Global Patent Index - EP 0780809 A3

EP 0780809 A3 20000301 - PC-based open metering system and method

Title (en)

PC-based open metering system and method

Title (de)

PC-gestütztes offenes Zählsystem und dazugehöriges Verfahren

Title (fr)

Procédé et système ouvert de dosage basé sur un ordinateur personnel

Publication

EP 0780809 A3 20000301 (EN)

Application

EP 96120519 A 19961219

Priority

  • US 57511295 A 19951219
  • US 57510995 A 19951219

Abstract (en)

[origin: EP0780809A2] 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 one 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.

IPC 1-7

G07B 17/02

IPC 8 full level

G06Q 30/00 (2006.01); G06Q 50/00 (2006.01); G07B 17/00 (2006.01); G07B 17/02 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

G07B 17/0008 (2013.01); G07B 17/00193 (2013.01); G07B 17/00314 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00177 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00201 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00322 (2013.01); G07B 2017/0033 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00338 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00346 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00411 (2013.01); G07B 2017/00427 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

Designated contracting state (EPC)

DE FR GB

DOCDB simple family (publication)

EP 0780809 A2 19970625; EP 0780809 A3 20000301; EP 0780809 B1 20100324; CA 2193434 A1 19970620; CA 2193434 C 20020219; DE 69638152 D1 20100506; JP H1027272 A 19980127

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 96120519 A 19961219; CA 2193434 A 19961219; DE 69638152 T 19961219; JP 35964796 A 19961219