Fraud detection in postage meter having unsecured print wheels

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 wherein the postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, and wherein determining whether the value settings of the print devices changed comprises storing the print device value settings in a non-volatile memory when power to the meter is switched off, determining the print device value settings when power to the meter is switched on again, and comparing the stored value settings to the value settings when power to the meter is switched on.

Claim 8

The method of claim 4 wherein the postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, and wherein determining whether the value settings of the print devices changed comprises storing the print device value settings in a non-volatile memory when power to the meter is switched off, determining the print device value settings when power to the meter is switched on again, and comparing the stored value settings to the value settings when power to the meter is switched on.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 6 wherein the postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, and wherein said step of determining the print device settings when power is switched on to the meter comprises moving respective print devices from their respective actual positions when power is switched to the meter to at least one known reference position, determining the travel of the respective print device from its actual position to the at least one reference position, and from that travel, determining the actual position of the respective print device.

Claim 12

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, and means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, the improvement comprising detecting postage printed by the postage meter occurring while the power to the meter was switched off and recording such printed postage, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to the meter, for determining whether print devices of the postage meter have undergone movement while power to the meter was off through said printing area of said meter; and means for determining the value settings of the print devices at the time that power to the meter is switched on; and means for recording as printed postage the value represented by the value settings of said print devices at the time that power to the meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 13

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, and means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, the improvement comprising detecting postage printed by the postage meter occurring while the power to the meter was switched off and recording such printed postage, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to the meter, for determining whether print devices of the postage meter have undergone movement while power to the meter was off through said printing area of said meter; and means for determining the value settings of the print devices at the time that power to the meter is switched on; and means for recording as printed postage the value represented by the value settings of said print devices at the time that power to the meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 14

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising detecting postage meter tampering, and detecting and accounting for postage printed by said meter while power to said meter was off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement while power to the meter was off through said printing area of said meter; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while power to said meter was off; means for recording as tampering a determination that said value settings of said print devices where changed; means for determining said value settings of said print devices at the time that power to said meter is switched on; and means for recording as printed postage said value represented by said value settings of said print devices at the time that power to said meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 15

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising detecting postage meter tampering, and detecting and accounting for postage printed by said meter while power to said meter was off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement while power to the meter was off through said printing area of said meter; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while power to said meter was off; means for recording as tampering a determination that said value settings of said print devices where changed; means for determining said value settings of said print devices at the time that power to said meter is switched on; and means for recording as printed postage said value represented by said value settings of said print devices at the time that power to said meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 16

The postage meter of claim 9 wherein said postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, said means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed comprises a non-volatile memory in which said print device value settings are stored when power to said meter is switched off, means for determining said print device value settings when power to said meter is switched on again, and means for comparing said stored value settings to said value settings when power to said meter is switched on.

Claim 17

The postage meter according to claim 9 wherein a microcomputer comprises all said means.

Claim 18

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising preventing continued postage meter tampering while power to said postage meter is off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement through a printing area of said meter at which said print devices normally print postage when power to said meter was off; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while said power to said meter was switched off; means for storing said number of times that said print device value settings have been determined to be changed while power to said meter was off; and means causing said postage meter not to operate when said number of times exceeds a predetermined number.

Claim 19

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices which are movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising preventing continued postage meter tampering while power to said postage meter is off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement through a printing area of said meter at which said print devices normally print postage when power to said meter was off; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while said power to said meter was switched off; means for storing said number of times that said print device value settings have been determined to be changed while power to said meter was off; and means causing said postage meter not to operate when said number of times exceeds a predetermined number.

Claim 20

The postage meter of claim 12 wherein said postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, said means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed comprises a non-volatile memory in which said print device value settings are stored when power to said meter is switched off, means for determining said print device value settings when power to said meter is switched on again, and means for comparing said stored value settings to said value settings when power to said meter is switched on.

Claim 21

The postage meter according to claim 12 wherein a microcomputer comprises all said means.

Claim 22

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising detecting postage meter tampering, and detecting and accounting for postage printed by said postage meter while power to said meter was off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement while power to said meter was off through said printing area of said meter; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while power to said meter was off including a non-volatile memory in which said print device value settings are stored when power to said meter is switched off, means for determining said print device value settings when power to said meter is switched on again, and means for comparing said stored value settings to said value settings when power to said meter is switched on; means for recording as tampering a determination that said value settings of said print devices were changed; and means for recording as printed postage said value represented by said value settings of said print devices at said time that power to said meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 23

In an electronic postage meter which includes a plurality of settable print devices movable through a printing area to print postage on a mail piece disposed in said area, the improvement comprising detecting postage meter tampering, and detecting and accounting for postage printed by said postage meter while power to said meter was off, said improvement comprising: means, upon power being switched on to said meter, for determining whether print devices of said postage meter have undergone movement while power to said meter was off through said printing area of said meter; means for determining whether said value settings of said print devices changed while power to said meter was off including a non-volatile memory in which said print device value settings are stored when power to said meter is switched off, means for determining said print device value settings when power to said meter is switched on again, and means for comparing said stored value settings to said value settings when power to said meter is switched on; means for recording as tampering a determination that said value settings of said print devices were changed; and means for recording as printed postage said value represented by said value settings of said print devices at said time that power to said meter is switched on if the print devices of the meter were determined to have been moved through the printing position while power to the meter was off.

Claim 24

The postage meter according to claim 1 wherein said postage meter includes means providing signals representing the relative positions of the print devices, said meter includes means determining the relative positions of said print devices, and wherein said means for determining said print device settings when power is switched on to said meter comprises means for moving respective print devices from their respective actual positions when power is switched on to at least one known reference position, and means for determining said travel of said respective print device from its actual position to said at least one reference position, and means for determining from that travel said actual position of said respective print device.

Claim 25

The postage meter according to claim 16 wherein a microcomputer comprises all said means.