Postage meter machine with protected print head

US6406120B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Francotyp-Postalia GmbH · DE

Inventor

• Dieter Pauschinger · Berlin, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 7, 2001
• Grant date: Jun 18, 2002
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G07B2017/00532
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a postage meter machine that has a printing unit with a replaceable print head, a print head for such a postage meter machine and a method for the authentication of such a print head, a number of manipulation possibilities are precluded, such as refilling an authorized print head, unauthorized ink usage of a printhead and using an authorized print head in a conventional printer without paying fees for franking. For this purpose a security code is generated by an encryption algorithm from a first identification code attached to the print head and from a second identification code stored in a memory unit allocated to the print head, and is compared to a security code that is likewise stored in the memory unit when the print head is manufactured.