EP0658861B1 - Method for operating a franking machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for operating a Franking machine in which the franking machine is used by several Users is shared, with each user at least a cliché is assigned.

For smaller companies, such as office communities of freelancers, craft and service companies, there is often a desire to process mail to do in one place and postal facilities to share. By sharing costs and work processes can be saved.

The advertising cliché to be printed on the mail, hereinafter just called a cliché, is intended in addition to general advertising information also contain information with which on the company of the applicant is specifically pointed out. So depending on the user to provide at least one cliché. Because the cliché is common should also carry advertising messages, such as greetings for Easter, Christmas etc. or on special Services of the respective user should indicate in the generally provide several clichés per user or during the lifetime of a franking machine from the manufacturer to deliver later.

When buying a franking machine from multiple users can generally be used at the factory One cliché is provided for each user, at the push of a button can be activated. If now this user wants to change his cliché, this is the factory setting new cliché is created and the cliché data are combined in one Read-only memory, for example an EPROM. This read-only memory is sent to the user who uses it into a free slot provided on the franking machine plugs. But with that are the operations not yet completed to use this new cliché. Rather, the user still has to control the franking machine announce that a new cliché specifically for it is available and this by a specific input command can be activated. The associated procedure, at which the user can enter commands in dialog with the controller must start up a new cliché a complicated process that often leads to questions from the Manufacturer leads and willingness to study at the user the operating documents of the franking machine required. It there is a need for a simple, user-friendly Process for setting up a cliché.

Often, users are billed separately Postage charges required. The respective cliché or the Clichés of a user are therefore a certain cost center allocate on the fee additions and the fee exits be booked when franking. This is already been proposed to put the cliché data on a To save the chip card, which also includes the cliché associated cost center number is stored. The franking machine reads the cliché data and the associated cost center automatically assigns them to a specific one Service code too. The handling of a chip card is however cumbersome and requires a high level on the user side Care.

From DE 37 12 100 Al it is known between the franking machine and a control center via a telephone modem Connect. This connection can be used in one Dialogue method between an input keyboard of the franking machine and a central computer changed the cliché will. The technical effort for this solution is large and requires good knowledge of the franking machine on the user side and the course of the dialogue.

EP-A-0 566 225 describes a method for data entry in a franking machine known. In this document, in As part of the discussion of the prior art on a known Franking machine pointed out to everyone in the Franking machine saved advertising cliché assigned a number is. This can be done by entering this number designated advertising cliché can be changed. An assignment of an advertising cliché for a specific user or several So users can only be done if the respective user the number under which the advertising cliché is known can be called. Another in EP-A-0 566 225 variant described is used to select the advertising cliché entered the username for this ad cliché, for example using a chip card.

It is the object of the invention to operate a system a franking machine for several users to indicate that assigning a cliché to an applicant on comfortable Way.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1.

The invention is based on the consideration that it is in the interest of every user lies that his cliché is him contains uniquely identifying identification, for example his name, his company keyword, his mailbox etc .. If now the controller information about this labeling supplied, for example by manual Enter the company name or at least its initial letter, so control can be based on this information determine whether these are contained in the cliché or not. If there is a match between the information and the identification identifying the user exists, the controller can cliché the respective user assign automatically. The user must therefore make the assignment of the cliché not in a complicated dialogue process with the franking machine, which makes the procedure is very user-friendly according to the invention. The Setting steps to be performed by the factory and the user of a new cliché are relatively simple: the user requests the manufacturer of the franking machine Cliche; the cliché data is called pixel data stored by the manufacturer in a read-only memory for Example in an EPROM; the read-only memory becomes the user sent by post; the user sets the Read-only memory at a predetermined location in the franking machine a; the control of the franking machine compares the identification of the new cliché with that the existing clichés or with manually entered information; do the compared markings match, the control system assigns the new cliché to the relevant one Users automatically; the assignment is made displayed by the control to the user.

If the different users want the same franking machine a separate fee entry takes place with the assignment the cliché also a corresponding allocation of register sets, in which fee-relevant data is stored will. The respective register set is accessed then depending on the assignment of the cliché. Since the identification in the cliché identifies the user is an abuse of clichés by other users as well as their cost centers easily identified and countermeasures be taken.

The information can be controlled via the keyboard of the controller Franking machine are fed. The operator gives for example the name of the user using the keyboard a. The cliché then becomes regarding the textual content examined. If the entered name is in the text, so the assignment to the user concerned is made. The cliché or at least its can be used as a control Text part displayed on a display panel and by the operator beeing confirmed.

In an alternative development of the invention is as Information marking an existing one Clichés used that assigned to a specific user is. Are the markings of the existing cliché correct? and the new cliché, the assignment can be made. A manual entry of the information is then not necessary. With this training the ease of use is further increased.

In the invention, the comparison is made Information and labeling based on one Memory stored pixel data, preferably accordingly the cliché to be printed. This type of data arrangement allows the match the information and the markings by application statistical estimation method in a data processing system be done very quickly.

For example, the comparison is suitable the cross-correlation method, in which the mathematical Connection of two patterns to be compared based on one Correlation factor is determined. The correlation factor +1 shows a complete agreement of the compared Data. A correlation factor of 0 indicates complete Unconnectedness of the compared data. According to the The present training will depend on the assignment determined correlation factor. Used as a label the name of the user, for example the company name, used, a correlation factor of 0.8 to provide adequate security for a correct assignment to ensure.

Will not match the label's cliché and the information, either as manual information or as a label for existing clichés are detected, the control unit sends an error signal output, which is an impossible assignment of the cliché signaled to a user. This will ensures that an assignment is only sufficient Agreement.

Figur 1

Werbeklischees dreier Unternehmen, die eine Frankiermaschine gemeinsam nutzen, jedoch getrennte Kostenstellen haben,

Figur 2

das Druckbild der Frankiermaschine mit einem weiteren Werbeklischee,

Figur 3

eine Blockdarstellung wichtiger Funktionsgruppen einer Frankiermaschine,

Figur 4

eine Ansicht der Frankiermaschine von vorne mit Tastenfeld und Anzeigefeld,

Figur 5

ein Flußdiagramm der Verfahrensschritte, bei denen ein neues Klischee einem Anwender zugeordnet wird, und

Figur 6

Verfahrensschritte der Zuordnung mit manueller Eingabe von Kennzeichnungsinformationen.

Embodiments of the invention are explained below with reference to the drawings. It shows:

Figure 1

Advertising clichés from three companies that share a franking machine but have separate cost centers,

Figure 2

the printed image of the franking machine with another advertising cliché,

Figure 3

a block diagram of important functional groups of a franking machine,

Figure 4

a view of the franking machine from the front with keypad and display panel,

Figure 5

a flowchart of the process steps in which a new cliché is assigned to a user, and

Figure 6

Assignment steps with manual entry of labeling information.

Figure 1 shows three advertising clichés 10, 12, 14, each are assigned to a freelance company. The companies share a franking machine, the incurred costs of each company are recorded separately should be. Accordingly, the company with advertising cliché 10 a cost center A, the company with advertising cliché 12 a cost center B and the company with advertising cliché 14 assigned a cost center C. Are technical the cost centers as fee registers in the franking machine trained, each of which is the sum of the consumed Record postal values and, if applicable, other fee values, such as the current state of charge of the Franking machine with postage values, which over a certain Period used postage values etc.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the advertising clichés contain 10, 12, 14 matching text parts, for example "Mailbox", as well as individualizing text parts, such as the name of the respective company owner or the PO box number. If the company "Schulze" one wants to use a new advertising slogan to on his company point out, so the user becomes the individualizing Parts of the text that distinguish it from other companies, generally retained, and only such Modify or modernize parts of text that are only indirect refer to his company. Based on this individual Parts of the text, hereinafter referred to as marking, can the advertising clichés clearly refer to a particular company be assigned. The present invention takes advantage of this Facts about the hiring process for a new advertising cliché user-friendly design, and largely automatic carry out the cost center assignment.

FIG. 2 shows the structure of a relatively complex franking image shown a franking machine. In the right part of the picture is the postage value together with an identification number printed for the franking machine. In the middle part of the picture a stamp print is shown, which shows the current date of the Franking imprint contains. In the left part of the picture is an advertising cliché printed the company name, a company logo "FP", an advertising message "Your mail is our strength" as well contains the postal address. As with most advertising clichés, is this postal address in the lower section of the picture Advertising clichés arranged as the last line of text. To be noted is that the font sizes used within the advertising cliché fluctuate greatly.

Figure 3 shows those arranged in a franking machine Assemblies in a block diagram, as far as these for the present invention are relevant. Of course contains a franking machine further assemblies, however were omitted for reasons of clarity. The control of the Franking machine takes over a microprocessor 16 to the one Data bus 18 is connected. Via this data bus 18 the microprocessor 16 accesses a non-volatile memory 20, a read-only memory 22, a working memory 24, a cliché memory designed as a read-only memory 26 and an input / output interface 28. Latter provides the connection to a keyboard 30, a display 32 and a printer 34 for the franking image.

The memory 20 contains fee register sets GR1, GR2, GR3 etc., which physically is the cost center for the different Form users of franking machines. In the fee register records GR1, GR2, GR3 are the used ones Fee values, the remaining fee values and others fee-relevant data kept up to date. The read-only memory 22 contains programs for control the microprocessor 16, i.a. also the program with which implemented the method steps of the present invention will. The working memory 24 is a read / write memory in which, for example, intermediate results can be saved. The assemblies 16, 20, 22 and 24 are arranged in a security area of the franking machine and not accessible from the outside. This becomes manipulation excluded from the fee register records GR, GR, GR3.

The cliché memory 26 contains slots for EPROMs which the print data for those with this franking machine used clichés K1, K2, K3, K4 etc. are saved. A new cliché is created by the manufacturer of the franking machine written in an EPROM in the form of print data, the User of the franking machine sent and from this in a free slot of the plate memory 26 is used. The microprocessor 16 detects the occupancy of the slot and notifies the user of the new cliché, or the The user shares the installation request with the control by entering a command With.

FIG. 4 shows the front view of a franking machine, in which the invention is implemented. The keyboard 30 has an alphanumeric keypad, over the alphanumeric Characters entered and for control on the display 32 can be made visible. Printer 34 is through covered a flap 36 that opened for maintenance purposes can be. In operation, the user dials using the keyboard 30 a certain cliché, leads in the direction of arrow 38 a mail item to be franked, which is by the printer 34 is printed with the franking image and the advertising slogan. In this franking process, the selected cliché is used assigned cost center, i.e. the cost center of the respective User, charged.

5 shows method steps of an exemplary embodiment the invention shown in the form of a flow chart. The procedural steps are one as control commands Program stored in read-only memory 22 (Figure 3). After the start of the program for setting a new cliché in the franking machine in step 40 Embodiment in step 42 in the new cliché contained text elements analyzed. For this, the Print data of the cliché by the microprocessor 16 in Pixel data converted, corresponding to the one to be printed Cliché as a pixel matrix in the working memory 24 are arranged. This pixel data consists of Binary values 0 and 1, the light and dark pixels correspond. Because the pixels when printing in the franking machine Column by column can be transferred to the postal items and accordingly the text in the pixel matrix is columnar is set up to search for text elements in the Cliché column by column the transitions from bright to dark pixels and vice versa. Furthermore the lengths of the same pixels are determined. Alphanumeric Signs rarely have descenders (e.g. in the Letters A, B, C, ..., Z; a, b, ..., x, z; y was because of existing descender omitted), so that the connected Underscores of several characters form a line and one Define text line. The frequent appearance of a dark Pixel in a certain column position in successive Columns with regular breaks for the spaces between the characters thus indicates high Probability of the existence of a line of text there.

After one line of text has been found, the next Step 44 determines the font size of the text. For this, the fact is used that the ascenders of a text represent an upper limit for the font height. To determine these ascenders, go out from the underscore of the letters, which is a line line define the distance to dark-light transitions of the pixels determined in one or more columns. The one there The determined length defines the font height, such as this for the capital letters B, E, F etc. and the Lower case letters b, f, h etc. are easy to recognize. From the Font height can be directly inferred from the font size will. You can also use it to determine the font size the spaces between characters of a word in the text line be evaluated.

In the next step 46, text elements are already in one cliché in the franking machine in the same Way determined. It is assumed that the The franking machine is delivered with clichés has been equipped for every user. Also at The font size is determined based on the existing cliché (Step 48).

Then in step 50 an enlargement the text elements of the new cliché. At this The size scale of the alphanumeric characters becomes larger changed. Such enlargement processes are in the area computer technology, for example in the presentation known from pictures on screens, and must be here not described further.

In the next step 52, the enlarged Text elements of the new cliché with those of the existing one Clichés compared. The comparison can be made on the The same font sizes are used, i.e. the enlargement factor is set so that the font size of the enlarged text elements of the new cliché with that of the previous cliché. With an iterative Comparison process is based on an initial value of the magnification factor assumed and this within a predetermined Area gradually changed. For comparison the pixels of the respective pixel matrix of the text elements compared with each other. Do the binary values of the Pixels match, this is counted as a hit. Becomes in sections of the pixel matrices to be compared Predefined hit rate, for example 80% of all pixels in these sections, then the Matched text elements compared and proceeded to step 62. Will this hit rate is not reached, the program branches to step 54, in which the number of comparison attempts is monitored. Is the specified number n of attempts has not yet been reached, see a new magnification factor is set in step 56, with which the text elements identified in the new cliché are larger (method step 50). Then will again the comparison based on the pixel data performed in step 52. The number of attempts is the same n, it is checked in the next step 58 whether all existing Clichés have been examined. If not applies, the next cliché is selected in step 60, and steps 46 through 52 are repeated run through.

Is the hit rate determined in step 52 sufficient high, so that a match of the compared text elements has been determined, will be in the following Step 62 assigned an operator identification to the new cliché, i.e. a key element of the keyboard 30 when actuated the new cliché can be called. Subsequently in step 64 the new cliché is determined Cost center, i.e. the cost center of the existing cliché assigned with a matching text element. Subsequently is shown on the display 32 in step 66 that an assignment of the new cliché was possible.

If in step 58 all existing clichés have been processed without a match of Text elements has been found, then in step 68 a Error message generated. This error message instructs the applicant indicates that an automatic assignment of the new Clichés was not possible and the use of this cliché is not permitted by the franking machine. With Step 70 is the automatic method Setting of a new cliché completed; the associated The program is exited.

In FIG. 6, method steps are shown in a flow chart specified further embodiment of the invention, where after the start in step 72 to set a new clichés of the users about the keyboard 30 information manually by marking the new cliché inputs (method step 74). The entered alphanumeric Characters are decoded and used as pixel data in a pixel matrix in the working memory 24 (Step 76).

In the subsequent step 78, the new cliché contained text elements found. For this, the in Figure 5 process steps applied. in the Subsequent step 80 becomes the pixel data of the input Information with the pixel data of the section cross-correlated with text elements of the new cliché and the correlation factor K was found. Exceeds this in step 82 a predetermined value W, for example 0.8, so this is entered as a match Marking with the marking of the new cliché rated. In step 88 the new cliché becomes one Key assigned to the keyboard 30, when you press the new cliché is activated.

In the subsequent step 90 the new cliché becomes clear Fee register record assigned, which in turn to the user associated with the information about the label entered manually. In this procedural state it is also possible for the user to use this label assign a fee register record for the first time. The user is then shown in step 92 that the setting of the new cliché is done properly is.

If the correlation factor K determined in step 80 increases is low, the number of attempts in step 84 checked. If this is below a specified number n, method steps 74 to 82 are carried out again. Otherwise, an error message is sent in step 86 the impossibility of an assignment. In step 94 the procedure for setting the new cliché is ended and if necessary branched back to the main program.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 6, it is not essential required that the various users of the Franking machine to assign a cliché at the factory. Rather, the setting of a first cliché can also be made at the user by this one him identifying identification manually into the franking machine enters.

The embodiments of Figures 5 and 6 can in Modified within the scope of the invention. For example the comparison in the method according to FIG. 5 in step 52 also based on a cross correlation. To reduce the effort involved in searching for text elements in the Cliché can search for given sections of the cliché remain limited, for example to the lower one Image section in which the postal address of the user is specified is, for example in the cliché according to FIG. 2. It is also possible to compare not only on the basis of To carry out text elements, but also on the basis of image elements. The exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 5 and 6 can also be combined with each other, the comparison either based on existing clichés or based on manually entered information he follows. To rule out manipulation, the comparison also based both on labels existing clichés as well as based on entered ones Information done.

Claims (18)

1. Method for operating a franking machine, in which the franking machine is used jointly by a plurality of users,

   wherein at least one printing block (10, 12, 14) is associated with each user,

   the printing block (10, 12, 14) has at least one identifying marking which identifies the respective user and is to be printed onto the postal item together with the printing block,

   information on this identifying marking is fed to a controller (16),

   and wherein the controller (16) compares the information with the identifying marking and in the case of correspondence the printing block (K4) is automatically associated with the respective user,

   with the comparison of the information and the identifying marking being effected with the aid of pixel data of the advertising printing block stored in a memory (24).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the information is fed to the controller (16) externally, preferably by way of the keypad (30) of the franking machine.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that if at least one printing block (10, 12, 14) is already present that is associated with a certain user, the latter's identifying marking is used as the information.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least a portion of the name, the company slogan or the company logo of the respective user is used as the information.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the comparison of the information and the identifying marking is effected with the aid of the pixel data which is stored in the memory (24) and which is arranged as a pixel matrix in accordance with the printing block to be printed.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pixel data is cross-correlated for the purposes of comparison and in that the association is effected as a function of the correlation factor which has been determined.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that dark and/or light pixels of the pixel data are used for the purposes of comparison at given corresponding positions in the printing block.
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the comparison is carried out with the aid of text elements.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the format size of the text or a pixel is determined with the aid of symbol elements established in the printing block, and in that the information or the identifying markings of the printing blocks are compared on the basis of being of identical format size.
10. Method according to claim 9, characterised in that in the case of a different format size the pixel data of the information or of the identifying marking of a printing block are made to undergo a change in size and subsequently the comparison of the information or of the identifying markings of the printing blocks is carried out, in which case preferably a number of changes in size are carried out with factors relating to changes in size that are changed stepwise.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the printing blocks are set up in lines or columns and in that the comparison is effected printing-block line by printing-block line or printing-block column by printing-block column.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a given length of a line or column of successive pixels is used for the purposes of comparison.
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the case of line-wise or column-wise comparison the extent of correspondence in the lines or columns is determined and in that if a given value is exceeded the comparison is aborted and the association is effected.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is carried out once when a new printing block is inserted into the franking machine and in that this printing block is fixedly associated with an operating element by which it can be activated.
15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is carried out at the beginning of each activation of the printing block by the user.
16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the franking machine contains a register set (GR1, GR2, GR3) for each user, in which data relevant to charges is stored, and in that access to the register set (GR1, GR2, GR3) is effected as a function of the association of the printing block that is carried out.
17. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one printing block is associated with each user at the factory.
18. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that in the absence of correspondence of the identifying marking of the printing block and the information or the identifying marking of at least one of the printing blocks present an error signal is produced.

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