STAMFORD, Conn. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — July 2, 2012 — Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI) announced that a team of three employees was recently honored with the Company’s 2011 Invention of the Year Award at the 20th Annual Pitney Bowes Inventor Recognition Dinner. The Invention of the Year Award went to U.S. patent number 8,015,115 entitled, “System and Method for Providing Controlled Access to a Funds Dispensing Device from External Processors.” Steve Brennan of Farmington, Conn., Brian Hannigan of Southington, Conn. and Sam Thillaikumaran of Southbury, Conn. were recognized for their work related to the 2011 Invention of the Year.
This invention provides a proxy server system for controlled access to a postage meter by a software application running on a PC. The invention reads on Pitney Bowes PC Meter Connect™ desktop application which allows a PC connected to a Pitney Bowes mailstation 2™ digital mailing system to control certain functions of the meter and allows the meter to communicate with the Pitney Bowes Data Center via the PC. The winning invention enables Pitney Bowes’ customers to experience faster and more reliable communication with the Pitney Bowes Data Center. It also allows Pitney Bowes mailstation 2™ to work with the USPS® Click-N-Ship® service to print postage for shipping labels.
“This year’s winning team developed a solution that delivers increased value and productivity to customers,” said Murray Martin, chairman, president & CEO, Pitney Bowes Inc. “This award validates our commitment to ‘Put Customers First’, which is one of our core values at Pitney Bowes.”
Pitney Bowes also recognized two inventors: Wes Kirschner of Farmington, Conn. was inducted into the Pitney Bowes Hall of Fame for reaching his 30th patent, and Bill Wright of Killingworth, Conn. was recognized for reaching the 50th patent milestone. The Patent Hall of Fame is reserved for prolific inventors who receive their 30th, 50th and 100th patents during their careers at Pitney Bowes.
The Company also recently announced it honored Robert Cordery for a milestone achievement of 144 U.S. patents --- the most Pitney Bowes patents by an inventor.
Pitney Bowes’s annual Inventor of the Year Award recognizes the achievements of its technology community and the importance of innovation to the Company’s success. Each year, a panel of judges selects the Invention of the Year from the patents issued to Pitney Bowes during the previous year. Pitney Bowes’s intellectual property portfolio includes more than 2,300 patents renowned worldwide in the areas of shipping, laser printing, encryption and mailing. In 2011, Pitney Bowes was awarded 105 U.S. patents, and Pitney Bowes was ranked tied for 250th on the Intellectual Property Owners Association’s list of top patent organizations.
About Pitney Bowes
Delivering more than 90 years of innovation, Pitney Bowes provides software, hardware and services that integrate physical and digital communications channels. Long known for making its customers more productive, Pitney Bowes is increasingly helping other companies grow their business through advanced customer communications management. Pitney Bowes is a $5.3 billion company with 29,000 employees worldwide. Pitney Bowes: Every connection is a new opportunity™.
USPS and Click-N-Ship are registered trademarks of the United States Postal Service.
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