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. 27, 1994
Filed:
Sep. 07, 1993
Kevin D Hunter, Stratford, CT (US);
Pitney Bowes Inc., Stamford, CT (US);
Abstract
A metering system requires a user to provide periodic, accurate meter readings to a billing authority. The metering system includes a mechanism for dispensing postage or another accountable quantity, an accounting mechanism for updating and storing information regarding the amount of postage dispensed by the dispensing mechanism and an output mechanism for outputting the storing postage information. The system also includes a mechanism for storing a time deadline, a clock that provides a current date signal and a lock that disables the dispensing mechanism when the current date is not before the stored deadline. The system also includes a reset mechanism for extending the stored deadline. A user of the system reads the output of the system to obtain a current meter reading. The user then telephones the billing authority's data center, provides the current reading to the data center and receives back from the center an encrypted combination that reflects the reading provided by the user. The user enters the combination into the system. The meter decrypts the combination and verifies that the reading provided by the user matches the stored postage information. The meter then extends the stored deadline.