EP0718800B1 - Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve - Google Patents

Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0718800B1
EP0718800B1 EP19940120219 EP94120219A EP0718800B1 EP 0718800 B1 EP0718800 B1 EP 0718800B1 EP 19940120219 EP19940120219 EP 19940120219 EP 94120219 A EP94120219 A EP 94120219A EP 0718800 B1 EP0718800 B1 EP 0718800B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
memory
franking machine
reserve
data
voltage
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
EP19940120219
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0718800A1 (fr
Inventor
Peter Dr. Rieckhoff
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.)
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Original Assignee
Francotyp Postalia GmbH
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 Francotyp Postalia GmbH filed Critical Francotyp Postalia GmbH
Priority to EP19940120219 priority Critical patent/EP0718800B1/fr
Priority to DE59408216T priority patent/DE59408216D1/de
Publication of EP0718800A1 publication Critical patent/EP0718800A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0718800B1 publication Critical patent/EP0718800B1/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
    • G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • 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
    • 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
    • G07B2017/00346—Power handling, e.g. power-down routine
    • 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
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G07B2017/00395—Memory organization
    • 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
    • G07B17/00362—Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
    • G07B2017/00395—Memory organization
    • G07B2017/00411—Redundant storage, e.g. back-up of registers

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a franking machine with an electronic Controller accessing a first memory in which security-relevant data is stored and from which these data are available again, and with at least one non-volatile reserve memory, in the event of a power failure the data of the first memory are stored and after Power recovery returns the data of the reserve memory are readable.
  • a franking machine with a Voltage monitoring circuit known that the sinking and the return of the operating voltage is detected.
  • the franking machine has a non-volatile reserve memory, in the data from the working memory when the operating voltage drops can be saved by copying. If the operating voltage rises again, the im will not volatile memory stored data back into memory transferred to the franking machine.
  • a franking machine is from US-A-4,564,922 known with two reserve memories.
  • One of these stores is one non-volatile read-only memory while the other Memory works as a so-called shadow work memory, that has two memory sections.
  • a first storage section serves as a volatile memory
  • a second Memory section provided as a non-volatile memory is.
  • data is stored in the shadow RAM from the volatile memory section to the non volatile memory section transferred by a copy operation. After the voltage returns, data stored in the non-volatile memory section of the shadow memory were saved to a computer unit and with non-volatile data from the read-only memory Matched.
  • a franking machine is known from EP-A-0 572 019 has at least two non-volatile memories.
  • the Operating voltage will be safety relevant data in both non-volatile memory inscribed.
  • the data from the two memories is replaced by a Transfer the copying process to the computer of the franking machine and checked for identity there.
  • the known devices and methods copy each an entire data set on voltage drop and on voltage recovery. This means that a large number of data must be transferred between the memories. At this Transmission read and write errors can occur which affect the reliability of the franking machine. Multiple storage in non-volatile memories and the subsequent comparison of the data records with each other increases the data security for franking machines, however when interference signals occur, for example caused by voltage induction or by voltage peaks be the data from different stores get to the computer when transferring data, in the same way affected, causing a systematic data error can come up with an identity of different records is faked.
  • a franking machine is known from EP-A-0 550 994, which has two memories contains which by a controller as static non-volatile memory or can be operated as dynamic volatile memories.
  • the two stores serve both for storing security-relevant data and as working memory. Depending on the level of the supply voltage, the two memories are in switched to static or dynamic operation.
  • the reserve memory is not as static volatile memory operable; another time than dynamic volatile memory. In static operation, they are stored in the reserve memory stored data quasi frozen, whereby in this state of the reserve memory no further power supply needed more. When the voltage returns, the Reserve memory cells set to dynamic state, in the continuous refresh cycles for the memory content required are.
  • a ferroelectric memory is provided.
  • Ferroelectric memory cells Material as a storage medium.
  • the data are called states stored by storage capacitors. These storage capacitors form the memory cells of the ferroelectric Memory.
  • the data In the static mode, the data is through defines the polarization state of the memory cells; in the dynamic operating mode, the data is considered the state of charge of the Memory cells mapped.
  • the use of a ferroelectric Memory in connection with common other technologies for memory and non-volatile memory, for example battery-backed memory has the advantage that the simultaneous occurrence of write and read errors interfering signals due to different storage technologies is avoided.
  • a further development of the invention is characterized in that a Area of the reserve memory for storing a control program is provided.
  • the reserve memory serves in this Case as read-only memory, which in this application at least partially replaced the usual ROM module. Through this training, the hardware effort for the Franking machine reduced. It is also possible to create an area of the reserve memory as working memory for the control to provide.
  • the controller 10 is the in a block diagram Postage meter shown. It contains a microprocessor 12 with a data bus 16 and an address bus 14 with a decoding unit 18, a working memory 20, a EPROM designed program memory 22, one as EEPROM trained memory for fixed data, a clock module 16 with a battery-backed first non-volatile memory 26, also as a battery-backed second non-volatile memory 28, as a ferroelectric reserve memory 30 trained third non-volatile memories, a further decoding unit 32, an interface module 34 for external units and an interface module 36 for a display and for input means electrical connected is.
  • the two decoding units 18 and 32 are in summarized a customer-specific ASIC module 40.
  • the Decoding unit 32 has lines 46, 46a, 46b which are connected to the Chip select inputs CS of the reserve memory 30, the memory 28 and the memory 26 are connected. Over these lines 46, 46a, 46b the memories 30, 28, 26 are selected, to read and write data.
  • An output portl of the microprocessor 12 is via a control line 48 to the input D / NV of the reserve memory 30 connected. Depending on the signal on the control line 48, the reserve memory 30 in the operating mode "dynamic memory” or "static memory” switched.
  • first, second and third non-volatile memories 26, 28, 30 security-relevant data of the franking machine, for example the still available postage amount and the Postage amount already issued, each saved.
  • the three non-volatile memories 26, 28, 30 operate according to different ones Technologies, so that high storage security also possible under unfavorable operating conditions is.
  • the microprocessor 12 compares at certain time intervals those stored in the three memories 26, 28, 30 security-relevant data among each other. If the An error signal is generated from data from each other or it is causes an error correction, as for example in European patent application EP-A-0 572 019 is.
  • the microprocessor 12 is connected to a voltage monitoring module 42, which monitors the operating voltage U B on the line 44.
  • the ferroelectric reserve memory 30 is operated with the same operating voltage U B as the other components of the control system 10.
  • the operation of the franking machine for franking mail using the components shown in FIG. 1 is known per se to the person skilled in the art and must be here not explained in more detail.
  • FIG. 2 shows in a flowchart the function of the reserve memory 30 when a drop in the supply voltage occurs and when the voltage returns.
  • the voltage monitoring module 42 reports to the microprocessor 12 that the operating voltage U B has been reached , and in the subsequent step 52 the microprocessor 12 and the structural units connected to it are initialized, including the safety-relevant ones Data in memories 26 and 28 are compared for agreement. If it is determined in step 54 that the security-relevant data do not match, a branch is made to a further program in step 56, in which the error is corrected if necessary.
  • the method described in EP-A-0 572 019 can be used here.
  • interrupts Events to which the microprocessor 12 responds and control functions triggers
  • the processing of interrupts interrupted in order to keep the Change the operating mode of the reserve memory 30 to be able to.
  • the reserve memory 30 is activated via the chip select line 46 by the decoding unit 32, and the microprocessor 12 sends a signal via the control line 48 to the input D / NV of the memory 30 to put it into the dynamic operating state to switch.
  • the data 30 stored in the memory are continuously renewed.
  • the renewal energy is supplied by the supply voltage U B.
  • So-called dummy read cycles are subsequently stored in the memory carried out. These cycles are necessary for data storage, i.e. the polarization or charging of the Memory cells depending on the control signal 48 present to change.
  • step 64 the lock for the interrupt handling canceled.
  • the microprocessor samples the signal of the voltage monitoring module 42. If not Power failure in step 66 becomes normal Postage meter operation (step 68) branches, and the usual Control functions are carried out.
  • step 66 branches to program part A, the sequence of which is shown in FIG. 3.
  • step 70 the interrupt processing by the microprocessor 12 is blocked in the subsequent step 72.
  • the memory 30 is selected via the decoding module 32 and the line 46, and the microprocessor 12 outputs the signal for activating the non-volatile mode of operation of the memory 30 via the control line 48, so that this memory 30 switches to its static mode.
  • the dummy read cycles already mentioned are carried out in the subsequent step 76.
  • the data in the memory 30 are stored statically. In this state, the memory 30 does not require a voltage supply. It is therefore possible to supply the memory 30 solely from the supply voltage U B , from which the franking machine, with the exception of the battery-buffered memories 26, 28, also draw its electrical energy.

Claims (7)

  1. Machine à affranchir comportant une commande électronique (10) qui fait appel à une première mémoire (26, 28) non volatile, dans laquelle sont stockées des données concernant la sécurité et dans laquelle lesdites données peuvent être lues,
    avec au moins une mémoire de réserve (30),
    les données de la première mémoire (26, 28), en cas d'absence de tension, étant mémorisée dans la mémoire de réserve (30) et lesdites données pouvant être lues dans la mémoire de réserve (30) après retour de la tension,
    la mémoire de réserve étant réalisée sous forme de mémoire (30) ferroélectrique qui peut être utilisée de manière sélective comme mémoire non-volatile statique ou comme mémoire volatile dynamique,
    la mémoire de réserve (30) et la machine d'affranchissement étant alimentées à partir d'une tension d'alimentation (UB) commune,
    et la commande (10), lors d'une chute de la tension d'alimentation (UB) à une valeur prédéterminée, commutant la mémoire de réserve (30) en mode de fonctionnement statique et, lors du retour de la tension, commutant ladite mémoire en mode de fonctionnement dynamique
    un module de surveillance de tension (42) étant prévu pour détecter la chute de la tension d'alimentation (UB), lequel module compare la tension d'alimentation (UB) avec une valeur de référence prédéterminée et, en cas de dépassement vers le bas de la valeur de référence, produit un signal pour la commande (10) qui, en délivrant un signal de commande, commute la mémoire de réserve (30) en mode de fonctionnement statique,
    caractérisée par le fait que la première mémoire (26, 28) et la mémoire de réserve (30) travaillent suivant des technologies différentes,
    que le signal est un signal d'interruption,
    que le module de surveillance de tension (42), lors du retour de la tension produit un signal d'interruption supplémentaire pour la commande (10) qui, par un signal de commande, commute la mémoire de réserve (30) en mode de fonctionnement dynamique,
    et que avant d'opérer la commutation en mode de fonctionnement statique ou en mode de fonctionnement dynamique de la mémoire de réserve (30), le traitement d'autre signaux d'interruption est arrêté.
  2. Machine à affranchir selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait qu'il est prévu une zone de la mémoire de réserve (30) pour la mémorisation d'un programme de commande.
  3. Machine à affranchir selon une des revendications précédentes, caractérisée par le fait qu'il est prévu une zone supplémentaire de la mémoire de réserve (30) comme mémoire de travail pour la commande (10).
  4. Machine à affranchir selon une des revendications précédentes, caractérisée par le fait que des zones prédéterminées de la mémoire de réserve (30) sont protégées en écriture.
  5. Machine à affranchir selon la revendication 4, caractérisée par le fait que la zone de la mémoire affectée au programme de commande est protégée en écriture.
  6. Machine à affranchir selon une des revendications précédentes, caractérisée par le fait que la première mémoire (26 ou 28) présente une technologie de mémoire dans laquelle une pile ou un accumulateur constitue un tampon de tension.
  7. Machine à affranchir selon une des revendications précédentes, caractérisée par le fait que l'on mémorise dans la mémoire de réserve, comme données de sécurité, des données d'affranchissement de la machine à affranchir, de préférence le montant d'affranchissement encore disponible et le montant d'affranchissement utilisé.
EP19940120219 1994-12-20 1994-12-20 Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve Expired - Lifetime EP0718800B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19940120219 EP0718800B1 (fr) 1994-12-20 1994-12-20 Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve
DE59408216T DE59408216D1 (de) 1994-12-20 1994-12-20 Frankiermaschine mit einem Reservespeicher

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19940120219 EP0718800B1 (fr) 1994-12-20 1994-12-20 Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0718800A1 EP0718800A1 (fr) 1996-06-26
EP0718800B1 true EP0718800B1 (fr) 1999-05-06

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ID=8216548

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19940120219 Expired - Lifetime EP0718800B1 (fr) 1994-12-20 1994-12-20 Machine à affranchir avec une mémoire de réserve

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EP (1) EP0718800B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE59408216D1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7152049B2 (en) * 2001-10-05 2006-12-19 Pitney Bowes Inc. Method and system for dispensing virtual stamps

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4564922A (en) * 1983-10-14 1986-01-14 Pitney Bowes Inc. Postage meter with power-failure resistant memory
US4706215A (en) * 1984-08-22 1987-11-10 Pitney Bowes Inc. Data protection system for electronic postage meters having multiple non-volatile multiple memories
US5187798A (en) * 1989-03-06 1993-02-16 Pitney Bowes Inc. Electronic postage meter having separate funds charge registers and recredits funds register in predetermined amount when funds fall to predetermined level
GB9126998D0 (en) * 1991-12-19 1992-02-19 Alcatel Business Machines Limi Franking machine

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Publication number Publication date
DE59408216D1 (de) 1999-06-10
EP0718800A1 (fr) 1996-06-26

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