Certificate meter with selectable indemnification provisions

• US 6,044,350 A
• Filed: 12/24/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Ryan, Frederick W. Jr., Weiant, Monroe A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Chinor M.
• Application Number:
  US09/220,829
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/64, 705/76, 380/277, 713/166, 713/170, 713/176, 713/181, 713/152, 713/175, 713/178, 713/158
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00733 Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00766 Digital signature, e.g. DSA, DSS, ECDSA, ESIGN
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00846 Key management
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00927 Certificates, e.g. X.509

Abstract

A system includes an accounting register; structure for creating and attaching a digital signature to a message; a memory having stored therein a plurality of different indemnification provisions and a plurality of different service rates each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions; apparatus for selecting and associating a specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to the digital signature; and a device for adjusting the accounting register, wherein at times when the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions has been selected and associated with the digital signature the adjusting device accounts for a one of the plurality of different service rates that corresponds to the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an accounting register;

means for creating and attaching a digital signature to a message;

a memory having stored therein a plurality of different indemnification provisions and a plurality of different service rates each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions;

means for selecting and associating a specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to the digital signature; and

means for adjusting the accounting register, wherein at times when the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions has been selected and associated with the digital signature the adjusting means accounts for a one of the plurality of different service rates that corresponds to the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for sending the message, the digital signature, and the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to a recipient.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the digital signature is generated based upon the message and the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, further comprising means for discounting the plurality of different indemnification service rates based upon a predetermined number of digital signatures generated.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of different indemnification provisions are at least one of a plurality of indemnification amounts, and a plurality of indemnification time periods.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of different indemnification provisions are a plurality of different indemnification packages, and each of the indemnification packages includes a plurality of terms and conditions which in combination are different from the terms and conditions of any other one of the plurality of different indemnification packages.

7. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the memory has stored therein a public key certificate that corresponds to the digital signature and the sending means sends the message, the digital signature, the public key certificate, and the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to the recipient.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for preventing the generating of the digital signature at times when the public key certificate has expired.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for preventing the generating of the digital signature at times when funds stored in the accounting register are below the one of the plurality of different service rates that corresponds to the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.

10. A system comprising:

means for generating a message;

means for selecting one of a plurality of different private keys and one of a plurality of different indemnification provisions stored within the system, each of the plurality of different private keys providing a different level of security when used in the generation of an SMPKC for the message and each of the plurality of different indemnification provisions providing a different type of indemnification;

means for associating each of a plurality of different service charges with a corresponding one of the plurality of different private keys and a corresponding one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions;

means for generating an SMPKC for the message using the selected one of the plurality of different private keys; and

means for accounting for a one of the plurality of different service charges that corresponds to the selected one of the plurality of different private keys and the selected one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, further comprising means for sending the SMPKC and the selected one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to a recipient.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the selected one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions is included as part of the SMPKC.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, further comprising means for discounting the plurality of different service charges based upon a predetermined number of SMPKCS generated by the system.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the plurality of different indemnification provisions are at least one of a plurality of indemnification amounts and a plurality of indemnification time periods.

15. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the plurality of different indemnification provisions are a plurality of different indemnification packages, and each of the indemnification packages includes a plurality of terms and conditions which in combination are different from the terms and conditions of any other one of the plurality of different indemnification packages.

16. A method for sending a message comprising the steps of:

creating and attaching a digital signature to the message;

storing in a memory a plurality of different indemnification provisions and a plurality of different service rates each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions;

selecting and associating a specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions to the digital signature; and

adjusting, at times when the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions has been selected and associated with the digital signature, an accounting device to account for a one of the plurality of different service rates that corresponds to the specific one of the plurality of different indemnification provisions.