EP0612038B1 - Method for monitoring the daily postage consumption of a franking machine und franking machine for carrying out this method - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling the daily consumption of postal charges of a franking machine, that is to say the amount of all the franking operations carried out by this machine during a given day. .

A conventional franking machine has a non-volatile memory, doubled, making it possible to memorize the total consumption, that is to say the cumulative value of all the franking operations since the commissioning of the machine. In order to be able to invoice monthly consumption and to carry out certain checks sporadically, the postal organization which operates the machine asks the user to manually fill in a monthly form comprising one line per day. The user reads, at the end of the day, the total consumption which is displayed on a display of the machine; enter it on their form; then calculates the daily consumption by subtracting between the total consumption displayed and the total consumption recorded for the previous day; and also record this daily consumption on the form.

• Le calcul et l'inscription manuels de la consommation journalière par un usager ne sont pas toujours faits sérieusement et sont sujets à des erreurs.
• Un fraudeur peut tenter de truquer les montants qu'il déclare. Des contrôles sporadiques sont prévus, mais sont difficiles à mettre en oeuvre, car ils nécessitent qu'un agent de l'organisme postal vienne lire sur la machine la valeur de la consommation totale réelle.

These forms have many drawbacks:

• The manual calculation and recording of daily consumption by a user is not always done seriously and is subject to errors.
• A fraudster can try to fake the amounts he declares. Sporadic checks are planned, but are difficult to implement because they require an agent of the postal organization to come and read the value of the actual total consumption on the machine.

EP-A-0 285 956 provides a memory for recording successive traces of the state of the machine. These traces can be printed automatically.

The use of a coding algorithm for postage accounting appears from documents GB-A-2 233 937 and EP-A-0 493 948, for example.

The object of the invention is therefore to make it easier to control the monthly consumption and the daily consumption entered by the user on the classic monthly form. Another object of the invention is to further allow automatic editing of the monthly form, by certifying the accuracy of the information presented by this form.

The subject of the invention is therefore a method for controlling the daily consumption of postal charges of a franking machine as defined in claim 1. A first method of control consists in sending an agent of the postal organization to the machine , to read the values of the total consumption for the dates on which the consumption must be checked on its display. A second method described below makes it possible to avoid this displacement.

The invention also extends to a franking machine allowing such control of daily consumption. Such a machine allows to control the total consumption, day by day, with a certain date. This machine makes it possible to control the accuracy of a form filled in manually by the user, without requiring a trip by an agent of the postal organization, because the latter can recalculate the number of certification from the consumption values entered on the form provided by the user, and check that it is identical to that entered by the user on this form. This verification guarantees the accuracy of the daily consumption recorded on a sheet filled in by a user. The manual filling of a monthly sheet by a user can be eliminated if the machine provides automatically, in printed form: the daily consumption values, for a period of one month, for example the number specific to the machine, and the number certification corresponding to this information. The user's work is therefore considerably simplified.

• un microprocesseur M1 réalisant des fonctions de commande de la machine à affranchir, selon un programme stocké dans une mémoire morte RM reliée au microprocesseur M1 par un bus parallèle PB;
• deux mémoires vives, BAM1 et BAM2, secourues par une batterie non représentée; ces mémoires contenant : un registre dit ascendant pour le montant total courant des opérations d'affranchissement, un registre descendant pour le crédit restant, un registre mémorisant le nombre d'opérations d'affranchissement; et 2 X 31 registres destinés à mémoriser la consommation journalière sur deux mois civils consécutifs; tous ces registres étant dupliqués respectivement dans ces deux mémoires;
• un circuit calendrier CAL, associé à un quartz, Q, et à une batterie de secours B;
• un clavier K associé à un afficheur D, permettant à un opérateur de donner des ordres à la machine à affranchir, et de lire des informations concernant le fonctionnement de celle-ci;
• une imprimante optionnelle P;
• un commutateur S placé dans une zone T de l'enceinte EN, accessible par une trappe plombée, pour permettre au personnel d'un organisme postale de réaliser le rechargement d'un crédit dans le registre descendant, et la mise à l'heure et au jour, du circuit calendrier CAL.

The invention will be better understood and other characteristics will appear from the description below and the accompanying single figure. This figure shows the block diagram of an embodiment of a franking machine according to the invention. This example includes a protected enclosure EN containing the electronic circuits which must remain out of reach of the user to avoid fraud. These electronic circuits include:

• a microprocessor M1 performing control functions of the franking machine, according to a program stored in a read-only memory RM connected to the microprocessor M1 by a parallel bus PB;
• two RAMs, BAM1 and BAM2, backed up by a battery not shown; these memories containing: a so-called ascending register for the total current amount of franking operations, a descending register for the remaining credit, a register memorizing the number of franking operations; and 2 X 31 registers intended to memorize daily consumption over two consecutive calendar months; all these registers being duplicated respectively in these two memories;
• a CAL calendar circuit, associated with a quartz, Q, and a backup battery B;
• a keyboard K associated with a display D, allowing an operator to give orders to the franking machine, and to read information concerning the operation of the latter;
• an optional printer P;
• a switch S placed in a zone T of the enclosure EN, accessible by a sealed hatch, to allow the staff of a postal organization to carry out the recharging of a credit in the descending register, and the setting of the time and on the day of the CAL calendar circuit.

The sealed door prevents the user of the machine from accessing this switch S to avoid any fraud on the credit or on the date of postage. The machine is credited and delivered on time at the same time, at regular intervals, for example every six months, by a member of the postal agency staff. In addition to the sealed hatch, a secret numerical code can be provided, to be typed on the keyboard K, to authorize the loading of a credit or a change of date and time.

The user is authorized to frank his mail a few days before the actual date of deposit at the post office (seven days maximum, for example). If it wishes to take advantage of this tolerance, it controls an offset of the printed date, by means of the keyboard K. The operation of the machine is controlled by the microprocessor M1 according to software stored in the read-only memory RM. It is within the reach of those skilled in the art to produce a software module, stored in the memory RM, for entering the instructions of the user and shifting the printed date, relative to the date provided by the circuit CAL, a number of days chosen by the user and less than a maximum number set in the software module.

A synchronous serial transmission bus, SB1, connects a port of the microprocessor M1 to an input of the memory BAM1 and to an input of the calendar circuit CAL. A second synchronous serial transmission bus, SB2, connects a port of the microprocessor M1 to a port of the memory BAM2. A third synchronous serial transmission bus, SB3, connects a port of the microprocessor M1 to a port of the keyboard K and display D assembly, and to a port of the printer P.

During each franking operation, the microprocessor M1 calculates the current amount of the total consumption and then updates the ascending register in the memory BAM1 by writing this current amount there. It also updates the descending register, and the register of the number of operations, in the memory BAM1. Then it rereads the content of this memory to verify that each update has been carried out correctly. Then it performs the same updates in the BAM2 memory.

When powered up, the microprocessor M1 monitors the proper functioning of the clock by testing the change seconds for example. In addition, he monitors the change of date which takes place at midnight.

If the machine remains permanently on, at each change of date, the microprocessor M1 reads the current amount of the total consumption in the memories BAM1 and BAM2. This becomes, at midnight, the amount to archive for the day that has just passed. This amount is then entered, with the date, in memories BAM1 and BAM2 in a register corresponding to this day, where it will be kept for a period of two months, this register being reused after two months. A pointer stored in each of these memories BAM1 and BAM2 makes it possible to know the address of the last updated register.

In the event that the machine is turned off during periods of non-use, the microprocessor M1 reads the date supplied by the CAL circuit, each time the power is turned back on; and it reads the date most recently recorded in memories BAM1 and BAM2. If it does not correspond to the date provided by the CAL circuit, the microprocessor M1 concludes that there has been at least one change of date since the last update. It reads from memories BAM1 and BAM2 the current amount of total consumption and writes it with the actual date supplied by the circuit CAL, in the register corresponding to this date, in memories BAM1 and BAM2. Naturally, if postage operations are carried out next, and if the machine is still powered on at midnight, the amount recorded will be replaced by the current amount at midnight.

If the postal organization operating the machine asks the user to manually fill in a sheet indicating the daily consumption of the machine, the printer P is not installed in the machine. The user requests the machine to read the information stored in the registers corresponding to the last month of consumption. This request is made via the keyboard K. The microprocessor M1 reads the amount of the total consumption, for each day successively, and displays it on display D. Simultaneously it calculates the daily consumption for each day and displays it on display D. The user successively copies the values read on display D .

Then the microprocessor M1 calculates a so-called certification number, as a function of: a machine-specific number, stored in the memory RM; a secret key stored in the memory RM; total consumption values; and daily consumption values that it has just displayed. The algorithm used to determine the number of certification can be, for example, the standard classical cryptological algorithm called Data Encryption Standard. It can be implemented by means of a current microprocessor and it is forbidden to go back to the value of the secret key. The microprocessor M1 displays the number of certification on display D, and the user copies it onto his form. This certification number can be recalculated by an agent of the postal organization from the machine-specific number, which is indicated on the form, the secret key which is obviously known to the postal organization, and the consumption values. total and daily consumption indicated on the form. A comparison between the number of recalculated certification and that indicated on the form allows to conclude on the validity of the values copied by the user. A check in the user's premises on the machine itself will only be considered in the infrequent cases where this check will indicate an anomaly.

The embodiment shown in the figure provides additional ease for the postal organization and the user. It includes a printer P allowing the microprocessor M1 to directly print a monthly form indicating: the number specific to the machine, the values of total consumption and the values of daily consumption for each day of a calendar month, and a number of certification.

It is within the reach of ordinary skill in the art to produce software modules, to be stored in the RM read-only memory, to perform these functions.

Claims (6)

1. A method of checking daily consumption of postal charges by a postage meter, the method comprising the following steps:

   - recording cumulative data in a non-volatile memory (BAM1, BAM2) of the postage meter after each day on which the postage meter has performed at least one franking operation, said data being representative of total consumption of postal charges metered by the meter up to said day, and being recorded in association with a date provided by a calendar circuit (CAL) of the meter;

   - maintaining a series of such cumulative data in correspondence with respective dates in the non-volatile memory of the postage meter over a predetermined period of time;

   - recovering daily consumption values and corresponding dates from the postage meter on the basis of said cumulative data recorded in its non-volatile memory in association with said dates, each daily consumption value representing the consumption of postage charges metered by the meter for one day's use of the meter;

   - recovering from the postage meter, a certification number calculated by applying a calculation algorith to said recovered daily consumption values, said cumulative data recorded over said period of time in the non-volatile memory, an encoding key, and an identification number of the postage meter previously recorded in the memory of the postage meter;

   - noting said cumulative data, daily consumption values, identification number of the postage meter, and certification number on a billing form for said predetermined period of time; and

   - after said billing form has been drawn up, recalculating a new certification number on the basis of the cumulative data, the daily consumption values, the identification number of the meter marked on the form and an encoding key identical to that recorded in the postage meter in order to verify whether the certification number remarked on the form is identical to the new certification number calculated in this way.
2. The method according to claim 1, including displaying on a display screen (D) provided on the postage meter, said cumulative data, said daily consumption values in association with dates, the identification number of the postage meter, and said calculated certification number.
3. The method according to one of claims 1 or 2, including automatically transferring the cumulative data, the daily franking consumption values, the identification number of the postage meter, and the certification number on a billing form by means of a printer (P) connected to the postage meter.
4. A postage meter adapted to implementing the method of checking postal charge consumption according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising, inside an enclosure (EN) protected against unauthorized access: means (M1, RM) for metering total consumption of postal charges representative of franking operations performed by said meter since said meter was switched on, and for maintaining cumulative data representative of said total consumption in a non-volatile memory (BAM1, BAM2), a calendar circuit (CAL) for delivering a date to said metering means on demand, means (M1, MR) for writing such cumulative data in the non-volatile memory in correspondence with dates provided by the calendar circuit for each day on which at least one franking operation is performed by the postage meter, calculation means (M1, RM) for calculating daily consumption values from said cumulative data and for calculating a certification number representative of a combination of said cumulative data recorded in the non-volatile memory, of the calculated daily consumption values, of an identification number, and of a code key recorded in the memory of the meter, and means (D, P) for playing back to a user of the meter, said cumulative data, the identification number of the calculated daily consumption values, and the calculated certification number for the purpose of being marked on a billing form.
5. A meter according to claim 4, comprising a keypad (K) for causing the calculation means (M1, RM) to change the date in the calendar circuit (CAL) or to change the cumulative data in the non-volatile memory (BAM1, BAM2).
6. A meter according to claim 5, including a switch (S) placed in a zone (T) of the enclosure (EN) that is accessible via a sealed hatch and that is connected to the calculation means (M1, RM).

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