EP0493943B1 - Surveillance et commande de machines à affranchir - Google Patents

Surveillance et commande de machines à affranchir Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0493943B1
EP0493943B1 EP19910311846 EP91311846A EP0493943B1 EP 0493943 B1 EP0493943 B1 EP 0493943B1 EP 19910311846 EP19910311846 EP 19910311846 EP 91311846 A EP91311846 A EP 91311846A EP 0493943 B1 EP0493943 B1 EP 0493943B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
meter
data
computer
memory device
postage
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19910311846
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0493943A2 (fr
EP0493943A3 (en
Inventor
Dennis Thomas Gilham
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Neopost Ltd
Original Assignee
Neopost Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Neopost Ltd filed Critical Neopost Ltd
Publication of EP0493943A2 publication Critical patent/EP0493943A2/fr
Publication of EP0493943A3 publication Critical patent/EP0493943A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0493943B1 publication Critical patent/EP0493943B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
    • G07B2017/00153—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information
    • G07B2017/00169—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
    • G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
    • G07B2017/00153—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information
    • G07B2017/00177—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information from a portable device, e.g. a card or a PCMCIA
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00733—Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
    • G07B2017/00919—Random number generator

Definitions

  • This invention relates to postage meters for franking mail items and in particular to the monitoring and control of the use of such meters at postal authority counters.
  • the meters include electronic accounting circuits for maintaining records relating to usage of postage value in franking of mail items.
  • the accounting records maintained by the accounting circuits are stored in non-volatile memories and provide an accounting basis for payment by the user to a postal authority of postage value used by the user in franking mail items.
  • a postage meter system is disclosed in British Patent Specification A-2 173 738 in which a central computer maintains account records for a plurality of postage meters.
  • Meter identification data and account data is conveyed from the meters to the central computer to enable access to the appropriate account record and writing of the received account data to that record.
  • a transportable memory unit is utilised for conveying the meter identification data and the account data.
  • a method of monitoring use of a postage meter in carrying out franking operations including the steps of conveying meter identification data and accounting data from registers in the meter and inputting said identification data and first accounting data to a computer; and writing said accounting data to a meter record identified by said meter identification data; characterised in that monitoring use of the postage meter in carrying out franking operations during a period of time includes at a start of said period of time the steps of conveying the meter identification and first accounting data from the registers in the meter and inputting said identification data and first accounting data to the computer; at a finish of said period of time the steps of conveying said identification data and second accounting data from the registers in the meter and inputting said identification data and second accounting data to the computer; utilising said meter identification data to access said meter record identified by said meter data; comparing said second accounting data with said first accounting data to determine whether the second accounting data relates to the start or finish of a time period and if said second accounting data is determined to relate to the finish
  • a postage meter 10 is disposed on a postal authority counter for use by members of the general public.
  • the postage meter comprises a microprocessor 11 operating under program routines stored in a read only memory (ROM) 12 to carry out accounting and control functions in the meter.
  • Data such as a desired postage amount is input to the microprocessor by means of a keyboard 13 and information for assisting the user of the meter is displayed by display device 14.
  • a random access memory 15 is provided for use as a working store by the microprocessor and non-volatile memories 16, 17 are provided for storing accounting data.
  • the keyboard, display, read only memory, random access memory and non-volatile memories are connected to the microprocessor by a bus 18.
  • the non-volatile memories 16, 17 include registers for storing accounting data.
  • An ascending register stores an accumulated value of postage used in franking mail items
  • an items register stores the number of items franked
  • a high items register stores the number of items franked with a postage value above a predetermined value.
  • each of the registers are replicated in the memory devices 16, 17 such that each device includes two of each register.
  • a further register stores meter identification data.
  • An input/output interface 19 which includes a multi-way socket 20 is also connected to the microprocessor 11.
  • the socket 20 extends through the secure housing 21 of the meter to receive a mating plug of a portable memory device 22.
  • postage meter 10 While one postage meter 10 has been described, it is envisaged that a number of identical postage meters 10a, 10b ...10n will be provided at sales positions on a counter of a postal authority office.
  • a computer 23 for monitoring and accounting for use of the postage meters 10 is provided with an input output interface comprising a socket 24 identical to the socket 20 of the postage meters.
  • the computer may be a so-called personal computer.
  • the portable memory device 22 and the input/output interface circuit 19 is described in our GB Patent Specification 2173738. However in that specification the portable memory device is utilised for conveying credit data from a postal authority equipment to a postage meter for the purpose of re-setting the credit register of the postage meter with additional credit funds.
  • the portable memory device is capable only of receiving data from the registers of the postage meters and of outputting this data to the computer.
  • a portable memory device will be referred to herein as a read-only device. While the construction of a read-only device may the same as described in our patent specification referred to hereinbefore, a flag is stored in a memory location thereof which prevents use of the device for credit resetting. The flag in the memory device is set by plugging the device into the socket 24 of the computer and operating the computer under a memory initialisation program routine to set the flag. The portable memory device is then ready for use in monitoring usage of the postage meters.
  • the operator When a member of the counter staff starts a shift as an operator of one of the postage meters the operator inserts an initialised portable memory device into the socket of the postage meter to be monitored.
  • the postage meter is operated under control of a program routine to read out the data contents of the account data registers in the memory devices and to write the data into the memory of the portable memory device.
  • the meter identification is read out and written into the portable memory device.
  • the memory device is then unplugged from the postage meter and plugged into the socket 24 of the computer.
  • the computer is operated under a register data input program routine to read out the data from the portable memory device and to check that the data read from the portable device is valid.
  • the postage meter is then ready for operation under a franking program routine to carry out franking operations.
  • the data in the registers is modified in accordance with the value of postage used in franking items and the number of items franked.
  • the postage meter is again operated under the program routine to read out the new data contents of the registers and to write the new data to the portable memory device.
  • the portable device is removed from the postage meter and plugged into the socket 24 of the computer.
  • the computer is then operated again under the read register data program routine to read the data from the portable memory device.
  • the computer received the register data prior to the postage meter being used during the shift.
  • the computer receives the register data of the postage meter as at the finish of the shift. Accordingly the computer can compare the register data received in successive readings to determine the value of postage used during the course of the shift.
  • the computer checks the data currently received from one of the postage meters with the data last received from that postage meter. If the data is unchanged it indicates that the current data relates to the register data at the start of a shift and that the previous data related to the end of a shift whereas if the current data differs from the previous data and the accumulated value in the ascending register and the number of items franked have been incremented it indicates that the current data relates to the end of a shift and the previous data related to the start of a shift.
  • the computer will display to the operator its determination of whether the current register data relates to the start or end of a shift. The operator will be prompted to confirm or deny the determination carried out by the computer.
  • the computer will not accept data indicated by the operator to be shift start data if the previous register data received by the computer does not relate to shift end. Similarly the computer will not accept data indicated to be shift end data if the previously received data does not relate to shift start data. Thus each time the computer receives register data from the portable memory device, the data is compared with the data last received to determine whether it is start or end shift data and the computer will accept the data for meter records maintained by the computer only if the data received is determined to relate to the opposite end of the shift from the end to which the data received relates.
  • the portable memory device provides a means whereby register data is read from the postage meter and input to the computer at the start and finish of each shift.
  • a portable memory device which is assigned to a specific postage meter at any point in time can be used only with that specific meter and not with any other meter and that only the assigned portable memory device can be used with that specific postage meter.
  • TID transaction identity code
  • the transaction identity code is a pseudo-random number generated by a pseudo-random number generator in the computer and by a pseudo-random number generator in the postage meter.
  • Each pseudo-random number generator is arranged to generate pseudo-random numbers in sequence and incrementing from one pseudo-random number to the next in the sequence is effected in such a manner that both generators are maintained in step with one another.
  • the computer is operable to generate a plurality of series of pseudo-random numbers corresponding respectively to the plurality of postage meters associated with the computer.
  • the portable memory device is signed-on to the computer and has stored therein a current TID associated with that specific meter.
  • the meter compares the TID stored in the portable memory device with the TID currently generated by the pseudo-random number generator in the meter. Operation of the meter is permitted only if the comparison is successful.
  • the register data in the meter is read out and stored in the portable memory device and the device is then removed from the meter and plugged into the computer to enable input of the register data to the computer.
  • the program routine for reading out the register data at the end of a shift includes incrementing the TIP to the next pseudo-random number of the series.
  • the computer When the portable memory device is connected to the computer, the computer carries out a comparison of the TID in the device and the TID currently generated by the pseudo-random number generator in the computer for the specific postage meter with which the device has been used. If the comparison is successful, the register data from the portable device is accepted by the computer and entered into the records for that specific meter. The pseudo-random number generator in the computer for the specific meter is then enabled to be incremented to generate the next TID of the series which will be used to control use of the portable memory device in the next shift in which that specific meter is controlled.
  • the writing of the current TID into the portable memory device at the start of a shift may be effected by the computer or by the meter which is to be controlled.
  • the portable device may be connected to the computer to receive the current TID for a specific meter or the portable device may receive the TID as a part of the reading of the register data from the meter. It is envisaged that the TID will remain the current TID throughout the reading of register data at the start of a shift, control of the operation of the meter during the shift and reading of the register data at the end of the shift.
  • the TID may be incremented more frequently and for example one TID may be used when the portable device is used to convey register data at the start of a shift, a second TID may be used during control of operation of the meter and a third TID may be used when the portable device is used to convey register data at the finish of the shift. It will be appreciated that incrementing of the TID at the meter and at the computer is effected in such a manner that, with correct use of the portable memory device for conveying data from the meter to the computer, the TID generated at the meter or computer to which the portable device is connected is identical or has a predetermined relationship with the TID carried by the portable device.
  • Access to the system is limited to authorised personnel and this may be achieved by a requirement in the program routines under which the computer is operated for the entry by the operator of a log-in name specific to that operator and of a password.
  • a new operator may be authorised for access to the system by a procedure carried out by an authorised supervisor.
  • the computer contains data relating to authorised supervisors and the log-in names and passwords to be used. Accordingly when an attempt is made to access the system for authorisation of a new operator, the computer operates in a program routine to check that a log-in name and password for an authorised supervisor has been received and only if this check is positive does the computer continue in the routine to receive authorisation data for the new operator.
  • a program routine is provided to enable a supervisor to complete the recording of the previous shift cycle to thereby enable the start of a new shift for a specific postage meter.
  • the portable device At the finish of a shift when the register data is read into the portable device and the device is removed from the meter, the portable device is no longer able to be used for control of operation of that meter or any other meter until it has been signed-on again for the start of a shift because the TID in the portable device no longer compares with the TID in the meters.
  • specific portable devices may be assigned to specific meters it will be appreciated that any one of a number of portable devices may be used with any meter provided that the chosen portable device has been signed-on for the specific meter with which it is to be used by writing the TID corresponding to that specific meter into the portable device.
  • only one portable device is able to carry the TID currently corresponding to any meter and hence at any instant of time only one portable device is enabled to be used with any one meter.
  • a record for that meter is set up by the computer.
  • Installation of the meter is effected by plugging the portable memory device into the meter to read out register data from the meter as described hereinbefore.
  • the portable memory device is then plugged into the computer and the computer is operated to perform a meter installation program routine in which a meter record for the new meter is set up and the register data in the portable memory device is read in as initial meter data.
  • the meter identification data enables separate records to be maintained by the computer for each meter in the system. Accordingly each time meter register data is read out into the portable memory device, the meter identification data is read out so that when the portable memory device is plugged into the computer, the computer can determine from which meter the register data has been received.
  • the computer is operated to provide facilities to store an audit trail for each meter which may be inspected to enable reconciliation of postage meter transactions over a period of time.
  • the computer can be utilised to provide reports of shift account data and management reports.
  • the computer may be provided with printing means whereby reports relating to usage of the meters may be printed under control of the computer.
  • a daily report may be printed showing the total value of postage franked by each postage meter in the system, each meter being identified by its identification data.
  • the daily report preferably provides a summary of the total funds received in all completed shifts for all the meters in a day.
  • a meter report may be printed showing the start and finish register data for a meter.
  • the franking program routine under which the postage meters are operated to frank mail items includes a sub-routine which checks that the portable memory device is plugged into the meter. Thus when the portable memory device is removed from the postage meter, the meter is inoperative to carry out franking operations.
  • the meter identification data and account data may be written to the portable memory device without encoding or other security measures since this takes place within the environs of the postal authority. However when it is desired to provide secure conveyance of the data, for example to prevent fraudulent tampering with the data, the data may be encoded. A further degree of security may be provided by the system requiring meter identification data and account data to be written under the control of a supervisor.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)

Claims (8)

  1. Procédé de surveillance de l'utilisation d'une machine à affranchir lorsqu'elle effectue des opérations d'affranchissement, comprenant les étapes consistant à transporter dans la machine à affranchir (10) une donnée d'identification de machine à affranchir et une donnée de comptabilité provenant de registres (16, 17), et à introduire la donnée d'identification et la première donnée de comptabilité dans un ordinateur (24) ; ainsi qu'à inscrire la donnée de comptabilité dans un enregistrement de machine à affranchir identifié par la donnée d'identification de machine à affranchir ;
    caractérisé en ce que
    la surveillance de l'utilisation de la machine à affranchir lorsqu'elle effectue des opérations d'affranchissement pendant une période de temps, comprend, au démarrage de cette période de temps, les étapes consistant à transporter dans la machine à affranchir (10) la donnée d'identification de machine à affranchir et la première donnée de comptabilité provenant des registres (16, 17), et à introduire dans l'ordinateur (24) la donnée d'identification et la première donnée de comptabilité ; à la fin de cette période de temps, les étapes consistant à transporter dans la machine à affranchir (10) la donnée d'identification et une seconde donnée de comptabilité provenant des registres (16, 17), et à introduire cette donnée d'identification et la seconde donnée de comptabilité dans l'ordinateur (24) ; l'utilisation de la donnée d'identification de machine à affranchir pour accéder à l'enregistrement de cette machine à affranchir identifiée par la donnée de machine à affranchir ; la comparaison de la seconde donnée de comptabilité avec la première donnée de comptabilité pour déterminer si la seconde donnée de comptabilité se rapporte au démarrage ou à la fin d'une période de temps, et, si l'on détermine que cette seconde donnée de comptabilité se rapporte à la fin de la période de temps, l'écriture de la seconde donnée de comptabilité dans l'enregistrement de machine à affranchir.
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en outre en ce que
    la donnée d'identification de machine à affranchir et la donnée de comptabilité sont transportées de la machine à affranchir (10) vers l'ordinateur (24) en lisant la donnée dans les registres (16, 17) de la machine à affranchir et en écrivant cette donnée dans un dispositif de mémoire portatif (22) lorsque ce dispositif de mémoire portatif est branché à la machine à affranchir, puis en débranchant le dispositif de mémoire portatif de la machine à affranchir et en le branchant à l'ordinateur, tandis que, pendant que le dispositif de mémoire portatif est branché à l'ordinateur, on lit les données provenant de ce dispositif de mémoire portatif et on introduit les données dans l'ordinateur.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2,
    caractérisé en outre en ce que
    la machine à affranchir (10) n'est opérante pour effectuer l'affranchissement d'articles de courrier que lorsque le dispositif de mémoire portatif (22) est branché à la machine à affranchir (10).
  4. Procédé selon la revendication 1,
    caractérisé en outre en ce qu'
    il comprend des étapes consistant à fournir un dispositif de mémoire portatif (22) portant un nombre pseudo-aléatoire unique à la machine à affranchir (10) ; à générer un nombre pseudo-aléatoire dans cette machine à affranchir ; à coupler le dispositif de mémoire portatif à la machine à affranchir ; à comparer, pour chaque opération d'affranchissement, le nombre pseudo-aléatoire porté par le dispositif de mémoire portatif, avec le nombre pseudo-aléatoire généré dans la machine à affranchir, et à ne permettre à la machine à affranchir d'effectuer une opération d'affranchissement qu'en réponse seulement au fait que la comparaison indique que les nombres pseudo-aléatoires ont une relation prédéterminée.
  5. Procédé selon la revendication 2,
    caractérisé en outre par
    les étapes consistant à fournir au dispositif de mémoire portatif (22) un nombre pseudo-aléatoire unique pour la machine à affranchir (10) ; générer un nombre pseudo-aléatoire dans cette machine à affranchir ; coupler le dispositif de mémoire portatif à la machine à affranchir ; comparer, pour chaque opération d'affranchissement, le nombre pseudo-aléatoire porté par le dispositif de mémoire portatif, avec le nombre pseudo-aléatoire généré dans la machine à affranchir, et ne permettre à la machine à affranchir d'effectuer une opération d'affranchissement qu'en réponse seulement au fait que la comparaison indique que les nombres pseudo-aléatoires ont une relation prédéterminée.
  6. Procédé selon la revendication 4,
    caractérisé en outre par
    les étapes consistant à utiliser le dispositif de mémoire portatif (22) pour transporter dans l'ordinateur (24) les données stockées dans les registres (16, 17) de la machine à affranchir (10) au démarrage et à la fin de la période de temps.
  7. Procédé selon la revendication 6,
    caractérisé en outre par
    l'étape consistant à générer dans l'ordinateur (24) le nombre pseudo-aléatoire généré dans la machine à affranchir (10).
  8. Procédé selon la revendication 7,
    caractérisé en outre en ce que
    les nombres pseudo-aléatoires générés dans la machine à affranchir (10) et dans l'ordinateur (24) sont incrémentés au moins une fois pour chaque période de temps.
EP19910311846 1990-12-31 1991-12-20 Surveillance et commande de machines à affranchir Expired - Lifetime EP0493943B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9028223 1990-12-31
GB9028223A GB2251212B (en) 1990-12-31 1990-12-31 Postage meter monitoring and control

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0493943A2 EP0493943A2 (fr) 1992-07-08
EP0493943A3 EP0493943A3 (en) 1992-07-29
EP0493943B1 true EP0493943B1 (fr) 1996-10-02

Family

ID=10687694

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19910311846 Expired - Lifetime EP0493943B1 (fr) 1990-12-31 1991-12-20 Surveillance et commande de machines à affranchir

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0493943B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69122486T2 (fr)
GB (1) GB2251212B (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5384708A (en) * 1992-10-26 1995-01-24 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mail processing system having a meter activity log
FR2701781B1 (fr) * 1993-02-17 1995-03-31 Neopost Ind Machine à affranchir permettant un contrôle de la consommation journalière.
GB9501602D0 (en) * 1995-01-27 1995-03-15 Neopost Ltd Franking machine and means for data entry thereto
US5717596A (en) * 1995-02-15 1998-02-10 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for franking, accounting, and billing of mail services
JP3371644B2 (ja) * 1995-09-14 2003-01-27 オムロン株式会社 郵便物処理システム、郵便物処理装置、読取装置およびホストコンピュータ

Family Cites Families (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4629871A (en) * 1979-12-28 1986-12-16 Pitney Bowes, Inc. Electronic postage meter system settable by means of a remotely generated input device
DE3126786C3 (de) * 1980-07-14 1997-11-13 Pitney Bowes Inc Verbessertes fernbetätigtes Frankiermaschinen-Nachladesystem
GB2173738B (en) * 1985-04-19 1989-07-12 Roneo Alcatel Ltd Secure transport of information between electronic stations
US4780835A (en) * 1985-12-26 1988-10-25 Pitney Bowes Inc. System for detecting tampering with a postage value accounting unit
US4760534A (en) * 1985-12-26 1988-07-26 Pitney Bowes Inc. Mailing system with postage value transfer and accounting capability
US4812992A (en) * 1986-04-10 1989-03-14 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter communication system
DE3750958T3 (de) * 1986-09-02 2007-10-25 Pitney Bowes, Inc., Stamford Automatisches überweisungssystem mit mikroprozessorkarten.
US4809185A (en) * 1986-09-02 1989-02-28 Pitney Bowes Inc. Secure metering device storage vault for a value printing system
CA1301335C (fr) * 1988-02-08 1992-05-19 Robert K.T. Chen Systeme a affranchir a carte de valeur
CA1301334C (fr) * 1988-02-08 1992-05-19 Pitney Bowes Inc. Systeme de comptabilisation des droits postaux
GB8830423D0 (en) * 1988-12-30 1989-03-01 Alcatel Business Systems Franking system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2251212A (en) 1992-07-01
EP0493943A2 (fr) 1992-07-08
EP0493943A3 (en) 1992-07-29
GB2251212B (en) 1994-10-05
DE69122486T2 (de) 1997-02-06
DE69122486D1 (de) 1996-11-07
GB9028223D0 (en) 1991-02-13

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