Patent ID: 7433847
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: G07B

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a postage printing device at a manufacturing station having a manufacturing station public/private key pair and registering said postage printing device for operation under the authority of a registering entity having a registering entity public/private key pair, the method comprising: storing a root certificate in said postage printing device, said root certificate comprising the registering entity public key signed by the registering entity private key; generating a transport public/private key pair for said postage printing device, and storing at least said transport private key in said postage printing device; generating a transport certificate at said manufacturing location, said transport certificate comprising said transport public key signed by said manufacturing station private key; said manufacturing station sending said transport certificate and a manufacturing certificate to said postage printing device, said manufacturing certificate comprising said manufacturing station public key signed by said registering entity private key; said postage printing device verifying said manufacturing certificate using said root certificate stored in said postage printing device and verifying said transport certificate using said manufacturing certificate; storing said transport certificate in said postage printing device; setting said postage printing device to a transport lock state; generating a domain certificate comprising a postal authority public key signed by said registering entity private key, wherein said postal authority is a postal authority for a domain in which said postage printing device is authorized to operate; verifying said domain certificate at said postage printing device using said root certificate stored in said postage printing device; generating an operation public/private key pair for said postage printing device; generating an operation certificate, said operation certificate comprising the operation public key signed by a private key of said postal authority corresponding to said postal authority public key; and storing said operation certificate in said postage printing device.