Secure postage meter in an ATM application
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing banking and postage metering functions comprising:
- a postage metering apparatus including a meter controller;
a host secure banking apparatus securely housing said postage metering apparatus, said host secure banking apparatus having a separate controller for implementing customer directed banking functions distinct from postage metering functions using a plurality of components thereof, the separate controller being distinct from said meter controllerand said meter controller connected to the components of said host secure banking apparatus for implementing customer directed postage metering functions using the components of said host secure banking apparatus,said meter controller further securely accounting for postage value dispensed by said postage metering apparatus.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A postage metering capability is integrated in an automated teller machine. With minimal modification and using several components of the ATM to perform functions useful in dispensing of postage, the secured environment of an ATM is used to implement numerous postage metering functions. When used with a smart card, postage value is accounted for without reference to an internal vault of the apparatus or to a postal facility, by using a vault of the smart card. The smart card may be used to dispense postage by accessing a customer'"'"'s postage account at a remote center to set into the internal vault a value to be dispensed, with communication secured in accordance with information provided by the smart card. Using such information, the customer'"'"'s postage account may also be accessed to recharge the vault of the smart card, rather than the internal vault. Additionally, postage may be dispensed in accordance with value inputted directly by a customer, using cash, credit-, debit-, or money-cards. The internal vault of the postage meter is used when accounting for postage dispensed in accordance with such directly inputted value.
52 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing banking and postage metering functions comprising:
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a postage metering apparatus including a meter controller; a host secure banking apparatus securely housing said postage metering apparatus, said host secure banking apparatus having a separate controller for implementing customer directed banking functions distinct from postage metering functions using a plurality of components thereof, the separate controller being distinct from said meter controller and said meter controller connected to the components of said host secure banking apparatus for implementing customer directed postage metering functions using the components of said host secure banking apparatus, said meter controller further securely accounting for postage value dispensed by said postage metering apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A host apparatus comprising:
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a postage metering apparatus in a secure housing of said host apparatus; an internal vault having a meter controller within said internal vault; a plurality of components comprising a communication interface, a printer, and a user input/output device; a separate controller distinct from said meter controller whereby said separate controller controls said host apparatus using said plurality of components to implement customer directed secure banking functions distinct from postage metering functions; said meter controller connected to said plurality of components of said host apparatus, for implementing customer directed postage metering functions using said plurality of components of said host apparatus; said meter controller securely accounting for postage value dispensed by said postage metering apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of dispensing postage, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a smart card into a host secure banking apparatus; reading value information contained in a vault of the inserted smart card; responsively to a user input, securely accounting in said vault of said smart card for value of postage requested to be dispensed; and printing indicia corresponding to said postage value.
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Specification