Franking meter system
US5367464A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 1992 |
| Grant date | Nov 22, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 21, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00161
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system for remote resetting of franking meters is disclosed in which the meters communicate with a central resetting terminal. A transaction identification number (IDN) is generated at the resetting terminal and also at the meter. Initially the IDN's match. The IDN at the terminal is incremented when the terminal sends a recredit signal to the meter and accounts for the recredit amount. The IDN at the meter is incremented when the descending register of the meter is recredited. In response to a recredit request which includes the meter IDN the terminal compares the IDN from the meter with that stored at the terminal. If the IDN's match the terminal recredits the meter with the requested amount. If the comparison indicates that the IDN from the meter was not incremented in the preceding recredit routine, indicating that the meter was not recredited in the preceding routine, the terminal recredits the meter with the amount of the preceding request.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.