EP0194662A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Electronic postage meter having a status monitor
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1986-03-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-03-12
Abstract
Abstract An electronic postage meter includes a microcomputer with an external timer (T) for providing a periodic interrupt. At each interrupt, a monitor routine examines the sensors and switches for changes in status and a monitor word is formed in correspondence with the detected status. A queue of meter tasks is scheduled in accordance with the meter status, any changes in status, or after a selected time has passed.
Inventors
- 👤 Woody W. Wilson
- 👤 Nathaniel G. Wadsworth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/48; G06F9/4806; G06F9/4812; G06F9/4825; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00314; G07B2017/00322; G07B2017/00338
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
. An electronic postage meter having a microcomputer, neans (SP) for printing postage in accordance with instructions communicated from said microcomputer, means (TM) for accounting for postage printed by said printing means (SP), means (NVM) for nonvolatile storage of the accounting information, means (I) for providing operator-selectable data to said microcomputer, characterized by means (T) for periodically providing to said microcomputer an interrupt signal for interrupting the current operation of the microcomputer, said microcomputer being operative upon receipt of such interrupt signal to monitor the status of at least one element of the postage meter and in response to the status thereof to schedule a queue of tasks to be performed by the electronic postage meter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
. An electronic postage meter having a microcomputer, neans (SP) for printing postage in accordance with instructions communicated from said microcomputer, means (TM) for accounting for postage printed by said printing means (SP), means (NVM) for nonvolatile storage of the accounting information, means (I) for providing operator-selectable data to said microcomputer, characterized by means (T) for periodically providing to said microcomputer an interrupt signal for interrupting the current operation of the microcomputer, said microcomputer being operative upon receipt of such interrupt signal to monitor the status of at least one element of the postage meter and in response to the status thereof to schedule a queue of tasks to be performed by the electronic postage meter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The electronic postage meter of Claim 1 wherein the microcomputer stores a status word in memory corresponding to the status of'the electronic postage meter element at the time the interrupt signal occurs and compares said status word to a previously stored status word to determine whether a change in the status of the electronic postage meter element has occurred.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
100 words
An electronic postage meter comprising a microcomputer, means (SP) for printing postage in accordance with instructions communicated from said microcomputer, means (TM) for accounting for postage printed by said printing means (SP), means (I) for providing operator-selectable data to said microcomputer, characterized by means (T) for providing to said microcomputer a timed interrupt signal for interrupting the current operation of the microcomputer, said microcomputer being operative upon such interrupt to monitor the status of elements of the postage meter and to schedule a queue of tasks to be performed by the electronic postage meter on the basis of such status.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
An electronic postage meter comprising a microcomputer, means (SP) for printing postage in accordance with instructions communicated from said microcomputer, means (TM) for accounting for postage printed by said printing means (SP), means (I) for providing operator-selectable data to said microcomputer, characterized by means (T) for providing to said microcomputer a timed interrupt signal for interrupting the current operation of the microcomputer, said microcomputer being operative upon such interrupt to monitor the status of elements of the postage meter and to schedule a queue of tasks to be performed by the electronic postage meter on the basis of such status.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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