(57) In a microprocessor based mailing system, postal rate charts (Figure 2A) are provided
on portable media such as floppy disks, having the capability to update such postal
rate charts. The mailing system includes a microcomputer system made up of microprocessor
22, a CRT display 30, a keyboard 40, a dual disk drive 24 and a printer 26. The mailing
system also has a scale for determining the weight of items to be mailed, and an optional
postal meter. The microprocessor determines the appropriate postage for items to be
mailed in accordance with (a) the item's weight, (b) postal information input by an
operator and (c) postal rate charts stored on a first disk in one of the disk drives.
To update the postal rate charts a second disk may be substituted for the first while
the first disk is shifted to the other drive. The second disk contains updating information
and an updating program to update the rate charts. Upon initialization of the system
the updating program is loaded and executed. After updating the first disk the information
on the second disk is destroyed, preferably by copying the updated first disk onto
it.
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