(19)
(11) EP 0 173 249 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
21.01.1987 Bulletin 1987/04

(43) Date of publication A2:
05.03.1986 Bulletin 1986/10

(21) Application number: 85110530

(22) Date of filing: 22.08.1985
(84) Designated Contracting States:
CH DE FR GB IT LI NL SE

(30) Priority: 22.08.1984 US 643219

(71) Applicant: PITNEY BOWES INC.
 ()

(72) Inventors:
  • Kirschner, Wallace
     ()
  • Nambudiri, Easwaran C.N.
     ()
  • Patterson, Douglas H.
     ()

   


(54) Non-volatile memory system with real time and power down data storage capability for an electronic postage meter


(57) A method and associated apparatus is provided for increasing the reliability of the stored accounting data which reflects the transactions of an electronic postage meter, including the steps of an associated apparatus for providing a first non-volatile memory (30) capable of storing accounting data which represents the postage meter transactions; updating the first non-volatile memory (30) in real time for each postage transaction to provide a current record of the accounting data for each postage transaction on-the-fly; providing a second non-volatile memory (32) capable of storing accounting data representing the postage meter transactions during a power down cycle of the postage meter; providing a volatile memory (28) capable of storing accounting data which represents the postage meter transactions; updating the volatile memory (28), in real time for each postage transaction to provide a current record of the accounting data for each postage transaction; and transferring the accounting data from the volatile memory (28) to the second non-volatile memory (32) during the power down cycle of the postage meter.






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