The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 24, 1991
Filed:
Oct. 18, 1989
Edilberto I Salazar, Brookfield, CT (US);
Sandra J Peterson, East Norwalk, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A postage meter is disclosed which determines whether postage was printed while power to the meter was off, and if so accounts for such postage printing. The postage meter also determines whether such printing resulted from tampering, and if so records each instance of such tampering. When the number of instances exceeds a predetermined number, the meter prevents further normal operation thereof. The postage meter is provided structure and programming to accomplish the foregoing because it does not include a print device locking mechanism that locks the print devices when power to the meter is switched off. The postage meter determines print cycles of the postage meter occurring when power to the meter is switched off and whether the print devices were moved to a different postage value setting when the meter was off, and if so, the new setting of the print devices. From that, the postage meter determines whether postage was printed while power to the meter was switched off, and if so, accounts for the postage printed.