(19)
(11) EP 0 690 417 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
15.09.1999 Bulletin 1999/37

(43) Date of publication A2:
03.01.1996 Bulletin 1996/01

(21) Application number: 95401301.7

(22) Date of filing: 02.06.1995
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)6G07B 17/04, G07C 9/00
(84) Designated Contracting States:
DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 02.06.1994 US 252970

(71) Applicant: NEOPOST INDUSTRIE
F-92220 Bagneux (FR)

(72) Inventors:
  • Hillegass, Robert Leroy
    San Leandro, Californie 94577 (US)
  • Weber, Jean Charles
    San Francisco, Californie 96117 (US)
  • Abumehdi, Cyrus
    Harlow, Essex CM19 4PR (GB)

(74) Representative: Joly, Jean-Jacques et al
Cabinet Beau de Loménie 158, rue de l'Université
F-75340 Paris Cédex 07
F-75340 Paris Cédex 07 (FR)

   


(54) Postage meter having electronic access control security


(57) A postage meter which can be accessed and reset electrically through use of a two-part coded password sent by a postal employee to a meter manufacturer and an encrypted security code sent by the meter manufacturer to the postal employee for use in putting the postal meter in a reset mode for resetting postage registers in the meter. Enhanced security is realized by the meter manufacturer validating the first part of the password as identifying an authorized postal employee and/or post office station and the second part as associated with a legitimate meter and then issuing the encrypted security code to the postal employee for resetting the meter. The encrypted security code is based on a variable amount of credit with which a register of the meter is to be reset and the security code input to the meter is compared with a corresponding code generated by the meter based on an input of the variable credit amount to ensure that the meter is reset with an authorized credit amount.





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