Postage meter transparent I/O interface

• US 5,025,383 A
• Filed: 06/05/1990
• Issued: 06/18/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neopost Incorporated
• Original Assignee: FMR Corporation (FMR LLC)
• Inventors: Pion, Albert L., Henriot, Christophe, Rosenbaum, Nolan G., Lecarpentier, Marc, Abumehdi, Cyrus, Haines, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Joseph L.
• Application Number:
  US07/534,013
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 364/466, 364/464.03, 364/478, 364/200, 364/900, 235/462, 53/502, 318/685
• US Class Current: 710/14
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00193 Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00314 Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00266 Man-machine interface on the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00322 Communication between components/modules/parts, e.g. printer, printhead, keyboard, conveyor or central unit

Abstract

An electronic postage meter with memory and a postage printing function having enhanced I/O capability. The meter, in addition to its normal mode of operation, has a transparent mode of operation wherein the meter keyboard and display can be utilized as a user interface to an external I/O device. During the transparent mode of operation, the meter maintains control and security over the meter memory and print function.

Claims

1. In a postage meter having first input means for entering data, first output means for displaying data, means for printing postage, means for storing data, second input means for entering data from external devices, second output means for writing data to external devices, and a meter controller electrically connected to each of the aforesaid means and programmed for processing data and for controlling the operation of the postage meter, the improvement wherein the meter controller comprises:

mode means, having two states, for defining two modes for the meter, designated a normal mode and a transparent mode;

first means, responsive to the mode means and responsive to data entered on the first input means for (a) directing meter operation in response to data representing a valid meter function when the meter is in the normal mode, (b) transferring data not representing a valid meter function to the second output means without directing meter operation when the meter is in the normal mode, and (c) transferring all data entered on the first input means to the second output means without directing meter operation when the meter is in the transparent mode; and

second means, responsive to the mode means and responsive to data entered on the second input means for transferring at least some data entered on the second input means to the first output means without directing meter operation when the meter is in the transparent mode.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the second means is responsive to at least some data on the second input means, such data specifying changing the state of said mode means.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein the means for printing postage is disabled when the meter is in the transparent mode.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the meter controller includes a microprocessor.

5. The improvement of claim 1, and further comprising:

means, responsive to at least some data entered on the second input means, for changing the state of the mode means.

6. In a postage meter having a keyboard, a display, a print mechanism, a meter memory, an input port for entering data from external devices, an output port for writing data to external devices, and a meter microprocessor electrically connected to the keyboard, display, postage printer mechanism, meter memory, input port, and output port, programmed for processing data and for controlling the operation of the postage meter, the improvement wherein the meter microprocessor comprises:

mode means, having two states, for defining two modes for the meter, designated a normal mode and a transparent mode;

means, responsive to the meter being in the normal mode, for directing meter operation in response to keyboard data representing a valid meter function and for transferring keyboard data not representing a valid meter function to the output port without directing meter operation;

means, responsive to the meter'"'"'s being in the transparent mode, for transferring all keyboard data to the output port without directing meter operation and for transferring at least some data entered on the input port to the display without directing meter operation; and

means, responsive to at least one command from the input port for changing the state of said mode means.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein the meter controller includes a microprocessor.

8. In the operation of a system having a postage meter and at least one external device, the postage meter having a keyboard, a display, a mechanism for printing postage, meter memory, an I/O port, and a meter controller coupled to each of the foregoing postage meter elements for processing data and controlling the operation of the postage meter, the method comprising the steps, performed by the meter controller, of:

detecting an entry on the keyboard;

determining whether the meter is in a normal mode or a transparent mode;

if the meter is in the normal mode, determining whether the keyboard entry represents a valid meter function, and (a) if the keyboard entry does represent a valid meter function, performing the function, and (b) if the keyboard entry does not represent a valid meter function, communicating the keyboard entry to the I/O port; and

if the meter is in the transparent mode, communicating the keyboard entry to the I/O port.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising the steps, carried out by the external device, of determining whether the command at the I/O port represents a valid external device function, and if so, performing such function.