Method of manufacturing and verifying postage items providing a guarantee of payment

摘要

The method involves obtaining a three dimensional fiber structure i.e. three dimensional paper structure, of a mailpiece (12) e.g. envelope, by using a laser scanning device (30), and determining a unique finger print code from the three dimensional fiber structure. A two dimensional bar code (12A) with a unique sequential/random identification number, is generated. A database that associates the unique identification number to unique finger print code, is created. The two dimensional bar code is printed on the mailpiece. An independent claim is also included for a method for verifying a postage amount payment relative to a mailpiece.