Value dispensing mechanism, such as a postage meter, having automatic display/printing selection

A value dispensing mechanism which prints an indication of value includes a portable accounting device which accounts for the printed indication of value; and a terminal including apparatus for printing the indication of value, a display which displays messages related to functions of the value dispensing mechanism, structure for controlling messages displayed on the display and for initiating operation of the printing means to print the indication of value, a storage device for storing a plurality of display options, and apparatus for removably receiving the portable accounting device such that at times when the portable accounting device is received in the receiving apparatus the controlling structure and the portable accounting device are in operative communication with each other to permit operation of the value dispensing mechanism; wherein the portable accounting device includes means for automatically designating at least one of the display options upon insertion of the portable accounting device into the receiving means for at least one of displaying the selected display option on the display and printing the selected display option as at least a portion of the indication of value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The instant invention relates to value dispensing mechanisms and more 
particularly to value dispensing mechanisms having an external accounting 
structure which performs transaction accounting and which automatically 
selects one of a plurality of display/printing options. 
Value dispensing mechanisms are well known and as used herein encompass a 
wide variety of apparatus all of which dispense an indication of value. 
Examples of typical value dispensing mechanisms include postage meters, 
kiosks and other types of vending machines including lottery dispensing 
machines and ticket dispensing machines. Each of the aforementioned 
devices not only dispense items having an indication of value thereon but 
typically include some type of accounting structure which accounts for the 
value that has been dispensed. By way of explanation, and not limitation, 
the postage meter will be discussed throughout the instant application as 
a representative preferred embodiment of the claimed invention. 
Digital postage meters are well known and typically include a keyboard, 
display, accounting circuitry, and a printing mechanism. The keyboard and 
display jointly operate to permit communication between the postage meter 
operator and the postage meter itself in order to identify the amount of 
postage to be dispensed. The accounting circuitry includes a plurality of 
registers which serve the purpose of keeping track of the amount of 
available postage remaining in the postage meter and for deducting the 
amount of postage dispensed for an individual transaction from the amount 
of postage that is available. Additional accounting circuitry registers 
are used to identify the total amount of postage which has been added to 
the postage meter over its life, via conventional postage meter recharging 
systems, as well as the total amount of postage dispensed over the life of 
the meter. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,218 issued to Wright et al. describes a postage meter 
which utilizes an external accounting system. In the Wright structure 
instead of the accounting circuitry being contained within the main 
housing of the postage meter, the accounting system circuitry is contained 
on a smart card. The smart card is operatively connected to the rest of 
the postage meter by insertion into a conventional smart card reader. The 
smart card has its own microprocessor and associated memories which 
communicate with the rest of the postage meter including the display, 
keyboard and printing mechanism via the card reader. However, when the 
smart card is removed from the card reader the remaining structure can no 
longer function as a postage meter since the smart card itself is the 
postage meter vault. Incorporating the accounting circuitry of the postage 
meter in a smart card or similar portable accounting device which is 
connectable to the metering system permits a great deal of flexibility for 
the user. That is, a single base terminal having only a printing and 
display function therein can now be accessed by a plurality of individual 
card users for dispensing postage while ensuring that only the card which 
is inserted into the card reader accounts for that specific postage. 
Accordingly, in a single company with a multitude of departments, each 
department could be given a smart card accounting vault which would keep 
track of the amount of postage funds dispensed by that department each 
time the respective smart card is used. However, only a single transaction 
terminal is required to accommodate all of the users. 
While the above flexibility provides a significant advantage to a 
multi-departmental company, it also presents other user related problems. 
For example, many companies find it desirable to have an advertising 
slogan printed alongside the postage indicia. In a stand alone postage 
meter without an external accounting system a plurality of advertising 
slogans can be stored in the meter with a particular one of the 
advertising slogans being selected by the meter operator for each 
transaction. Thus, if different departments had different advertising 
slogans which were associated with their particular department, each time 
the postage meter was used to print an indicia the user would have to 
toggle through the advertising display options to ensure that the 
advertising slogan that they wanted was selected. If they didn't do this, 
it was possible that no advertising slogan or the last advertising slogan 
selected by the previous user would be printed with the indicia depending 
upon the default mode of the postage meter. 
The same situation occurs when an external accounting system is used. Each 
time a user inserts their accounting vault into the meter, they must make 
sure that the appropriate advertising slogan has been selected. The 
Applicants of the instant invention have recognized the above deficiency 
and have taken advantage of the use of the remote external accounting 
system to overcome the foregoing advertising slogan selection problem. The 
instant invention makes use of the individual external accounting system 
modules to automatically identify the desired advertising slogan. 
Additionally, the Applicants of the instant invention have recognized that 
the above problem is not limited to the selection of an advertising slogan 
but will exist whenever it is desirable to permit the postage meter user 
the option of selecting from a plurality of graphical displays or a 
plurality of printing options. For example, assume that the postage 
metering system discussed above was made available to the general public 
at a variety of locations such as the local grocery store. In a 
multilingual neighborhood it is desirable to permit the postage meter user 
to select between a plurality of language modules so that the postage 
meter display would display messages in the user's preferred language. By 
applying the instant invention to the preferred language selection feature 
the individual user's external postage meter vault can be used to 
automatically select the preferred language upon insertion into the 
postage meter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the instant invention to provide a value dispensing 
apparatus which utilizes an external accounting device to automatically 
select at least one of a plurality of display options or one of a 
plurality of printing images available to the user of the value dispensing 
apparatus. This object is met by providing a value dispensing mechanism 
which prints an indication of value and which includes a portable 
accounting device which accounts for the printed indication of value; and 
a terminal including apparatus for printing the indication of value, a 
display which displays messages related to functions of the value 
dispensing mechanism, structure for controlling messages displayed on the 
display and for initiating operation of the printing means to print the 
indication of value, a storage device for storing a plurality of display 
options, and apparatus for removably receiving the portable accounting 
device such that at times when the portable accounting device is received 
in the receiving apparatus the controlling structure and the portable 
accounting device are in operative communication with each other to permit 
operation of the value dispensing mechanism; and wherein the portable 
accounting device includes means for automatically designating at least 
one of the display options upon insertion of the portable accounting 
device into the receiving means for at least one of displaying the 
selected display option on the display and printing the selected display 
option as at least a portion of the indication of value.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, postage meter 1 includes two primary modules, a base 
module 3 and a printhead module 5 each of which are contained within a 
housing defining a single terminal 6. Base module 3 includes a vault 
microprocessor 7, which is fixed within the base module 3 and a 
transaction or base microprocessor 9. Vault microprocessor 7 has software 
and associated memory to perform the accounting functions of postage meter 
1. That is, vault microprocessor 7 has the capability to have downloaded 
therein, either locally or remotely in a conventional manner, a 
predetermined amount of postage funds. During each postage transaction, 
vault microprocessor 7 checks to see if sufficient funds are available. If 
sufficient funds are available, vault microprocessor 7 debits the amount 
from a descending register, adds the amount to an ascending register, and 
sends the postage amount to the printhead module 5 via the transaction 
microprocessor 9. Transaction microprocessor 9 also sends the date data to 
the printhead module 5 so that a complete postal indicia image 10, as 
shown for example in FIG. 2, can be printed on a mailpiece. As used 
herein, postal indicia image 10 consists of two parts, an indicia 10a 
which includes relevant postal information such as postage amount and date 
of postage, and an advertising slogan 10b which is often desired by the 
postage meter user for advertising purposes or to display a seasonal 
greeting such as "Happy New Year". 
Vault microprocessor 7 thus manages the postage funds with the ascending 
register representing the lifetime amount of postage funds spent, the 
descending register representing the amount of funds currently available, 
and a control sum register showing the running total amount of funds which 
have been credited to vault microprocessor 7. Additional features of vault 
microprocessor 7 which can be included are a piece counter register, 
encryption algorithms for encoding the information sent to the printhead 
module 5, and software for requiring a user to input a personal 
identification number which must be verified by the vault microprocessor 7 
prior its authorizing a postage transaction. 
Transaction microprocessor 9 acts as a traffic cop in coordinating and 
assisting in the transfer of information along data line 12 between the 
vault microprocessor 7 and the printhead module 5, as well as coordinating 
various support functions necessary to complete the metering function. 
Transaction microprocessor 9 includes RAM 9a, ROM 9b, and central 
processing unit 9c to provide for the effective execution of meter 
operating programs stored in ROM 9b to accomplish the meter coordinating 
functions discussed above. Transaction microprocessor 9 also interacts 
with keyboard 11 to transfer user information input through keyboard keys 
11a (such as PIN number, postage amount) to the vault microprocessor 7. 
Additionally, transaction microprocessor 9 sends data to a liquid crystal 
display 13 via a driver/controller 15 for the purpose of displaying user 
inputs or for prompting the user for additional inputs. Moreover, base 
microprocessor 9 provides power and a reset signal to vault microprocessor 
7 via respective lines 17, 19 as well as power and a reset signal to print 
module microprocessor 41. A clock 20 provides date and time information to 
transaction microprocessor 9. Alternatively, clock 20 can be eliminated 
and the clock function can be accomplished by the transaction 
microprocessor 9. 
Postage meter 1 also includes a conventional power supply 21 which 
conditions raw A.C. voltages from a wall mounted transformer 23 to provide 
the required regulated and unregulated D.C. voltages for the postage meter 
1. Voltages are output via lines 25, 27, and 29 to a printhead motor 31, 
printhead 33 and all logic circuits. Motor 31 is used to control the 
movement of the printhead relative to the mailpiece upon which an indicia 
is to be printed. Base microprocessor 9 controls the supply of power to 
motor 31 to ensure the proper starting and stopping of printhead 33 
movement after vault microprocessor 7 authorizes a transaction. 
Base module 3 also includes a motion encoder 35 that processes the movement 
of the printhead motor 31 so that the exact position of printhead 33 can 
be determined. Signals from motion encoder 35 are sent to printhead module 
5 to coordinate the energizing of individual printhead elements 33a in 
printhead 33 with the positioning of printhead 33. Alternatively, motion 
encoder 35 can be eliminated and the pulses applied to stepper motor 31 
can be counted to determine the location of printhead 33 and to coordinate 
energizing of printhead elements 33a. 
Printhead module 5 includes printhead 33, a printhead driver 37, a drawing 
engine 39 (which can be a microprocessor or an Application Specific 
Integrated Circuit (ASIC)), a microprocessor 41 and a non-volatile memory 
43. NVM 43 includes first 43a, second 43b, and third 43c memory regions. 
Memory region 43a has stored therein image data representative of the 
fixed portion of the indicia 10a (the fixed portion, such as the eagle in 
indicia 10a, is the same for each printed indicia 10a as compared to 
variable indicia data such as the date and postage amount which may change 
between individual mailpieces). Memory region 43b includes the image data 
for each individual font that may be required as part of the variable 
data. Memory region 43c includes image data for a plurality advertising 
slogans 10b which are selectable by the postage meter user as discussed in 
more detail below. Memory region 43d stores the ASCII character codes 
which are utilized by display 13 in creating screen displays in a first 
preferred language. Additionally, in the preferred embodiment, NVM 43 is 
shown as having a fourth memory region 43e which has stored therein the 
ASCII character codes which are used by dispaly 13 to generate screen 
displays in a second preferred language which is different from the first 
preferred language. Thus, the user has the capability of selecting between 
two different language displays as will be discussed in more detail below. 
One skilled in the art will recognize that although the preferred 
embodiment permits selection between two language display modules, any 
number of language display module options can be incorporated in the 
system by expanding the necessary NVM storage capacity to accommodate such 
additions. 
In order to select the desired language display, the postage meter operator 
presses a designated key 11b on keyboard 11 until the desired language is 
displayed on display 13. When the desired language is displayed, the user 
presses enter key 11c. Base microprocessor 9 responds to the pressing of 
enter key 11c and sets a code in a nonvolatile register 41a of 
microprocessor 41 which code identifies which language display memory 
region 43d or 43e has been selected. In a similar manner, the postage 
meter user selects one of the plurality of advertising slogans which can 
be printed as part of the postal indicia image 10. That is, another key 
11d is pressed until the desired advertising slogan is identified in 
display 13. At this point in time enter key 11c is pressed and base 
microprocessor 9 responds to the pressing of key 11c by setting a code in 
register 41b which code identifies the appropriate advertising slogan 
image in memory region 43c which is to be printed. Once the codes for the 
language module selection and the advertising slogan are respectively set 
in registers 41a and 41b, they become the default operating mode of 
postage meter until new selections are made through the keyboard 11. 
In operation, microprocessor 41 provides the contents of register 41a to 
drawing engine 39 which retrieves the preferred language ASCII character 
codes from either memory region 43d or 43e depending on the language 
selected. The language codes are sent via microprocessor 41 to transaction 
microprocessor 9 which in turn provides the display image data to drive 
controller 15 for displaying messages in the selected preferred language 
on display 13. Once the user enters the desired postage amount through 
keyboard 11 and the postage meter 1 has authorized the transaction by 
ensuring there is enough postage in the vault microprocessor 7 to cover 
the requested postage amount, microprocessor 41 receives a print command, 
the desired postage amount, and the date from transaction microprocessor 
9. The postage amount and date are sent from microprocessor 41 to the 
drawing engine 39 together with the advertising slogan code stored in 
register 41b. Drawing engine 39 then accesses non-volatile memory 43 to 
obtain the necessary fixed, variable and ad slogan image data therefrom 
which data is then downloaded by the drawing engine 39 to the printhead 
driver 37 in order to energize individual printhead elements 33a to 
produce a single column dot pattern of the indicia. The individual 
column-by-column generation of the indicia is synchronized with movement 
of printhead 33 until the full postal indicia image 10 is printed on the 
mailpiece. The code stored in register 41b identifies which of the 
plurality of advertising slogans is to be printed. U.S. patent application 
Ser. No. 08/554,179 entitled MAIL HANDLING APATUS AND PROCESS FOR 
PRINTING AN IMAGE COLUMN-BY-COLUMN IN REAL TIME and filed on Nov. 5, 1995 
now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,103 describes the structure for image 
generation and is incorporated herein by reference. 
While the above description was directed to a meter having only an internal 
microprocessor vault 7, it is highly desirable, as previously discussed, 
to provide a dual vault capability. That is, postage meter 1 also includes 
a conventional card reader 45 which is used to interface with a smart card 
47 to permit communication between smart card 47 and transaction 
microprocessor 9. Smart card 47 is a conventional microprocessor card 
including a central processing unit 47a, RAM 47b, and nonvolatile memory 
47c. Smart card 47 is easily inserted into and out of card reader 45. The 
use of an external smart card 47 which provides the same accounting 
functionality as vault microprocessor 7 provides the postage meter user 
with a great deal of flexibility. That is, different departments or 
operating units can be provided with individual smart card vaults 47 which 
are utilized to account for the postage utilized by that department. 
However, only a single metering system terminal 6 (all of the structure of 
FIG. 1 except the smart card vault 47) is required to print postal indicia 
images 10 for each department. Accordingly, all departments can go to a 
central location to print postage while having individualized accounting. 
In prior postage meters having a single vault/accounting structure only 
the total of all transactions at the individual meter were accounted for 
and there was no capability for individual department accounting. 
In addition to the above, the inventive postage meter system can operate 
without the vault microprocessor 7 such that the postage printing function 
can only occur when an external smart card vault 47 is inserted into card 
reader 45. Alternatively if the vault microprocessor 7 remains in the 
postage meter 1, a switch 49 detects the presence of the smart card 47 and 
sends a signal to transaction microprocessor 9 to indicate that such is 
the case. Transaction microprocessor 9 is programmed such that upon 
receipt of the signal it effects operation of the postage meter 1 
utilizing smart card vault 47 and not vault microprocessor 7. Therefore 
any transaction which occurs with smart card vault 47 inserted into card 
reader 45 will be accounted for in the accounting registers of smart card 
47 and not the registers of vault microprocessor 7. However, if smart card 
47 is removed from card reader 45, all transactions will be accounted for 
in vault microprocessor 7. 
While the dual vault structure provides the above-discussed user 
flexibility, it also presents a user interface problem. That is, registers 
41a and 41b are coded based on the last user operation to identify a 
specific preferred language display and a particular advertising slogan 
10b to be printed. Thus, if a user inserts their smart card vault 47 into 
card reader 45, the default language displayed may not be understandable 
to the user and they will have to follow the procedure set forth above to 
select their preferred language display. Moreover, if the user simply 
enters the desired postage amount without ascertaining which advertising 
slogan is currently selected via the previously stored code in register 
41b, the postal indicia image 10 will be printed with the wrong 
advertising slogan. Since the postage has already been accounted for prior 
to printing of the indicia, the user would be left with the option of 
accepting the incorrect advertising slogan or selecting the desired 
advertising slogan through the keyboard 11, as discussed above, and 
reprinting the postal indicia image 10 with the correct advertising slogan 
10b. If the reprinting operation is chosen, the value of the unused 
indicia 10a has been wasted. 
FIGS. 1 and 3 will be referred to hereinafter to describe how the 
applicants overcame the shortcomings of the prior art discussed above. 
Smart card 47 of the instant invention has first and second registers 47c1 
and 47c2 in NVM 47c which are each used to store a respective code 
identifying the preferred language display and the advertising slogan 
desired by that particular smart card user. Thus, when smart card 47 is 
inserted into card reader 45 at step S1, transaction microprocessor 9 
obtains the codes from registers 47c1 and 47c2 and automatically downloads 
these codes into registers 41a, and 41b at step S3. Thereafter, 
microprocessor 41 provides the code from register 41a to drawing engine 39 
to identify the preferred language module. Subsequently when information 
is exchanged between the user and the postage meter 1 via keyboard 11 and 
display 13, transaction microprocessor 9 receives via microprocessor 41 
the drawing engine 39 the selected preferred language screen displays 
which are stored in memory regions 43d or 43e (step S5) and provides this 
image data to drive controller 15 so that the preferred language is 
displayed on display 13 (step S7). Moreover, when printing of a postal 
indicia image 10 has been authorized (step 8), drawing engine 39 retrieves 
the image data for desired advertising slogan 10b (as identified by the 
code stored in register 41b) from memory region 43c (step S9) and sends 
this image data to printhead driver 39 for printing of the desired indicia 
image 10 including the selected advertising slogan 10b (step S11). 
Finally, when the transaction is completed and the smart card 47 is 
removed from card reader 45 base microprocessor 9 loads the default 
preferred language and advertising slogan codes associated with the last 
use of the internal vault 7 respectively into registers 41a and 41b (step 
S13). The unique structure set forth above ensures that individual smart 
card vault 47 users will automatically obtain their desired graphical 
display and advertising slogan upon insertion of the smart card vault 47 
into smart card reader 47. 
A further advantage of the above metering system is that the transaction 
terminal can be used to change the selection codes stored in registers 
47c1 and 47c2 of smart card 47. With reference to FIG. 4, if a user 
inserts smart card 47 into card reader 45 and uses either button 11b or 
11d as discussed above, they can ascertain through display 13 the 
currently selected preferred language and advertising slogans for that 
smart card 47 (step S15). It is then possible to change these selections 
by pressing the appropriate buttons 11b, 11c, and 11d, as previously 
discussed. Once a selection is made, base microprocessor 9 will change the 
codes stored registers 47c1 and 47c2 to reflect the newly selected codes 
(step S17) such that each time the smart card 47 is subsequently used it 
will automatically select the newly desired preferred language to be 
displayed and the newly advertising slogan 10b to be printed (step S19). 
Thus, the inventive metering system can be used to initialize or change 
the preferred language display selection and the advertising slogan 
selection of the smart card vault 47. This feature is very important 
because individual smart card vaults 47 can easily be changed and reused 
by different departments without necessarily requiring that a new smart 
card vault 47 be obtained. 
While the instant invention has been described in connection with a postage 
meter, the invention is equally applicable to any type of value dispensing 
device where an item having an indication of value is dispensed and 
accounting for such value is accomplished. Moreover, while the preferred 
embodiment set forth above discussed user selected language display 
preferences and user selected advertising slogan preferences, one skilled 
in the art will readily recognize that the inventive concepts can be 
applied to any user selected graphical display or printing image options. 
Thus, in the instant application, the use of the term "display options" 
specifically includes both options for a graphical display on a display 
apparatus or the option of changing the printed image. Additionally, while 
the external accounting device in the preferred embodiment was a smart 
card, other types of conventional external devices can be used in lieu 
thereof. Furthermore, the flash memory device 43 could just as easily be 
any type of known memory device such as a CD ROM. 
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled 
in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited 
to the specific details, and representative devices, shown and described 
herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing 
from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by 
the appended claims.