EP0172573A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic postage meter having multiple non-volatile memories for storing different historical information reflecting postage transactions
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1985-08-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-08-22
Abstract
Abstract A method and associated apparatus is provided for storing different historical information reflecting the postage transactions of an electronic postage meter, comprising the steps of and associated apparatus for providing a first non-volatile memory (30), providing a second non-volatile memory (32) having a larger data storage capacity than the first nonvolatile memory (39) with individually addressable memory locations for storing Information regarding each postage meter transaction on a real time basis, sequentially writing by means of a microprocessor (12) historical informa. tion corresponding to each postage meter transaction in a different memory location in the second non-volatile memory (32) in real time as each postage meter transaction occurs to provide a historical record of each postage transaction so that two different records of historical information regarding the postage transactions are provided in non-volatile memory with the first non-volatile memory (30) providing a cumulative historical record reflecting the postage transactions prior to a power down cycle and the second non-volatile memory (32) providing a sequential historial record of each individual postage transaction. Advantageously, the last individually addressable memory location of the second non-volatile memory (32) is interconnected to the first individually addressable memory location of the second non-volatile memory (32) for sequentially re-using the individual addressable memory locations to write accounting data therein to provide a continuous historical record of a predetermined number of previous postage transactions as measured backward in time from the last postage transaction.
Inventors
- 👤 Wallace Kirschner
- 👤 Easwaran C.N. Nambudiri
- 👤 Douglas H. Patterson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 12:08
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00362; G07C; G07C3/00; G07B17/00314; G07B2017/00346; G07B2017/00395; G07B2017/00411
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for storing various historical information reflecting the postage transactions of an electronic postage meter, characterized by the steps of: providing a first non-volatile memory (30); providing a second non-volatile memory (32) having a larger date storage capacity than the first non-volatile memory (30) with individually addressable memory locations for storing information regarding each postage meter transaction on a real time basis; writing cumulative historical information corresponding to the postage meter transactions into the first non-volatile memory (30) during each power down cycle of the meter; and sequentially writing historical information corresponding to postage meter transactions in a different memory location in the second non-volatile memory (32) in real time as each postage meter transaction occurs to provide a historical record of each postage transaction so that two different records of historical information regarding the postage transactions are provided in non-volatile memory with the first non- volatile memory (3υ) providing a cumulative historical record reflecting the postage transactions prior to a power down cycle and the second non-volatile memory providing a sequential historical record of each individual postage transaction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
180 words
A method for storing various historical information reflecting the postage transactions of an electronic postage meter, characterized by the steps of: providing a first non-volatile memory (30); providing a second non-volatile memory (32) having a larger date storage capacity than the first non-volatile memory (30) with individually addressable memory locations for storing information regarding each postage meter transaction on a real time basis; writing cumulative historical information corresponding to the postage meter transactions into the first non-volatile memory (30) during each power down cycle of the meter; and sequentially writing historical information corresponding to postage meter transactions in a different memory location in the second non-volatile memory (32) in real time as each postage meter transaction occurs to provide a historical record of each postage transaction so that two different records of historical information regarding the postage transactions are provided in non-volatile memory with the first non- volatile memory (3υ) providing a cumulative historical record reflecting the postage transactions prior to a power down cycle and the second non-volatile memory providing a sequential historical record of each individual postage transaction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
A method according to Claim 1, includina the steps of: interconnecting the last individually addressable memory location of the second non-volatile memory ( 3 2) to the first individual memory location of the second non-volatile memory ( 32 ) ; and sequentially re-using said individually addressable memory locations to write accounting data therein to provide a continuous historical record of a predetermined number of previous postage transactions as measured backward in time from the last postage transaction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to Claim 1 or 2 including the steps of: transferring accounting data from a volatile memory ( 28 ) to the first non-volatile memory (30) under control of a microprocessor during the power down cycle of the meter; and transmitting accounting data reflecting each postage meter transaction to the second non-volatile memory (32) under control of a mircoprocessor (12).
Claim 5
Independent Claim
55 words
A method according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 including providing as said second non-volatile memory (32) a plurality of non-volatile memory chips; and electrically coupling the plurality of non-volatile chips in series to provide a sufficient number of individually addressable memory locations to store information regarding a predetermined number of postage transactions.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for storing different historical information reflecting the postage transactions of an electronic postage meter, characterized by; first non-volatile memory means(30); second non-volatile memory means (32) having a larger data storage capacity than said first non-volatile memory means (30) with individually addressable memory locations for storing information regarding each postage meter transaction on a real time basis; microprocessor means (12) for writing cumulative historical information corresponding to the postage meter transactions into said first non-volatile memory means (30) during each power down cycle of the meter and sequentially writing historical information corresponding to each postage meter transaction in a different memory location in said second non-. volatile memory means (32) in real time as each postage meter transaction occurs to provide a historical record of.each postage transaction so that two different records of historical information regarding the postage transactions are provided in non-volatile memory with said first non-volatile memory means (30) providing a cumulative historical record reflecting the postage transactions prior to a power down cycle and said second non-volatile memory means (32)providing a historical record of each individual postage transaction.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
182 words
A system for storing different historical information reflecting the postage transactions of an electronic postage meter, characterized by; first non-volatile memory means(30); second non-volatile memory means (32) having a larger data storage capacity than said first non-volatile memory means (30) with individually addressable memory locations for storing information regarding each postage meter transaction on a real time basis; microprocessor means (12) for writing cumulative historical information corresponding to the postage meter transactions into said first non-volatile memory means (30) during each power down cycle of the meter and sequentially writing historical information corresponding to each postage meter transaction in a different memory location in said second non-. volatile memory means (32) in real time as each postage meter transaction occurs to provide a historical record of.each postage transaction so that two different records of historical information regarding the postage transactions are provided in non-volatile memory with said first non-volatile memory means (30) providing a cumulative historical record reflecting the postage transactions prior to a power down cycle and said second non-volatile memory means (32)providing a historical record of each individual postage transaction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
A system accordina to Claim 5, including: means interconnecting the last individually addressable memory location of said second non-volatile memory means (32) to .the first individually addressable memory location of said second non-volatile memory means (32) to provide a continuous data loop for sequentially re-using said individually addressable memory locations to write accounting data therein to provide a continuous historical record of a predetermined number of previous postage transactions as measured backward in time from the last postage transaction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system according to Claim 5 or 6 wherein: a volatile memory means (28) is provided and said micro- processor means (12) is arranged to store accounting data in said volatile memory means (28) reflecting the postage transactions of the meter and transferring the stored accounting data to said first non-volatile memory means (30) during a power down cycle
Claim 10
Independent Claim
50 words
A system as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 7 wherein: said second non-volatile memory means (32) includes a plurality of non-volatile memory chips electrically connected in series to provide a sufficient number of individually addressable memory locations to store information regarding a predetermined number of postage transactions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
80 words
A system according to Claim 8, including: means for interconnecting the last individually addressable memory location of said second non-volatile memory means (32) to the first individually addressable memory location of said second non-volatile memory means (32) to provide a continuous data loop for sequentially re-using said individually addressable memory locations to write accounting data therein fo provide a continuous historical record of a predetermined number of previous postage transactions as measured backward in time from the last postage transaction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
An electronic postage meter operable according to the method of any one of Claims 1 to 4 or comprising the system of any one of Claims 5 to 9.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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