Method for matching the database between an electronic postage meter machine and a data center
First Claim
1. A method for matching a database in an electronic postage meter machine to a database in a data center remote from said postage meter machine and with which said postage meter machine can communicate via a communication link, said postage meter machine having a credit memory for storing postage credit which is available for franking purposes and said data center having a debit memory from which postage credit for a user of said postage meter machine is debited, said method comprising the steps of:
- entering an identification number uniquely associated with said postage meter machine into said postage meter machine;
placing said postage meter machine into a first operating mode;
establishing communication via said communication link between said postage meter machine and said data center;
conducting a first transaction between said postage meter machine and said data center including forming a first code number in said postage meter machine using a first key operating at least on said identification number and said selected amount of said credit request and forming a second code number at said data center using a second key operating at least on said identification number, exchanging said first and second code numbers between said postage meter machine and said data center and verifying the first and second code numbers respectively at said data center and at said postage meter machine, and upon verification of said first and second code numbers respectively at said data center and at said postage meter machine, storing a selected amount of a credit request in each of a first selected amount memory at said postage meter machine and a second selected amount memory at said data center;
placing said postage meter machine into a second operating mode; and
conducting a second transaction between said postage meter machine and said data center including exchanging further respective code numbers between said postage meter machine and said data center and, upon verification of said further respective code numbers at each of said postage meter machine and said data center, debiting said debit memory at said data center by said selected amount and crediting said credit memory at said postage meter machine by said selected amount.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method for matching the data base in an electronic postage meter to the database in a data center with which the postage meter is in communication, a transaction for adding credit to the postage meter machine takes place in two transaction procedures. In a first transaction procedure, code words are exchanged between the postage meter machine and the data center, and upon mutual verification of the code words at the data center and at the postage meter machine, a requested amount of credit is stored in a selected value memory in the postage meter machine and the same amount is stored in a selected value memory at the data center. In a second transaction procedure, code words are again exchanged between the data center and the postage meter machine and upon verification of these further code words, the selected value stored at the selected value memory at the data center is used to debit the debit memory at the data center, and this same value, stored in the selected value memory at the postage meter machine, is used to credit the credit memory at the postage meter machine. A method for ensuring the integrity of data predominantly stored in two data sets is also disclosed.
33 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for matching a database in an electronic postage meter machine to a database in a data center remote from said postage meter machine and with which said postage meter machine can communicate via a communication link, said postage meter machine having a credit memory for storing postage credit which is available for franking purposes and said data center having a debit memory from which postage credit for a user of said postage meter machine is debited, said method comprising the steps of:
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entering an identification number uniquely associated with said postage meter machine into said postage meter machine; placing said postage meter machine into a first operating mode; establishing communication via said communication link between said postage meter machine and said data center; conducting a first transaction between said postage meter machine and said data center including forming a first code number in said postage meter machine using a first key operating at least on said identification number and said selected amount of said credit request and forming a second code number at said data center using a second key operating at least on said identification number, exchanging said first and second code numbers between said postage meter machine and said data center and verifying the first and second code numbers respectively at said data center and at said postage meter machine, and upon verification of said first and second code numbers respectively at said data center and at said postage meter machine, storing a selected amount of a credit request in each of a first selected amount memory at said postage meter machine and a second selected amount memory at said data center; placing said postage meter machine into a second operating mode; and conducting a second transaction between said postage meter machine and said data center including exchanging further respective code numbers between said postage meter machine and said data center and, upon verification of said further respective code numbers at each of said postage meter machine and said data center, debiting said debit memory at said data center by said selected amount and crediting said credit memory at said postage meter machine by said selected amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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- 14. An electronic postage meter machine comprising electronic data processing means having a credit memory for storing a postage credit and a selected value memory for storing a scheduled value by which the postage credit can be modified, printer means, connected to the data processing means for printing postage values, a data display input means for entering postage values to be printed, means for setting a credit reloading mode for, after entry and verification of a reloading cryptonumber, adding said selected value stored in the selected value memory to the postage credit, and means for setting a change of value mode independently of said credit reloading mode for, after entry and verification of a change of value cryptonumber, replacing the selected value in the selected value memory by a modified scheduled value entered into the postage meter machine via said input means.
- 22. A data center comprising communication means for data exchange with at least one user station that has at least one postage meter machine, data processing means having a data input unit, a calculating unit and a debiting memory for each postage meter machine in which credit amounts loaded in the postage meter machine are summed over a predetermined time span, a selected value memory for each postage meter machine for storing a selected value allocated to the postage meter machine by which the credit value stored in the postage meter machine is to be modified, said data processing means including means for modifying a selected value in the selected value memory allocated to a postage meter machine in response to first data received from the user station having that postage meter machine via the communication means and thereby generating a modified value, and for using the modified value stored in the selected value memory to debit the debiting memory in that postage meter machine in response to second data, independent of said first data, received from the user station having that postage meter machine via the communication means.
Specification