US5124926A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Carrier management system having accounting registers
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
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Filing: 1990-03-02
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Granted: 1992-06-23
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Expires: 2010-03-02
Abstract
Abstract A register system such as a carrier management system has a scale for weighing parcels, and a computer for determining shipping costs of the parcels. The computer has a memory including one or more accounting registers. A user PROM having a unique identification number therein is insertable in the system, and an initialization program stores this number in the system memory. Transactions cannot be accounted unless the numbers in the PROM and memory compare. A further PROM is insertable in the system in order to enable the initialization program.
Inventors
- 👤 Barns-Slavin
- 👤 Richard E. Dinnis
- 👤 Alonzo T. Dukes
- 👤 David J. Taylor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 14:00
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G19/00; G01G19/40; G01G19/413; G01G19/414; G01G19/4148; G01G19/002; G01G19/005; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00661; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00193; G07B2017/00266; G07B2017/00274; G07B17/00314; G07B2017/00322; G07B2017/00346; G07B17/00362; G07B2017/0037; G07B2017/00379; G07B2017/00395; G07B2017/00701
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
In a register system including a scale for providing weight signals corresponding to the weight of a parcel, and a computer system responsive to said signals for generating value signals corresponding to the cost of shipping said parcel, whereby each procedure of weighing a parcel and generating value signals corresponding thereto comprises a transaction, the improvement wherein said computer system further comprises replaceable memory means and non-volatile memory means, said replaceable memory means having an identification number stored therein, said non-volatile memory means having an identification number stored therein, said computer comprising means responsive to receipt of said weight signals prior to generating said value signals for comparing the identification numbers stored in said replaceable memory means and said non-volatile memory means, and for inhibiting generating said value signals in the event that the compared numbers are not the same.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a register system including a scale for providing weight signals corresponding to the weight of a parcel, and a computer system responsive to said signals for generating value signals corresponding to the cost of shipping said parcel, whereby each procedure of weighing a parcel and generating value signals corresponding thereto comprises a transaction, the improvement wherein said computer system further comprises replaceable memory means and non-volatile memory means, said replaceable memory means having an identification number stored therein, said non-volatile memory means having an identification number stored therein, said computer comprising means responsive to receipt of said weight signals prior to generating said value signals for comparing the identification numbers stored in said replaceable memory means and said non-volatile memory means, and for inhibiting generating said value signals in the event that the compared numbers are not the same.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said replaceable memory means comprises a PROM.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory means comprises an E 2 ROM.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said non-volatile memory means comprises an accounting register for storing said value signals, whereby said value signals are not stored in said non-volatile memory means in the absence of a comparison of identification numbers in said non-volatile memory means and said replaceable memory means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said scale comprises a platform for receiving parcels to be weighed, and said replaceable memory means comprises a memory mounted beneath said platform.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said identification number comprises the identification of a user of said system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said identification number further comprises a unique identification of said scale.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The register system of claim 1 wherein said identification number comprises the zip code of the location of the scale.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
142 words
In carrier management system including a scale for providing weight signals corresponding to the weight of a parcel, to be shipped, and a computer system responsive to said signals for generating value signals corresponding to the cost of shipping said parcel, the improvement wherein said computer system further comprises at least one non-volatile accounting memory, a replaceable memory having an identification number stored therein, initialization means for storing said identification number from said replaceable memory in said non-volatile accounting memory, and means responsive to receipt of said weight signals for determining the correspondence between said identification numbers in said non-volatile memory and in said replaceable memory and, in response to said correspondence, for generating said value signals and storing them in said non-volatile memory, whereby storage of said value signals in said non-volatile memory is inhibited in the absence of said comparison.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
142 words
In carrier management system including a scale for providing weight signals corresponding to the weight of a parcel, to be shipped, and a computer system responsive to said signals for generating value signals corresponding to the cost of shipping said parcel, the improvement wherein said computer system further comprises at least one non-volatile accounting memory, a replaceable memory having an identification number stored therein, initialization means for storing said identification number from said replaceable memory in said non-volatile accounting memory, and means responsive to receipt of said weight signals for determining the correspondence between said identification numbers in said non-volatile memory and in said replaceable memory and, in response to said correspondence, for generating said value signals and storing them in said non-volatile memory, whereby storage of said value signals in said non-volatile memory is inhibited in the absence of said comparison.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The carrier management system of claim 9 wherein said non-volatile memory comprises means for storing ascending and descending accounting register values.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for ensuring the security of an accounting system having a computer and a non-volatile memory including an accounting register, comprising coupling to said system a replaceable memory that has an identification number stored therein, storing said identification number from said replaceable memory to said non-volatile memory, comparing the identification numbers in said replaceable and non-volatile memories, and inhibiting access to said accounting register in the event that the identification numbers in said replaceable memory and non-volatile memory are not the same.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for ensuring the security of an accounting system having a computer and a non-volatile memory including an accounting register, comprising coupling to said system a replaceable memory that has an identification number stored therein, storing said identification number from said replaceable memory to said non-volatile memory, comparing the identification numbers in said replaceable and non-volatile memories, and inhibiting access to said accounting register in the event that the identification numbers in said replaceable memory and non-volatile memory are not the same.
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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) | 1995-06-23 | 1995-12-23 | 1996-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-23 | 1999-12-23 | 2000-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-23 | 2003-12-23 | 2004-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |