Abstract: A mailing machine base adapted to have a postage meter mounted thereon, wherein the meter includes a postage printing drum having a home position, the base comprising, structure for moving the drum, a d.c. motor for driving the drum moving structure, a microprocessor, a power switch connected between the d.c. motor and microprocessor, a comparator connected between the microprocessor and d.c. motor for receiving therefrom a signal corresponding to the back e.m.f. voltage of the d.c. motor and providing a comparison signal to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor programmed for, providing a reference voltage signal for the comparator corresponding to a desired back e.m.f. voltage for causing the d.c. motor to drive the postage printing drum at a desired constant velocity, energizing the power switch with a first signal for causing the d.c.

Abstract: A mailing machine comprising, structure for feeding a sheet in a path of travel, a fence for defining a direction of the path of travel and against which an edge of a sheet is normally registered for alignment thereof in the path of travel, structure for printing postage indicia on a sheet in the path of travel, the printing structure including a rotary postage indicia printing drum, the printing structure including structure for driving the drum, structure for controlling the sheet feeding and drum driving structure, the controlling structure including a microprocessor, the controlling structure including structure for sensing a sheet in the path of travel and providing a signal to the microprocessor when a sheet is fed into and out of blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a first magnitude when a sheet is not disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a second magnitude when a sheet is disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing struc

Abstract: A mailing machine base adapted to have a postage meter mounted thereon, wherein the meter has a postage printing drum and a drive gear therefor, and wherein the meter has a shutter bar movable in opposite directions through a predetermined distance for movement thereof out of and into locking engagement with the drive gear, the base comprising, structure for moving the shutter bar, a d.c. motor for driving the shutter bar moving structure, a microprocessor, including a program power switching structure connected between the microprocessor and d.c. motor, the switching structure including four power switches arranged in an H-bridge circuit configuration for driving the motor in opposite directions respectively corresponding to the opposite directions of movement of the shutter bar, and the microprocessor program including means for: (i) energizing the switching structure with a first signal for driving the d.c. motor in a given direction for a first time interval predetermined to cause the d.c.

Abstract: A mailing machine comprising, a base and a postage meter mounted on the base, the postage meter including a rotary postage indicia printing drum, the base including structure for driving the drum at a desired constant indicia printing speed corresponding to a desired reference voltage, the base including structure for controlling the postage printing drum, the controlling structure including a microprocessor connected to the drum driving structure, the controlling structure including structure for sequentially sensing a commencement and a completion of constant printing speed of the drum and providing corresponding successive signals to the microprocessor, the microprocessor programmed for providing a predetermined reference voltage corresponding to the desired drum printing speed, counting a time interval in response to receiving the successive constant speed commencement and completion signals, determining whether the counted time interval and the desired time interval are substantially equal, and storing t

Abstract: A mailing machine base comprising, structure for feeding a sheet having a leading edge and a trailing edge in a path of travel, the sheet feeding structure including a roller, the sheet feeding structure including structure for driving the roller at a desired sheet feeding speed corresponding to a desired reference voltage, structure for controlling the sheet feeding structure, the controlling structure including a microprocessor connected to the roller driving structure, the controlling structure including structure for sequentially sensing the leading and trailing edges of the sheet in the path of travel and providing corresponding successive signals to the microprocessor, the sheet having a predetermined length from the leading edge to the trailing edge thereof; and the microprocessor programmed for providing a predetermined reference voltage corresponding to the desired sheet feeding speed, counting a time interval in response to receiving the successive leading and trailing edge signals, determining whet

Abstract: A mailing machine base comprising, structure for a direction of the path of travel and feeding a sheet in a path of travel, a fence defining against which the an edge of a sheet is normally registered for alignment therewith and thus in the direction of the path of travel, structure for controlling the sheet feeding structure, the controlling structure including a microprocessor connected to the sheet feeding structure, the controlling structure including structure for sensing a sheet fed into and out of blocking relationship with the sensing structure and providing a corresponding signal to the microprocessor, the signal having a first magnitude when a sheet is not disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a second magnitude when a sheet is disposed in blocking relationship with the sensing structure, the signal having a variable magnitude between the first and second magnitudes for less than a predetermined time interval when a sheet is fed into blocking relationship wi

Abstract: A mailing machine base comprising, structure for feeding a sheet in a downstream path of travel, the feeding structure including opposed upper and lower rollers for feeding a sheet into the path of travel, the feeding structure including a d.c. motor connected for driving the rollers, structure for controlling the feeding means, the controlling structure including a microprocessor, the controlling structure including structure for comparing the back e.m.f. voltage of the d.c. motor to a reference voltage and providing the microprocessor with a comparison signal, and the microprocessor programmed for controlling the d.c. motor to drive the rollers at a substantially constant sheet feeding speed in response to the comparison signal.

Abstract: A mailing machine base adapted to have a postage meter mounted thereon, wherein the meter has a postage printing drum having a home position, and the base comprising, structure for moving the drum, a d.c. motor for driving the drum moving structure, a microprocessor, a power switch connected between the d.c. motor and microprocessor for driving the d.c. motor, a power switch connected between the d.c. motor and microprocessor for dynamically braking the d.c. motor, a comparator connected between the microprocessor and d.c. motor for receiving therefrom a signal corresponding to the back e.m.f. voltage thereof and providing a comparison signal to the microprocessor, and the microprocessor programmed for, energizing the braking switch for a first time interval predetermined to cause the d.c.

Abstract: A mailing machine base adapted to have a postage meter mounted thereon, wherein the meter includes a printing drum and a drive gear therefor, and wherein the meter includes a shutter bar mounted for movement into and out of locking engagement with the drive gear to respectively prevent and permit driving the drive gear and thus the printing drum, the mailing machine base comprising, framework, structure for moving the shutter bar out of locking engagement with the drive gear and then moving the shutter bar into locking engagement with the drive gear, the moving structure including a lever arm pivotally attached to the framework and adapted to be disposed in bearing engagement with the shutter bar when the meter is mounted on the base, the lever arm including a yoke portion depending therefrom, the moving structure including a cam shaft journaled for rotation to the framework, the moving structure including a cam connected to the cam shaft for rotation therewith and having an end portion thereof disposed withi

Abstract: A system for the metering of encrypted postage and similar indicia includes a device for printing such indicia and a device for reading such indicia. The printing is accomplished with a dot matrix printer driven by signals obtained by altering character generation signals with encryption signals. The interleaving is accomplished on a row-by-row basis by inserting delays from an encryption circuit into signals from a character generator circuit. The reading is accomplished by correlating received characters against a stored array of a symbols to determine the presence of a symbol, the extraction of coded data from character data of the received and identified character, and the comparison of the separated coded data with a reference code to determine the accuracy of the printed material. Thereby, forgery and alteration is inhibited.

Abstract: An advanced electronic postage meter system is described, which is built around a micro computer set. The micro computer set is of LSI design, and comprises a single chip central processor unit (CPU) which performs all control and data processing functions. Auxiliary to the CPU are ROM's which store the program of the postage meter system; RAM's which provide the system wtih a working memory; and Shift Registers which expand the I/O capacity of the system and provide multiplexing capability. The postage meter system comprises componentry such as a non-volatile memory for postage accounting purposes; a display for visually monitoring the functions of the system; a keyboard for instructing the system; and a modified postage meter with motorized setting means for printing postage upon pieces of mail. These peripheral devices communicate with the micro computer set through ports, and means are provided to expand port capabilites for these peripheral devices.

Abstract: Indicia having an encrypted number that is stamped upon a mail piece representative of postage so as to provide a code for authentication of such postage.

Abstract: A system for the metering of encrypted postage and similar indicia includes a device for printing such indicia and a device for reading such indicia. The printing is accomplished with a dot matrix printer driven by signals obtained by altering character generation signals with encryption signals. The interleaving is accomplished on a row-by-row basis by inserting delays from an encryption circuit into signals from a character generator circuit. The reading is accomplished by correlating received characters against a stored array of symbols to determine the presence of a symbol, the extraction of coded data from character data of the received and identified character, and the comparison of the separated coded data with a reference code to determine the accuracy of the printed material. Thereby, forgery and alteration is inhibited.

Abstract: In a postal meter adapted to be connected to a source of supply of power for energization, and having structures for printing postage values and a selected data, for displaying a plurality of segments, and for entering data, and having a computer electrically connected to each of the aforesaid structures and programmed for processing data for controlling the operation thereof, and wherein the postal meter includes structure for selecting one of a plurality of dates; there is provided an improvement for reminding an operator of the postal meter to check the selected date. The improvement includes the computer being programmed for causing the display to start displaying at least one unique segment in response to energization of the postal meter, the data entering structure including a depressable key for entering data into the computer, and the computer being programmed for causing the display to stop displaying the at least one segment in response to the depression of the key.

Abstract: An improvement in combination with a postage meter including a rotary postage printing drum having apparatus for changing respective postage values to be printed, and including apparatus for actuating the changing apparatus, there is provided an improvement for indexing the changing apparatus into engagement with the actuating apparatus. The improvement comprises: a d.c. motor coupled to the drum for rotation of the drum; a device for sensing angular displacement of the drum; and a computer coupled to the sensing device and to the d.c. motor; wherein the computer provides respective amounts representative of desired angular displacements of the drum during successive sampling time periods, responds to the sensing device for providing respective amounts representative of actual angular displacements of the drum during successive sampling time periods, compensates for the difference between desired and actual angular displacements and generates a d.c.

Abstract: In a postage meter having structures for entering data, for displaying numerical values and other data, and for printing postage, and having a computer electrically connected to each of the aforesaid structures and programmed for processing data for controlling their operation, wherein the data entering structure includes a keyboard having a plurality of depressable numeric keys, and wherein the computer means includes means for storing data and calculating amounts pertaining to the operation of said postage meter; there is provided apparatus and a method of displaying data pertaining to the operation of the postage meter.

Abstract: A postage meter, adapted to be connected to a source of supply of power for energization, is provided. The postage meter includes improved structure for entering data. The data entering structure includes a keyboard having a plurality of numeric keys, a postage setting key, at least one special purpose key and a plurality of display keys. In addition, the postage meter includes devices for displaying numerical values and other data, for selecting one of a plurality of dates, and for printing postage values and the selected date. Further, the postage meter includes a computer which is electrically connected to each of the aforesaid entering and displaying and printing devices and is programmed for processing data for controlling the operation of the same.

Abstract: An electronic postage meter includes a settable mechanism for printing postage with electronic accounting circuits coupled to the printing mechanism and a value selection control circuit for controlling the value set on the printing mechanism. An audible alarm device is mounted within the meter housing and is connected to be controlled by the microcomputer. The audible alarm device is selectively energized by the microcomputer to alert the meter user of the existence of predetermined conditions. The value selection control circuit may include a winding which is adapted to be energized under control of the microcomputer to cause the value selection control circuit to operate to control the value to which the printing mechanism is set.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the accounting loss in the case of catastrophic failure of a microprocessor in an electronic postage meter is disclosed. In accordance with the invention a counter, preferably a ring counter, is implemented in a non-volatile memory (NVM). The ring counter is incremented each time a predetermined amount is transferred in an accounting register of the meter. In the ring counter, a specific location of NVM is erased and the next number in sequence is written into the same location upon the transfer. The ring counter field is easily interpreted by a visual inspection for determining the total amount transferred. The method and apparatus in accordance with the invention provides extremely fast transfer time, exhibits high redundancy with ease of interpretation, and overcomes the problem of read/write degradation limitations heretofore imposed by conventional MNOS non-volatile memories.

Abstract: An improved value print device having incorporated within the device improved mechanism for detachably coupling a housing with an inking roller to a reciprocal carriage and new structures on the housing for permitting the convenient removal of the housing and inking roller from the carriage.