System for identifying the user of postal equipment

• US 6,256,616 B1
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 07/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems Incorporated (Quadient SA)
• Original Assignee: Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems Incorporated (Quadient SA)
• Inventors: Brookner, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/981,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 380/23.25, 705/401, 705/410, 705/60, 705/62
• US Class Current: 705/401
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00733 Cryptography or similar special procedures in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00838 Personal data, i.e. biometrics
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00935 Passwords

Abstract

An improved system for identifying the user of postal equipment. A user provides identifying information, and if access is not appropriate based on that information, an additional comparison is performed before access is denied. This permits the user to select the identifying information needed for access from a set of predefined information, thereby permitting the user to change identifying information needed for access in the event the information has been or is suspected of having been compromised. Additional security may also be obtained by requiring the user to supply additional identifying information randomly selected from a predetermined set after valid first identifying information has been entered. Identifying information supplied by the user may include personal digital data, such as a digital fingerprint or retina eye scan.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

input means for receiving user supplied information from a user of postal equipment;

means for storing in advance a plurality of data associated with said user, one such datum being the preferred stored data and a second such datum being the secondatv stored data;

means responsive to said input means for;

comparing said user supplied information against said stored data, including, but not necessarily limited to, said preferred stored data and said secondary stored data;

updating said preferred stored data to be said secondary stored data, if, when said comparison was made, said user supplied information was in a predefined relationship with said secondary stored data.

2. The system as described in claim 1, additionally comprising:

means responsive to said input means for permitting said user to access said postal equipment if, when said comparison was made, said user supplied information was in said predefined relationship with said secondary stored data.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said user supplied data includes said user'"'"'s digital finger print or retina eye scan.

4. A system for verifying the user of postal equipment, comprising:

input means for input of information, said information including data associated with a user of said system;

means for storing a plurality of data associated with said user;

means for prompting the user to input one of the plurality of data associated with said user, said data being randomly selected;

means responsive to said input means for;

receiving said user identifying data;

comparing said user identifying data to said randomly selected stored data associated with said user;

permitting said user to access said postal equipment if said user identifying data is in a predefined relationship with said randomly selected stored data.

5. A system for verifying the user of postal equipment, comprising:

input means for input of information, said information including first data associated with a user of said system;

means for storing a plurality of data associated with said user;

means responsive to said input means for;

receiving said user identifying first data;

comparing said user identifying first data against said stored data;

means for prompting the user to input user identifying second data that is one of the plurality of data associated with said user, said user identifying second data being randomly selected;

means for input of said user identifying second data;

means responsive to said input means for;

receiving said user identifying second data;

comparing said user identifying second data against said randomly selected stored data associated with said user;

permitting said user to access said postal equipment if said user identifying second data is in a predefined relationship to said randomly selected stored data.

6. A method, comprising the following steps:

(a) obtaining first user identifying information from an access device provided by a user of postage equipment;

(b) prompting the user to enter second identifying information;

(c) comparing said user supplied second identifying information against primary identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(d) comparing said user supplied second identifying information against secondary identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(e) updating said primary identifying information from said secondary identifying information, if, when said comparison was made, said user supplied second identifying information was in a predefined relationship with said secondary identifying information.

7. The method as described in claim 6, wherein said user supplied second identifying data includes a user'"'"'s digital finger print.

8. The method as described in claim 6, wherein said user supplied second identifying data includes a user'"'"'s voice pattern.

9. The method as described in claim 6, wherein said user supplied second identifying data includes a user'"'"'s retina eye scan.

10. A method of verifying the identity of a user of postal equipment, comprising the following steps:

(a) obtaining first user identifying information from an access device provided by the user;

(b) prompting the user to enter second user identifying information;

(c) obtaining user supplied second identifying information from the user;

(d) comparing said user supplied second identifying information against second user identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(e) prompting the user to enter third user identifying information randomly selected from a set of information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(f) obtaining user supplied third identifying information from the user;

(g) comparing said user supplied third identifying information to said randomly selected third user identifying information;

(h) permitting the user to access said postal equipment if (i) said user supplied second identifying information is in a first predefined relationship with said second user identifying information and (ii) said user supplied third identifying information is in a second predefined relationship with said randomly selected third user identifying information.

11. The method as described in claim 10, wherein said user supplied second identifying information includes a user'"'"'s digital finger print.

12. The method as described in claim 10, wherein said user supplied second identifying information includes a user'"'"'s voice pattern.

13. The method as described in claim 10, wherein said user supplied second identifying information includes a user'"'"'s retina eye scan.

14. A method of verifying the identity of a user of postal equipment, comprising the following steps:

(a) obtaining first user identifying information from an access device provided by the user;

(b) prompting the user to enter second identifying information;

(c) comparing said user supplied second identifying information against both stored second identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information and stored alternate identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(d) obtaining third identifying information from the user;

(e) comparing said user supplied third identifying information against stored third identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(f) permitting the user to access said postal equipment and updating said stored second identifying information to be said stored alternate identifying information, if said user supplied second identifying information is in a first predefined relationship with said stored alternate identifying information and (iii) said user supplied third identifying information is in a second predefined relationship with said stored third identifying information.

15. The method described in claim 14, wherein said third identifying information is biometric data.

16. A method of verifying the identity of a user of postal equipments comprising the following steps:

(a) obtaining first user identifying information from an access device provided by the user;

(b) prompting the user to enter second identifying information;

(c) comparing said user supplied second identifying information against stored second identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(d) obtaining third identifying information from the user, said third identifying information being requested from the user by random selection from a set of information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(e) comparing said user supplied third identifying information against stored third identifying information previously associated with said first user identifying information;

(f) permitting the user to access said postal equipment, if said user supplied third identifying information is in a predefined relationship with said stored third identifying information.