization data that has been previously certified by the device under the control of a certifying body.

In a preferred embodiment, the franking machine verifies the validity of the signature inserted by the design device in the computer file representative of the certified mail template.

Brief description of the drawings

• la figure 1 représente un dispositif de conception conforme à l'invention dans un mode préféré de réalisation ;
• les figures 2A à 2C représentent respectivement un modèle général, un projet de modèle, et un modèle certifié conformes à l'invention dans des modes préférés de réalisation ; et
• la figure 3 représente une machine à affranchir conforme à l'invention dans un mode préféré de réalisation.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment having no limiting character. In the figures:

• Figure 1 shows a design device according to the invention in a preferred embodiment;
• Figs. 2A-2C show respectively a general model, a model project, and a certified model according to the invention in preferred embodiments; and
• Figure 3 shows a franking machine according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

Detailed description of an embodiment

Figure 1 shows a device 10 for designing a custom mail template according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

This design device 10 can be connected to a telecommunication network 5 via communication means 12.

This network 5 may for example be the Internet network. In this case, the communication means 12 are adapted to implement TCP IP protocol layers known to those skilled in the art.

This design device 10 comprises in particular a processor 14, a read-only memory 15, a random access memory 16, a keyboard 17 and a screen 18, the latter two elements being connected to a bus system of the device 10 via an input port. exit 13.

The design device 10 comprises a library 22 accessible remotely by a client device CL1 connected to the telecommunications network 5.

This library 22 stores general mail templates MG1, MG2, MG3.

A general mail template MG is shown in Figure 2A.

This general mail template MG defines the main characteristics of a mail item, eg, its type, size, and the main areas of this article, for example the postage area 1 and the address area 2. the recipient.

Thus, a user of the client device CL1 wishing to create a personalized mail template can view a general mail template, for example the template MG1, physically stored in the library 22 of the design device 10.

Then, for personalization purposes, the client device CL1 can transmit, via the telecommunication network 5, personalization data dp to the design device 10.

These personalization data dp are for example constituted by advertising information, or slogans.

These personalization data dp are received by the communication means 12 already described. According to the invention, the read-only memory 15 includes creation and editing programs making it possible to remotely modify the general model MG1 chosen by the client 1.

In a known manner, these creation and editing programs make it possible, for example, for the user of the client CL1 to resize the general model, to change the colors, to insert text or images.

In particular, you can use ImageMagick type design software available on the Internet at http://www.imagemagick.org/, or software known in the publishing world under the names Adobe PageMaker, or Adobe Photoshop (registered trademarks).

In particular, these creation and editing programs can be used to customize the general model MG1 with the personalization data transmitted by the client CL1.

In a first variant embodiment, these personalization data DP are necessarily intended to be printed in a predetermined area of the general model MG1, typically imposed by the postal regulations.

In a second variant, the CL1 client user can freely position his personalization data within authorized limits of the general model MG1, or even on the back of this model.

When the user of the client 1 is satisfied with his personalized model, he sends a command to the design device 10 which stores a custom template project in a protected memory 24.

In the context of this patent application, it is considered that the memory 24 is protected in that it can not be accessed by any external device.

In the example of FIG. 1, it is considered that the protected memory 24 includes a PM2 model project associated with the client CL1.

An example of a PM model project will now be described with reference to Figure 2B.

This model project is constituted in this example by a PM computer file comprising a reference to a general model MG1 and two personalization objects dp, each of them being constituted by a personalization data item (for example a text, an image). associated with a pos position in the general model MG1.

According to the invention, the design device 10 comprises means used by an operator of this device 10, to validate the PM2 template project, when the operator recognizes that the personalization data proposed by the client 1 meet certain criteria, for example to ethical criteria.

• calculer et insérer une signature SIG dans le fichier informatique représentatif du projet de modèle MP2 ;
• sauvegarder ce fichier modifié dans une mémoire 26 accessible par le client CL1 via le réseau de télécommunication 5.

In a preferred embodiment, these certification means are constituted by a signature program implemented by the processor 14, adapted to:

• calculate and insert a GIS signature in the computer file representative of the MP2 model project;
• save this modified file in a memory 26 accessible by the client CL1 via the telecommunication network 5.

The model project thus becomes a certified mail model MC as shown in Figure 2C.

In the example of FIG. 1, it is considered that client cl1 has a certified mail template MC1 stored in accessible memory 26 and a draft template PM2 stored in protected memory 24.

Preferably, the computer file storing PM model projects and / or MC certified models are computer files in XML format.

We will now describe with reference to Figure 3 a franking machine 30 according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

This franking machine 30 consists in particular of two parts, namely a base 31 mainly comprising a mail item supply module, a weighing module and motors driving transport rolls of the articles to be franked to a head module 32.

This head module 32 mainly comprises a print head 60 for franking the mail items and a secure accounting module 40 generally known as the PSD or "meter".

According to the invention, the franking machine 30 comprises, preferably in the head 32, means 50 for obtaining and reading a computer file MC1 representative of a certified mail custom model as described above with reference to Figure 1.

• des articles de courrier conformes au modèle général MG1 sur lequel a été bâti le modèle personnalisé de courrier MC1 ; avec
• les données de personnalisation dp mémorisées dans ce modèle personnalisé certifié, associées ou non à des positions pos d'impression.

In practice, this computer file MC1 is transmitted to the franking machine 30 by a user of the client CL1 when the latter wishes to frank:

• mail items conforming to the general model MG1 on which the custom mail model MC1 has been built; with
• the personalization data dp stored in this certified custom template, associated or not with pos pos pos printing.

In the preferred embodiment described here, the means 50 for obtaining and reading the computer file MC1 are suitable for obtaining and reading computer files in XML format.

It is now assumed that a batch of mail items, conforming to the general format MG1, is supplied to the feed module of the base 31, each of the articles of this batch being transported to the franking means of the head 32. .

According to the invention, the franking means obtain, from the computer file MC1, the personalization data dp to be printed on each article of this batch, these data being printed at the appropriate pos position by the print head 60 .

In a first variant embodiment, this pos position is a predetermined fixed position, for example imposed by the postal regulations.

In another embodiment, the franking means are adapted to print these data at any pos position, for example on the back of the mailpiece.

In the preferred embodiment described here, the franking machine 30 includes means for verifying the validity of a GIS signature included in the MC1 certified custom pattern.

For example, the verification means calculate a new signature SIG2 of the file MC1 and compare this new signature SIG2 with that (SIG) inserted in this file by the design device 10.

Preferably, these means are adapted to prohibit the printing of personalization data on the article if the signature is considered invalid.

Alternatively or in addition, an alarm may be generated for the user of the franking machine 30.

Claims (10)

Device for designing a personalized model of mail in a telecommunications network characterized in that it comprises: means for selecting (14) a mail general model (MG1) in a library (22) of models (MG1, GM2, MG3); means (12) for receiving personalization data (dp) from said general model (MG1); means (14) for creating and editing a custom model project (PM2) from said general model (MG1) and said personalization data; means (14) for storing said project (PM2) in a protected memory (24); means (14) for validating said model project (PM2); and means for storing said certified personalized mail template (MC1), in the form of a computer file (MC1), in a memory (26) accessible via said telecommunications network (5). Design device according to claim 1, characterized in that said computer file (MC1) is in XML format. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said means (12) for creating and editing are adapted to control the position (pos) of said personalizing data (dp) in a predetermined area of said general model (MG1). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said means (14) validation are adapted to calculate and insert a signature (GIS) in said computer file (MC1). Franking machine for an article of mail characterized in that it comprises: means (50) for obtaining and reading a computer file (MC1) representative of a mail certified custom model (MC1), as created by a design device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, from a general model (MG1) and personalization data (dp) of this general model; and means for transporting at least one mail item conforming to the general model (MG1) to franking means; said postage means being adapted to print said personalization data (dp) on said article in accordance with the certified personalized model (MC1). Franking machine according to claim 5, characterized in that said means (50) for obtaining and reading are adapted to obtain and read said computer file (MC1) in XML format. A franking machine according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said franking means is adapted to print said personalization data at a predetermined position of said article. A franking machine according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that said franking means are adapted to obtain a printing position (pos) of said personalization data from said file (MC1), and to print said personalization data (dp) at this position (pos) on said article. A franking machine according to claim 8, characterized in that said franking means is adapted to print said personalization data (dp) on the back of said article. Franking machine according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that it comprises means for checking the validity of a signature (SIG) of said computer file (MC1) and prohibiting the printing of said data of customization (dp) in the case where said signature (SIG) is not valid.

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