Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records
Patent
1992-06-15
1994-11-15
Pitts, Harold
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
235380, 235492, G06F 1520
Patent
active
053650441
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a postage meter strip printing machine with credit card charging which prints onto a postage strip a date, a postage value and an advertising cliche.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Postage fee accounting machines working on the basis of credit card charging are known. German Patent Publication DE 39 03 718 A1 describes such a system in which an electronic postage meter is enabled for the printing of postage by an IC card read/write unit and a control unit. In this case data concerning the expended amount of money and the number of printings are stored on the IC card. Therefore, different persons with their own IC cards and/or firms can use the postage meter in common, in order to decrease the initial and maintenance costs. Reliability of the fee accounting is assured by the expensive accounting system integrated into the postage meter.
This common usage is relatively time consuming, if for example the postage meter is engaged by one user and for the next user becomes again available only after a long waiting time or if access to the postage meter has travel time associated with it.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has as its object the provision of a postage meter with credit card charging which is as economical in acquisition and maintenance as a postage meter with credit card control, which is therefore usable for small enterprises, which can also be adjusted for use by a number of other users, and which assures a reliable fee accounting for the user and for the Post Office.
This object is solved by the invention as set forth in the characterizing portion of the first claim.
The dependent claims describe further advantageous developments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the following the invention is described in more detail with regard to one drawing. The drawing shows the principle construction of the postage meter strip printing machine.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A printing mechanism, a processor system, a read/write device for credit cards, an operating mechanism and a refillable strip supply container are accommodated in a common housing 1 of the machine. Two openings for the insertion of a special postage credit card 2 and for the dispensing of the strip 3, and an opening 6 for refilling the strip supply container, are the only outer accesses to the machine. These accesses are screened reliably with respect to the processor system and the printing mechanism.
In another embodiment a further opening 7 is provided for the reception of energy sources, for example, batteries or rechargeable accumulators for a mains independent drive.
The loading of the postage credit card is carried out by an institution authorized to do so, for example, the manufacturer of the machine or a postal authority. This institution is equipped with a corresponding read/write unit for the postal credit card and carries out the accounting between the card owner and the postal service of the amounts loaded onto the postage credit card.
The processor system is the connecting member between the printing mechanism and the read/write device and is connected with them by information and signal conductors. Digital data for identification, fee calculation, and digital data for the individual advertising cliches stored on the postage credit card are exchanged between the processor system and the read/write device. From the processor system control data for the printing of the individual advertising cliches, data for the postage fee value to be printed, and for the date is sent over the information conductors to the printing mechanism. The signal conductors between the devices serve for the transmission of control and security data.
The printing mechanisms used are preferably such as operate without type and which are therefore able to print the different advertising fields stored on the postage credit card. These are preferably flat bed matrix or thermal transfer printers.
The operating mechanism consists of a keyboard 4 for the input of the postage value to
Francotyp-Postalia GmbH
Pitts Harold
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