Pitney Bowes Inc.

Winslow E Jackson

Robert K Chen

Paul H Kim

Joseph L Gargiulo

Wojciech M Chrosny

Robert T Durst

A postage meter accounting system is provided having a user terminal which interfaces with and controls an electronic postage meter. The user terminal is also connected to an integrated circuit card read-write unit for receiving user, administrator, service and/or program integrated circuit cards. The user terminal activates and permits use of the meter upon presentation of a valid user card, storages postage meter use information and transmits the postage meter use information to the user card for storage in a user card transaction table. The postage meter use information stored in the user terminal and in user card memory may be accessed for later reference on a user terminal display and/or printer. Preferably, an administrative computer is provided for periodically receiving all postage meter use information from the user cards or, alternatively, directly from the user terminal to generate one or more postage meter use accounting reports. The administrator card permits access to and revision of user card memory, postage meter use information and owner-variable user terminal application program information. The service card permits access to and revision of administrator card memory and all user terminal application program information. Program cards facilitate application program loading and revision.

Postal charge accounting system

A postage meter recharging system is provided wherein an authorized value card center maintains a customer account of available postage funds. Upon confirmation of a meter access code the value card center debits the customer account and authorizes issuance of an integrated circuit value card bearing in memory a meter combination code and an appropriate amount of postage meter funds. The value card is inserted into the value card read-write unit of a postage meter terminal and, upon confirmation of the proper meter combination code, transfers at least a portion of the postage meter funds from the value card to the postage meter vault.

Postage meter value card system

A fault tolerant smart card is provided having primary functional units including a standard ISO interface, a first microcontroller, a clock, and main memory. Secondary functional units including a secondary microcontroller, secondary memory with bit checking capability and an alternate battery power source are also provided. A microcontroller error detector is connected to both microcontrollers. Should a discrepancy between microcontrollers occur known test patterns are run on the second microcontroller to determine which microcontroller is faulty. A private access port provides alternate access to information stored in the fault tolerant smart card. Registers for funds remaining, error condition and access account are also provided.

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Monroe, CT, United States of America

Winslow E Jackson