摘要 |
The invention is a method for selecting, producing, and delivering a finished mail piece. The method includes the step of selecting, at an initiating node, a set of parameters which together comprise a mail piece to be produced at a remote location. The selection is made from a series of menus within a program resident within a data processing system. Among the parameters which can be selected or determined are the destination address, type of delivery service to be used, and a choice of the media stock upon which a selected text can be printed. Additionally, a choice of language for the text can be made, and an account number for debiting the cost of the transaction may be entered. The selected parameters are transmitted to a data center which reads the destination address and then determines the most appropriate destination node. It is possible for the data center to be co-located with the initiating node or, to be the destination node. The data center, which maintains all data with respect to a particular transaction, will transmit the selected parameters to the destination node. Upon receipt of the data, the destination node prints the selected text upon a media which is inserted into an envelope with the destination address printed upon the envelope. The envelope is then franked in proper local currency and delivered to a local postal stream for final delivery to the destination address.
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