Postal charge accounting system
First Claim
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1. A postal charge accounting system comprising:
- a) an electronic postage meter including internal accounting registers;
b) control unit means connected to said postage meter for controlling said meter;
c) at least one user smart card programmed for processing postage meter use information, wherein said user smart card is dedicated for use with said postage meter and said said postage meter use information includes data entries made to said internal accounting registers; and
d) card read-write unit means connected to said control unit means for reading said postage meter use information from and writing said postage meter use information into said user smart card.
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Abstract
In a postal charge accounting system, a control unit is connected to a card read-write unit which accepts one or more so-called "smart cards". Postage meter use information is written into and read from one of these cards. The postage expanded by the card user is stored in the card memory and can be displayed or printed out as desired. The system is applicable to delivery services other than postal mail which involve a franking operation.
183 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A postal charge accounting system comprising:
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a) an electronic postage meter including internal accounting registers; b) control unit means connected to said postage meter for controlling said meter; c) at least one user smart card programmed for processing postage meter use information, wherein said user smart card is dedicated for use with said postage meter and said said postage meter use information includes data entries made to said internal accounting registers; and d) card read-write unit means connected to said control unit means for reading said postage meter use information from and writing said postage meter use information into said user smart card. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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13. A postal charge accounting system comprising:
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a) an electronic postage meter including internal accounting registers; b) control unit means connected to and communicating with said postage meter; c) at least one user smart card programmed for processing postage meter use information, said user smart card being dedicated for use with said postage meter, said postage meter use information including data entries made to said internal accounting registers; d) first card read-write unit means connected to said control unit means for receiving said postage meter use information from said control unit and writing said postage meter use information into said card; e) computer means for generating accounting reports; and f) second card read-write unit means connected to said computer means for reading said postage meter use information from said card and providing said information to said computer means, such that said computer means generates said accounting reports based upon said postage meter use information. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27)
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19. A postal charge accounting system comprising:
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a) an electronic postage meter including internal accounting registers; b) control unit means connected to said postage meter for controlling said postage meter; c) a plurality of user smart cards dedicated for use with said meter, each of said cards being programmed for processing postage meter use information, said postage meter use information including data entries made to said internal accounting registers; d) card read-write unit means connected to said control unit means for reading said postage meter use information from and writing said postage meter use information into any one of said cards inserted into said card read-write unit means; e) said control unit means being arranged to activate said meter for use when said one card is inserted into said card read-write unit means, wherein said postage meter use information is transmitted by said meter, said control unit means and said read-write unit means to said one card, said one card storing said postage use information; and f) means for displaying said postage meter use information read from said one card. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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28. A postal charge accounting system comprising:
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a) an electronic postage meter including internal accounting registers; b) user terminal means connected to said meter; c) an electronic weighing scale connected to said terminal means; d) printer means coupled to said terminal means for printing information generated by the accounting system; e) a plurality of user smart cards programmed for processing postage meter use information, wherein each of said cards is dedicated for use with said postage meter and said postage meter use information includes data entries made to said internal accounting registers; and f) card read-write unit means connected to said user terminal means for reading said postage meter use information from and writing said postage meter use information into said card. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification