Pitney Bowes Inc.

Other

Steven J Pauly

Robert A Cordery

Leon A Pintsov

Frederick W Ryan, Jr

Monroe A Weiant, Jr

David K Lee

David W Riley

Walter J Baker

Frank M D'Ippolito

Gary S Jacobson

Wesley A Kirschner

Kevin D Hunter

John A Hurd

Feliks Bator

Gary M Heiden

Kathryn V Lawton

Louis J Loglisci

Kathyrn V Lawton

Richard C Day, Jr

Thomas J Foth

Bertrand Haas

Jeffrey D Pierce

Sungwon R Moh

John F Braun

Steven M Kaye

Robert W Sisson

Robert G Arsenault

Sung S Chang

George T Monroe

G Thomas Athens

Ian A Siveyer

Elaine B Cristiani

Michael J Shukaitis

David N Long

G Thomas Atthens

Cathy C Morrissey

Printing methods and systems that provide both a secure value label printing mode of operation and a non-secure mode of operation that allows generic printing of non-value items without compromising the security feature of the secure printing mode are described. If the printing system determines the image is a non-secure image such as an address label or other non-value graphic, the printing system utilizes the non-secure mode and disables the use certain printhead elements. In such a system, the enforced print disabled white bands are enforced in non-secure mode such as by actually disabling the print drive mechanism that allows a row to be printed or by populating certain regions of the print buffer with zero values.

Method for printing address labels using a secure indicia printer

In a system including a postage printing device and a data center, wherein the postage printing device and the data center have a first set of keys for use in requesting and downloading a plurality of postage data records from the data center for use in printing postal indicia, a method of securely transferring the postage printing device and any postage value stored therein from a first user to a second user. According to the method, a new set of keys for requesting and downloading postage data records is generated, any current postage value stored in the printer device is securely transferred to the second user using the new keys and some of the first set of keys, and the first set of keys is zeroed, thereby protecting the first user from any potential theft or fraud of postage funds on the part of the second user.

Method of securing postage data records in a postage printing device

A method includes configuring a flash memory device including a first memory sector having a primary memory sector correspondence, a second memory sector having an alternate memory sector correspondence, and a third memory sector having a free memory sector correspondence, copying a portion of the primary memory sector to the free memory sector, erasing the primary memory sector, and changing a correspondence of each of the first memory sector, the second memory sector, and the third memory sector.

Method for manipulating state machine storage in a small memory space

Apparatus and method of creating and printing a postal indicium incorporating a dynamic, image-dependent watermark including receiving and storing a transformed image and metadata from an electronic device, inserting a watermark or portions of a watermark into the transformed image at one or more watermarking zones specified in the metadata, performing a transform on the transformed image with the watermark or portions of the watermark inserted therein to create a printing image, and printing the postal indicium wherein the postal indicium incorporates the printing image, a barcode and human readable text.

Method and system for applying an image-dependent dynamic watermark to postal indicia

A mail piece verification system for processing a mail piece having associated therewith mail piece data includes an incoming mail processing center, an outgoing mail processing center located downstream from the incoming mail processing center and a data center in operative communication with the incoming mail processing center and the outgoing mail processing center. The incoming mail processing center receives the mail piece, obtains the mail piece and uploads the mail piece data to the data center. The data center performs a verification check on the mail piece data and downloads instructions based upon the verification check to the outgoing mail processing center. The outgoing mail processing center uses the instructions to process the mail piece.

Mail piece verification system

A method of manufacturing a postage printing device that is to be registered by a registering entity having a public/private key pair. The manufacturing station has a manufacturing station public/private key pair. The method includes storing a root certificate comprising the registering entity public key signed by the registering entity private key in the postage printing device, generating a transport public/private key pair, and storing the transport private key in the postage printing device. The method also includes generating a transport certificate comprising the transport public key signed by the manufacturing station private key, and storing the transport certificate in the postage printing device, after which the postage printing device is set to a transport lock state so that it can be securely transported. Also, a method of registering a postage printing device manufactured in this manner prior to operation of the postage printing device.

System and method for manufacturing and securing transport of postage printing devices

A method comprising the steps of generating a code at a data center, the code being associated with the value dispensing system; creating a challenge card having the code therein; sending the challenge card via a carrier service to the specific location; retrieving the code from the challenge card and entering the code into the value dispensing system subsequent to receipt of the code at the specific location; communicating the code retrieved from the challenge card from the value dispensing system to the data center; and comparing the code received at the data center from the value dispensing system to the code generated at the data center to verify that the value dispensing system is physically located at the specific location.

Method and apparatus for the remote inspection of postage meters

A transaction evidencing system includes a personal computer (PC) comprising a processor, memory and hard drive, with a plurality of non-metering application programs that selectively run on the PC. An unsecured printer is operatively coupled to the PC for printing in accordance with the non-metering application programs. A portable vault card that is removably coupled to the PC is programmed to generate tokens generation and perform transaction accounting. An application interface module in the PC, which interfaces with the non-metering application programs, issues a request for digital tokens in response to requests for indicia from a non-metering application program. A secure communications module in the PC, which securely communicates with the vault card when the vault card is coupled to the PC, sends the request for digital token to the vault card and receives a digital token generated by the vault card. An indicia bitmap generation module generates an indicia bitmap in the PC from the digital token and stores it in memory. The indicia bitmap is accessed by the non-metering application program when a print indicia operation is selected. A transaction capture module in the PC stores on the hard drive a transaction record corresponding to each issued digital token and associated postal data. The application interface module, the secure communications module, the indicia bitmap generation module and the transaction capture module are part of a dynamic link library module in the PC.

PC-based open metering system and method

A transaction evidencing system includes a plurality of computer systems operatively configured to form a network with one of the computer systems functioning as a server and the remaining computer systems functioning as clients. Each of the computer systems includes a processor, memory and storage media. At least some of the storage means includes non-metering application programs that are selectively run on the client computer systems. An unsecured printer is operatively coupled to at least one of the computer systems for printing in accordance with the non-metering application programs. A portable vault card, which is removably coupled to the server computer system, includes digital token generation and transaction accounting processing. The client computer systems issue requests for digital tokens to the server computer system in response to requests for indicia from the non-metering application programs. The requests for digital tokens include predetermined information required by the token generation processing. The server computer system communicates with the vault card when the vault card is coupled to the server computer system, sending the requests for digital tokens to the vault card and receiving from the vault card the generated digital tokens. The server computer system sends each digital token to the client computer system that requested the digital token. The requesting client computer system generates an indicia bitmap from the digital token. The server computer system receives from the vault a transaction record that includes the digital token and the predetermined information and stores the transaction record in its storage media.

Network open metering system

A method for controlling keys used in the verification of encoded information generated by a transaction evidencing device and printed on a document comprises the steps of generating a plurality of random verifier master keys to obtain a set of verifier master keys consisting of a fixed number of keys; generating at least one pointer by applying a psuedorandom algorithm to data unique to the transaction evidencing device; calculating a plurality of verifier token keys to obtain a verifier token key set corresponding to the set of verifier master keys; encrypting the verifier token key set with a privacy key; and distributing the set verifier token keys and the privacy key to verifiers. The token keys are a function of the verifier master keys and a code valid for a limited time. The pointer algorithm is an appropriate symmetric key cryptographic algorithm and the code is function of a date dependent parameter. The master keys are distributed to postal and vendor data centers.

System and method of verifying cryptographic postage evidencing using a

Methods and systems for preparing mailpieces involve the creation of mailing lists which includes correct and incorrect recipient address information. The list is transmitted to a data center. Received from the data center is a mailing list including addressed hygiened recipient address information and a digital token for each mailpiece with encrypted data. The encrypted data is based on the corrected address information for mailpieces with correct address information on the transmitted mailing list and on hygiened recipient address information the mailpieces with incorrect recipient address information on the transmitted mailing list. The digital tokens for each mailpiece may also be based on the rating parameter information. Selection is provided for utilizing a given one of the incorrect recipient address information and the correct recipient address information is applied to an encrypter generating the digital tokens. The encrypting means for generating digital tokens may be located remote from the mailer facility or on a mailer facility or other local area network. Various arrangements are employed in generating and printing digital tokens recipient address information and corrected recipient address information.

Electronic data interchange postage evidencing system

Growing community of inventors

New Milford, CT, United States of America

Steven J Pauly