Remote meter operation
US5612884A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 4, 1994 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 4, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07B2017/00935
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A technique for reconfiguring in the field postage meters having a set of features that may be selectively enabled or disabled by software. The technique provides security so that the meter company will always have a correct record of the configuration of the meter in the field. A technique is provided for reconfiguring in the field of external devices in communication with postage meters, the external devices having an external device feature set that may be selectively enabled or disabled by software. A technique for securely adding postage to a remote setting postage meter without the remote setting code is also provided. A technique for detecting the entry of an invalid code for remote setting the meter a predetermined number at times is also provided. Once detected, a security lock flag stored in memory is set which prevents the meter from being reset until the flag is cleared in a separate procedure.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.