EP0605122A2 - Frankiersystem mit zur Kompensation von detektieren Druckerfehlern auswählbaren Zeichen - Google Patents

Frankiersystem mit zur Kompensation von detektieren Druckerfehlern auswählbaren Zeichen Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0605122A2
EP0605122A2 EP93309826A EP93309826A EP0605122A2 EP 0605122 A2 EP0605122 A2 EP 0605122A2 EP 93309826 A EP93309826 A EP 93309826A EP 93309826 A EP93309826 A EP 93309826A EP 0605122 A2 EP0605122 A2 EP 0605122A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
indicia
printing
metering system
print
postage metering
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP93309826A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0605122A3 (en
Inventor
Wallace Kirschner
Arno Muller
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.)
Pitney Bowes Inc
Original Assignee
Pitney Bowes Inc
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 Pitney Bowes Inc filed Critical Pitney Bowes Inc
Publication of EP0605122A2 publication Critical patent/EP0605122A2/de
Publication of EP0605122A3 publication Critical patent/EP0605122A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J29/00—Details of, or accessories for, typewriters or selective printing mechanisms not otherwise provided for
    • B41J29/38—Drives, motors, controls or automatic cut-off devices for the entire printing mechanism
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00314—Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
    • G07B2017/00338—Error detection or handling
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00524—Printheads
    • G07B2017/0054—Thermal printhead
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00516—Details of printing apparatus
    • G07B2017/00556—Ensuring quality of print
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00572—Details of printed item
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
    • G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
    • G07B17/00459—Details relating to mailpieces in a franking system
    • G07B17/00508—Printing or attaching on mailpieces
    • G07B2017/00637—Special printing techniques, e.g. interlacing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to postage metering systems and, more particularly, to a printing postage metering system having plural indicia selectable to compensate for detected defects in the printing system.
  • Postage metering systems print and account for postage and other unit value printing such as parcel delivery service charges and tax stamps. Because these systems print indicia and information having monetary value, the systems must be secure to protect the funds for which they account and must insure that proper indicia printing occurs.
  • thermal printing metering systems and other types of printing systems can have a failure or fault occur at a user location.
  • a thermal printing pin failure for example, can be detected such that further printing cycles are allowed if a sufficient number of elements can be operated to effect printing, otherwise further printing is inhibited.
  • the printing data may be printed in machine readable form. The data is read to produce a signal which is compared with data intended to be printed or printed in a visual inspectable form.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,813,802 for DEVICE FOR VERIFYING IF THERMAL PRINTER IS OPERATING CORRECTLY issued March 21, 1989.
  • While the above systems provide features and functionality useful in postage metering systems, it is desirable to provide both increased security and also to further enhance the ability of such systems to be maintained in an operable mode in the field despite various failures in the meter printing system. This is particularly important because postage metering systems are mass produced business equipment which must be both low cost and have high reliability, while not being field serviceable because of postal regulations and the need to preclude entry into the interior of the postage metering system secure housing.
  • the present invention provides for the ability to change the indicia or to construct new indicia based on the nature of the printer failure.
  • the present invention also provides the capability to maintain the security of the postage metering system by continuing to print high quality indicias, including any forensic or encrypted information embodied in such indicia or elsewhere, without the need to take the metering system out of service for repair.
  • portions of an indicia may be stored within the metering system memory or in a remote location and used to form a composite indicia. Based upon detected printer failure a composite indicia is formed which provides the high level of security required and the print quality desired in postage metering systems. This is accomplished by reconstructing new indicias from the available portions of the stored indicias reducing or eliminating the consequence of the printer failure.
  • postage metering system includes a printing means for printing an indicia.
  • Means are coupled to the printing means for storing information adapted to generate signals for causing the printing means to print a selected one of a plurality of postal indicias.
  • Fault detection means are coupled to the printing means for detecting faults in the printing means.
  • Means connected to the fault detection means are provided for causing the printing means to print a selected one of said plurality of indicias depending upon the fault sensed by the printing means fault detection means.
  • the selected one of the plurality of indicias is a composite indicia formed from a plurality portion of stored postal indicias.
  • a postage metering system 2 includes a microprocessor 4 having a memory system 6.
  • An input means 8 is connected to the microprocessor 4.
  • the input means may be a keyboard or input port or other device for inputting information into the postage meter system 2.
  • the postage meter system may be a self contained stand alone unit or a detachable meter adapted to be physically connected to a mailing system as is known in the postage meter field.
  • the postage metering system may also be a system such as those involving personal computers and postal fund vaults as is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,775,246 for SYSTEM FOR DETECTING UNACCOUNTED FOR PRINTING IN A VALUE PRINTING SYSTEM issued October 4, 1988.
  • a secure housing 10 encloses the microprocessor 4 and the memory system 6. Depending upon the postage metering system design, the input 8 and the thermal printhead 12 may or may not be enclosed within the secure housing 10.
  • the memory system 6 may include a plurality of different types of memories. There may be one or more read only memory or other suitable memory for storing the operating program for the metering system and the various postal indicias or portions and other information shown in FIGURES 2A through 2K. These operating programs and indicias, indicia portions and other information may, alternatively, in whole or in part, be stored in a non-volatile memory. Examples of some such memories include EEPROMs and battery backed CMOS devices. The division of portions of the indicia and operating programs between various types of memories depends upon the particular design involved and the applications for the postage metering system 2. Additionally, the memories can be organized so that some of the programs and/or data are at a user location and some of the programs and/or data are at a remote location.
  • indicia or postal indicia are intended to mean the graphic and other information, or portion of such graphic or other information, printed by the postage metering system 2.
  • the graphics can be of any design such as an eagle or other emblems and the other information can be alpha numeric and/or coded or encrypted information. This information may be printed either in alpha numeric or other form such as bar codes.
  • the information printed can include the meter serial number, the postage amount, the date, the city, state or country and a cryptocode.
  • the cryptocode is often based on information printed by the metering system such as serial number, date, and postage amount and is employed to authenticate the postage imprint and enable detection of fraudulent or counterfeit indicia.
  • the microprocessor causes the thermal print elements of the print element array shown generally at 14, such as print element 16, to be turned on one at a time.
  • the current flowing through the print element is measured.
  • the value of the current flowing through the print element is processed by an analog to digital converter 18, and the digitized information provided to the microprocessor 4.
  • the microprocessor Based on a program stored in the memory system 6, the microprocessor will determine if the print element resistance is within an acceptable range. If it is not within an acceptable range, the microprocessor 4 under program control compensates for that element failure by using a different adjacent element during a printing operation instead.
  • the substitution can be such that it minimizes the perception of the print element failure by the reader of the imprinted indicia. However, this is the case only when the quality of the imprinted indicia graphics and any encrypted or other information to be imprinted is not compromised by the nature of the detected printer failure.
  • the system When there is a compromise in the quality or security of the imprint, particularly, the indicia graphics, or the encrypted information, if any, the system, as is hereinafter described in greater detail, will cause the printer to print a different indicia or to relocate the indicia and/or the encrypted and other information to minimize the effect of the printer failure.
  • Transistor 19 shorts out resistor 20 when the transistor is biased into conduction by the microprocessor 4.
  • the microprocessor 4 will then under program control turn on one of the printhead elements by appropriately shifting information to the printhead shift register 22 which is then latched and thereafter gated or strobed to allow current to flow through the print element.
  • the current drawn by the element flows through resistor 20.
  • the microprocessor 4 assesses the voltage developed across resistor 20 via the operational amplifier 24 and the analog to digital convertor 18, by analyzing the digital value generated by the analog to digital convertor 18.
  • Microprocessor 4 compares the value provided by the analog to digital convertor 18 with the limits stored in the memory system 6.
  • microprocessor 4 will then store in a non-volatile memory of memory system 6 the identity of the defective print element. At all future power up and initializations of the postage metering system 2, microprocessor 4 will relocate the indicia and/or the encrypted and other information to be printed or will revise the indicia with one of the indicias stored in the memory system 6 or form a new composite indicia.
  • the graphic image and information selected to be printed will eliminate the defective thermal print element or will minimize the effect of the utilization of the defective thermal print element or a series of elements.
  • the system can, if desired, also substitute adjacent thermal print elements to further minimize the consequences of the printer failure.
  • the type of substitution depends both on the nature of the pattern to be printed and by the nature of the detected failure. In this manner, the failure of a print element or a series of print elements will have little effect on the quality of the indicia image or other information to be printed.
  • the image (or a portion of the image) can be stored in a non-volatile memory which can be erased and rewritten with new information.
  • the indicia to be printed by the thermal print head 12 may be a software generated, bit map graphic indicia or portions. This permits the entire indicia or any portion of it or the other information to be adjusted in the field. Moreover, the indicia can remain the same and only its size or shape changed. As an example, the user of the postage metering system 2 could be required to call a remote data center once a month or once a quarter to receive a new code number to be entered into the meter input 8.
  • the new code word would be generated in a manner similar to that process used to load additional postage funds into the meter system, as disclosed for example in U.S. Patent No. 4,097,923 for REMOTE POSTAGE METER CHARGING SYSTEM USING AN ADVANCED MICROCOMPUTERIZED POSTAGE METER issued June 27, 1978.
  • the new code word would be acted upon by the meter software to change the printed indicia graphics.
  • Post Offices would be given a new graphic template to compare against the incoming metered mail. This template could be used visually to inspect the incoming mail for compliance as part of the Postal Services incoming mail acceptance procedure. Alternatively, the template could be in the form of an electronic image to facilitate automatic imaging and/or verification by the Postal Service of the incoming metered mail.
  • Mail not having the correct image for that period of time would be rejected and the source of the imprint investigated.
  • the new image could be initiated either nationally or regionally or even down to a unique customer as desired by the Postal Service.
  • mail can be tracked for a specific customer or for data collection purposes or for fraud trapping if the meter is illegally moved by means of specifying the particular indicia and/or indicia graphics required to be imprinted by the meter system 2 or meter systems in a given region or for a given time period.
  • a calendar clock contained in the meter can be employed to turn off the graphics if not updated for the required time period or the graphics could be auto altered to indicate visually, by machine readable indication or by encrypted information that an update is required.
  • Manual meters that is meters that do not employ remote recharging, could also be required to use the update system when the metering systems is physically taken to the Postal Service to be reset with additional funds.
  • the updates could take place automatically. If desired, these updates can be implemented transparent to the user at an increased frequency.
  • the frequency depending upon the systems could be on a daily basis or other type system can be employed such as is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,864,506 for POSTAGE METER RECHARGING SYSTEM issued September 5, 1989 and U.S. Patent No. 4,831,554 for POSTAGE METER MESSAGE PRINTING SYSTEM issued May 16, 1989.
  • the Postal Service can also provide the images to users in encoded form on floppy disks or other means.
  • the system when utilized in conjunction with a cryptographic code for verification of the indicia increases the difficulty of counterfeiting postal indicias and assists in tracking postage meters.
  • the indicia and graphic image to be printed by the meter system 2 can be derived from a cryptocode provided for security.
  • This cryptocode can be encoded as a function of time and the match can be done visually or electronically using imaging techniques.
  • a meters indicia could be activated for a new installation only after the data center call is made as is disclosed in U.K. Patent Application No. 2 251 213 A for POSTAGE METER. Thus, all new meters arrive at the users facility inoperable and, if lost, stay inoperable until telephone contact is made with the data center.
  • the above described system capabilities are enhanced when coupled with the ability to revise the graphics and/or indicia or other information to be printed based on failures of the metering system printer. This allows both an enhanced security by providing a new level of security by means of changed indicias and other information as noted above while allowing the flexibility to revise these indicias based on failures of the printer.
  • FIGURES 2A through 2K show a series of various indicia and information which may be imprinted on a mailpiece or label.
  • This information shown printed on a label adhered to a mailpiece or package is stored in the memory system 6 or at a remote location, except for the data entered at the meter 2, here, the postal value 23 and 7/10 cents.
  • an indicia shown generally at 202 is imprinted on a label 204 which is attached to a mailpiece or package 206. It should be recognized that the indicia can be directly imprinted on the mailpiece itself as opposed to being imprinted on a label which is then applied to the mailpiece or package.
  • the indicia includes a graphic design, here, an eagle 208 with outstretched wings.
  • the city and state where the postage metering system is located is printed at 210 and the meter serial number is printed at 212.
  • the postage amount is printed at 214, here, 23 and 7/10 cents.
  • Alpha numeric information is printed generally at 216 bar and half bar information is printed at 218. It should be specifically noted that the indicia just described is only one form of many forms of indicia that can be printed.
  • the indicia can be all graphics with encrypted information embodied in the graphics the indicia can be all alpha numerics with encrypted information embodied in the alpha numerics or the indicia could be bar code or half bar code or any combination of these.
  • the indicia 204 is imprinted by being passed under a thermal printhead 220 as can be seen in FIGURE's 2. Should a portion of the thermal elements of the printhead 220 become defective such as print elements 222 in FIGURE 2B, the indicia can be modified to accommodate the series of failed print elements 222.
  • the indicia is modified such that the eagle 207 is in a sitting position and further, the indicia and the other alpha numeric, 211, 213, bar code 217 and other information 215 have been shifted relative to the label 204.
  • FIGURE 2C As can be seen in this FIGURE a series of print elements of thermal printhead 220 are failed both at the top and the bottom of the thermal printhead. Thus, print elements 224 and 226 have failed. To accommodate this change, the indicia, alpha numeric, bar code and other information has been shifted to the middle of the label and again changed so that the defective print elements 224 and 226 are not needed to make the entire imprint. It should be noted that only that imprinted matter which would be normally printed by the failed print elements is shifted.
  • FIGURE 2D and 2E show two types of indicia not employing graphics where the printing of the information has been reorganized in FIGURE 2D to accommodate failed printing element 228 and in FIGURE 2E to accommodate failed print elements 229.
  • FIGURES 2F, 2G, 2H, 21, 2J and 2K various portions of an indicia are shown which can be stored in either the metering memory system 6 or in a remote data center for downloading to the metering system 2 to be printed on a label or mailpiece.
  • the various portions are shown printed alone on a label to facilitate an understanding of the invention; however, in normal operation these various indicia portions can be selectively combined to form various different indicia.
  • the eagle shown in FIGURE 2A is composed of indicia portions shown in FIGURES 2F, 2G, 2I and 2J. It should be recognized that all forms of indicia portions can be provided depending upon the particular designs desired and the level of protection against metering system printer failures.
  • the eagle portion shown in 2G can be broken into subportions including a beak portion, an upper head portion and a neck portion.
  • any of the other portion can be broken up into multiple portions and additional other graphic, alpha numeric and bar code designs provided.
  • FIGURES 3A through 3E When the meter is idling at 302 with no specific task a determination is made if a key is depressed or letter inserted into the meter or other communication requested at 304. If a action is required the meter will go to service the pending request or action required by the key depression or inserted letter at 306. If there is no such action required, the program will change the thermal printhead operating mode from printing to a testing mode by making the printing/test bit equal to zero at 308. The number, stored in memory, of the previously tested thermal printhead element will be fetched and will be incremented by 1. The program will load the thermal printhead for printing a column with only the new element number NE turned on at 310. The element resistance will be read and a status bit provided at 312 which is the output of the comparators at junction 448 of FIGURE 4 as will hereinafter be described.
  • the program will change the operating mode from the testing mode to printing by making the print/test bit equal to one and return to the meter idle at 318 for looping through the process.
  • the error bit is equal to one at 314 it will store the element number and store in non-volatile memory the defective status of the element number at 320. The program will then fetch the code identifying the possible modes of compensating for the failure of each element flagged as defective in the non-volatile memory at 322.
  • the fetch code identifying the possible modes have been previously determined and stored either in the meter itself or at a remote location for utilization to compensate for the failure of each element flagged. This may be a bit mapped indicia or composite bit mapped indicia. The new indicia will minimize the impact of the element failures.
  • the program will continue to determine if the compensation mode code equals zero at 326.
  • indicia "B" (indicating a different indicia graphic) will be taken from the meter ROM to the meter RAM or alternatively from a remote location to the meter non-volatile memory for use by the RAM.
  • the configuration data in the non-volatile memory of the meter will be changed to identify indicia "B" as current for initialization purposes and to reflect relocation of variable data fields in the indicia bit map for real time insertion of data at 328.
  • the program thereafter continues to initialization of the meter.
  • variable data field "B" Through compensation mode code 11 decision at 342 and the relocation of variable data field "B" at 344. If none of the previous alternatives resolved the printhead failure, a decision is made at 346 if a compensation mode code twelve exists. If it exists, a determination is made at 348 if variable data fields can be located so as to avoid the use of defective elements. If this is impossible, at 348, or if no such mode existed at 346, in either case, a write is effected to the non-volatile memory that there is a fatal thermal printhead failure and the meter is put into a fatal error state disabling printing at 350.
  • variable data fields in the indicia are located in the bit map spaces in RAM.
  • Other indicia elements are fetched such as the eagle body bit map from the ROM and located in the RAM indicia space so as not to interfere with variable data fields. This could include for example, fetch of the left wing of the eagle and locate without interfering, fetch of the right wing of the eagle in similar location without interference and similar activity for various other portions of the indicia graphics such as the eagle feet, head, etc.
  • the composite indicia and data are stored in memory system 6 and made the current indicia current and data required by the initialization routine which is also stored in the memory system. The meter thereafter goes to initialization.
  • FIGURE 4 is a schematic circuit diagram, partly in block form, of a thermal printhead control logic of an electronic postage meter system embodying the present invention and employing an alternative failure detection approach from that shown in FIGURE 1.
  • Meter control electronics 402 which may be the main electronic postage meter microprocessor or micro controller, is connected to control a thermal printhead 404.
  • the meter control electronics 402 provides serial data on line 406 and clock data on line 408 to a series of serial shift registers 410a, 410b, and 410c. These serial shift registers are just a portion of the actual number of serial shift registers used in the system. For the particular embodiment shown, although other configurations are possible, there is a serial shift register and associated circuitry for each print element.
  • the particular embodiment of the present invention employs a 240 pin thermal printing matrix having eight pins per millimeter.
  • One suitable thermal print device is Kyocera Part No. KSL240A.
  • Other suitable thermal printheads may be employed depending on the needs and application of the electronic postage metering system.
  • Each shift register stores a series of the 240 bits needed to activate (or not activate) the 240 pin print elements of the printhead.
  • the number of shift registers 410a, 410b, and 410c will vary depending on the particular number of pins of the printhead and the particular number of data bits which can be held by the shift register.
  • Each output of each shift register 410a, 410b and 410c is connected to a latch.
  • output pin 3 of shift register 410a is connected to latch 412a.
  • Latch 412a latches the data to be printed by its associated print element 414a.
  • the information stored in latch 412a is gated via an AND gate 416a controlled by a strobe signal on line 418 which controls the duration of the application of energy to the print element.
  • shift register 410a is connected in series with the input to shift register 410b and the last output of shift register 410b is connected to any of a series of additional shift registers down through shift register 410c, depending on the number of printhead pins in the thermal printhead. Similar to the other shift registers, shift register 410c is connected to an associated latch 412c and through the AND gate 416c to cause its associated transistor 420c to actuate the print element 414c.
  • Line 409 connected between the meter control electronics 402 and the latches 412a through 412c, provides a latch signal which enables the transfer of data from the shift registers after all the data, the 240 bits of data, have been stored in the associated shift registers and to be latched into the associated 240 latches 412a through 412c.
  • a transistor 424 For printing to occur, that is for current to flow, a transistor 424 must be biased for conduction. For example, current will flow from power supply 422 through the collector emitter or current path of transistor 420a, print element 414a and transistor 424 to ground. Transistor 424 is biased for conduction when line 425 is caused to be high by the meter control electronics indicating that the various data has been latched into the various latches and the print elements are ready to be selectively energized in accordance with the particular information to be printed.
  • Thermal print element test circuitry shown generally at 428 is provided to ensure that the thermal print elements are each operating properly and to provide the necessary information to enable remapping of the print element pins as has been previously explained if a pin is found to be defective.
  • the line 425 is put in a low voltage condition such that transistor 424 is biased out of conduction causing current from power supply 422 to flow through the various thermal elements (the particular thermal elements selected for tests) through resistor 426. This results in a voltage to be established at the junction 430 of resistor 426 and the energized print element which provides an indication of the condition of the print element or other element in the circuit which could have malfunction such as the transistor 420a or the power supply 422 or due to bad connections.
  • the voltage at the junction 430 is applied to two comparators 432 and 434.
  • the incoming voltage from junction 430 is applied to the positive terminal of comparator 432 via a voltage divider including resistor 436 and resistor 438.
  • the voltage at junction 430 is applied to the negative input of comparator 434 via a voltage divider including resistors 440 and 442.
  • a reference voltage is applied via a voltage dividing network including resistors 444 and 446 to the respective negative input terminal of comparator 432 and the positive input terminal of comparator 434.
  • the positive input terminal of the comparators 432 and 434 are the non inverting input.
  • the negative inputs are the inverting inputs.
  • the voltage which is established at junction 448 will remain high due to the voltage applied to junction 448 via the pull up resistor 450 so long as the resistance of the tested printed element remains within a predetermined range. If the resistance is above a predetermined range, voltage at junction 430 would be sufficiently low such that comparator 432 will generate a low output pulling junction 448 low and providing an indication to meter control electronics 442 that the thermal print element (and/or its associated circuitry) is malfunctioning due to the high resistance of the element and/or associated circuitry).
  • the comparator 434 will cause a low voltage at its output to occur pulling junction 448 low providing information to the meter control electronics 442 that the print element of 414 being tested is not within the predetermined range.
  • the meter control electronics 402 is provided with information that the print element being tested is not within the predetermined range required for proper operation of the printhead.
  • FIGURE 5 In this particular embodiment which is a more detailed circuit of the system shown in FIGURE 1, digitized information is provided back to control electronics 502 as to the particular output voltage level of the print element so that the control electronics can determine if the print element or its associated circuitry is out of range high resistance or out of range low resistance.
  • an analog to digital converter 552 is provided.
  • the analog to digital convertor 552 determines the voltage on junction 430 through a voltage dividing arrangement including resistors 554 and 556.
  • the output from the analog to digital convertor 552 is applied via a data bus shown generally at 558.
  • the analog to digital convertor 552 takes the analog voltage at VIN and converts it to a digital output which is provided to the control electronics 502.
  • This digital output due to the voltage level at junction 430 provides information as to the proper operation of the system and enables remapping of the energized pins as has been previously described.
  • the information is provided over the data bus 560 and operates in conjunction with the various bus control lines 562, 564, 566, 568, and 570.
  • the analog to digital convertor 552 is for example a National Semiconductor device Part No. ADC0820.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
EP19930309826 1992-12-07 1993-12-07 Postage metering system with indicia selectable to compensate for detected printer defects. Withdrawn EP0605122A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US98623192A 1992-12-07 1992-12-07
US986231 1992-12-07

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0605122A2 true EP0605122A2 (de) 1994-07-06
EP0605122A3 EP0605122A3 (en) 1994-09-21

Family

ID=25532215

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19930309826 Withdrawn EP0605122A3 (en) 1992-12-07 1993-12-07 Postage metering system with indicia selectable to compensate for detected printer defects.

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0605122A3 (de)
CA (1) CA2109551A1 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1581394A2 (de) * 2002-12-17 2005-10-05 Lexmark International, Inc. Integrierte schaltung und ansteuerschema für einentintenstrahldruckkopf
EP2207142A1 (de) * 2008-12-30 2010-07-14 Pitney Bowes, Inc. Verfahren und System zum Bereitstellen von Drucknachweisen im Fall einer Druckkopffehlfunktion

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4595935A (en) * 1984-08-14 1986-06-17 Ncr Canada Ltd. System for detecting defective thermal printhead elements
US4641347A (en) * 1983-07-18 1987-02-03 Pitney Bowes Inc. System for printing encrypted messages with a character generator and bar-code representation
EP0217043A1 (de) * 1985-09-14 1987-04-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Sato Einrichtung zum Nachweis von Fehlern des Heizstromkreises für Thermodruckkopf
US4813802A (en) * 1986-09-04 1989-03-21 Alcatel Business Systems Ltd. Device for verifying if thermal printer is operating correctly
US4933849A (en) * 1987-07-16 1990-06-12 Pitney Bowes Security system for use with an indicia printing authorization device

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4641347A (en) * 1983-07-18 1987-02-03 Pitney Bowes Inc. System for printing encrypted messages with a character generator and bar-code representation
US4595935A (en) * 1984-08-14 1986-06-17 Ncr Canada Ltd. System for detecting defective thermal printhead elements
EP0217043A1 (de) * 1985-09-14 1987-04-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Sato Einrichtung zum Nachweis von Fehlern des Heizstromkreises für Thermodruckkopf
US4813802A (en) * 1986-09-04 1989-03-21 Alcatel Business Systems Ltd. Device for verifying if thermal printer is operating correctly
US4933849A (en) * 1987-07-16 1990-06-12 Pitney Bowes Security system for use with an indicia printing authorization device

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1581394A2 (de) * 2002-12-17 2005-10-05 Lexmark International, Inc. Integrierte schaltung und ansteuerschema für einentintenstrahldruckkopf
EP1581394A4 (de) * 2002-12-17 2008-09-10 Lexmark Int Inc Integrierte schaltung und ansteuerschema für einentintenstrahldruckkopf
EP2207142A1 (de) * 2008-12-30 2010-07-14 Pitney Bowes, Inc. Verfahren und System zum Bereitstellen von Drucknachweisen im Fall einer Druckkopffehlfunktion
US8449108B2 (en) 2008-12-30 2013-05-28 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for providing evidence of printing in event of print head failure

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0605122A3 (en) 1994-09-21
CA2109551A1 (en) 1994-06-08

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CA2213207C (en) Electronic postage meter system separable printer and accounting arrangement incorporating partition of indicia and accounting information
US4934846A (en) Franking system
US5293319A (en) Postage meter system
US6317498B1 (en) Mail processing system including data center verification for mailpieces
EP0825561B1 (de) Elektronisches Frankiermaschinensystem mit internem Abrechnungssystem und entfernbarem externem Abrechnungssystem
US5655023A (en) Advanced postage payment system employing pre-computed digital tokens and with enhanced security
CA1258916A (en) System for detecting unaccounted for printing in a value printing system
US4907161A (en) Batch mailing system
US5917924A (en) Postage metering system
EP0862142B1 (de) Frankiermaschine
CA2212662C (en) Electronic postage meter installation and location movement system
US6502240B1 (en) Digital postage meter system having a replaceable printing unit with system software upgrade
US6188997B1 (en) Postage metering system having currency synchronization
CA2212853C (en) Process and apparatus for remote system inspection of a value dispensing mechanism such as a postage meter
US6178412B1 (en) Postage metering system having separable modules with multiple currency capability and synchronization
US6044364A (en) Method and apparatus for ensuring for the correct accounting of postage dispensed by a postage meter
CA2193282A1 (en) A method generating digital tokens from a subset of addressee information
EP0605122A2 (de) Frankiersystem mit zur Kompensation von detektieren Druckerfehlern auswählbaren Zeichen
US5655024A (en) Method of tracking postage meter location
CA2222294C (en) Method and apparatus for automatically disabling a removable portable vault of a postage metering system
US6154734A (en) Postage metering system having currency compatibility security feature
US5613007A (en) Portable thermal printing apparatus including a security device for detecting attempted unauthorized access
AU750360B2 (en) Postage printing system having secure reporting of printer errors
MXPA97006447A (en) Electronic release system that has an internal counting system and a removable external counting system
MXPA97006446A (en) Separable printer of the electronic release system and counting arrangement that incorporates individual division and information

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB LI

PUAL Search report despatched

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009013

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A3

Designated state(s): CH DE FR GB LI

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN

18W Application withdrawn

Withdrawal date: 19941122