Method and apparatus for performing automated fraud reporting
First Claim
1. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
- a meter having a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the meter;
wherein the microprocessor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security breaches, and wherein the meter sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected security breaches.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A meter and/or base (or computer), coupled to one or more modems, perform automated fraud reporting to a service center upon detection of particular ones of detectable faults. Diagnostic software and/or tamper detection devices test the meter to ensure that the meter operates in an expected manner. A detected fault can be classified into one or more categories or levels. For faults within certain levels, an alarm message is sent to the service center. Corrective action can be performed in accordance with a response from the service center. For major faults, the meter can be disabled until service is performed and the alarm message can be sent to the postal inspectors.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter having a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the meter;
wherein the microprocessor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security breaches, and wherein the meter sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected security breaches. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
tamper detection devices coupled to subsystems within the meter for detecting security breach in the subsystems; and
wherein the meter sends the alarm message via the modem upon activation of one or more of the tamper detection devices.
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11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a counter, the counter being incremented, when the operator fix is unsuccessful, and wherein when the counter equals a predetermined maximum, a hard fault is set.
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12. The system of claim 1 further comprising a timer counter for increasing a severity level, when the timer counter equals a predetermined timer count.
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13. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter having a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the meter;
wherein the microprocessor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter to detect security breaches, the security breaches being categorized into three levels, wherein the meter sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of security breaches within predetermined levels, and wherein the meter performs corrective action based on a response from the service center responsive to the alarm message. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter module;
a base coupled to the meter module, the base including a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the base;
wherein the microprocessor runs test software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter to detect security breaches, and wherein the base sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected security breaches. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26)
tamper detection devices coupled to subsystems within the meter module for detecting security breach in the subsystems; and
wherein the base sends the alarm message upon activation of one or more of the tamper detection devices.
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25. The system of claim 20 wherein the failures are categorized into hard and soft faults.
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26. The system of claim 25 wherein the automatic fraud reporting is performed upon detection of hard faults.
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22. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter module;
a computer coupled to the meter module, the computer including a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the computer;
wherein the microprocessor runs test software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter to detect security breaches, and wherein the computer sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected security breaches. - View Dependent Claims (23)
tamper detection devices coupled to subsystems within the meter module for detecting security breach in the subsystems; and
wherein the computer sends the alarm message upon activation of one or more of the tamper detection devices.
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24. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter module including a first microprocessor;
a first modem coupled to the meter;
a base coupled to the meter module, the base including a second microprocessor; and
a second modem coupled to the base;
wherein the first microprocessor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter module to detect security and meter failures, the meter module sending an alarm message via the first modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected meter failures;
wherein the second microprocessor runs test software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter module to detect security and meter failures, the base also sending the alarm message via the second modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected meter failures. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method for placing automated fraud reporting in a postage metering system including a meter and a modem comprising:
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performing a check of the meter using diagnostic software;
detecting a fault within the meter;
sending an alarm message via the modem coupled to the meter upon detection of particular ones of the detected faults;
waiting for a response from the service center; and
repeating the sending and waiting steps until the response is received from the service center. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
determining whether the detected fault is a hard fault; and
disabling operation of the meter upon detection of the hard fault.
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31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
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monitoring the detected fault; and
resuming operation of the meter upon detection of clearance of the detected fault.
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32. The method of claim 29 further comprising:
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resetting the meter upon detection of the fault; and
resuming operation of the meter upon a successful reset.
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33. A method for placing automated fraud reporting in a postage metering system including a meter and a modem comprising:
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performing a check of the meter using diagnostic software;
detecting a fault within the meter;
determining whether the detected fault is a hard fault;
disabling operation of the meter upon detection of the hard fault; and
sending an alarm message via the modem connected to the meter upon detection of the hard fault.
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34. A postage metering system for placing automated fraud reporting to a service center comprising:
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a meter having a microprocessor; and
a modem coupled to the meter;
wherein the microprocessor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security breaches, and wherein the meter sends an alarm message via the modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected security breaches; and
wherein the service center provides a corrective action responsive to the alarm message, and wherein the corrective action is communicated to the meter via the modem.
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Specification