CH674098A5 - - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a system for attaching encrypted information to a package and to a method for operating this system and system for legalizing the package. Since the publication of U.S. Patent No. 1,530,852 by Arthur H. Pitney on March 24, 1925, there has been constant further development of the franking machines. Franking machines are mass-produced devices for printing a specific value stamp related to the respective unit for the public or private delivery of parcels or letters. The term postage meter also encompasses other, similar devices for printing such stamps as fee stamp counters.

Franking machines have internal booking devices that post the postage value that is stored in the meter. The booking device books both the loading of the franking machine with additional postage value and the postage printout by the printing device of the franking machine. There is no external, independent booking system for the postage printed by the franking machine. As a result, franking machines must have a high level of reliability in order to avoid the loss of funds from the user or the public.

Over time, two basic types of franking machines have become established: one uses a rotatable printing drum and is referred to as a rotary franking machine, and the other uses a stationary printing head and a reciprocating printing roller and is referred to as a planographic printing franking machine. It was only recently that there was a change from completely mechanical devices to franking machines, which to a large extent contain electronic components. Despite a 20 number of changes, there are certain basic elements that have remained unchanged. For example, the need for security remains absolute. In older franking machines, this security applied both to the printer part of the machine and to the booking part. The reason for the absolute security is that the franking machine prints values and, if security measures are not taken, one would be able to print unauthorized postage, which would damage the postal authority. Most security precautions are physical, but recently suggestions have been made to use encryption to ensure that a postage is valid. Nevertheless, the encryption proposed and used in the prior art was nothing more than an addition to the physical security systems. Furthermore, the known encryption systems mentioned confirm the validity of the notes,

however, they offer no means of determining whether the printed memo is just a copy of the valid memo.

In addition, previously known systems were based on the fact that the Post-40 office booked the postal charges by checking the number and the value of the packages of a particular franking machine user. Another common aspect of conventional postage meters is the inclusion of a postage indicium, which is normally located in the upper right corner of one of the surfaces of an envelope or package. This note has taken a special form. The postage amount is contained in a rectangular frame and the date of the postmark appears in a round frame. This form originated from the original appearance of a canceled stamp, whereby the stamp has a rectangular shape and the cancellation mark including the date is enclosed in a circle. This note also contains the number of the franking machine and the city, as well as the 55 state from which the envelope was sent.

Although franking machines have worked satisfactorily in the past and continue to work satisfactorily, with the advancement of electronics, franking systems are becoming less expensive and more flexible, but still offer the required performance and security. A franking system that is more compatible with the existing mail processing systems is also desired.

This objective is achieved by means of the measures 65 as defined in independent claims 1 to 3.

Encryption is used to prevent fraudulent postage. From the postage information

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and / or the recipient address information is deserved, a personal computer as good as the IBM AT. key information derived and on the package. With the user computer 28, a user printer 30 is applied. Involving the recipient addresses. Although there is some type of deformation in the encrypted information that can be used as a user printer, which is able to print single alpha relationship between the authentication and the shipping s numeric characters, a matrix printer will be used for each Package is unique. According to one preferred, because a dot matrix printer can print the postage information, including a bar code, in every preferred aspect of the invention.

tion and encryption together with the address block. In the block diagram of FIG. 1, the control unit 12 can apply a formation in the address field of the package. Post office that serves as a source for postage. With the encryption in the address field, the authenticity systems can be known, in which a franking machine is remotely confirmed quickly and efficiently by an automatic mail reader / controls the customer number given by the sorting machine. Customers can be invited to the post office, which includes

A preferred embodiment of the invention is, for example, to US-PS No. 4 097 923. That explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. For its part, the post office delivers postage values that automatically show in: if the franking machine in the present case is entered into booking unit 14 at the customer. 1 is a block diagram of the system according to the invention; is in the subtracting register part of the booking module 24 emp-Fig. Figure 2 is a top view of an envelope with postage information to increase the amount to a number that corresponds to the address field according to the present invention; Sum of the amount debited and the unused

Fig. 3 is a supervision corresponding to Fig. 2, but with 20 amounts from the previous charge. In the creation of bar codes instead of alphanumeric characters in Fig. 1, the secure part of the franking machine is through the area of the address field; Booking unit 14 replaced, which forms a secure unit, so

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a mail reading / sorting machine that prevents tampering with physical, electronic or magnetic means in connection with the present invention. Security features,

Applies; 2s such as shields, tear-off bolts etc. are already known,

5A and B are flowcharts to illustrate the reason why the means for securing the booking unit 14 between the two compos shown in FIG. 2 are not described further. In a preferred embodiment, the booking unit 14 has no display and is

6 shows a block diagram of a further embodiment only by means of the user computer 28 to an associated one of the invention. 30 code word accessible by the control module 20 of the

Booking unit 14 is received from the user computer. In Fig. 1 is a system 10 for attaching postage and it is clear that the user printer 30 shows no secure printer shipping information, which is a control unit 12 and that also the connections between the user has a booking unit 14, which by a com - Computer 28 and the booking unit 14 and the user communication arrangement, such as. B. a telephone 16, a facsimile computer and the user printer are not secured. The milgerät, a teleprinter, etc., among themselves, postage information provided by the user printer 30

are bound. printed includes an encrypted number that

A modem or one generated by the encryption module 22 is in the booking unit 14. The Ver

Transducer 18 is arranged, which can provide the connection between the encryption on any recognized code such as a telephone and a control module 20 of the booking unit 40 of the above-mentioned DES, the National Security Agency, the control module being a central processor, such as (NSA) cipher or the Rivest, Shamir and Adlemann z. B. an Intel 8085 microprocessor from Intel Corporation, (RSA) cipher. If the appropriate information can be Santa Clara, California. The control module 20, supplied by the user computer 28 to the booking unit 14, has a memory 19 and a clock generator 21, which are generated by the encryption module 22 which are either integrated therein or connected to it. 45 key number, which is then forwarded by user computer 28. The memory 19 is intended for storing the transactions and is printed out by the user printer 30. The tion number, d. H. a number, the information mentioned to the booking unit can include the customer number assigned to the system 10 when determining the postage, postage value, etc. In a special version of the customer number etc. In connection with the control of the invention, the street address,

Module 20 has an encryption module 22 and a postcode etc. of the recipient for this purpose contain booking module 24. The encryption module can confirm the authenticity. With authenticity confirmation there will be any available encryption device, e.g. B. understood the determination of the authenticity of the postage imprint on the shipping item according to the NBS data encryption standard (DES).

encrypted according to a set security key. In Fig. 2 a format is shown for attaching the example of a suitable encryption module 22 is the ss postage and shipping information on an address field of an Intel 8294 encryptor. The booking module 24 can be a package, e.g. B. an envelope 34. RAM with summing and submounting provided with postage-information and additional battery is the postage value, the posting date, the franking registers. As is known from conventional franking machine or customer numbers, the transaction machines, the summing register is a register, the number, the postal class etc. is meant. With address information, the amount of postage that is saved with every transaction is 60 the house number, name, city, state, given or printed and the subtracting register is the postal code etc. of the mail recipient. In this a register that stores the value or amount of postage, the particular configuration is an envelope 34 with an eti-still can be issued and which is shown by a loaded chain 36 which in the address field area of the envelope starts with the printing of the postage decreases. is appropriate. The expression address field is here in the

Another modem 26 in the booking unit 14 ensures 6s meaning as it is defined in the US Postal Service Regulations for the connection between the control module 20 and a tion. This definition can be found in particular on user computer 28. Anyone can be a user computer in the publication “Guide to Business Mail Properties”

typical computer with input, logic circuit and output from September 1984, p. 20.

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Although the present device is described using a combination of label 36 and envelope 34, it is clear that the characters can be printed directly on the envelope or on an insert for a window envelope. It is also clear that the label 36 replaces or eliminates the normal endorsements placed in the upper right corner of the package. A special feature of the present invention is that a standard note is no longer required, since the security features which such a standard note has are replaced by the security which results from the encryption.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first line 38 on the label includes the postage amount and the customer number. The second line 40 contains the shipping date, the time of the postage imprint and the postal class. The third line 42 contains encrypted information in the form of numbers and letters, which can be derived from the information of the first two lines, as well as information derived from the address of the recipient of the package, which follows the third line. As can be seen, the printed lines run parallel to one another to facilitate automatic reading. However, it should be emphasized that instead of parallel lines, other configurations that can be read by conventional devices can also be used.

The postage amount, the customer number, the date and the postal class are entered into the control module 20 using the keyboard of the user computer 28. The encryption module 22 then generates an encrypted number or message, and upon the print command by the operator of the computer, the time is determined and encrypted information is received. This encrypted information is then printed by the user printer 30 on line 3 of the label 36. This information enables a postal worker to enter the encrypted information in a suitable computer and to determine by decryption whether the postage is genuine.

Although the system shown uses alphanumeric characters in the address field, it should be emphasized that a bar code can also be used to print the first three lines, as can be seen in FIG. 3. This bar code can take any form, including a bar-and-dash configuration, as is currently used by the post. For aesthetic reasons, the bar codes can be combined with a conventional postage of the type mentioned and arranged in the address field or in the upper right corner of the envelope 34. Although the bar code extends parallel to the alphanumeric characters as shown, it can of course also be arranged differently. He can also z. B. appear at the bottom of the envelope, as marked in Fig. 2 with 44, so that it can be read using the existing postal equipment.

The advantage of the system described is that it eliminates the standard postage indicia that have been in use for decades and that the associated security can still be guaranteed. In addition, the authenticity can be determined quickly based on the information that appears on the envelope, in that the entire information is in the address field. Because of the presence of the recipient's zip code, the encrypted message 42 that appears on the label 36 is unique to the respective package. In particular, there is a connection between the package and the encrypted information. In older systems, there was no relationship between the code or encryption and the package,

was rather an exit number or the like in

Connection with the sender information, such as B. the postal code of the sender, the franking machine number etc. is used. Today's automatic high-speed reading / sorting machines have readers with optical character recognition (OCR readers) which are able to read the information in the address field of an envelope 34 and to sort it accordingly. An example of such an automatic reading / sorting machine is the optical character reader from Pitney Bowes, described in publication 150 io of the US Postal Service with the title “Automatic Mechanization for Mail Processing Systems” from May 1985 on page 14. One of such A decryption module can be added to the automatic sorting machine by means of which the encrypted line 42 and the address line are read by the OCR reader. This decryption module can determine the authenticity of the postage not only on the basis of visual tests, the postage, the franking machine number etc., but also on the basis of the recipient address. In this way, not only is the authenticity 20 of the postage imprint checked, but also, based on the recipient address, the fact whether the encrypted line belongs to the respective shipping item and only to this. In particular, a two-way encryption method is thus achieved, the decryptor having a key, 25 to ensure the authenticity based on the information on the

Cover front page 34 determine. This is in contrast to a two-way method, in which output numbers are used and two-way encryption is carried out and compared.

Such an automatic reading / sorting machine with decryption capability is shown in FIG. 4. The machine has a mechanical transport unit 48 for separating packages of packages into a package stream which is guided past the various machine stations with a predetermined separation, including an optical scanner 50, a line finder 54, a segmentation module 56, a compensator 58, one Similarity meter 60 and block 62 for text analysis. Each envelope 34 is fed to the optical scanner 50 pre-40, which generates digitized, binary images of the address field, consisting of black and white pixels. The line finder 54 finds the lines in the address field that are to be read. The segmentation module 56 divides the lines into characters of a certain size. The standardized character images are then shifted into a similarity measurement block 60, in which they are compared with known pattern characters stored therein for character recognition. The results of these comparisons are fed to a text analysis unit 62, in which the final decision is made for the address part of the information while the encrypted part is passed. An ASCII code representation of the recognized characters is then fed both to an intermediate memory 64, which stores the address information, and to a decryptor 66, which decrypts the encrypted line 42.

The information from the buffer 64 and from the decryptor 66 is then fed to a computer 68, where the information from both is compared. The result of the comparison is fed to a sensor 70, where a decision regarding the authenticity of the postage imprint on the package is made. If it is found to be genuine, the envelope 34 is fed to a sorting stack module 76, but if it is believed to be fake, the envelope is fed to a reject bin 72. In this way, the authenticity of the postage imprint on an envelope can be determined in continuous operation. This process is obviously simplified when the printed information on envelope 32 is arranged in parallel

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attached, thereby facilitating the rapid, automatic processing. When the authenticity check has been carried out, the encrypted information can be printed in the form of a bar code on the lower edge of the envelope 32, as is now the case with the address information using a security code printer 74 of an automatic mail sorter. It is clear that the encrypted message can also be printed on the lower edge as a bar code by the user printer 30,

if this is programmed.

5 A and B each show a flowchart from which the interaction between the booking unit 14 and the user computer 28 can be seen. The process is triggered 76 and the booking unit 14 makes a request 78 as to whether the user has been correctly identified. If the user is identified, the booking unit 14 makes a request 80 for address and postage information for the purpose of generating the encrypted information. The information is provided at 82 and a check is made of the available capital at 84. At 86, it is determined whether sufficient capital is still available. If so, the information at 88 is combined with the internal time, the date, the summing registers and other information in the booking unit 14. The encrypted information is generated at 90 and the plain text and the encrypted text are transmitted to the user computer 28 at 92. When the plain text and encrypted text have been transmitted, the transaction is posted at 94 and the system returns to its initial state. On the other hand, if no capital is available at 86, a message is sent to the user computer 28 that there is insufficient capital.

The user computer 28 initially receives the request from the booking module 14 for the address and postage information 10. The user enters the corresponding address and postage information 102 on this request and this is transmitted at 104 to the booking unit 14. After the address and postage information has been sent, the question is asked at 106 whether sufficient capital has been obtained. In the affirmative case, the plain text and the encrypted text are then obtained from the booking unit 14 at 108 and the command is given at 110 to print the information on a shipping item 34.

So far, the present invention has been described with reference to a booking module 14, which exchanges data with a control center 12 and with a user computer 28 via a telephone line 16. Another embodiment of the invention is based on the use of a portable or removable data device instead of the booking module 14.

FIG. 6 shows a system in which data can be entered into the user computer 28 without the central station 12 or the booking unit being touched thereby. In this system the user computer has a connection 78 which is suitable for receiving and outputting information for a removable data device 80. The removable data device 80 can be used as an intelligent credit card or as a larger, closed structure, such as. B. a cartridge and the like, which is generally referred to in the present context as a "card". The card 80, which is shown enlarged in FIG. 6 for easy overview, forms the holder and a protection for a microcomputer 82 which is connected to a large number of internal components by means of an internal data bus 84. The microcomputer 82 is connected via the bus 84 to a read-only memory (ROM) 86, which contains the operating program for the microcomputer 82. The program in ROM 86 not only controls the operation of microcomputer 82, but also generates operating instructions through which microcomputer 82 interacts with user computer 28.

s The microcomputer 82 is also connected by bus 84 to a read-write memory (RAM) 88 or another operating memory, so that dynamic data storage can take place during operation. A non-volatile memory (NVM) 90, such as. B. an electrically erasable 10 bar, programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) is used for the non-volatile storage of encryption data. The memory 90 may include a subtract register value, a summation register value, a package count, etc., and address information. Booking or other data that should be preserved during a power failure can also be entered into non-volatile memory 90. The non-volatile memory 90 can also contain a user identification number and various configuration data, so that the user computer 28 can be operated in different countries with different requirements and in different systems with different configurations. The microcomputer 82 is connected via the bus 84 to an encryption module 92, which performs the same functions as described in connection with the encryption module 22 above.

In contrast to the internal data bus 84, which is not accessible to the user or a device external to the card 80, a public data bus 94 is provided for the data exchange between the user computer 28 and the card 80. It should be noted that other peripheral devices to the user computer 28, such as additional printers, displays, communication devices, etc., can be connected to the public data bus 94. 35 The public data bus 94 is a general purpose data bus to ensure data traffic between the user computer 28 and the components in the card 80 and between the card 80 and the central station 14 when the card is inserted in the connector 78. 40 The user computer 28 is powered by an external power source (not shown) which, during normal operation, powers the microcomputer 82 as well as the various components of the card 80 including ROM 86, RAM 88 and non-volatile memory 90 , as well as via the bus 94 for the encryption module 92. A feed sensor circuit (not shown), e.g. B. in US-PS No. 4,285,050, can determine when the power is dropping and cause the microcomputer 82 to call a corresponding sub-50 stored in the ROM 86 to complete the operations in progress and store the booking data in the non-volatile memory 90 .

As a result, the card 80, when inserted into the input port 78, replaces the booking unit 14 and voll-55 performing the same functions as required. Postage values can be provided to the memory 90 of the card through communication with the control center 12. This communication takes place via the public data bus 94. Under the command of the microprocessor 82 60, information can be supplied by the user computer 28 through an input and output (CRT) and the keyboard of the user computer. If the card 80 is inserted into the connection 78, all functions of the booking unit 14 are carried out by the card 80.

65 The address information, the postage amount, the user identification number, the date and the class of the package are entered into the microcomputer 82 via a keyboard of the user computer 28. The encryption

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Module 92 then generates an encrypted number or information 42 is then printed out by user computer 30 on line mation, which is printed on this input and stored labels 3. A keying program is based on this information, and on the basis of the print command the postal worker is able to enter the encrypted information by the operator, encrypted information into a suitable computer and by

the user computer 28 transmitted. This encrypted s key to determine whether the postage is genuine.

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5 sheets of drawings

Claims (6)

674098 PATENT CLAIMS 1. System for attaching encrypted information to a package, characterized by a card (80), means (44) for data exchange between the card (80) and a computer (28), an encryption device (92) on the Card (80) is applied to generate encrypted information on the basis of a recipient address information, an input device (90), which is applied to the card (80), for the recipient address information into the encryption device (92) and a device (30) for attaching encrypted information to the mailpiece, which is transmitted by the recipient device by means of the encryption device. Address information was derived so that a relationship between the recipient address information and the encrypted information can be used to legalize the package. 2. System for legalizing the package, which was provided with encrypted information in the system according to claim 1, characterized by a decryption device (66) for decrypting the encrypted information and a comparator device (68) for comparing the decrypted information with the recipient address information to determine the authenticity of the package, using the relationship between the recipient address information and the encrypted information to legalize the package. 3. The method for operating the system according to claim 1, characterized in that the card is inserted into the computer, the recipient address information is transmitted to the encryption device attached to the card, based on the transmitted address information, the encrypted information is generated, and that encrypted information is applied to the package so that a relationship between the recipient address information and the encrypted information can be used to legalize the package. 4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the postal code of the address is transmitted to the encryption device. 5. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the street address of the recipient is transmitted to the encryption device. 6. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the encrypted information is printed in dot matrix form on a label and the label is attached to the package.