Postage metering apparatus including means for guarding against printing a postage value without accouting therefor
First Claim
1. In postage metering apparatus having printing means, means for selecting respective postage values to be printed, means for requesting printing selected postage values, means for accounting for each postage value requested to be printed, and means for controlling operation of the printing means, an improvement for preventing printing a postage value without accounting therefor, the improvement comprising:
- (a) the requested postage values including respective zero postage values;
(b) the controlling means including means for counting each request for printing a zero postage value; and
(c) the controlling means including means for preventing operation of the printing means in response to the counting means counting a predetermined number of the zero postage values.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In postage metering apparatus having printing structure, structure for selecting respective postage values to be printed, structure for requesting printing selected postage values, structure for accounting for each postage value requested to be printed, and structure for controlling operation of the printing structure, an improvement for preventing printing a postage value without accounting therefor, the improvement comprising: the requested postage values including respective zero postage values; the controlling structure including structure for counting each request for printing a zero postage value; and the controlling structure including structure for preventing operation of the printing structure in response to the counting structure counting a predetermined number of the zero postage values.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. In postage metering apparatus having printing means, means for selecting respective postage values to be printed, means for requesting printing selected postage values, means for accounting for each postage value requested to be printed, and means for controlling operation of the printing means, an improvement for preventing printing a postage value without accounting therefor, the improvement comprising:
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(a) the requested postage values including respective zero postage values; (b) the controlling means including means for counting each request for printing a zero postage value; and (c) the controlling means including means for preventing operation of the printing means in response to the counting means counting a predetermined number of the zero postage values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Postage metering apparatus comprising:
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(a) means for printing; (b) means for selecting respective postage values to be printed; (c) means for respectively requesting printing the selected postage values; (d) means for controlling a plurality of operations of the apparatus, controlling means including means for storing a predetermined maximum count of at least one, the controlling means including means for accounting for each postage value requested to be printed, the controlling means including means for storing a current count of requested zero postage values, the controlling means including means for comparing the current and maximum counts, and the controlling means including means for disabling a predetermined operation of the apparatus if the counts compare. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification