Patent ID: 6561425
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: G06Q,G07B

Abstract:
A method for use with a database and with a postal security device, the postal security device comprising a housing, an anti-tampering shield within the housing, a volatile memory within the anti-tampering shield, a clock within the anti-tampering shield, said clock comprising a first unique identifier, a processor within the anti-tampering shield, and a nonvolatile memory within the anti-tampering shield, the method comprising the steps of:affixing a first human-readable marking to the exterior of the housing, said first marking comprising a first human-readable identification number and a first bar code indicative of the first identification number; reading the first bar code and determining the first identification number; reading the first unique identifier; checking the database for presence of the first identification number therein, and in the event of the first identification number being absent from the database, writing a first record in the database linking the first unique identifier with the first identification number; affixing a second human-readable marking to the exterior of the housing, said second human-readable marking being non-identical to the first human-readable marking, said second human-readable marking comprising a second human-readable identification number and a second bar code indicative of the second identification number; reading the second bar code and determining the second identification number; reading the first unique identifier; removing the first record from the database; and checking the database for presence of the second identification number therein, and in the event of the second identification number being absent from the database, writing a second record in the database linking the first unique identifier with the second identification number.