Postage meter locking system

Claim 2

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means including means for storing a postage value which may be dispensed, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, an improvement for securing the accounting means against unauthorized use, the improvement comprising: a. means for communicating with said accounting means, said communicating means including means for inputting at least one user identity password to the accounting means; and b. said accounting means including a secure memory, said memory having stored therein at least one user identity code, said accounting means including means for comparing said at least one code and said at least one password, said accounting means including means for permitting use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match, and said accounting means including means for preventing use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 3

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the accounting means includes a time of day clock, said at least one code including a plurality of codes, said at least one password including a plurality of passwords, one of said codes being a system manager identify code, one of said passwords being a system manager password, the accounting means including a time limit selection program usable only when there is a match between the system manager code and system manager password, and the time limit selection program including means for permitting pre-setting the time of day during which another of said passwords is valid for permitting use of the accounting means.

Claim 4

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said at least one code includes a plurality of codes, said at least one password including a plurality of passwords, one of said codes being a system manager identity code, one of said passwords being a system manager password, the accounting means including a funds authorization program usable only when there is a match between the system manager code and system manager password, and the funds authorization program including means for permitting pre-setting a limit value of postage that may be dispensed when there is a match of another of said codes and another of said passwords.

Claim 5

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said postage metering system includes a postage meter, and said postage meter including said printing means and said accounting means.

Claim 6

The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said accounting means includes means for separately accounting for postage amounts dispensed when a given password is in use.

Claim 7

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means including means for storing a postage value which may be dispensed, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, a method for securing the accounting means against unauthorized use, the method comprising the steps of: a providing a secure memory: b. storing in said memory at least one user identify code; c. inputting to said accounting means at least one user password; d. comparing said at least one code and said at least one password; e. permitting use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match; and f. preventing use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 8

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means including means for storing a postage value which may be dispensed, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, a method for securing the accounting means against unauthorized use, the method comprising the steps of: a providing a secure memory: b. storing in said memory at least one user identify code; c. inputting to said accounting means at least one user password; d. comparing said at least one code and said at least one password; e. permitting use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match; and f. preventing use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 6 including the steps of: g. providing a time of day clock; h. programming said accounting means for permitting use thereof only during a preselected time of day if there is a match between a given code and a given password; and i. programming said accounting means to permit preselecting the time of day if there is a match between a predetermined code and a predetermined password.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 6 including the steps of: g. programming said accounting means for permitting presetting a limit on the value of postage that may be dispensed if there is a match between a given code and a given password; and h. programming said accounting means to permit presetting said limit if there is a match between a predetermined code and a predetermined password.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 6 including the step of providing a postage meter including said printing means and said accounting means.

Claim 12

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means adapted to communicate with a remotely located data center for receiving therefrom a postage value which may be dispensed, the accounting means including means for storing the postage value, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, an improvement for securing the accounting means against unauthorized use, the improvement comprising: a. means for communicating with said accounting means, said communicating means including means for inputting at least one user identify password to the accounting means; and b. said accounting means including a memory, said memory having stored therein at least one user identity code, said accounting means including means for comparing said at least one code and said at least one password, said accounting means including means for permitting use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match, and said accounting means including means for preventing use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 13

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means adapted to communicate with a remotely located data center for receiving therefrom a postage value which may be dispensed, the accounting means including means for storing the postage value, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, an improvement for securing the accounting means against unauthorized use, the improvement comprising: a. means for communicating with said accounting means, said communicating means including means for inputting at least one user identify password to the accounting means; and b. said accounting means including a memory, said memory having stored therein at least one user identity code, said accounting means including means for comparing said at least one code and said at least one password, said accounting means including means for permitting use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match, and said accounting means including means for preventing use thereof if the comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 14

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein the accounting means includes a time-of-day clock, said at least one code including a plurality of codes, said at least one password including a plurality of passwords, one of said codes being a system manager code, one of said passwords being a system manager password, the accounting means including a time limit selection program usable only when there is a match between the system manager code and system manager password, and the time limit selection program including means for permitting pre-setting the time of day during which another of said passwords is valid for permitting use of the accounting means.

Claim 15

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said at least one code includes a plurality of codes, said at least one password including a pluralllity of passwords, one of said codes being a system manager code, one of said passwords being a system manager password, the accounting means including a funds authorization program usable only when there is a match between the system manager code and system manager password, and the funds authorization program including means for permitting pre-setting a limit value of postage that may be dispensed when there is a match of another of said codes and another of said passwords.

Claim 16

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said postage metering system includes a postage meter, and said postage meter including said printing means and said accounting means.

Claim 17

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said communicating means includes a modem, and said accounting means including means for communicating with said data center via said modem.

Claim 18

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said communicating means includes a computer, and said accounting means including means for communicating with said data center via said computer.

Claim 19

The improvement according to claim 10, wherein said accounting means includes means for separately accounting for postage amounts dispensed when a given password is in use.

Claim 20

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means adapted to communcate with a remotely located data center for receiving therefrom a postage value which may be dispensed, the accounting means including means for storing the postage value, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, a method for securing the acccounting means against use by authorized users, the method comprising the steps of: a. storing in said accounting means at least one user identity code; b. inputting to said accounting means at least one user password; c. comparing said at least one code and said at least one password; d. permitting use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match; and e. preventing use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 21

In a postage metering system including printing means, accounting means including means for controlling the printing means, the accounting means adapted to communcate with a remotely located data center for receiving therefrom a postage value which may be dispensed, the accounting means including means for storing the postage value, and the accounting means including means for decreasing the stored value by respective amounts corresponding to postage dispensed, a method for securing the acccounting means against use by authorized users, the method comprising the steps of: a. storing in said accounting means at least one user identity code; b. inputting to said accounting means at least one user password; c. comparing said at least one code and said at least one password; d. permitting use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password match; and e. preventing use of said accounting means if said comparison indicates that said at least one code and said at least one password do not match.

Claim 22

The method according to claim 17 including the steps of: f. providing a time-of-day clock; g. programming said accounting means for permitting use thereof only during a preselected time of day if there is a match between a given code and a given password; and h. programming said accounting means to permit preselected the time of day if there is a match between a predetermined code and a predetermed password.

Claim 23

The method according to claim 17 including the steps of: f. programming said accounting means for permitting presetting a limit on the value of postage that may be dispensed if there is a match between a given code and a given password; and g. programming said accounting means to permit presetting said limit if there is a match between a predetermined code and a predetermined password.

Claim 24

The method according to claim 17 including the step of providing a postage meter including said printing means and said accounting means.

Claim 25

The method according to claim 17 including the step of communicating with said accounting means, and said communicating step including said inputting step.

Claim 26

The method according to claim 17 including the step of accounting for all postage amounts dispensed when a given password is in use.