Postage meter having means transferring data from a working memory to a non-volatile memory under low power conditions

Claim 2

A postage meter system, comprising: a source of operating voltage; means for printing postage; accounting means energized by said source of operating voltage and operatively coupled to said postage printing means for accounting for postage printed by said printing means, said accounting means including a working memory for accounting signal data information, said working memory receiving said operating voltage; a non-volatile memory connected to said accounting means; means for sensing variations of the voltage level of said source of operating voltage; and means coupled to said sensing means for causing said accounting signal data information to be transferred from said working memory to said non-volatile memory when said sensing means senses a voltage variation in the level of said source of operating voltage.

Claim 3

A postage meter system as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a radiant energy device.

Claim 4

A postage meter system as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means includes a radiant energy device operably connected to normally emit radiant energy and to cease emitting radiant energy when a variation in the level of said source of operating voltage occurs.

Claim 5

A postage meter system as defined in claim 3 wherein said radiant energy device is a light emitting device.

Claim 6

A postage meter system as defined in claim 4 wherein said working memory for accounting signal data information is a volatile memory.

Claim 9

A system as defined in claim 6 wherein said responsive means enables application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory when radiant energy is detected.

Claim 10

A postage meter system, comprising: a register for storing postage accounting information; gating means coupled to said register for transferring data from said register; power supply means coupled to supply operating voltage to said register; sensing means operatively connected to said power supply means for producing a control signal representative of a reduction of voltage of said operating voltage; and circuit means connected between said gating means and said signal sensing means for applying said control signal to said gating means, said circuit means including a radiant energy means having a radiant energy emitting member and a radiant energy sensitive receiving member, said radiant energy emitting member operative to provide radiant energy output when said voltage level is above a required operating level and operative to reduce said radiant energy output when said voltage level is below said required operating level.

Claim 11

A postage meter system, comprising: a register for storing postage accounting information; gating means coupled to said register for transferring data from said register; power supply means coupled to supply operating voltage to said register; sensing means operatively connected to said power supply means for producing a control signal representative of a reduction of voltage of said operating voltage; and circuit means connected between said gating means and said signal sensing means for applying said control signal to said gating means, said circuit means including a radiant energy means having a radiant energy emitting member and a radiant energy sensitive receiving member, said radiant energy emitting member operative to provide radiant energy output when said voltage level is above a required operating level and operative to reduce said radiant energy output when said voltage level is below said required operating level.

Claim 12

A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said radiant energy means is a light emitting means.

Claim 13

A system as defined in claim 8 wherein said radiant energy emitting member is a light emitting diode and said radiant energy sensitive receiving member is a phototransistor.

Claim 14

A postage meter system, comprising: a microcomputer means containing a postage meter program for printing postage; register means connected to said microcomputer means to store data; input circuit means coupled to said register for transferring data to said register and output circuit means coupled to said register for transferring data from said register; a first power supply connected to supply operating voltage to said register; means coupled to said first power supply for detecting a reduction of said operating voltage provided by said first power supply below a predetermined level; means responsive to said sensing means for inhibiting transfer of data from said register to said output circuit; a second power supply; and means connected to said detecting means for connecting said second power supply to said register when said detecting means detects a reduction of voltage of said first power supply below said predetermined level.

Claim 15

A postage meter system, comprising: a microcomputer means containing a postage meter program for printing postage; register means connected to said microcomputer means to store data; input circuit means coupled to said register for transferring data to said register and output circuit means coupled to said register for transferring data from said register; a first power supply connected to supply operating voltage to said register; means coupled to said first power supply for detecting a reduction of said operating voltage provided by said first power supply below a predetermined level; means responsive to said sensing means for inhibiting transfer of data from said register to said output circuit; a second power supply; and means connected to said detecting means for connecting said second power supply to said register when said detecting means detects a reduction of voltage of said first power supply below said predetermined level.

Claim 16

In an electronic system including a register for storing data, an output circuit for transferring data from said register, and a first power supply connected to supply operating voltage to said register; the improvement comprising means inhibiting loss of data in the event of failure of said first power supply comprising sensing means coupled to said power supply for producing a control signal responsive to reduction of a voltage therein, said output circuit comprising gate means for transferring data from said register and responsive to said control signal for inhibiting transfer of data from said register, a second power supply, and means connecting said second power supply to said register in the event of reduction of voltage of said first power supply below a predetermined magnitude.

Claim 17

In an electronic system including a register for storing data, an output circuit for transferring data from said register, and a first power supply connected to supply operating voltage to said register; the improvement comprising means inhibiting loss of data in the event of failure of said first power supply comprising sensing means coupled to said power supply for producing a control signal responsive to reduction of a voltage therein, said output circuit comprising gate means for transferring data from said register and responsive to said control signal for inhibiting transfer of data from said register, a second power supply, and means connecting said second power supply to said register in the event of reduction of voltage of said first power supply below a predetermined magnitude.

Claim 18

The system of claim 12, wherein said second power supply has a terminal voltage less than that of said first power supply, and said connecting means comprises diode means coupled between said register and said first and second power supplies whereby that supply having a higher voltage at any given time provides operating current for said register.

Claim 19

The system of claim 12, wherein said first power supply comprises a regulator, the output of said regulator being connected to supply operating current to said register, and a capacitive input to said first power supply, said sensing means being connected to sense voltages at said capacitive input.

Claim 20

The system of claim 14, wherein said sensing means comprises means for producing said control signal at voltage inputs to said regulator higher than the operating voltage output of said regulator.

Claim 21

The system of claim 12, further comprising data processing means coupled to receive said control signal, said data processing means comprising means for selectively directing input data to said register by way of said input circuit in response to receipt of said control signal.

Claim 22

The system of claim 12, further comprising a data processing system having a working storage, said data processing system comprising means responsive to said control signal for reading out said working storage to said register, and means operatively coupled to said sensing means and responsive to return of the voltage of said first power supply to a determined level for reading data out of said register to said working storage by way of said gate means and output circuit.

Claim 23

A system of claim 17, wherein said working storage comprises volatile storage means, said first power supply comprises storage capacitor means, and said sensing means comprises means for sensing reduction of voltage of said first power before voltages stored on said capacitor means drop to an extent that operation of said working memory is inhibited, whereby data may be transferred from said working memory to said register without loss upon loss of voltage of said first power supply.

Claim 24

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory, gate means responsive to said detecting means connected to inhibit transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 25

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory, gate means responsive to said detecting means connected to inhibit transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 26

The electronic accounting system of claim 19, wherein said second memory is nonvolatile.

Claim 27

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second nonvolatile memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, a second source of operating voltage connected to said nonvolatile memory, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory and inhibiting transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 28

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second nonvolatile memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, a second source of operating voltage connected to said nonvolatile memory, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory and inhibiting transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 29

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second nonvolatile memory including shift register means, said second memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, a second source of operating voltage connected to said nonvolatile memory, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory and inhibiting transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 30

In an electronic accounting system having a volatile working memory for storing accounting data, and a source of operating voltage for said working memory; the improvement comprising means coupled to said source for detecting reduction of said operating voltage below a predetermined level, a second nonvolatile memory including shift register means, said second memory having a storage capacity independent of said source, a second source of operating voltage connected to said nonvolatile memory, means responsive to said detecting means for applying data stored in said working memory to said second memory and inhibiting transfer of data output from said second memory, and means responsive to the detection of voltages above said predetermined level by said detecting means for enabling application of data stored in said second memory to said working memory.

Claim 31

In an electronic accounting system including a working register, input means connected to update data stored in said working register, said working register being subject to undesired variation of data under a determined condition; the improvement comprising a storage register having input and output circuit, means for sensing an onset of said determinable condition, means responsive to an output from said sensing means coupled to transfer data from said working register to said storage register and to inhibit transfer of data from said storage register to said output circuit, and means responsive to the detection of passage of said condition by said sensing means for disabling said inhibiting means for returning data to said working storage.

Claim 32

In an electronic accounting system including a working register, input means connected to update data stored in said working register, said working register being subject to undesired variation of data under a determined condition; the improvement comprising a storage register having input and output circuit, means for sensing an onset of said determinable condition, means responsive to an output from said sensing means coupled to transfer data from said working register to said storage register and to inhibit transfer of data from said storage register to said output circuit, and means responsive to the detection of passage of said condition by said sensing means for disabling said inhibiting means for returning data to said working storage.

Claim 33

The electronic accounting system of claim 23, wherein said inhibiting means comprises gate means coupled to be controlled by an output of said sensing means.

Claim 34

The electronic accounting system of claim 23, including a data processing system coupled to said working register, and further comprising means for coupling the output of said sensing means to said data processing system, said data processing system having stored therein routines to effect the transfer of data between said working register and storage register, whereby any data stored in said working register may be transferred to said storage register prior to occurrence of said determinable condition.

Claim 35

The electronic accounting system of claim 25, further comprising a power supply operably connected to said working register to provide operating voltage, said determinable condition being the reduction of voltage of said power supply, said sensing means comprising means for sensing an onset of loss of voltage of said power supply.