Method and apparatus for placing automated calls for postage meter and base

• US 6,766,308 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Neopost Industrie BV
• Original Assignee: Neopost Industrie BV
• Inventors: Shah, Chandrakant J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dixon, Thomas A.
• Application Number:
  US09/876,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20020016780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 705/400, 705/404, 705/405, 705/410, 705/60, 700/78, 700/80, 700/81, 700/82, 700/179, 700/231, 700/236, 700/244, 700/241, 700/239
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A meter and/or base coupled to one or more modems automatically places a service call to a service center upon detection of particular ones of detected faults. Diagnostic and test software periodically test the meter and/or base to ensure that the meter and/or base operate in an expected manner. Upon detection of a hard fault, a service call is placed to the service center and pertinent diagnostic data (e.g., the error code) is transmitted to allow the service center to promptly and properly respond to the call. For soft faults, the meter can resume operation if the detected fault clears up.

Claims

1. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising:

a meter including a first processor;

a first modem coupled to the meter;

a base coupled to the meter;

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the first processor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security and meter failures, and wherein the meter sends a service call including diagnostic data to the service center via the first modem upon detection of particular ones of the detected failures, and

wherein the base runs test software configured to perform periodic checks to detect base faults by the base, and the base sends a service call via the second modem upon detection of one of the base faults by the base.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the modem is a wireless connection.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the failures are categorized into hard and soft faults.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the automatic service call includes a license or lease status.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic data indicates suspect components.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic data comprises a model or serial number of the meter.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic data comprises a time or cycles since a last inspection.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic data comprises a general failure classification.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the diagnostic data comprises a location of the meter.

10. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising;

a first modem;

a storage unit configured to store diagnostic software;

a first processor coupled to the modem and the storage unit;

a base including a second processor;

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the first processor is configured to run the diagnostic software, and the diagnostic software is configured to;

detect a failure with the metering system; and

communicate a detected error code identifying the failure in response to the detected failure to the service center via the first modem,

and wherein the second processor is configured to run test software that performs periodic checks to detect meter faults, and the base sends a service call via the second modem upon detection of ones of the meter faults.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the diagnostic software is further configured to communicate a time that the failure is detected to the service center via the modem.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the failure is a hard fault.

13. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising:

a meter including a first processor;

a first modem coupled to the meter;

a base; and

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the first processor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security and meter failures, the failures being categorized into hard and soft faults, wherein the meter sends a service call comprising a location of the meter via the first modem upon detection of hard faults and performs a reset upon detection of soft faults, and

the base is configured to run test software that performs periodic checks to detect base faults in the base, and the base sends a service call via the second modem upon detection of one of the base faults.

14. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising:

a meter including a first processor;

a first modem coupled to the meter;

a base coupled to the meter, the base including a second processor; and

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the first processor is configured to detect a failure with the metering system and to communicate a detected failure to the service center via the first modem, and

wherein the second processor runs test software configured to perform periodic checks of the meter to detect security and meter failures, the base sands a service call via the second modem upon detection of a first category of the detected failures that threaten the security of the postage metering system or that render the meter inoperable.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the meter is reset upon detection of failures.

16. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising:

a meter including a first processor;

a first modem coupled to the meter;

a base coupled to the meter, the base including a second processor;

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the first processor runs diagnostic software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security and meter failures, the meter sends a service call via the first modem upon detection of detected failures in a first category of the failures that threaten the security of the postage metering system or that render the meter inoperable, and the meter performs at least one automatic reset upon detection of failures not in the first category; and

wherein the second processor runs test software configured to perform periodic checks to detect security and meter failures, the base sends a service call via the second modem upon detection of detected failures in the first category, and the base prompts for a user fix upon detection of failures not in the first category and sends a service call via the second modem if the user fix is not implemented.

17. A method for placing automated service calls in a postage metering system including a meter comprising:

performing a check of the meter using diagnostic software;

detecting a fault within the meter;

sending a service call via a first modem coupled to the meter upon detection of particular ones of the detected faults;

performing a check of the meter using a base; and

sending a service call via a second modem coupled to the base upon detection of a detected fault in the meter.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining whether the detected fault is a hard fault; and

disabling operation of the meter upon detection of the hard fault.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

monitoring the detected fault; and

resuming operation of the meter upon detection of clearance of the detected fault.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

resetting the meter upon detection of the fault; and

resuming operation of the meter upon a successful reset.

21. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

waiting an acknowledgement of receipt of the service call by the service center; and

repeating the sending and waiting steps until the acknowledgement is received from the service center.

22. A method for placing automated service call in a postage metering system including a meter comprising:

performing a check of the meter using diagnostic software;

detecting a fault within the meter;

determining whether the detected fault is a bard fault or a soft fault;

disabling operation of the meter upon detection of the hard fault;

sending a service call via a first modem coupled to the meter upon detection of the hard fault;

performing an automatic reset upon detection of the soft fault;

performing a check of a base using test software; and

sending a service call via a second modem coupled to a base upon detection of a detected base fault in the base.

23. A postage metering system for placing an automated service call to a service center comprising:

a meter;

a first modem;

a first processor operably coupled to the meter and the first modem, the first processor configured to perform periodic checks to detect security and meter failures and further configured to place a first service call via the first modem upon detection of a first category of the detected failures that threaten the security of the postage metering system or that render the meter inoperable,

a base including a second processor; and

a second modem coupled to the base;

wherein the base runs test software configured to perform periodic checks to detect base faults by the base and meter faults by the meter, and the base sends a second service call via the second modem upon detection of one of the base faults by the base or one of the meter faults by the meter.