Method and arrangement for generating and checking a security imprint
First Claim
1. A method for producing a security imprint in a postage meter machine, comprising the steps of:
- generating a franking imprint by said postage meter machine as said security imprint;
including a mark symbol sequence in said franking imprint in the form of an encoded combination number including a first number, a second number and a third number;
locating said first, second and third numbers at respective, predetermined places within said combination number;
assigning a respective contextual meaning to each of said first, second and third numbers; and
evaluating said encoded combination number to extract said contextual meaning of each of said first, second and third numbers therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for checking a security imprint in a postage meter machine having a microprocessor includes the steps of encoding data for a security mark pixel image and inserts the encoded data into the remaining, fixed and variable pixel image data during printing. The method includes steps for forming a mark symbol sequence from an encoded combination number which is composed of at least a first number (sum of all postage values since the last reloading date), an optional second number added to said first number, a third number (postage value) and a fourth number (of the serial number), and for enabling a check of the security imprint by a postal authority. Manipulations can be recognized using further data stored and/or calculated in a remote data center. An arrangement conducting a for check includes a mark reader composed of a CCD line camera, a D/A converter, a comparator and an encoder which are connected via an input/output unit to an input unit. A communication link can be established between the meter and the data center to evaluate mark data in a computerized manner.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for producing a security imprint in a postage meter machine, comprising the steps of:
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generating a franking imprint by said postage meter machine as said security imprint; including a mark symbol sequence in said franking imprint in the form of an encoded combination number including a first number, a second number and a third number; locating said first, second and third numbers at respective, predetermined places within said combination number; assigning a respective contextual meaning to each of said first, second and third numbers; and evaluating said encoded combination number to extract said contextual meaning of each of said first, second and third numbers therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for generating a security imprint in a postage meter machine, said postage meter machine having an electronic printer for printing said security imprint in a column-by-column arrangement of pixels, said postage meter machine having a first memory in which variable data to be included in said security imprint are stored in encoded form, and a second memory containing constant data to be included in said security imprint, said method comprising the steps to form a print format for said security imprint of:
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after said postage meter is turned on, obtaining frame data and bytes of at least one first data set in the form of one-time coded, constant, hexadecimal data from said second memory and intermediately storing said first data set; decoding said first data set to form window characteristics for a window region within said security imprint and intermediately storing said window characteristics; decoding said frame data and intermediately storing the decoded frame data; storing said first data set, said window characteristics and said decoded frame data in respectively separate memory areas in said postage meter machine; and for executing a printing routine, transferring said separately stored data column-by-column and bit-by-bit into a printing register for said column-by-column printing of said security imprint by said electronic printer. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for generating a security imprint in a postage meter machine comprising:
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printer means for completely electronically generating a franking format for said security imprint; first input means for entering data into said postage meter machine for inclusion in said franking format; memory means for storing data comprising said franking format; second input means for entering variable data into said memory means; a non-volatile memory containing constant portions of said data comprising said franking format; a memory area in said postage meter machine containing constant parts of said data comprising said franking format including at least an advertising slogan, said advertising slogan being identified by a first name allocated to a slogan frame; a second memory area in said postage meter machine containing variable data comprising said franking format, said variable data being identified by a second name; a third memory area in said postage meter machine containing a cost center number; and means for combining said first and second names to compile said franking format dependent on said cost center number. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification