EP0442761A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Remote resetting postage meter system
Assignee: Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems AG
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Filing: 1991-02-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-02-18
Abstract
Abstract A system for remotely resetting a postage meter (20), by adding a variable amount of postage, includes a computerized central facility or "host" (30), in telephone communication with the meter (20), which host (30) verifies the meter's (20) identity and ascertains the availability of funds, then sends to the meter (20) an authorizing, unique, one-time-only combination, independent of the value of postage requested, and having a predetermined relation to a unique, one-time-only combination that the meter (20) has generated and retained. The meter (20) then compares the combination that it has generated with the combination received from the host (30). If the relationship is correct, for example, if the combination is the same, the meter (20) introduces the additional postage requested.
Inventors
- 👤 John J. Horbal
- 👤 James S. Emmett
- 👤 Hans-Peter Liechti
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:22
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00016; G07B17/0008; G07B2017/00088; G07B2017/00096; G07B2017/00153; G07B2017/00161
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
A remote resetting postage meter system including a plurality of postage meters (20) at subscriber sites, a central computer installation (30); each postage meter including a means for printing postage, resettable descending register means for retaining the amount of postage available to be printed by the meter, means (51) for resetting the descending register means by increasing, by a desired variable amount, the amount of postage retained by the descending register, means for activating the means for resetting, communications means (27) for introducing information electronically to the meter, computation means (50) including an authentication function program for generating a unique, retained, one-time-only meter-internal combination unrelated to the desired variable amount of postage; the central computer installation comprising memory means for retaining information relating to each of the meters in the system including the amount of postage available for resetting, computation means including an authentication function program for generating a unique, one-time-only meter-external combination based, at least in part, on the information relating to a meter, and unrelated to the desired variable amount of postage; the computation means of the meter being adapted to compare the meter-internal and the meter-external combination introduced to the meter from the central computer installation, said computation means of the meter being connected to said means for activating the means for resetting to cause resetting of the descending register by the desired variable amount upon a predetermined relationship of the compared meter-external and meter-internal combinations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 1, wherein the central computer installation and each meter have a modem (46) for communicating between the central computer installation and the meters, the meters having means (47) for the introduction of data by a user, the authentication function program of the computation means of each meter being responsive to initial inputs to the meter computation means to generate the meter-internal combination prior to introduction by the user of data indicating the variable amount of postage desired.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 2,wherein the authentication function program of the central computer installation is responsive to initial identifying inputs from the meter via the modem to generate the meter-external combination prior to receipt of an input from the meter indicating the variable amount of postage desired.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 3,wherein the computation means of each meter includes storage means, the storage means comprising a location for the storage of the meter-internal combination for subsequent use.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 4,wherein the central computer installation includes a storage location for the storage of the meter-external combination for subsequent transmission to a meter in communication therewith via the modems of the central computer installation and the meter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the central computer installation has therein a program routine for verifying meter identity from inputs thereto and availability of requested funds, and causing the meter-external combination to be sent to the meter for comparison with the meter-internal combination when identity is verified and funds are available.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 6,wherein each meter computation means and the central computer installation have an encryption program routine for encrypting and decrypting communications between a meter and the central computer installation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 7,wherein the routine for encrypting encrypts the meter-external combination before that combination is sent to the meter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
75 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the central computer installation has a random number generator routine, the central computer installation being responsive to a communication from a meter to generate a random number by the random number generator and to send the random number to the meter, the meter and central computer installation encryption program routine comprising means for generating an encryption mask based on the random number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the computation means of the meter includes a postage value request program routine that includes developing a code number dependent upon the desired variable amount of postage, and transmitting the code number and the value of the desired variable amount of postage to the central computer installation, the central computer installation having a program routine for developing a verifying code number dependent upon the desired variable amount of postage and comparing the meter-generated code number and the central computer installation-generated verifying code numbers to verify the value of the desired variable amount of postage transmitted to the central computer installation by the meter.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
64 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 10,wherein the computation means of the meter has a program routine for developing a code development input number and the program routine for developing a code number includes a portion thereof applying the code development input number and the value of desired variable amount of postage as inputs to a function generating the code number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
A remote resetting postage meter system according to claim 11, the meter further comprising a random number generating routine, and wherein the program routine for developing a code development input number includes the introduction of the random number as an input to the code development input number routine.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A remote resetting postage meter according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the resettable descending register means is a mechanical register (39).
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
106 words
A remote resetting postage meter (15) comprising a register (39) of postage available from the meter, means (27) for introducing a desired variable amount of additional available postage into the register, a central processing unit (50) having an authentication function routine for generating a meter-internal combination that is a number depending upon inputs to the central processing unit authentication function independent of the desired variable amount of additional available postage, means (46) for receiving into the meter a meter-external combination, and means (54) for enabling the introducing of the desired variable amount of additional available postage when the meter-internal and meter-external combinations are in predetermined relation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
A remote resetting postage meter according to claim 14,wherein the central processing unit includes a routine for developing an encryption mask from a random number input, for encrypting outputs from the meter, and for decrypting encrypted inputs to the meter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
A remote resetting postage meter according to claim 14,wherein the means for receiving into the meter a meter-external combination includes a modem (46) for receiving by telephone communication the meter-external combination.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
70 words
A remote resetting postage meter according to claim 14,comprising means (47) for receiving from a user a request for additional postage, the central processing unit having a routine for generating a code using the requested additional postage as an input, the central processing unit programmed and connected to deliver the code and the requested value of postage to a meter output for use in requesting approval from a central authority.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
92 words
A remote resetting postage meter according to any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the register of postage available is a mechanical descending postage register (39) and the means for introducing comprises motive means (51) for driving the register in a direction of increasing value, the means for enabling comprising coupling means (277) for connecting the motive means to the register in driving relation, and electrical energizing means connected to the means for enabling to activate the coupling means in response to the meter-internal and meter-external combinations being in the predetermined relation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
A telephone meter resetting device including a modem (46), a mechanical meter resetting motive means (264) having a variable mechanical output means (277) operative to reset a postage meter with a variable amount of postage, and electrical control means (50) responsive to an authorisation received by telephone by the modem for activating the motive means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
59 words
A meter setting device according to claim 19, further comprising means for electronically comparing a remotely generated combination introduced as at least part of the authorizing input, and an internally generated combination to activate the variable mechanical output means upon determination by the means for electr ically comparing of a predetermined relationship between the remotely and internally generated combinations.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A meter setting device according to claim 20, wherein the means for electr ically comparing includes computation means, the computation means having a routine for developing an encryption mask from a random number input, for encrypting outputs from the meter setting device, and for decrypting encrypted inputs to the meter setting device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
A meter setting device according to claim 19, wherein the motive means for resetting the descending register comprises a resetting motor (261), the meter further comprising means (47) for introducing electronically a request for a variable amount of postage desired to be added to the descending register during resetting, and electronic motor control means (264) for causing rotation of the resetting motor an amount representative of the electronically introduced request for a variable amount of postage upon enablement of the means for resetting by the means for enabling.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
A meter setting device according to claim 21 or 22, the computation means, further including a program routine for recognizing a unique combination and enabling resetting of the meter only upon recognition of the unique combination.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
89 words
A central postage authorizing facility (30) for a remote resetting postage meter system of the kind that includes a plurality of postage meters (20) resettable with a requested variable amount of additional postage when authorized by the central facility, the facility including computation means (31) including an authentication function program for generating a unique, one-time-only meter-external combination enabling the resetting of a remote postage meter and unrelated to the desired variable amount of postage, and means (37) for communicating the combination to the location of a remote postage-requesting meter.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 24, including means retaining an account of the postage available for meters served by the facility, the means for communicating being operative to send the combination only after the computation means has determined that sufficient postage is available to credit a requesting meter with the desired variable amount of postage.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
71 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 25,including storage means, said storage means having a location for storing the combination, said computation means generating the combination prior to receiving the value of the desired variable amount of postage and directing the combination to the storage location pending determination that sufficient postage is available, the computation means retrieving the combination from the storage location and sending the combination after said determination.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
A central postage authorising facility according to any of claims 24 to 26, wherein the authentication function program includes meter identification data as at least one input.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 27,including storage means, the storage means having at least one location for storing the meter identification data used in generating the combination.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
84 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 26,wherein the computation means includes a routine for generating a code dependent upon a received variable amount of additional postage being requested, means for comparing the generated code with a received code, and means of directing a received code to the means of comparing, the computation means providing the combination only when the means for comparing determines a predetermined relationship between the generated code and the received code to verify the amount of postage being requested.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
67 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 29,wherein the computation means has a routine for producing a code generating input number, the routine for generating a code dependent upon a received variable amount of postage being requested including a portion thereof applying the code generating input number and the value of desired variable amount of postage as inputs to a function for generating the code number.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
52 words
A central postage authorising facility according to any of claims 24 to 30, further including means for communicating with the resettable postage meters, the computation means comprising a routine for prompting a postage meter for the value of the requested variable amount of postage after generating the unique one-time-only meter external combination.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 31,wherein the means for communicating is a modem (37) adapted to communicate by telephone line to a modem-equipped postage meter.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
51 words
A claim postage authorising facility according to any of claims 24 to 32, wherein the computation means includes a random number generating means, means to communicate the random number to a postage-requesting meter and a routine for generating an encryption mask from a random number generated by the random number generator.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
136 words
A central postage authorizing facility (30) for a remote resetting postage meter system of the kind that includes a plurality of postage meters (20) resettable with a requested variable amount of additional postage when authorized by the central facility, the facility including a computation means (31) with data storage, means (35) for providing input data to the computation means, and means (37) for communicating information from the facility including authorization for the requested variable amount of additional postage, the computation means including a value verification program routine for generating a code number from an input representation of the value of requested additional postage, and for comparing the code number with an externally generated code to verify that the representation of the value is the value of requested additional postage used to generate the externally generated code.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
68 words
A central postage authorizing facility according to claim 34,wherein the computation means comprises a routine for deriving from a received meter communication a code-development input number for use as an input with the value of requested additional postage value verification program routine, the value verification program routine including inputting the code development input number and value of requested additional postage in a function for generating the code number.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of remotely resetting postage meters including: (a) locating a plurality of postage meters (20) at subscriber's sites, remote from a central computer installation (30), (b) retaining in each postage meter in a descending register (39) the amount of postage remaining to be printed, (c) communicating by telephone via a modem (46) in any one of the postage meters a request for an additional sum of postage to be entered into the descending register of that meter, (d) formulating at the central computer installation a unique one-time-only combination unrelated to the desired variable amount of postage, (e) automatically communicating to the meter via modem the combination, (f) determining the authenticity of the combination at the meter, and (g) introducing the requested amount of postage into the descending register when the combination is determined to be authentic.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method of remotely resetting according to claim 36,wherein the step of communicating a request for an additional sum of postage includes formulating at the meter a code based upon the value of postage requested and transmitting the value and the code to the central computer installation, and further including the steps at the central computer installation of formulating a verifying code based on the received value of postage requested, and comparing the meter-formulated code and the verifying code to ascertain that the value received by the central installation corresponds to the value requested by the meter.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of resetting a postage meter (20) upon authorization from a central, remote installation (30) including: (a) providing in the postage meter a descending register (39) of the amount of postage remaining to be printed, (b) forwarding a request for additional postage to the remote installation, (c) generating a combination at the meter independent of the value of postage requested, (d) receiving a combination at the meter from the remote installation, (e) comparing the meter-generated and the received combinations, and (f) introducing into the descending register the amount of postage requested when the meter-generated and received combinations are in predetermined relation.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of authorizing resetting of a remote postage meter (20) including: (a) providing a central computerized postage authorizing facility (30), (b) receiving by telephone from a remote postage meter a request for additional postage, (c) formulating a unique one-time-only combination independent of the value of postage requested, (d) transmitting by telephone to the requesting meter the combination, and (e) debiting an account corresponding to the requesting meter.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of authorizing the resetting of a postage meter (20) including: (a) providing a central computerized postage meter resetting facility (30) remote from a plurality of postage meters, (b) receiving from a postage meter a request for additional postage in the form of an indication of the value of the postage requested and a code formulated from the value, (c) formulating a verifying code at the central facility based on the received value of postage requested, (d) comparing the received code and the verifying code, and (e) authorizing by telephone the resetting of the requesting meter with the requested amount of postage when the received and verifying codes have a predetermined relation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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