Citation
(1999), "Post haste", Work Study, Vol. 48 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.1999.07948bad.001
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1999, MCB UP Limited
Post haste
Office update
Post haste
Pitney Bowes, the inventor and holder of dozens of US patents related to computer-based postage metering, is actively engaged in discussions with other makers of computer-based postal products regarding the licensing of these patents. Pitney Bowes has a long history of licensing its intellectual property to make its technologies available to a broad marketplace. For example, it has licensed all of its key postage metering technologies world-wide to all of its existing competitors. The current talks relate to, for example, affixing a cryptographic "signature" on data, in order to secure postage dispensed from a vault, and authenticating a mail item by linking the recipient address with encrypted data printed on the item. The company suggests it is willing to license its patents in exchange for other technologies, royalties, or a combination of the two. The company recognises that independent businesses are the fastest growing segment of the economy and that mail is vital to the growth of the customer base of these companies (whether used as a traditional direct marketing avenue, as support for Web-based marketing or simply for billing/invoicing). The company is therefore developing a suite of small business products including local (PC), workgroup (LAN) and network-based (Internet) computer metering.