Patent ID: 7171392
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G06Q,G07B

Abstract:
1. A method for use with a postage meter system under the jurisdiction of a postal authority, the postage meter system comprising a host and a server, the host comprising a postal security device and postal indicia printing means, the server comprising cryptographic device disposed for cryptographically secure communication with the postal security device, the method comprising the steps of: entering information into the host indicative of a batch of mail pieces to be franked; franking the mail pieces whilst storing information about the franking of the batch of mail pieces to a memory within the host; within the postal security device, performing a cryptographic authenticating procedure upon the information about the franking of the batch and the information indicative of the batch, said information defining statistical information; communicating the statistical information from the postal security device to the cryptographic device; authenticating the statistical information at the cryptographic device; and passing the statistical information to a postal authority.