Franking machine system

Claim 2

A franking machine system characterised in that it comprises a plurality of franking machines (17,21); a controller (19); first communication means (18,20,22,23) between each said franking machine (17,21) and said controller (19); said controller including register means (25,26) to register a total value of credit available for the system and means (24) operable to distribute amounts of credit via said first communication means (18,20,22,23) to selected franking machines (17, 21) and to decrement said total value of credit registered by said register means (25,26) by said distributed amounts of credit.

Claim 3

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 1 further characterised in that second communication means (15,16,20) is provided operable to communicate between the controller (19) and a remote resetting computer (14) to effect updating of the total value of credit in said register means (25,26).

Claim 4

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 2 further characterised in that said second communication means (15,16,20) includes a modem (20) connected to the controller (19).

Claim 5

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 further characterised in that the first communication means (18,20,22,23) comprises a local area network (18) interconnecting at least a group of said franking machines (17) and said controller (19).

Claim 6

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 further characterised in that said first communication means (18,20,22,23) includes further modems (23,20) ) connected respectively to at least some of the franking machines (21) and to said controller (19); and communication lines (22) for connecting the further modem (20) connected to the controller (19) with the further modems (23) connected to the franking machines (21).

Claim 7

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 5 further characterised in that the modem (20) connected to the controller (19) is common to the first communication means (20,22,23) and second communication means (15,16,20).

Claim 8

A franking machine system further characterised in that each franking machine (17,21) includes means to transmit a credit update request signal to the controller (19); and in that said controller (19) is operative in response to receipt of said request signal from any one of said franking machines (17,21) to transmit a credit update signal to that franking machine from which the request signal was transmitted; and each franking machine (17,21) is operative in response to receipt of a credit update signal to enter a new value of credit in a descending credit register.

Claim 9

A franking machine system further characterised in that each franking machine (17,21) includes means to transmit a credit update request signal to the controller (19); and in that said controller (19) is operative in response to receipt of said request signal from any one of said franking machines (17,21) to transmit a credit update signal to that franking machine from which the request signal was transmitted; and each franking machine (17,21) is operative in response to receipt of a credit update signal to enter a new value of credit in a descending credit register.

Claim 10

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 8 further characterised in that each franking machine (17,21 ) includes detection means operative in response to the value of credit in its descending credit register being equal or below a preset level to operate said means to transmit a credit update request signal.

Claim 11

A controller for a franking machine system as claimed in any preceding claim characterised by the provision of electronic accounting and control circuits (24); first register means (25,26) for storing data relating to usage of each franking machine (17,21) in the system; second register means (25,26) for storing total value of credit available for distribution to said franking machines (17,21); communication means (18,20,22,23) for communicating with said franking machines (17,21); said electronic accounting and control circuits (24) being operable in response to a request for an amount of credit from one of said franking machines (17,21) to read data from registers in that franking machine, to check said data, to transmit a credit update signal to that franking machine (17,21) and to decrement said register means by said amount of credit.

Claim 12

A controller as claimed in claim 9 further characterised by communication means (15,16,20) operable to communicate with a resetting centre computer (14) to effect a credit update transaction whereby a new credit value is authorised and including means to enter said new credit value in the second register means (25,26).

Claim 13

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 further characterised in that the first communication means (20,22,23) includes a transportable memory unit.

Claim 14

A franking machine system as claimed in claim 2 further characterised in that the second communication means (15,16,20) includes a transportable memory unit.