Patent ID: 7797246

Claim:
A distributed system for issuing printed objects, comprising: a central control unit; a plurality of local terminals for issuing the printed objects, the local terminals located at different geographic locations, wherein each local terminal includes a memory storing a clear code and a protected code; a communication and control network; a plurality of smart cards assigned to operators of the local terminals to activate and enable the local terminals to issue the printed objects, wherein each smart card includes a secret key and a personal identification code; wherein each of said plurality of local terminals includes a memory storing an initialization program that, when executed causes a terminal of the plurality of terminals to perform the steps of: generating a unique fingerprint of the local terminal by combining the clear code and the protected code, sending, to a smart card of the plurality of smart cards inserted in the local terminal, the generated fingerprint of the local terminal, generating a signed fingerprint by signing the fingerprint of the local terminal with the secret key of the smart card, replacing the personal identification code in the smart card with a new personal identification code in the memory of the smart card, sending the signed fingerprint to the central control unit.