NZ553946A - Method and device for franking mail - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for franking mail in which a postage indicium is requested by an operating and printing unit (20) among a number of operating and printing units is provided. The postage indicium being generated in a franking unit (10), made accessible to the operating and printing unit (20) and applied onto the mailpieces in the operating and printing unit (20). A transaction request is transmitted from the operating and printing unit (20) to an autonomous logging unit (40), where: at least excerpts of the transaction request are recorded in the autonomous logging unit (40); the transaction request is forwarded from the autonomous logging unit (40) to the franking unit (10); the transaction request is processed by the franking unit; a result of the processing of the transaction request is transmitted from the franking unit (10) to the autonomous logging unit (40); at least excerpts of the result of the processing of the transaction request are recorded and stored (B6) in the autonomous logging unit (40); the result of the processing of the transaction request is forwarded from the autonomous logging unit (40) to the operating and printing unit (20); and making use of the result of the transaction request, a postage indicium is applied onto the mailpiece.

Description

553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 Method and device for franking mail Description: The invention relates to a method for franking mail in which a postage indicium is requested by an operating and printing unit among a plurality of operating and printing units, said postage indicium being generated in a franking unit, made accessible to the operating unit and applied onto the mailpieces in the operating 10 and printing unit.

The invention also relates to a device for franking mailpieces, having a franking unit for generating postage indicia and several operating and printing units that are each connected via a data line to the franking unit for purposes of printing out the 15 postage indicia.

German patent specification DE 100 20 566 C2 of the applicant discloses a method and a device for franking mail. Digital postage indicia are generated in a customer system that can be divided into a central component for generating post-20 age indicia using a stored postage amount and a local component with a printer. With the known method, within the customer system, data is logged from which a utilization overview is created that contains a processed compilation of utilization data.

This makes it possible to create and evaluate statistics indicating which recipients have received mailpieces within a certain period of time, which mailing classes or which postal products were used for this purpose and how much postage was used up within a certain period of time, However, creating a log within the local component has the drawback that, in the case of companies that operate multiple printing units, it is not possible, or at least 553946 PCT/EP200S/010097 2 not reliably possible to obtain a consolidated overview of all of the franking pro- In order to create such a comprehensive overview, it would be necessary to com-5 bine the log lists of the individual printing units of the company in order to Form a comprehensive list* but this entails considerable effort. Moreover, log lists created within the customer systems do not provide sufficient protection against manipulation. Thus, for example, a user of a printing unit could alter or delete a log or render it unusable in some other manner. However, a comprehensive log created 10 on the basis of partially manipulated logs is hot complete and thus largely unusable, ;A possible solution to this problem lies in establishing a log file in a central unit at a postal service provider or other supplier of digital postage indicia. However, in 15 terms of the requisite data privacy protection, this is highly questionable. ;European patent application HP 0 775 986 A2 discloses a method with which records for digital postage indicia are logged. Encrypted postage indicia are generated in a secure franking unit and transmitted to the computer of a user. By 20 means of a printer connected to the computer, these postage indicia can be printed out. In order to load a postage balance that can be used for generating digi tal postage indicia, the secure franking unit is connected to a loading center. With this method, recording information about franking procedures within the franking unit and within another computer is stored, whereby the latter can be the user com-25 puteror the loading center. ;European patent application EP 0 927 966 A2 describes a network consisting of postage printers, some of which have a secure franking unit. From a postage: printer, access carube gained to one's own.existing franking unit or to the franking 30 unit of another postage printer in order to perform franking procedures. Transactions can be logged in the individual franking units, whereby the individual logs can be consolidated in order to create a comprehensive overview of the transactions within the network. By the same token, the transactions can be logged in a cedures, ;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OPFtCF OP N 2 ;I ? AUS 2007 ;RECE. y EDI ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2G05/0I0097 ;3 ;central network server to which transaction information from the postage printers is transmitted. ;In the method described in U.S. Pat, No. 6,466.921, cryptographieally secure data 5 for generating a digital postage indicium is generated in a data center and transmitted to a user computer. Within the user computer, a postage indicium is generated on the basis of this data and said postage indicium can be applied onto a mailpieee by means of a printer that is connected to the user computer. The data of the user accounts is stored in the data: center in encrypted form in a database 10 server and: retrieved by the database server in order to perform franking nroce-dures by a secure franking unit. After the franking procedure has been complete 1 the updated data is stored once again in the database sj\ i ;European patent application BP 0 592251 A2 describes a method in which 15 franking machines are loaded with a postage credit by a central computer :systern via remote a data connection. The computer system comprises two databases in which transactions are logged redundantly. ;It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved: method 20 for franking mail; and/or an Improved device for franking mailpieces; or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. ;The invention is based on the objective of allowing the creation of a consolidated log of franking procedures carried out by multiple operating units and of imple-25 memting this securely in terms of data privacy protection. ;In accordance with the invention, this objective is achieved by a method according to Claim 1. ;30 In accordance with the Invention, this objective is also achieved by a device according to Claim 15, ;Advantageous refinements of the method and of the device are the subject matter of the subordinate cl aim s, ;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. ;17 AUG 2007 RECEIVED ;WO 2006/034794 ;553946 ;Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;3a ;According to the invention, in particular, it is proposed that a method for franking mail - in which a postage indicium is requested by an operating and printing unit among a plurality of operating and printing units, said postage indicium being generated in a franking unit, made accessible to the operating and printing unit 5 and applied onto the mailpieee in the operating and printing unit - is carried out in such a way that a transaction request is transmitted from the operating unit to the franking unit, processed by the franking unit and the result of the processing of the transaction request is transmitted from the franking unit to the operating unit, that at least excerpts of the result of the processing of the transaction request are 10 recorded and stored in an autonomous logging unit and that, making use of the result of the transaction request, a postage indicium is applied onto the mailpieee. ;With such a method, a consolidated log for a plurality of operating units can be stored in an autonomous logging unit so that, on the one hand, the log is secured 15 against manipulations that could be carried out in the area of the operating and printing units and, on the other hand, the log can be especially effectively protected in the autonomous logging unit against access by unauthorized persons. ;The term transaction request is to be understood here in its broadest sense and 20 refers to all transactions that are carried out in order to frank mailpieces using digital postage indicia. In particular, the transaction requests comprise requests for loading a postage amount that is used to generate postage indicia as well as requests for transmitting a postage indicium. ;25 In an espe daily preferred embodiment of the method, it is provided that, after the result of the processing of the transaction request has been recorded and stored, a notification about the storage of the result of the processing of the transaction request is transmitted from the logging unit to the operating and printing unit. ;30 ;In an advantageous refinement of this embodiment, it is provided for the postage indicium to only be applied onto the mailpieee once the notification about the storage of the result of the processing of the transaction request has been recorded ;191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB ;553946 ;Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;4 ;in the operating and printing unit. This ensures that no franking can be carried out without its being logged. ;In order to even further enhance the manipulation security of the method, another 5 preferred embodiment provides for at least excerpts of the transaction request to be recorded in the autonomous logging unit. ;Moreover, it is advantageously also provided for a notification about the storage of the transaction request to be transmitted from the autonomous logging unit to 10 the franking unit. ;In a particularly practical refinement of the method in this embodiment, the transaction request is only processed in the franking unit once the notification about the storage of the transaction request has been recorded in the franking unit. In this 15 manner, it is ensured that at least excerpts of the transaction requests whose processing result is used for franking mailpieces are recorded and stored in the autonomous logging unit. ;It is advantageously likewise provided for information about the application of the 20 postage indicium onto the mailpieee to be stored in the autonomous logging unit so that all processes that are related to the franking of mailpieces can be recorded. ;In a preferred embodiment of the method, at least excerpts of the transaction request, of the result of the processing of the transaction request and/or of the 25 information about the application of the postage indicium are transmitted from the operating and printing unit to the logging unit. Consequently, there is no need for a connection between the franking unit and the autonomous logging unit and thus especially no connection of the autonomous logging unit to a wide area network via which the operating unit and the franking unit are typically connected to each 30 other. As a result, the autonomous logging unit can be protected especially simply and reliably against access by unauthorized persons via this network. ;191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB ;553946 ;Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;In a likewise preferred embodiment of the method, it is provided for at least excerpts of the result of the processing of the transaction request to be transmitted from the franking unit to the autonomous logging unit. In this embodiment, 5 especially manipulations of the transmission of the result of the processing of the transaction request in the area of the operating and printing unit can be ruled out. ;Advantageously, the result of the processing of the transaction request contains cryptographic information that allows a verification of the authenticity of the 10 postage indicium. In this manner, an especially effective protection against manipulations in conjunction with the franking of mailpieces is achieved. ;In order not to jeopardize the manipulation security of the digital postage indicium in that the cryptographic information could be stored in the autonomous logging 15 unit and used, for example, to generate several postage indicia, it is provided in an advantageous embodiment of the method that the cryptographic information contained in the result of the processing of the transaction request is not recorded in the autonomous logging unit. ;20 Moreover, it is advantageously provided that the transaction request and/or the result of the processing of the transaction request contain an identification of the operating and printing unit. ;In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the identification of the operating 25 and printing unit is stored in the logging unit together with the transaction request and/or with the result of the processing of the transaction request. This allows an association between the transaction request and/or the result of the processing of the transaction request and the operating and printing unit. ;30 Furthermore, it is advantageously provided that transaction requests, results of the processing of the transaction requests and/or information about the application of ;191497NZ_AiiidSpec_24Jime2009_EHB ;553946 ;Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;6 ;postage indicia for the plurality of the operating and printing units are all combined to form a consolidated franking utilization overview. Hence, the method according to the invention makes it possible, for example, to generate company-internal utilization overviews in a autonomous logging unit of the company for 5 evaluating and checking the franking procedures performed within the company, ;without these overviews being able to pass from within the company to the outside. ;In addition to the method, the invention also proposes a device that is advanta-10 geously suitable for carrying out the method. ;The device for franking mailpieces, having a franking unit for generating postage indicia and having several operating and printing units that are each connected to the franking unit via a data line and that serve to print out the postage indicia is 15 especially characterized in that the operating and printing units have a means for transmitting transaction requests to the franking unit and are connected to a logging unit that has a means for recording and storing at least excerpts of the result of a transaction request processing that has been carried out in the franking unit and that has been transmitted from the franking unit to the operating and printing 20 units via the data line. ;In a preferred embodiment, the logging unit also has a means for recording and storing the transaction request. ;25 In another preferred embodiment of the device, the operating and printing units are connected to the franking unit via the autonomous logging unit. This has the advantage that the communication is effectuated between the operating unit and the franking unit via the autonomous logging unit so as to ensure a reliable recording and storage of the data being exchanged between the operating and 30 printing unit and the franking unit. This rules out any manipulation of the ;191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB ;553946 ;Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;7 ;utilization overview generated in the autonomous logging unit that could be caused by a manipulation in the area of the operating and printing units. ;Preferably, the autonomous logging unit and the operating unit are also located in 5 a shared area of influence that encompasses, for example, all of the operating and printing units operated within a company. ;In another preferred embodiment of the device, the logging unit and/or the operating and printing units have a means for generating excerpts from the transaction 10 requests and from the results of the processing of the transaction requests. In this manner, for instance, cryptographic information can be removed from the transaction requests and/or from the results of the processing of the transaction requests before they are stored, entailing the above-mentioned advantages. ;15 With the already mentioned advantages, the logging unit also has a means for recording and storing the printing out of postage indicia in the operating and printing units. ;Additional advantages, special features and advantageous refinements of the 20 invention can be gleaned from the subordinate claims and from the presentation below of preferred embodiments making reference to the figures. ;The figures show the following: ;25 Figure la a schematic block diagram of a device according to the invention in a first embodiment, ;Figure lb a schematic block diagram of a device according to the invention in a second embodiment, ;30 Figure 2 a block diagram of a part of a device according to the invention in the embodiment shown in Figure la and ;191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;8 ;Figure 3 a block diagram of a part of a device according to the invention in the embodiment shown in Figure lb. ;The reference numeral 10 refers to a franking unit for generating postage indicia 5 that is operated centrally by a supplier of postage indicia and that allows the generation of postage indicia for a plurality of customers that each access functions of the franking unit 10 via an operating and printing unit 20. ;The franking unit 10 comprises a secure area, a so-called cryptographic module, 10 in which cryptographically secure information is incorporated into the postage indicia and this allows the validity of the postage indicia to be verified. Moreover, postage accounts of customers of the supplier of postage indicia are administered in the cryptographic module, said postage accounts comprising a postage amount that is loaded from a value transfer center of a postal service provider and used for 15 generating postage indicia. ;During the loading procedure, in particular, a erypto-string is transmitted from the value transfer center to the cryptographic module, said crypto-string containing data that is encrypted in such a way that it can only be decrypted in the verifica-20 tion center of a postal service provider. Based on the loaded postage amount, postage indicia that are applied onto mailpieces by means of the operating and printing unit 20 are generated using the crypto-string and, if applicable, other data. On the basis of the crypto-string, the postal service provider can check whether a postage indicium is authentic and thus whether the postage has been paid for the 25 postage indicium. ;A suitable method for generating the crypto-string and for generating secure postage indicia on the basis of the crypto-string to which reference is made here by way of example is described in German patent specification DE 100 20 566 C2 of 30 the applicant. However, the person skilled in the art recognizes that the invention can easily be applied to other methods for generating postage indicia with which, ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;9 ;making use of data, postage indicia that are generated in a franking unit 10 are applied onto mailpieces in operating and printing units 20. ;In the method being considered by way of example, in order to load a postage 5 amount, secret information, for example, a random number, is generated in the cryptographic module and transmitted via a secure data connection to the value transfer center that incorporates into the crypto-string the random number as well as a loading procedure identification number containing the postage amount. The crypto-string and the loading procedure identification number are sent back via 10 the secure connection to the cryptographic module of the franking unit 10 and stored there temporarily together with the random number for generating postage indicia. ;In order to generate a postage indicium, this method - in addition to the random 15 number, the crypto-string and the loading procedure identification number - also makes use of mailing-specific data especially such as the postage amount, the mailing class as well as the name and address of the recipient of the mailpieee that is to be franked. Here, first of all, a checksum is generated from the random number, from the loading procedure identification number, from at least excerpts of 20 the mailing-specific data and from the current date including the time of day. The checksum, the crypto-string and the mailing-specific data that was used to generate the checksum are incorporated into the postage indicium. Moreover, the balance in the postage account is reduced by the postage amount used for the franking. ;25 ;The operating and printing units 20 are personal computers (PC) that are connected via a data cable to a means for printing text and/or graphic elements. The PCs especially have a processor for performing calculations, an input means and a display means, a volatile and/or non-volatile memory as well as a control means 30 for controlling the means for printing the text and/or graphic elements. ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;10 ;The operating and printing units 20 are connected to the franking unit 10 via a wide area network (WAN) such as, for example, the Internet. The data exchange between the operating and printing units 20 and the franking unit 10 takes place on the basis of protocols that are generally known to the person skilled in the art 5 such as, for instance, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) and especially HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). Moreover, the communication can be carried out in encrypted form, for example, on the basis of the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol. ;10 The operating and printing units 20, on the one hand, and the franking unit 10, on the other hand, are constituents of a so-called client/server architecture, that is to say, the franking unit 10, which is configured as a server, carries out functions that are requested by the operating and printing unit 20, which is configured as a client. In this architecture, a transaction consists of a transaction request that is 15 transmitted from an operating and printing unit 20 to the franking unit 10, of the processing of the transaction request in the franking unit 10 and of the transmission of the result of the processing of the transaction request from the franking unit 10 to the operating and printing unit 20. ;20 Via user interfaces provided in the operating and printing units 20, their users send the transaction requests to the franking unit 10 via the WAN. Examples of user interfaces employed here are websites that are generated in the franking unit 10, transmitted to the operating and printing units 20 and displayed there by the display means. The websites are, for example, configured as so-called HTML 25 forms that make it possible to record data that is entered with the entry means of the operating and printing units 20 and to transmit said data to the franking unit 10. ;In the method for generating postage indicia that is being considered by way of 30 example, possible transactions are, for instance, the loading of a postage amount and the generation of a postage indicium. Other transactions consist, for instance, ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;11 ;of the determination of the balance in the postage account or the display and modification of user data that is stored in the franking unit 10. ;In order to request the transactions, in the user interface, the requisite data for car-5 rying out the transaction is recorded and transmitted to the franking unit, together with the transaction request. The user interface, in particular, provides means for recording identification and authentication features of users of the operating and printing unit 20, and these features are used by the franking unit 10 in order to first ascertain and verify the identity of the user and to subsequently associate the 10 transaction request with the postage account of the user. Furthermore, via the user interface, the mailing-specific data that is needed to generate the postage indicium is entered and transmitted to the franking unit 10. ;After the processing of the transaction request in the franking unit 10, the latter 15 sends the result of the processing back to the operating and printing unit 10. If the transaction request is, for example, a request to load a postage amount, the franking unit 10 then transmits a notification about a successful or failed loading of the postage amount to the operating and printing unit 20. With a request for the generation of a postage indicium, as the result of the processing of the request, a 20 printing master copy of the postage indicium or a data record for producing a printing master copy of the postage indicium is transmitted from the franking unit 10 to the operating and printing unit 20 once the request has been successfully processed. If this is not possible, for instance, because the balance in the postage account is insufficient, then, as the result of the processing of the request, a notifi-25 cation is sent to the operating and printing unit 20 to the effect that the postage indicium could not be generated. Other possible transactions are carried out in an analogous manner. ;Figures la and lb relate to a situation in which several operating and printing 30 units 20 are each operated in a shared area of influence 30. In Figures la and lb, out of M areas of influence, for example, two areas of influence 30i and 30m are ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 ;12 ;shown, whereby the area of influence 301 comprises L operating and printing units 20i i to 20il and the area of influence 30m comprises N operating and printing units 20m i to 20mn- ;5 The operating and printing units 20 are each combined in the areas of influence 30 according to a predefined criterion. For example, an area of influence 30 contains the operating and printing units 20 with which postage indicia for a shared cost center are processed such as, for example, the operating and printing units 20 that are operated in different departments of a company in order to frank mailpieces. ;10 The term area of influence, however, is to be understood in the broadest sense and especially does not refer to a spatial arrangement of the operating and printing units 20. On the contrary, as a matter of principle, any criterion that can be used within the scope of the franking of mailpieces can serve as the basis for an area of influence 30. ;15 ;Every area of influence 30 is associated with a logging unit 40 that especially records and stores at least excerpts of the transaction requests sent from the operating and printing units 20 of the area of influence 30 in question to the franking unit 10 as well as the results of the processing of the transaction requests that were ;20 sent from the franking unit 10 back to the operating and printing units 20. ;The logging unit 40 is configured as a database client or list client or else as a database server or list server and it is connected to the operating and printing units 20 of the area of influence 30 via the WAN or via a local network that is present ;25 in the appertaining area of influence 30 and that is integrated into the WAN. In the area of the logging unit 40, at least excerpts of transaction requests and of results of the processing of transaction requests are stored and processed into utilization overviews that are drawn up on the basis of predefined criteria. ;30 Figure la shows an embodiment of the invention in which the logging units 401 to 40m are operated in a side branch of the overall network. Here, the logging units ;553946 ;WO 2006/034794 PCT/F, 1*2005/010097 13 40i to 40m are each connected via data lines exclusively to the operating and printing units 20 present in the areas of influence 30] and 30m, and no direct connection exists between the logging units 40i to 40m and the franking unit 10.

This is especially advantageous if the operating and printing units 20 of an area of influence can be connected to the logging unit 40 via a shielded local network. In this case, a high level of security exists against unauthorized access to the logging unit 40 from outside of the area of influence 30.

In this embodiment, transaction requests and results of the processing of transaction requests are transmitted from the operating and printing units 20 of an area of influence 30 to the appertaining logging unit 40 for recording and storing purposes.

Figure lb shows another embodiment of the invention in which the logging units 40i to 40m are configured as so-called proxy servers via which the data exchange between the operating and printing units 20 and the franking unit 10 is effectuated. Here, the operating and printing units 20 of an area of influence 30 are connected to the franking unit 10 via the appertaining logging unit 40.

This embodiment has the advantage that transaction requests and results of the processing of transaction requests can be recorded directly by the logging unit 40 so that manipulations of the entries into the logs are prevented especially effectively.

Of course, combinations of the two embodiments shown in Figures la and lb are also possible, in which the logging unit 40 is operated in a part of the areas of influence 30 in a side branch, and in another part of the areas of influence 30 as a proxy server. 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 14 The logging of the transactions that are carried out during the franking of mail-pieces is explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Here, by way of example, the logging of a request for a postage indicium is examined.

Figure 2 shows a section of the device depicted in Figure la, with the franking unit 10 as well as an operating and printing unit 20 and a logging unit 40 within an area of influence 30.

The reference numeral A1 in Figure 2 relates to the transmission of the request for 10 the postage indicium from the operating and printing unit 20 to the franking unit 10 that, as already explained, is carried out indicating identification and authentication features and indicating the mailing-specific data.

In the franking unit 10, the request is processed, whereby first of all, the identity 15 of the user is determined and verified and subsequently the postage account of the user is ascertained. On the basis of the evaluation of the mailing-specific data, the franking unit 10 determines whether the postage account has a sufficient postage balance and then generates a postage indicium in the above-describcd manner. This is comprised by the reference numeral A2.

As the result of the processing of the request, the postage indicium is transmitted from the franking unit 10 to the operating and printing unit 20, which is illustrated by the reference numeral A3.

The operating and printing unit 20 sends to the logging unit 40 either the postage indicium or else processed data that is linked to the postage indicium. This is illustrated by the reference numeral A4.

If the postage indicium itself was transmitted to the logging unit 40 in Step A4, 30 then the logging unit 40 generates processed data that is linked to the postage 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 indicium and stores it in a list. If a transmission of processed data is provided in step A4, then this data is recorded and stored in the logging unit 40.

When the processed data is produced, especially excerpts from the result of the 5 processing of the transaction request are produced on the basis of control instructions that are stored in the operating and printing unit 20 and/or in the logging unit 40 or else that are transmitted from the franking unit 10 to the operating and printing unit 20.

In the example of the request for a postage indicium, the excerpts of the processing contain, for instance, the postage amount, the mailing class as well as excerpts from the name and address of the recipient. Preferably, the cryptographically secure information in the postage indicium is not incorporated into the processed data in order to prevent manipulations such as, for example, a repeated printing of 15 a valid postage indicium.

If the transaction request is a request for loading a postage amount, the processed data contains, for example, information about the postage amount.

Moreover, the excerpts from the transaction requests and/or the results of the processing of the transaction requests are augmented by additional information. Thus, for example, an identification of the operating and printing unit 20 and/or of its user and an allocation of the operating and printing unit 20 and/or of its user within the area of influence 30, for example, a cost center, is incorporated into the 25 processed data. Furthermore, it is provided that a consecutive number of the franking or of the loading procedure is incorporated into the processed data and that the data is provided with a date stamp. In another embodiment of the invention, the franking unit 10 also transmits information about the remaining balance in the postage account, together with the postage indicium, to the operating and 30 printing unit 20. This information is likewise included in the processed data. 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 16 After the processed data has been stored, then in step A5, feedback is supplied to the operating and printing unit 20 about the storage of the data. Here, it is provided that the postage indicium can only be applied onto a mailpieee after the feedback has been received in the operating and printing unit 20. This ensures that 5 mailpieces cannot be franked without a logging of the franking taking place.

In an embodiment of the invention, it can likewise be provided that, before the execution of step Al, information about the transmission of a transaction request is sent to the logging unit 40. In this embodiment, after the recording and storage 10 of this information, the logging unit 40 transmits feedback about the storage of the information to the operating and printing unit 20 and the transmission of the transaction request to the logging unit 40 is only carried out after receipt of the feedback by the operating and printing unit 20.

Moreover, it can be provided that, after the postage indicium has been printed out, the operating and printing unit 20 transmits corresponding information to the logging unit 40, where said information is recorded and stored.

Figure 3 shows a section of the device shown in Figure lb with the franking unit 20 10 as well as with an operating and printing unit 20 and a logging unit 40 configured as a proxy server within an area of influence 30.

In this embodiment of the invention, the transaction request is first transmitted from the operating and printing unit 20 to the logging unit 40. This is indicated by 25 the reference numeral B1.

In the logging unit 40, this request is recorded and, on the basis of the stored control instructions, processed data is generated which is stored in the logging unit 40, as is illustrated in Figure 3 by the reference numeral B2. 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 17 After the processed data has been stored, in step B3, the transaction request is forwarded from the logging unit 40 to the franking unit 10. This is where the transaction request is processed in step B4 in the manner already explained.

The result of the processing of the transaction request is then transmitted from the franking unit 10 to the logging unit 40. This is shown by the reference numeral B5.

In the logging unit 40, the result of the processing of the transaction request is 10 recorded, processed data is once again produced, and this data is stored in the logging unit 40. This is combined under the reference numeral B6.

Finally, in step B7, the result of the processing of the transaction request is forwarded to the operating and printing unit 20. If the transaction request is, for 15 example, a request for a postage indicium, this is subsequently printed out in the operating and printing unit 20.

The presented logging of transactions that are carried out for purposes of franking mailpieces makes it possible to generate a consolidated franking overview for the 20 operating and printing units 20 in a shared area of influence 30 without this overview being visible from outside of the area of influence 30. Within the area of influence 30, only authorized persons are given access rights to the franking utilization overview. The franking utilization overview is protected against unauthorized access by measures known to the person skilled in the art.

Consequently, in the franking overview, the processed data of all of the postage indicia that were executed in an area of influence 30 is securely stored and can be evaluated at a later point in time.

The franking utilization overview can have the function of an outgoing mail logbook of an area of influence 30 in which outgoing mail is listed along with addi 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 18 tional information. Through a suitable compilation of the processed data on the basis of the transaction requests and/or of the results of the processing of the transaction requests, for example, some or all of the following information can be stored: - date and time of the franking name and address of the recipient of the mailpieee mailing class and postage amount remaining balance in the postage account a consecutive number of the franking 10 - name of the user of the operating and printing unit 20 who performed the franking an internal association of the operating and printing unit 20 or of its user within the area of influence 30 such as, for example, a cost center within a company.

On the basis of this information, for example, postage invoicing or statistics can be drawn up, providing information about which sender used which postage values within which period of time.

Moreover, the logging unit 40 is configured in such a way that it can process and sort the franking utilization overview according to various criteria. Examples of criteria in this context are especially the above-mentioned properties of postage indicia and transactions between the operating and printing unit 20 and the franking unit 10 that are stored in the logging unit 40. Thus, it is possible, for instance, 25 to adapt the utilization overview to the intended type of evaluation. It is sufficient to generate one single franking utilization overview that can then be adapted to the particular utilization purpose. 553946 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 19 Reference list: franking unit operating and printing unit 20rm operating and printing unit in the area of influence n area of influence 30n area of influence n 40 logging unit 40„ logging unit in the area of influence n A1 transmission of a transaction request from the operating and printing unit A2 processing of the transaction request A3 transmission of the result of the processing of the transaction request A4 transmission of processed data that is linked to the result of the processing of the transaction request A5 transmission of a notification about the storage of the processed data B1 transmission of a transaction request B2 generation and storage of processed data that is linked to with the transaction request B3 forwarding of the transaction request B4 processing of the transaction request B5 transmission of the result of the processing of the transaction request B6 generation and storage of processed data that is linked to the result of the processing of the transaction request B7 forwarding of the result of the processing of the transaction request 553946 Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097

Claims (21)

Claims

1. A method for franking mail in which a postage indicium is requested by an 5 operating and printing unit (20) among a plurality of operating and printing units, said postage indicium being generated in a franking unit (10), made accessible to the operating and printing unit (20) and applied onto the mailpieces in the operating and printing unit (20), characterized in that 10 - a transaction request is transmitted from the operating and printing unit (20) to an autonomous logging unit (40), - wherein at least excerpts of the transaction request are recorded in the autonomous logging unit (40), - the transaction request is forwarded from the autonomous logging unit 15 (40) to the franking unit (10), - the transaction request is processed by the franMng unit, - a result of the processing of the transaction request is transmitted from the franking unit (10) to the autonomous logging unit (40), - at least excerpts of the result of the processing of the transaction request 20 are recorded and stored (B6) in the autonomous logging unit (40), - the result of the processing of the transaction request is forwarded from the autonomous logging unit (40) to the operating and printing unit (20), - making use of the result of the transaction request, a postage indicium is applied onto the mailpieee. 25

2. The method according to Claim 1, characterized in that a notification about the storage of the result of the processing of the transaction request is transmitted from the autonomous logging unit (40) to the 30 operating and printing unit (20). 191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB 553946 Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 21

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the postage indicium is only applied onto the mailpieee once the notification about the storage of the result of the processing of the transaction request 5 has been recorded in the operating and printing unit (20).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, at least experts of the transaction requested are stored in the autonomous logging unit (40) and a notification about the 10 storage of the transaction request is transmitted from the autonomous logging unit (40) to the franking unit (10).

5. The method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that 15 the transaction request is only processed in the franking unit (10) once the notification about the storage of the transaction request has been recorded in the franking unit (10).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, 20 characterized in that information about the application of the postage indicium onto the mailpieee is recorded and stored in the autonomous logging unit (40).

7. The method according to claim 6, 25 characterized in that at least excerpts of the information about the application of the postage indicium are transmitted (A4) from the operating and printing unit (20) to the autonomous logging unit (40). 30 8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009__EHB 553946

Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009

WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 22 the result of the processing of the transaction request contains cryptographic information that allows a verification of the authenticity of the postage indicium. 5 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transaction request, the result of the processing of the transaction request and/or information about the application of the postage indicium are processed (B2, B6) by the autonomous logging unit (40) for purposes of 10 recording and storage.

10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the cryptographic information contained in the result of the processing of 15 the transaction request is not recorded or stored in the autonomous logging unit (40).

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 20 the transaction request and/or the result of the processing of the transaction request contain an identification of the operating and printing unit (20).

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 25 the identification of the operating and printing unit (20) is stored in the autonomous logging unit (40).

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 30 the transaction request is a request for the transmission of a postage indicium. 191497NZ_AmdSpeo_24June2009_EHB 553946 Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 23

14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that transaction requests, results of the processing of the transaction requests and 5 information about the application of postage indicia for the plurality of the operating and printing units (20) are all combined by the autonomous logging unit (40) to form a consolidated franking utilization overview.

15. A device for franking mailpieces, having a franking unit for generating post-10 age indicia and having several operating and printing units (20) that are each connected to a franking unit (10) via a data line and that serve to print out the postage indicia, characterized in that the operating and printing units (20) have a means for transmitting trans-15 action requests to the franking unit (10) and are connected to the franking unit (10) via an autonomous logging unit (40), whereby the autonomous logging unit (40) has a means for recording and storing at least excerpts of a result of a transaction request processing that has been carried out in the franking unit (10) and that has been transmitted from the franking unit (10) 20 to the operating and printing units (20) via the data line.

16. The device according to Claim 15, characterized in that the autonomous logging unit (40) has a means for recording and storing the 25 transaction request.

17. The device according to either of Claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the operating and printing unit (20) and the autonomous logging unit (40) 3 0 are located in a shared area of influence (3 0). 191497NZ_AmdSpec_24Junc2009_EHB 553946 Received at IPONZ on 24 June 2009 WO 2006/034794 PCT/EP2005/010097 24

18. The device according any one of Claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the autonomous logging unit (40) and/or the operating and printing units (20) have a means for generating excerpts from the transaction requests and from the results of the processing of the transaction requests.

19. The device according to any one of Claims 15 to 18, characterized in that the autonomous logging unit (40) has a means for recording and storing the printing out of postage indicia in the operating and printing units (20).

20. A method for franking mail as claimed in claim 1, substantially as herein described with reference the figures of the accompanying drawings.

21. A device for franking mailpieces as claimed in claim 15, substantially as herein described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings. Attorneys for: DEUTSCHE POST AG 191497NZ_AmdSpec_24June2009_EHB