Emergency post office setting for remote setting meter

Abstract: A technique for securely adding postage to a remote setting postage meter without the remote setting code. The technique is readily implemented in the meter software. During this technique, the meter is manually set by a Post Office Clerk by putting the meter into a post office mode by pressing selected keys, entering the desired amount of postage, and exiting the mode (30). After exiting the mode, the meter is capable of printing postage. After printing some non-zero postage (32), the customer notifys a data center computer of the manual setting by performing an emergency clear procedure (34). First, the customer puts the meter into a remote setting mode by pressing selected keys (36). In this mode, the meter will generate and display an emergency request code. The customer passes the emergency request code with other identifying information to the data center computer. The computer generates its own emergency request code and compares the codes. If they are equal, then the computer will communicate an emergency enable code to the customer for entry into the meter. Upon confirmation against an internally generated emergency enable code, the meter will enable itself to be remotely set again.

Description: The present invention relates generally to postage meters and more particularly to electronic postage meters capable of being remotely set. Such meters are known e.g. from patent US-A- 4 097 923. With the advent of the electronic postage meters, it has become possible to offer meter customers the feature of remotely adding postage credit (remote setting) to the postage meter. This feature enables the customer to more readily and conveniently remotely set the amount of postage in the meter. Extensive procedures and controls are used to insure that the postage amount is remotely set only when authorized. For example, the customer is usually required to enter a long code that varies each time the meter is remotely set. However, there may be a time delay between the time customer first initiates the process of obtaining the remote setting code and the time the customer receives the remote setting code. In addition, the customer may not be able to remotely set the meter due to a low customer account balance. The present invention provides a technique for securely adding postage to a remote setting postage meter without the remote setting code. The technique is readily implemented in the meter software and defined in the appended claim. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred postage meter capable of being remotely set in the field by the customer; Fig. 2a is high level flowchart of the process for manually adding postage to the postage meter in an emergency case without the remote setting code and subsequently clearing the meter for future remote settings and emergency settings; Fig. 2b is a high level flowchart of the process for notifying the data center computer of the manual setting; Fig. 3 is a detailed flow chart of the procedure for the Post Office Clerk to manually add postage to the meter; Fig. 4 is a detailed flowchart of the procedure for the customer to obtain an emergency request code generated by the meter; Fig. 5 is a detailed flowchart of the procedure for the customer to confirm the emergency request code with the data center computer; and Fig. 6 is a detailed flowchart of the procedure for the customer to enter the emergency enable code into the meter; Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a preferred postage meter 10 that can be remotely set in the field by the customer. Meter 10 includes a print mechanism 12, accounting registers, and control electronics, all enclosed within a secure meter housing 13. A keyboard 14 and a display 16 provide the user interface. A connector 17 provides an electrical connection with a mailing machine for control of the printing process. The control electronics includes a digital microprocessor 18 which controls the operation of the meter, including the basic functions of printing and accounting for postage, and optional features such as department accounting and remote setting. The microprocessor is connected to a clock 20, a read only memory (ROM) 22, a random access memory (RAM) 24, and a battery augmented memory (BAM) 26. ROM 22 is primarily used for storing nonvolatile information such as software and data/function tables necessary to run the microprocessor. The ROM can only be changed at the factory. RAM 24 is used for intermediate storage of variables and other data during meter operation. BAM 26 is primarily used to store accounting information that must be kept when the meter is powered down. The BAM is also used for storing certain flags and other information that is necessary to the functioning of the microprocessor. Such information includes meter identifying data such as the meter serial number and BAM initialization date, and a number of parameters relevant to the remote configuration of the meter. Prior to being able to perform an emergency remote setting procedure, the meter must have been capable of being remotely set. However, the meter cannot be remotely set until it has been "installed" at a customer site by an Installation Procedure (see Appendix A) which links the meter, the customer, and the customer lease on the data center computer. This linkage may be securely removed by a Withdrawal Procedure (see Appendix B) or an Exchange Procedure (see Appendix C). Two input numbers used by the meter and the data center computer to generate encrypted codes are the configuration transaction identifier ("CTID") and the setting transaction identifier ("STID"). They are both specific to the meter and dependent upon the meter serial number. They may also be incremented after each use. The CTID is normally used for reconfiguring the meter functions and emergency remote setting and the STID is normally used for remote setting the meter postage. Separate numbers are used for separate procedures in order to maximize security and minimize complexity caused by interdependence. The encryption routine is described in greater detail below. Fig. 2a is a high level flow chart of the process necessary for manually adding postage to the postage meter in an emergency without the remote setting code and subsequently clearing the meter for future remote settings and emergency settings. In a first stage 30, the customer takes the meter to the Post Office where a Post Office Clerk manually adds postage to the meter without the remote setting code. The first stage causes the meter to set a first flag (called flag A) within the meter. The meter can now be used to print postage, but it cannot be remotely set nor can the Post Office manually reset the meter again until later in the method. In a second stage 32, the customer prints some non-zero postage in order to set a second flag (called flag B) within the meter. As before, the meter can still be used to print postage but it cannot be remotely set nor can the Post Office manually set the meter again until later in the method. In a third stage 34, the customer then performs an emergency clear procedure in order to notify the data center computer of the manual setting performed by the Post Office. This stage causes the meter to clear flag A, thereby allowing the meter to be remotely set and to print postage, but not to be manually set by the Post Office. Due to security concerns, the meter must be remotely set at least once between manual settings. In a fourth stage 36, the customer performs a remote setting procedure, thereby causing the meter to clear flag B. The meter may now be set remotely or manually. Fig. 2b is a high level flowchart of the process for notifying the data center computer of the manual setting as shown in stage 34 of Fig. 2a. In first substage 34a, the customer obtains an emergency request code generated by the meter. This emergency request code is essentially a password to the data center computer, and is based on a combination of factors, the combination of which only the data center computer would know. In a second substage 34b, the customer confirms the emergency request code with the data center computer. Upon configuration from the computer, the computer provides an emergency enable code back to the customer. The emergency enable code is essentially a password from the data center computer to the meter stating that it is permissible to be remotely set by the emergency remote setting amount. In a third substage 34c, the customer enters the emergency enable code into the meter. The meter confirms the emergency enable code with an internally generated emergency enable code and thereby clears flag A. Fig. 3 is a detailed flow chart of stage 30 as shown in Fig. 2a. Some meters have displays that are sophisticated and allow for user prompting. Therefore, in each of the steps described below, where the meter requires certain information in order to move to the next step, some meters may prompt the user to make that step. In a first step 40, the customer takes the meter to a Post Office where a Post Office Clerk puts the meter into a Post Office mode by pressing a certain key sequence. This prevents customers and other unauthorized personnel from accidentally entering the Post Office mode. The meter then enters the Post Office mode by setting a mode register located in BAM (step 42). This prevents the meter from being used for printing purposes while performing this procedure. The meter then checks whether a flag B is already set. Due to a security requirement that only one manual setting procedure be performed between remote setting procedures, flag B is set every time the manual setting procedure is completed and non-zero postage is printed and is cleared when an emergency clear procedure and a remote setting procedure is performed. If flag B is set, then the meter displays an error message to the Post Office Clerk (step 46), then exits the Post Office mode (step 48). If flag B is not set, then the meter notifies the Post Office Clerk that the meter is a remote setting meter and that this procedure is an emergency setting procedure (step 50). If the meter were not remote setting, then the meter would be in a standard manual setting mode. Once notified, the Post Office Clerk then performs a manual setting procedure (step 52). The manual setting procedure includes entering a setting amount (which would be an emergency setting amount under the present circumstances) and using a Post Office key, thereby authorizing the meter to print the setting amount of postage. The customer is then given a form 3603 by the Post Office Clerk as a receipt. The meter then sets flag A signifying that the meter is enabled and has been manually set by the Post Office. The meter then exits the Post Office mode by setting the mode register (step 56). The meter can now be used to print postage. The meter can subsequently be returned to the Post Office for modification of the emergency setting amount before printing any non-zero postage by repeating the above procedure. Fig. 4 is a detailed flow chart of substage 34a as shown in Fig. 2b. In a first step 60, the customer puts the meter into a remote setting mode by pressing a certain key sequence. This prevents the customer from accidentally entering the remote setting mode. Upon entry of the key sequence, the meter enters the remote setting mode by setting the mode register in BAM (step 62). This prevents the meter from being used from printing postage while being remotely set. In step 64, the meter tests whether flag A is already set (meaning that an emergency clear procedure has not been performed since the last remote setting procedure). If flag A is not set, then the meter allows the customer to perform the standard remote setting procedure (step 66) which would clear flag B as in stage 36 at Fig. 2a. If flag A is set, then in step 68 the meter tests whether flag B is set (meaning that the Post Office has manually set the meter and that the meter has printed non-zero postage). If flag B is not set, then the customer is notified that non-zero postage is needed to be printed and the meter exits the mode (step 70). If flag B is set, then the meter then displays information needed later in the method (step 72). This includes the Ascending Register amount, the Descending Register amount, the emergency resetting amount and the emergency request code. The Ascending Register contains the amount of postage the meter has printed since the meter has been initialized. The Descending Register contains the amount of postage the meter is presently authorized to print. The meter then generates and displays an emergency request code (step 74). The emergency request code is a code generated by the meter which is partially based on the Ascending Register amount, and the STID. The encryption process is described in greater detail below. Fig. 5 is a detailed flowchart of substage 34b as shown in Fig. 2b. The customer establishes communication with the data center computer over a standard telephone. The customer may communicate with the data center computer on a touch tone telephone by pressing the keys. Alternative embodiments may utilize a telephone communications device that includes a user or meter interface and a modem, or by voice recognition over a telephone. The customer first enters a request code (which describes that the customer is attempting to do an emergency clear procedure for a meter) and a password to the computer (step 80). The customer enters the meter serial number which can also be found on the exterior of the meter. The customer then enters the customer account number, the Ascending Register amount, the manual setting amount, and the Descending Register amount, some of which were previously obtained and written down above (step 82). The customer then enters the emergency request code from the meter (step 84). From the information above, the computer is also able to generate an emergency request code (step 86). The computer checks that its emergency request code matches the emergency request code generated by the meter (step 88). If they do not match, then the computer checks emergency request codes dependent upon prior STIDs. This enables the computer to determine how many remote settings are outstanding. If the codes still do not match, then the customer has improperly entered numbers or some other error has occurred. If the codes do not match, then the customer is notified (step 90) and must repeat the above steps starting with entering the meter serial number (step 82) or terminate the transaction. The computer then checks the other information entered by the customer to see if it agrees with what is already stored on the computer (step 92). If the information does not match then some error has occurred so the customer is notified (step 90) as above. If the two codes match and the other information is accurate, then the computer generates an encrypted emergency enable code using the CTID and the meter serial number (step 94). The encryption process is described in greater detail below. The data center computer then increments the CTID located within the computer (step 96). The computer then communicates the encrypted emergency enable code to the customer along with a request for the form 3603 to be mailed to the meter company from the customer to validate the transaction. Fig. 6 is a detailed flowchart of substage 34c shown above in Fig. 2b. The customer enters the computer generated emergency enable code into the meter (step 100). The meter then generates its own emergency enable code (step 102) and compares that code with the entered emergency enable code (step 104). If the codes do not agree, then the customer is notified (step 106). The customer may reenter the computer generated code or call an agent at the meter company for help. If the configuration enable codes agree, then the meter knows that it is authorized to perform remote setting procedures and to clear flag B. Encryption Technique In order to perform the above procedure in a secure manner and to confirm certain data, the emergency request code and the emergency enable code are generated by an encryption routine, stored both in the meter ROM and in the data center computer. The encryption routine is a nonlinear algorithm that generates a number that is apparently random to an outside person. The encryption routine is performed by an encryption program in combination with a permanent encryption table. In the preferred embodiment, the encryption routine uses a 16 digit (or 64 bit) key and a 16 digit input number. The emergency request code is generated by the encryption routine performed on the STID as the key and the Ascending Register amount as the input number. The configuration enable code is generated by the encryption routine performed on the CTID as the key and the meter serial number as the input number. The CTID and STID are 16 digit numbers that are stored in BAM. The initial value of the CTID and STID are obtained by performing an algorithm upon the BAM initialization date in combination with the meter serial number. The BAM initialization date is used to prevent starting with the same CTID and STID every time the meter is initialized. The algorithm is not stored in the meter for security reasons. The initial CTID and STID are stored in BAM during the initialization process at the factory. After the computer has been notified of the manual setting procedure, the CTID is incremented by a nonlinear algorithm within the meter and the computer. The codes generated by the encryption routine are 16-digits long. The lower digits of the codes are then communicated to the agent by the meter or the data center computer. The number of lower digits that are communicated is determined by the HSL value (see Appendix D for details). Conclusion It can be seen that the present invention provides a secure and efficient technique for allowing meters to be remotely set in an emergency by the customer. While the above is a complete description of specific embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used. For example, the electronics of the configurable meter may be structured differently. Additionally, instead of using the tones on the telephone, a direct connection via modem can be used. Furthermore, the encryption routine could use other meter identifying information to generate the emergency request and enable codes such as the CTID or STID in both codes. For example, the encryption key used to generate the request codes could be composed of a meter cycle counter. Other security measures may be implemented such as reviewing periodic inspection of the meter. Therefore, the above description and illustration should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claim.

Claims: A method of manually setting an electronic remote setting postage meter (1), the meter having a postage amount, a flag (A), and meter identifying data stored in memory (22,24), being remote from a data center computer, and having a first mode of operation for printing postage if the postage amount is greater than zero, a second mode of operation for manually setting the postage amount, and a third mode of operation for communicating the manual setting to the data center computer, the method comprising the steps of: a) placing the meter (1) in the second mode if the flag (A) is clear; b) entering into the meter (1) a manual setting amount (52), thereby increasing the postage amount by the manual setting amount and causing the flag (A) to be set (54); c) placing the meter in the third mode if the flag is set (56); d) calculating at the meter a meter generated emergency request code that depends on the identifying data (74); e) establishing communication with the data center computer; f) entering into the data center computer the identifying data and the manual setting amount (82); g) calculating at the data center computer a computer generated emergency enable code that depends on the identifying data (94); h) entering the computer generated emergency enable code into the meter (100); i) comparing at the meter the meter generated and computer generated emergency enable codes (104); and j) clearing the flag (A) if the codes are equal (112).

Inventors: BARKER CHARLES PHILIPP, HAINES JOHN GREGORY, SLAUGHTER TRACY FLOYD, BARKER, CHARLES PHILIPP, HAINES, JOHN GREGORY, SLAUGHTER, TRACY FLOYD
Applicants: NEOPOST IND, NEOPOST INDUSTRIE
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G07B17
IPC codes: G07B17