Patent ID: 6085180
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: G07B

Abstract:
A method for controlling use of a portable storage device for downloading images to be printed by postage meters into the postage meters, the method comprising the steps of:A) storing an image in a memory of the portable storage device;B) designating a plurality of file locations in the memory of the portable storage device each for receiving postage meter identifying data;C) inserting the portable storage device into a postage meter to establish communication therebetween;D) determining if postage meter identifying data stored in the postage meter matches any postage meter identifying data stored in any of the plurality of file locations;E) at times when the postage meter identifying data stored in the postage meter matches any postage meter identifying data stored in any of the plurality of file locations downloading the image from the memory of the portable storage device into a memory of the postage meter such that the image in the memory of the postage meter is retrievable for printing of the image by the postage meter;F) at times when the postage meter identifying data stored in the postage meter does not match any postage meter identifying data stored in any of the plurality of file locations determining if any of the plurality of file locations do not have postage meter identifying data stored therein;G) if at step F) at least one of the plurality of file locations is identified as not having postage meter identifying data stored therein loading the postage meter identifying data stored in the postage meter into the at least one of the plurality of file locations and downloading the image from the memory of the portable storage device into the memory of the postage meter such that the image in the memory of the postage meter is retrievable for printing of the image by the postage meter; andH) if at step F) all of the plurality of file locations have postage meter identifying data stored therein preventing the downloading of the image from the portable storage device into the memory of the postage meter.