Methods and apparatus for customizing and testing fully assembled postage meters
US4837714A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1987 |
| Grant date | Jun 6, 1989 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2007 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00322
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and associated apparatus are disclosed for customizing and testing fully assembled postage meters in a secure manner. According to the invention, meters are customized under external, i.e. non-meter resident, program control. The external program control may be used to initialize meters, produce "blank" (unconfigured) meters, and configure either blank or previously configured meters, both at the factory and in the field. The ability to reconfigure fully assembled meters permits devices which have been put into service in one country to be easily reconfigured by authorized personnel, and placed into service in another country. The invention customizes meters in a manner that is transparent to the operator, maxmimizing the security of sensitive meter data by minimizing operator handling and access to such data. The invention also facilitates the "non-destructive" testing of fully assembled meters, i.e. meters need not be taken apart to, for example, analyze failures where a risk of losing data may result from disassembly. In addition, by minimizing the amount of resident meter software required to perform secure customization, the invention optimizes the use of internal mete…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.