Method and apparatus for providing refunds in a postage metering system

1. A method for facilitating refunds in a postage metering system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a computer a request for a refund of a postage amount, the request being associated with a postage meter;

using the computer for accessing a dispute account database for identifying a dispute account having a value therein that is indicative of a level of refund activity attributable to the postage meter, the dispute account being associated with the request;

determining, via the computer, if the value in the dispute account is acceptable for permitting a refund of the postage amount; and

at times when the value is determined to be acceptable for permitting the refund of the postage amount, refunding the postage amount to a user of the postage meter by sending enabling data from the computer to the postage meter, the enabling data useable by the postage meter to add the postage amount to a vault of the postage meter.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the value in the dispute account to account for the postage amount refunded.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at times when the value is determined to be not acceptable, sending a message for one of printing and display at the postage meter, the message advising that the request for a refund has been denied.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising sending the request from the postage meter to the computer.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the postage meter is remotely located from the computer.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a transaction record of the refunding at the computer.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the postage amount correlates to a postage value previously dispensed by the postage meter.

8. A postage metering system comprising:

a postage meter having a vault that accounts for postage dispensed by the postage meter and a processor for controlling operation of the postage meter;

a data center in communication with the postage meter, the data center having a central processing unit and a dispute account database, the dispute account database having a dispute account having a value therein that is indicative of a level of refund activity attributable to the postage meter, the dispute account being associated with the postage meter;

means for permitting communication between the postage meter and the data center;

wherein at times when the data center receives a request for a refund of a postage amount for the postage meter the central processing unit determines if the value in the dispute account is acceptable for permitting a refund of the postage amount and if it is the central processing unit refunds the postage amount to a user of the postage meter by sending enabling data useable by the processor for adding the postage amount to the postage meter vault.

9. A postage metering system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the postage meter further includes a printing device that prints a receipt of the postage amount refunded.

10. A postage metering system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the postage meter sends the request to the data center and the postage amount correlates to a postage value previously dispensed by the postage meter.

11. A postage metering system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the postage meter is remotely located from the data center.

12. A method for facilitating refunds in a postage meter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving at the postage meter a request for a refund of a postage amount;

accessing a dispute account in the postage meter to determine if a value in the dispute account is acceptable for permitting a refund of the postage amount, the value indicative of a level of refund activity attributable to the postage meter; and

at times when the value is determined to be acceptable for permitting the refund of the postage amount, refunding the postage amount to a user of the postage meter by adding the postage amount to a vault of the postage meter.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein at times when the postage meter communicates with a remote data center sending a message from the postage meter to the data center to initiate the refunding of the postage amount to the user.

14. A postage meter comprising:

a processor that controls operation of the postage meter;

a vault that accounts for postage dispensed by the postage meter;

a dispute account having a value therein, the value indicative of a level of refund activity attributable to the meter;

wherein at times when the postage meter receives a request for a refund of a postage amount the processor determines if the value in the dispute account is acceptable for permitting a refund of the postage amount and if it is the processor refunds the postage amount to a user of the postage meter by adding the postage amount to the vault.