Arrangement and method for generating a security imprint
First Claim
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1. An arrangement for generating a security imprint comprising:
- a security module containing a first program memory in which a first program is stored and a security module data processing unit connected to said first program memory and being programmed by said first program to calculate a multi-byte security code from existing system data and to be able to receive new system data to modify said existing system data;
a separate data processing unit disposed externally of said security module and having a second program memory in which a second program is stored, said separate data processing unit being programmed by said second program to edit print data to compile a print image that contains said security code as a security imprint and that embodies a monetary value for franking a mail item;
said security module data processing unit being further programmed by said first program to, immediately upon receipt of said new system data, validate said new system data and determine whether said new system data are required for said security code and, only if so, to immediately begin recalculating a portion of said security code in a first routine and, in a second routine, to finish recalculating said security code for at least one security imprint, thereby producing a recalculated security code, and to initiate an accounting operation for said monetary value and to communicate the recalculated security code to said separate data processing unit; and
said separate data processing unit, upon receiving said recalculated security code, compiling said print image containing said recalculated security code as a security imprint and embodying said monetary value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a method and an arrangement for increasing the throughput of mail when franking with a security imprint, the editing of the print image data is undertaken by a postage meter machine processor, and the calculation of the security code is undertaken by a separate security module while the print image data are being edited. A high system clock performance is achieved by interleaving of the two calculation tasks.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. An arrangement for generating a security imprint comprising:
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a security module containing a first program memory in which a first program is stored and a security module data processing unit connected to said first program memory and being programmed by said first program to calculate a multi-byte security code from existing system data and to be able to receive new system data to modify said existing system data;
a separate data processing unit disposed externally of said security module and having a second program memory in which a second program is stored, said separate data processing unit being programmed by said second program to edit print data to compile a print image that contains said security code as a security imprint and that embodies a monetary value for franking a mail item;
said security module data processing unit being further programmed by said first program to, immediately upon receipt of said new system data, validate said new system data and determine whether said new system data are required for said security code and, only if so, to immediately begin recalculating a portion of said security code in a first routine and, in a second routine, to finish recalculating said security code for at least one security imprint, thereby producing a recalculated security code, and to initiate an accounting operation for said monetary value and to communicate the recalculated security code to said separate data processing unit; and
said separate data processing unit, upon receiving said recalculated security code, compiling said print image containing said recalculated security code as a security imprint and embodying said monetary value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for generating a security imprint, comprising the steps of:
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providing a security module containing a security module data processing unit;
presetting all system data required for calculating a security code and, only upon receipt of new system data requiring a re-calculation of the security code, in said security module data processing unit immediately validating said new system data and re-calculating said security code using said new system data, by immediately beginning re-calculating a portion of said security code in a first routine, and a second routine, finishing re-calculating the security code to produce a re-calculated security code;
also in said security module data processing unit, calculating an ascending register value for a monetary value associated with said new system data; and
communicating the re-calculated security code to a separate data processing unit external of said security module and, in said separate data processing unit, compiling a print image, including said security code as a security imprint and printing said print image. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification