摘要:
A method of manufacturing a postage printing device that is to be registered by a registering entity having a public/private key pair. The manufacturing station has a manufacturing station public/private key pair. The method includes storing a root certificate comprising the registering entity public key signed by the registering entity private key in the postage printing device, generating a transport public/private key pair, and storing the transport private key in the postage printing device. The method also includes generating a transport certificate comprising the transport public key signed by the manufacturing station private key, and storing the transport certificate in the postage printing device, after which the postage printing device is set to a transport lock state so that it can be securely transported. Also, a method of registering a postage printing device manufactured in this manner prior to operation of the postage printing device.
摘要:
A Key Management System (10) for generating, distributing and managing cryptographic keys used by an information transaction system that employs cryptographic means to produce evidence of information integrity. The system comprises a plurality of functionally distinct secure boxes operatively coupled to each other. Each of the secure boxes performs functions for key generation, key installation, key verification or validation of tokens. Computers (24, 30), operatively coupled to the secure boxes, provide system control and facilitate communication among the secure boxes. A plurality of separate logical security domains provide domain processes for key generation, key installation, key verification and validation of tokens produced by the transaction evidencing device within the domain using the key management functions. A plurality of domain archives, corresponding respectively to each of the security domains, securely and reliably record key status records and master keys for each domain. The Key Management System installs the master keys in the transaction evidencing device (36) and validates the tokens. The secure boxes include a key generation box for generating, encrypting and signing a master key; a key installation box (32) for receiving, verifying and decrypting the signed master key and for installing the master key into the transaction evidencing device (36), a key verification box for verifying the installation of the master key in the transaction evidencing device, a token verification box for verifying the tokens, and at least one manufacturing box for generating domain keys and distributing the domain keys among the secure boxes for each of the domains.
摘要:
Methods and systems for preparing mailpieces involve the creation of a mailing list. The list is transmitted to a data center (116). Received from the data center (116) is a mailing list and a digital token for each mailpiece with encrypted data. The encrypted data is based on the address information for mailpieces (122) on the transmitted mailing list. The digital tokens for each mailpiece may also be based on the rating parameter information. The recipient address information is applied to an encrypter for generating the digital tokens. The encrypting means for generating digital tokens may be located remote from the mailer facility or on a mailer facility or other local area network. Various arrangements are employed in generating and printing digital tokens recipient address information.
摘要:
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.
摘要:
An apparatus (5) for producing an image in a mail handling machine includes a printing device (33) and a non-volatile memory (43) having fixed and variable image data elements stored therein, a first portion of the fixed image data elements being stored in a compressed manner and a second portion of the fixed image data elements being stored in a bit map form. The apparatus further includes a first control device (41) for identifying at least one of the variable image data elements stored in the non-volatile memory (43) and associated with the image and a second control device (39) for receiving from the first control device data corresponding to the at least one of the variable image data elements associated with the image and for downloading from the non-volatile memory (43) and combining fixed image data elements associated with the image with the at least one of the variable data elements associated with the image and for utilizing the combined fixed and variable data elements associated with the image to cause the printing device (33) to print the image.
摘要:
A method for detecting the relocation of a postage metering system includes initializing the postage metering system with a user postal code which is stored in the postage metering system. When a mailpiece is prepared (400), its return address postal code (405) is compared to the user postal code. When the return address postal code is different from the user postal code, the user is alerted to the difference. When the user postal code is confirmed (420) as being allowable, the envelope is printed (415). When the user postal code is not allowable according to postal regulations, the user postal code is reset to correspond to a licensing post office for the return address of the mailpiece.