US4949381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electronic indicia in bit-mapped form
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1988-09-19
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Granted: 1990-08-14
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Expires: 2008-09-19
Abstract
Abstract An item bearing bit-mapped indicia with information encrypted by a public key which verifies a status of the item and a method and apparatus for applying such indicia. The indicia represents an encrypted message and has the form of an array of pixels, each pixel having a value selected from a predetermined set of values in accordance with a mapping of an encrypted message on to the array. Thus, a person having knowledge of the appropriate decryption key may scan the indicia to obtain the message and verify the status by decrypting the message. In one embodiment disclosed, the item is a mail piece and the status is the payment of postage. The indicia may have the form of a binary matrix transformed by matrix multiplication by a corresponding Hadamard matrix and the encrypted message may be encrypted using a public key encryption system.
Inventors
- 👤 Jose Pastor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:29
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B17/00733; G09; G09C; G09C5/00; G07B2017/00572; G07B2017/0058; G07B2017/00588; G07B2017/00741; G07B2017/00758; G07B2017/00959; G07B2017/00967
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
An item bearing an indicia, said indicia verifying the status of said item, and wherein said indicia represents an encrypted message and has the form of an array of pixels having a values selected from a predetermined set of values in accordance with a mapping of said encrypted message onto said array, whereby a person may scan said array to obtain said message and verify said status by decrypting said message.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
An item bearing an indicia, said indicia verifying the status of said item, and wherein said indicia represents an encrypted message and has the form of an array of pixels having a values selected from a predetermined set of values in accordance with a mapping of said encrypted message onto said array, whereby a person may scan said array to obtain said message and verify said status by decrypting said message.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An item as described in claim 1 wherein said status is the payment of postage for said item.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An item as described in claim 1 wherein said set of values consists of two discreet values corresponding to 0 and 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
An item as described in claim 3 wherein said mapping comprises an initial mapping to form an initial array and a transformation of said initial array by matrix multiplication.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An item as described in claim 4 wherein said multiplication has the form (A) (OB) (A), and wherein A is a Hadamard matrix and OB corresponding to said initial array.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An item as described in claim 5 wherein said encrypted message is encrypted using a public key encryption key scheme.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
An item as described in claim 1 wherein said encrypted message is encrypted using a public key encryption scheme.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for applying indicia, said indicia verifying the status of items upon which said indicia are applied, comprising: means for applying an array of pixels, said pixels having values selected from a predetermined set of values; means for selecting said values for said pixels in accordance with a mapping of an encrypted message onto said array.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
57 words
An apparatus for applying indicia, said indicia verifying the status of items upon which said indicia are applied, comprising: means for applying an array of pixels, said pixels having values selected from a predetermined set of values; means for selecting said values for said pixels in accordance with a mapping of an encrypted message onto said array.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said status is the payment of postage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said array corresponds to a binary matrix and wherein said selecting means further comprises means for generating an initial mapping of said encrypted message onto an initial binary matrix and means for transforming said initial matrix by matrix multiplication to form said corresponding binary matrix.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said matrix multiplication has the form A (OB) A, and wherein (A) is a Hadamard matrix and (OB) is said initial matrix.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as described in claim 11 further comprising means for generating said encrypted message in accordance with a public key encryption system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as described in claim 8 further comprising means for generating said encrypted message in accordance with a public key encryption system.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of verifying the status of an item comprising the steps of (a) encrypting a message, said message being representative of said status; (b) selecting values for an array of pixels from a predetermined set of values in accordance with a mapping of said encrypted message onto said array; and, (c) applying said array to said item.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
58 words
A method of verifying the status of an item comprising the steps of (a) encrypting a message, said message being representative of said status; (b) selecting values for an array of pixels from a predetermined set of values in accordance with a mapping of said encrypted message onto said array; and, (c) applying said array to said item.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as described in claim 14 wherein said status is the payment of postage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as described in claim 15 wherein said array corresponds to a binary matrix and wherein said selecting step comprises the further steps of generating an initial mapping of said encrypted message onto an initial binary array and matrix multiplying said initial binary matrix to form said corresponding binary matrix.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as described in claim 16 wherein said matrix multiplication has the form (A) (OB) (A), and wherein (A) is a Hadamard matrix and (OB) is said initial binary matrix.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as described in claim 17 comprising the further step of generating said encrypted message in accordance with a public key encryption system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as described in claim 14 comprising the further step of generating said encrypted message in accordance with a public key encryption system.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-08-13 | 1994-02-12 | 1994-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-08-13 | 1998-02-12 | 1998-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-08-13 | 2002-02-12 | 2002-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |