Method of improving the security of postage meter machines

US5805711A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Francotyp-Postalia GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Harald Windel · Berlin, DE
• Frank Reisinger · Oranienburg, DE
• Claus Freytag · Berlin, DE
• Ralf Kubatzki · Berlin, DE
• Marcus Hansel · Berlin, DE
• Stephan Gunther · Berlin, DE
• Enno Bischoff · Berlin, DE
• Andreas Wagner · Eppelheim, DE
• Olav A. Zarges · Berlin, DE
• Arndt Berthold · Berlin, DE
• Peter Rieckhoff · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 8, 1995
• Grant date: Sep 8, 1998
• Expiry date: Sep 8, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07B2017/00951
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for securing data and program code of an electronic postage meter machine against manipulation, having a microprocessor in a control unit of the postage meter machine for implementing steps for a start and initialization routine and following system routine with a possibility of entering into a communication mode with a remote data central, as well as further input steps in order to enter into a franking mode from which a branch is made back into the system routine after the implementation of an accounting and printing routine, includes conducting a start security check within the framework of a start and initialization routine which runs before a secure printing data call routine and the following system routine for determining the validity of a program code and/or of data in the predetermined memory location and of an appertaining MAC (message authentification code) that is present in the same storage medium. The check for valid program code and/or for validity of the data is implemented with a selected checksum method within an OTP (one time programmable) processor that internally receives the corresponding program parts. Transfer of the postage meter machine into the a…