ARRANGEMENT FOR EXCHANGE OF CUSTOMER DATA OF A FRANKING MACHINE

• US 20080126670A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG
• Original Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG
• Inventors: Kux, Thomas, Kunde, Christoph, Schlaaff, Torsten, Roth, Sabine, Ehresmann, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/100
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00177 from a portable device, e.g. a card or a PCMCIA
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00395 Memory organization

Abstract

In a method and an apparatus for exchanging customer data of a franking machine, a data processing device is in communication with a first memory that is permanently connected therewith, and is also in communication with a security module for implementing security-relevant services associated with franking. The data processor stores user data in the first memory that are predetermined by a user. A second memory is connected to the data processor in a manner allowing the second memory to be readily detached. The data processor stores the user data in the second memory for data backup.

Claims

1. An arrangement for data processing in a franking machine, comprising:

a data processor;

a first memory permanently connected with the data processor;

a security module connected to the data processor that implements security-relevant services associated with franking;

a first memory in communication with the data processor in which the data processor stores user data that are predetermined by a user; and

a second memory in communication with the data processor, said second memory being readily detachable, and said data processor storing said user data in the second memory as data backup.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a secure housing that protects against unauthorized penetration, in which said security module is contained; and

said second memory being disposed inside said secure housing so as to be inaccessible when said secure housing is in a closed state.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1:

wherein said processor detects an arrival of at least one event selected from the group consisting of predetermined temporal events and non-temporal events; and

upon arrival of said event, said data processor updating the user data in the second memory using the user data in the first memory.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3 wherein said data processor detects a change of the user data in the first memory following a preceding update of the user data in the second memory data, and updates the user data in the second memory upon detection of said change.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein data processor detects a change in configuration representing an exchange of at least one of said first memory, said second memory or said security module and, upon detecting said change in configuration, said data processor updating the user data in the first memory using the user data from the second memory, or updating the user data in the second memory using the user data from the first memory.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said data processor blocks further usage dependent on the detected change of the configuration, if the first security module and the first memory have been exchanged with the second memory not being exchanged, or the security module and the second memory have been exchanged with the first memory not being exchanged.

7. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5 wherein said data processor stores at least one first identification in said first memory and at least one second identification in said second memory, and wherein said security module has a third identification stored therein, and wherein said data processor compares said first identification, said second identification and said third identification with each other to detect said change of the configuration.

8. An arrangement as claimed in claim 7 wherein said data processor updates the user data in the first memory using the user data in the second memory if the first identification is different from the third identification and the second identification corresponds to the third identification, and/or updates the user data in the second memory using the user data from the first memory if the second identification is different from the third identification and the first identification corresponds to the third identification.

9. An arrangement as claimed in claim 8 wherein said data processor stores a fourth identification in the first memory and stores a fifth identification in the second memory, and wherein said data processor updates the user data in the first memory or the second memory if the fourth identification is different from the fifth identification.

10. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said data processor stores first authorization information in the first memory and stores second authorization information in the second memory, and wherein the data processor device compares the first authorization information with the second authorization information and releases or blocks further usage dependent on a result of a comparison indicating existence of a predetermined relationship between the first authorization information and the second authorization information.

11. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 comprising a printing unit that prints franking indicia controlled by said data processor, and wherein said user data are data selected from the group consisting of cliché

data for generating a franking imprint, at least one postage table, data identifying classes of mail, and data representing user-selectable information.

12. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said data processor stores data in said second memory selected from the group consisting of diagnostic data and statistical information.

13. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said data processor executes a routine that checks at least one of presence of said second memory and integrity of said second memory and, upon determining at least one of an absence of the second memory or damage to the second memory, blocks further usage at least until said data processor detects an occurrence of an event selected from the group consisting of predetermined temporal events and non-temporal events.

14. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second memory is a memory allowing serial writing therein, selected from the group consisting of a type of SD or an MMC card.

15. An arrangement for data processing in a franking machine, comprising:

a data processor;

a memory in communication with the data processor;

a security module in communication with the data processor that implements security-relevant services associated with franking; and

said memory being in communication with the data processor to allow the data processor to store data that are predetermined by a user, said memory being a memory card that is readily detachable from communication with the data processor.

16. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein said memory is a memory allowing serial writing therein, selected from the group consisting of a type of SD and MMC cards.

17. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein said data processor is operable to control a printer as a PC franker.

18. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein said memory card is detachable via an ESD protection module.

19. An arrangement as claimed in claim 15 wherein said data processor is operable to change said data in said memory by directly communicating with said memory.

20. A method for data processing in a franking machine comprising a data processor, a first memory permanently connected with the data processor, a security module connected to the data processor that implements security-relevant services associated with franking, and a second memory in communication with said data processor, said method comprising the steps of:

via the data processor, storing user data in the first memory that are predetermined by a user; and

mounting said second memory so as to be readily detachable and, via data processor, storing said user data in the second memory as data backup.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising:

providing a secure housing that protects against unauthorized penetration, in which said security module is contained; and

disposing said second memory being inside said secure housing so as to be inaccessible when said secure housing is in a closed state.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising:

in said processor, detecting an arrival of at least one event selected from the group consisting of predetermined temporal events and non-temporal events; and

upon arrival of said event, via said data processor, updating the user data in the second memory using the user data in the first memory.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 comprising, in said data processor, detecting a change of the user data in the first memory following a preceding update of the user data in the second memory data, and via said data processor, updating the user data in the second memory upon detection of said change.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, in data processor, detecting a change in configuration representing an exchange of at least one of said first memory, said second memory or said security module and, upon detecting said change in configuration, via said data processor, updating the user data in the first memory using the user data from the second memory, or updating the user data in the second memory using the user data from the first memory.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24 comprising, via said data processor, blocking further usage dependent on the detected change of the configuration, if the first security module and the first memory have been exchanged with the second memory not being exchanged, or the security module and the second memory have been exchanged with the first memory not being exchanged.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24 comprising, via said data processor, storing at least one first identification in said first memory and at least one second identification in said second memory, and storing a third identification in said security module and, in said data processor, comparing said first identification, said second identification and said third identification with each other to detect said change of the configuration.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26 comprising, via said data processor, updating the user data in the first memory using the user data in the second memory if the first identification is different from the third identification and the second identification corresponds to the third identification, and/or updating the user data in the second memory using the user data from the first memory if the second identification is different from the third identification and the first identification corresponds to the third identification.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 comprising, via said data processor, storing a fourth identification in the first memory and storing a fifth identification in the second memory and via said data processor, updating the user data in the first memory or the second memory if the fourth identification is different from the fifth identification.

29. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, via said data processor, storing first authorization information in the first memory and storing second authorization information in the second memory and in said data processor comparing the first authorization information with the second authorization information and releasing or blocking further usage dependent on a result of a comparison indicating existence of a predetermined relationship between the first authorization information and the second authorization information.

30. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein said franking machine comprises a printing unit that print franking indicia controlled by said data processor, and comprising selecting said user data are data from the group consisting of cliché

data for generating a franking imprint, at least one postage table, data identifying classes of mail, and data representing user-selectable information.

31. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, via said data processor, storing data in said second memory selected from the group consisting of diagnostic data and statistical information.

32. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising, in said data processor, executing a routine comprising checking at least one of presence of said second memory and integrity of said second memory and, upon determining at least one of an absence of the second memory or damage to the second memory, blocking further usage at least until said data processor detects an occurrence of an event selected from the group consisting of predetermined temporal events and non-temporal events.

33. A method as claimed in claim 20 comprising employing, as said second memory, a memory allowing serial writing therein, selected from the group consisting of a type of SD or an MMC card.

34. A method for data processing in a franking machine comprising a data processor, a memory in communication with the data processor, a security module in communication with the data processor that implements security-relevant services associated with franking, said method comprising the steps of:

placing said memory in communication with the data processor to allow the data processor to store data that are predetermined by a user, and as said memory, using a memory card that is readily detachable from communication with the data processor.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising employing, as said memory, a memory allowing serial writing therein, selected from the group consisting of a type of SD and MMC cards.

36. A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising operating said data processor to control a printer as a PC franker.

37. A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising making said memory card detachable via an ESD protection module.

38. A method as claimed in claim 34 comprising operating said data processor to change said data in said memory by directly communicating with said memory.