Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – For cost/price – Postage meter system
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-18
2001-03-13
Voeltz, Emanuel Todd (Department: 2761)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
For cost/price
Postage meter system
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202057
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a postage metering system and method for printing postage indicia using digital printing meters and, more particularly, to a postage metering system and method for printing postage indicia in a network of digital printing devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Presently, there are two postage metering device types: closed systems and open systems. In a closed system, the system functionality is solely dedicated to metering activity. Examples of closed system metering devices, also referred to as postage evidencing devices, include conventional digital and analog (mechanical and electronic) postage meters wherein a dedicated printer is securely coupled to a metering or accounting function. In a closed system, since the printer is securely coupled and dedicated to the meter, printing evidence of postage cannot take place without accounting for the evidence of postage. In an open system, the printer is not dedicated to the metering activity, freeing system functionality for multiple and diverse uses in addition to the metering activity. Examples of open system metering devices include personal computer (PC) based devices with single/multi-tasking operating systems, multi-user applications and digital printers. An open system metering device is a postage evidencing device with a non-dedicated printer that is not securely coupled to a secure accounting module. Open system indicia printed by the non-dedicated printer is made secure by including addressee information in the encrypted evidence of postage printed on the mailpiece for subsequent verification.
Conventional closed system mechanical and electronic postage meters have heretofore secured the link between printing and accounting. The integrity of the physical meter box has been monitored by periodic inspections of the meters. Digital printing postage meters, which are closed system postage meters, typically include a digital printer coupled to a metering (accounting) device, which is referred to herein as a postal security device (PSD). Digital printing postage meters have removed the need for physical inspection by cryptographically securing the link between the accounting and printing mechanisms. In essence, new digital printing postage meters create a secure point to point communication link between the accounting unit and printhead. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,218, issued to Christopher B. Wright et al and now assigned to the assignee of the present invention. An example of a digital printing postage meter with secure printhead communication is the Personal Post Office™ manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn. An example of a digital printing postage meter in a secure housing is the PostPerfect™ also manufactured by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn.
In even a modest size mailroom it is common that several meters are present. It has been shown that funds can be stored in one central location for batch mailing purposes where evidence of postage payment for batch mail printed at several printers is evidenced through the printing of a statement summarizing the postage for the batch of mail. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,760,532 and 4,837,701, each assigned to the assignee of the present invention. However, this scheme has limitations. First, the scheme is limited to batch mail processing without evidencing (franking) postage on each mailpiece. In addition, in large mailrooms it is common for mail to be processed for several different originating zip codes. Since each meter is assigned one originating zip code, meters are frequently moved from one mailing machine to another depending upon the mail processing needs.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,701, a mail processing system is disclosed for processing batch mail utilizing a plurality of work stations, such as inserters. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,532, a mail processing system is disclosed for processing batch mail utilizing a single work station. However, in each case postage is evidenced by printing an accounting statement containing information accumulated during the processing of the batch of mailpieces. The accounting statement is a summary of the type and number of mailpieces processed and the amount of postage for the entire batch. Thus, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,760,532 and 4,837,701 the postage for each mailpiece is not evidenced on the mailpiece but by the accounting statement that must accompany the batch of mail when deposited with the post. The accounting statement is printed by a printer that is different than the printer used to prepare the mailpieces.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,427, a postage metering system with dedicated and non-dedicated printing means is disclosed. However, in this postage metering system only the non-dedicated printer prints evidence of postage. The dedicated printer is part of a digital postage meter that is coupled to the processor that controls the non-dedicated printer. The digital postage meter is present solely to provide the processor and ultimately the non-dedicated printer with the encrypted information that is printed as evidence of postage. Since addressee information is included in the encrypted information, the non-dedicated printer prints open system evidence of postage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been found that a single secure accounting and metering device can provide evidence of postage payment in real-time to a plurality of printers over a dedicated or non-dedicated network. The present invention provides franking of every mailpiece with digital token printed on each piece as if the accounting device was attached to the printer. The accounting and metering device can be connected to a computer or directly via modem to the data center for postage refills. In a large mailroom, the present invention reduces the cost of the conventional meter/mailing machines to only the cost of printers or mailing machines, since the funds accounting/token calculations occur within a single device for all printers or mailing machines.
In the present invention, there is one PSD that performs funds accounting and digital token calculations. A digital token is encrypted information, such as postage value, date and box identification, that authenticates the information imprinted on a mailpiece for authentication of the postage evidencing. The PSD contains all necessary hardware and software to perform all postage metering functions with the exception of printing, with a connection port for communication with printing systems on the network. The printing systems can either be open or closed systems which make requests to the PSD for digital tokens. The PSD provides a response including the digital tokens to be printed on the mailpiece.
The PSD can be refilled upon command from the user or be preset to refill when the balance drops below a particular level. Since the PSD is coupled to multiple printer devices that may not be in the same area, the box has the capability to provide accounting for each printer or each postal zip code defined in the system. In the preferred embodiment, the PSD keeps a log of how much postage was used by each accountable zip code and this information is sent securely to a Data Center during a funds refill so that the proper postal accounts can be credited for the mail generated. In previously noted related U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/993,310, which is incorporated herein in its entirety, a multiple registered PSD (meter) is described in detail.
It has been found that a closed metering system can be implemented on a conventional local area, or wide area network (including infrared and RF networks) to form a “Network Metering System”. The Network Metering System includes a plurality of printer modules operatively coupled to a Network Server as part of the network. In an alternate embodiment, a plurality of PSDs are connected to a plurality of printer modules in a metering network. This alternate embodiment is described in previously noted U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/993,356.
It has been found that by placing a single meter in a mailroom on a
Dixon Thomas A.
Malandra, Jr. Charles R.
Melton Michael E.
Pitney Bowes Inc.
Todd Voeltz Emanuel
LandOfFree
Postage metering system and method for a single vault... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Postage metering system and method for a single vault..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Postage metering system and method for a single vault... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2467804