Pitney Bowes Inc.

The Escher Group, Ltd.

Frank M D'Ippolito

Robert A Cordery

Leon A Pintsov

Steven J Pauly

David K Lee

Walter J Baker

Gary M Heiden

Andrew V Sutherland

Michael Richard Klugerman

Kathyrn V Lawton

Frederick W Ryan, Jr

Kevin D Hunter

Monroe A Weiant, Jr

John F Braun

Feliks Bator

Kathryn V Lawton

Ian A Siveyer

Louis J Loglisci

A system is disclosed for distributing postage over a public network in a manner that is secure in the case of third party interception, indicia for which can be efficiently printed by a postal customer on items to be mailed, and that facilitates authentication of the printed indicia. When the postal customer purchases postage from the postal service, the postal service provides information which the postal customer uses to generate pseudo-random numbers associated with the respective units of postage. When the postal customer prints an indicium for a respective unit, it appends the associated pseudo-random number, which the postal service uses to authenticate the indicium. The pseudo-random numbers are generated using a methodology by which the postal customer can generate pseudo-random numbers for units which have been purchased, but not for units which have not yet been purchased. Each indicium represents an amount of information which can be printed using a one-dimensional barcode, instead of two-dimensional barcodes required in other systems.

System and method for distributing postage over a public network, enabling efficient printing of postal indicia on items to be mailed and authenticating the printed indicia

A method of remotely accessing a postage security account at a data center from a remote user device begins with a remote user assigning a password to the user's postage security account at a data center. A cryptographic key corresponding to the user's postage security account is provided to the remote user device and is stored at the data center. The password and the cryptographic key are combined at the remote user device and the data center respectively to obtain a user authentication key. An authentication algorithm is performed using the user authentication key to obtain a remote access message. The remote access message is sent to the data center to initiate request for access to the postage security account by the remote user device. The remote user device is authenticated for accessing the postage security account when the data center verifies the remote access message.

Method for access control in a virtual postage metering system

A system and method of evidencing postage payment includes a data center with a database storing a plurality of meter records. Each meter record includes meter information corresponding to a metering account. When a request for postage is received, a secure co-processor device in the data center obtains the appropriate meter record and verifies the authenticity of the meter record by verifying a signature in the meter record and comparing freshness data in the meter record to freshness data in the secure device. If verified, the secure device then accounts for an amount of postage to be evidenced, generates evidence of postage payment and updates the meter information, including the freshness data, in the meter record. The secure device then signs the updated meter information, stores the signature in the meter record, and returns the updated meter record to the database.

Virtual postage meter with secure digital signature device

A method of manufacturing a secure box in a Key Management System that includes a plurality of functionally distinct secure boxes initializes a first manufacturing box if one does not exist. The method creates in a manufacturing box at least one logical security domain including encryption keys needed to perform Key Management System processes within the domain, and provides a target secure box with the capability to perform at least one Key Management System function from a plurality of functions required by the Key Management System. The method authenticates the target secure box to the manufacturing box, installs a unique secure box identification in the target secure box, and creates at least one logical security domain in the target secure box corresponding to a logical security domain in the manufacturing box. The method sends a command from a Key Management System computer to initialize the target secure box to perform a domain process for at least one of Key Management System functions provided within the target secure box, and initializes the target secure box in each domain process indicated in the command from the Key Management System computer. The method installs in the target secure box the encryption keys required to perform a key generation process within the domain. For example, target secure box may be provided with at least one of a key verification function, a key installation function, a token verification function, a key registration function, or a secure box manufacturing function.

Method of manufacturing secure boxes in a key management system

A method of manufacturing transaction evidencing devices, such as digital postage meters, includes the steps of generating a master key in a logical security domain of a Key Management System; installing the master key into a digital postage meter; verifying the installation of the master key; and registering the master key to a logical security sub-domain in the Key Management System. The step of generating the master key further includes the steps of generating a domain; generating at least one sub-domain; installing the domain in secure boxes of the Key Management System; generating a master key and test token within the domain; and recording the master key in the domain archive. The step of installing the master key further includes the steps of installing the master key into a digital meter; and associating the master key with a unique device identifier. The step of registering the master key to a logical security sub-domain in the Key Management System further includes the steps of assigning a sub-domain to the digital meter; installing a postal identifier into the digital meter; associating the postal identifier to the unique device identifier; generating a registration token in the digital meter based on the postal identifier and the unique device identifier; generating registration tokens using the master key recorded in the archives; verifying that the registration tokens are identical; and recording the master key in the sub-domain. The steps are repeated for each domain assigned to the digital postage meter.

Method of manufacturing generic meters in a key management system

A method of token verification in a Key Management System provides a logical device identifier and a master key created in a logical security domain to a transaction evidencing device, such as a digital postage meter. The method creates a master key record in a key verification box, securely stores the master key record in a Key Management System archive, and produces in the transaction evidencing device evidence in the logical security domain of transaction information integrity. The method inputs the evidence of the transaction information integrity to a token verification box, and inputs in the token verification box the master key record from the Key Management System archive. The method determines in the token verification box that the master key is valid in logical security domain, uses in the token verification box the master key to verify the evidence of transaction information integrity, and outputs from the token verification box an indication of the result of the verification of the evidence of transaction information integrity. The master key record includes the logical device identifier, the master key and a digital signature associating the logical device identifier and the master key. The method checks the digital signature to verify the association of the logical device identifier and the master key within the logical security domain.

Method of token verification in a key management system

A method and system for postage payment include the generation of a plurality of dispensable discrete items of encrypted data. Each of the items of encrypted data, which may be digital tokens, have a specific value. The generated plurality of discrete items of encrypted data are stored on a portable medium. A prepayment value is also stored on the portable medium. The dispensing of the stored plurality of discrete items of encrypted data is limited based on the prepayment value stored on the portable medium. The medium may be a device or member having memory for storing a plurality of dispensable tokens. The portable member or device may have a housing with a register within the housing. The postage prepayment value is stored in the register. The plurality of discrete items of encrypted data is stored in the housing with each of the items of encrypted data adapted to be formatted for printing. Structure within the housing is coupled to the plurality of discrete items of encrypted data and to the prepayment register for enabling at least one selected item of encrypted data to be communicated outside of the housing if the value stored in register is at least equal to the specific value of the selected item of encrypted data.

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Arlington, MA, United States of America

Frank M D'Ippolito