Method and system for payment of business reply mail

Abstract

A business reply mail payment system and method is provided. A business reply mail payment system establishes a master account with the postal system for the payment of business reply mail. A plurality of mailers each establish a separate account with the payment system and transfer control of payment for business reply mail accepted under their respective permit imprints to the payment system. When the mailer will be receiving business reply mail, a request for payment of postage is made to the payment system, which processes the information related to the business reply mail. The post office acceptance site communicates with the payment system as the business reply mail is received and compares the received business reply mail with the information processed by the payment system to determine if it should be accepted or rejected. If the business reply mail is accepted, the master account is debited for payment.

1 . A method for paying for business reply mail comprising: 
 establishing a master payment account with a postal service, the master payment account adapted to make payment for business reply mail under a plurality of different business reply mail permit numbers;    receiving authorization to pay for business reply mail associated with one of the plurality of business reply mail permit numbers, the authorization including information related to the business reply mail;    receiving a communication from a post office to which the business reply mail is returned for processing;    providing the information related to the business reply mail to the post office for comparison with the business reply mail returned to the post office; and    if all or a portion of the returned business reply mail is accepted by the post office, providing payment to the post office for the business reply mail accepted by the post office from the master payment account.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of different business reply mail permit numbers has at least one associated payment account, the method further comprising: 
 providing funds to pay for the accepted business reply mail from a selected one of the at least one associated payment account.    
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein providing the information related to the business reply mail to the post office further comprises: 
 determining if sufficient funds are available in the at least one associated payment account to pay for the business reply mail returned to the post office;    if sufficient funds are available, providing the information related to the business reply mail to the post office; and    if sufficient funds are not available, providing instructions to the post office to reject at least a portion of the business reply mail returned to the post office.    
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes an interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a non-interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a credit account.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the master payment account is a Centralized Account Processing System account.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the information related to the business reply mail includes at least one of a permit number for the business reply mail, a zip code number associated with the permit number, a return address that should appear on every piece of business reply mail, a maximum number of pieces expected, a maximum postage amount, a daily limit number of pieces, a daily limit postage amount, and a date upon which the authorization to pay will expire.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein receiving authorization to pay for business reply mail further comprises: 
 processing the information related to the business reply mail.    
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein processing the information further comprises: 
 generating a payment authorization number associated with the business reply mail, the payment authorization number being linked with the information related to the business reply mail.    
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein receiving a communication from a post office to which the business reply mail is returned for processing further comprises: 
 receiving the payment authorization number from the post office;    determining if the payment authorization number is valid; and    providing the information related to the business reply mail that is linked to the payment authorization number to the post office if the payment authorization number is valid.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving notice from the post office of acceptance or rejection of the business reply mail; and    providing notification of the acceptance or rejection of the business reply mail to a third party.    
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the notification of acceptance or rejection includes an actual piece count of the accepted business reply mail and an actual cost for the accepted business reply mail as determined by the post office.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the third party is a mailer that authorized payment for the business reply mail.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 updating the information related to the business reply mail to include the business reply mail accepted by the post office.    
   
   
       16 . A method for payment for business reply mail comprising: 
 aggregating a plurality of business reply mail permit accounts into a master account, each of the plurality of business reply mail permit accounts having at least one associated payment account;    receiving a notification of acceptance of returned business reply mail from a mail carrier, the business reply mail being accepted under one of the plurality of business reply mail permit accounts;    providing payment for the returned business reply mail from the master account; and    removing funds for the returned business reply mail from a payment account associated with the one of the plurality of business reply mail permit accounts.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes an interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a non-interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a credit account.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the master account is a Centralized Account Processing System account.  
   
   
       21 . A method for a postal service to receive payment for business reply mail comprising: 
 establishing a master account for a business reply mail payment system, the business reply mail payment system having control of payment for a plurality of business reply mail permit numbers;    receiving business reply mail for return to a mailer at a postal facility under one of the plurality of business reply mail permit numbers; and    debiting the master account of the business reply mail payment system for payment for the business reply mail received for return to the mailer.    
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 communicating with the business reply mail payment system to receive information related to the business reply mail, the information including criteria for the business reply mail;    detrmining if the business reply mail received for return to the mailer meets the criteria included in the information related to the business reply mail received from the business reply mail payment system; and    accepting the business reply mail for return to the mailer if the business reply mail received for return to the mailer meets the criteria included in the information related to the business reply mail,    wherein the master account of the business reply mail payment system is debited only if the business reply mail is accepted.    
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 rejecting at least a portion of the business reply mail received for return to the mailer if the business reply mail does not meet the criteria included in the information related to the business reply mail received from the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein communicating with the business reply mail payment system further comprises: 
 providing a payment authorization number associated with the business reply mail to the business reply mail payment system, and in response receiving the information related to the business reply mail.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein communicating with the business reply mail payment system further comprises: 
 providing at least one of a permit number, permit holder's name, and zip code number associated with the permit number to the business reply mail payment system, and in response receiving the information related to the business reply mail.    
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the criteria for the business reply mail includes at least one of a permit number for the business reply mail, a zip code number associated with the permit number, a return address that should appear on every piece of business reply mail, a maximum number of pieces expected, a maximum postage amount, a daily limit number of pieces, a daily limit postage amount, and an authorization expiration date.  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising: 
 providing an actual piece count and an actual cost of the business reply mail to the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising: 
 providing confirmation of debiting of the master account to the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       29 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the master account is a Centralized Account Processing System account.  
   
   
       30 . A method for a mailer to pay for business reply mail comprising: 
 establishing a mailer account with a business reply mail payment system for payment of business reply mail, the business reply mail payment system maintaining a master account with a mail carrier for payment of business reply mail; and    transferring control of payment for business reply mail returned under a business reply mail permit number issued to the mailer to the business reply mail payment system;    wherein payment for business reply mail returned under a business reply mail permit number issued to the mailer is made from the master account of the business reply mail payment system and funds for the business reply mail are not debited from the mailer account until after a notification of acceptance of the returned business reply mail is received from the mail carrier.    
   
   
       31 . The method according to  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 providing criteria for acceptance of the business reply mail to the business reply mail payment system and authorizing the business reply mail payment system to pay for returned business reply mail that meets the criteria,    wherein payment made from the master account of the business reply mail payment system only for returned business reply mail that meets the criteria.    
   
   
       32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the criteria for the business reply mail includes at least one of a permit number for the business reply mail, a zip code number associated with the permit number, a return address that should appear on every piece of business reply mail, a maximum number of pieces expected, a maximum postage amount, a daily limit number of pieces, a daily limit postage amount, and an authorization expiration date.  
   
   
       33 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein after providing criteria for acceptance of the business reply mail, the method further comprises: 
 receiving a payment authorization number generated by the business reply mail payment system, the payment authorization number being linked to the criteria for the business reply mail.    
   
   
       34 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein establishing a mailer account further comprises: 
 establishing an interest bearing deposit account with the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       35 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein establishing a mailer account further comprises: 
 establishing a non-interest bearing deposit account with the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       36 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein establishing a mailer account further comprises: 
 establishing a credit account with the business reply mail payment system.    
   
   
       37 . A system for payment of business reply mail comprising: 
 a business reply mail payment system having a plurality of business reply mail permit accounts for a plurality of mailers, each of the plurality of business reply mail permit accounts being associated with a respective business reply mail permit number, each of the business reply mail permit accounts having at least one associated payment account; and    a master account maintained by the business reply mail payment system, the master account being used to pay a postal service for business reply mail accepted under each respective business reply mail permit number for the plurality of mailers,    wherein payment for business reply mail accepted under a respective business reply mail permit number issued to a mailer is made from the master account of the business reply mail payment system and funds for the business reply mail accepted are not provided from the payment account for the mailer until after a notification of acceptance of the business reply mail is received from the postal service.    
   
   
       38 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes an interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       39 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a non-interest bearing deposit account.  
   
   
       40 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the at least one associated payment account includes a credit account.  
   
   
       41 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the master account is a Centralized Account Processing System account.  
   
   
       42 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the business reply mail payment system further comprises: 
 a payment authorization number system to generate a payment authorization number, the payment authorization number being linked to criteria for acceptance of the business reply mail.    
   
   
       43 . The system according to  claim 42 , wherein the criteria for acceptance of the business reply mail includes at least one of a permit number for the business reply mail, a zip code number associated with the permit number, a return address that should appear on every piece of business reply mail, a maximum number of pieces expected, a maximum postage amount, a daily limit number of pieces, a daily limit postage amount, and a date upon which the authorization to pay will expire.  
   
   
       44 . The system according to  claim 43 , wherein the postal service communicates with the business reply mail payment system and provides the payment authorization number to the business reply mail payment system, and in response to receiving the payment authorization number the business reply mail payment system provides the information related to the business reply mail to the postal service.  
   
   
       45 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the business reply mail payment system stores criteria for acceptance of returned business reply mail.  
   
   
       46 . The system according to  claim 45 , wherein the criteria for acceptance of returned business reply mail includes at least one of a permit number for the business reply mail, a zip code number associated with the permit number, a return address that should appear on every piece of business reply mail, a maximum number of pieces expected, a maximum postage amount, a daily limit number of pieces, a daily limit postage amount, and a date upon which the authorization to pay will expire.  
   
   
       47 . The system according to  claim 45 , wherein the postal service, after receiving business reply mail for return to the mailer, communicates with the business reply mail payment system and provides at least the business reply mail permit number of the received business reply mail to the business reply mail payment system, and in response to receiving at least the business rely mail permit number the business reply mail payment system provides the criteria for acceptance of the business reply mail to the postal service.  
   
   
       48 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the business reply mail payment system provides notification to the mailer of acceptance of the business reply mail for return to the mailer.