Abstract: The present invention includes apparatus and methods for handling mailpieces. A mailpiece handling device includes a substantially horizontal deck for receiving a mailpiece. The device also includes a substantially vertical registration wall that extends upwardly from an edge of the deck. The device further includes a disk mounted for rotation in a circular opening in the deck adjacent the registration wall. The disk has a substantially horizontal surface. In addition, the device includes an arm mounted above the disk so as to be pivotable in a horizontal direction. Also, the device includes a steering member mounted at a free end of the arm. The steering member is for applying downward pressure to a mailpiece that is in contact with the disk.

Abstract: A method and system for protecting against side channel attacks on cryptographic systems that attempt to recover information from externally detectable signals, such as electromagnetic fields or power input variations. A system operates in accordance with the subject invention to process a message using a cryptographic protocol involving a secret key d. The protocol includes a step for computing the result of iteratively performing a binary operation [op] on a digital quantity G, where a secret key d is taken as an integer value, such as elliptic curve scalar point multiplication or modular exponentiation.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking the receipt and the internal movement of items such as packages, parcels and other accountable items within an organization such as a corporation, hospital or school. The system comprises a portable data terminal programmed to record information regarding the receipt and the internal movement of the items in a data collection format, wherein the data collection format can be created and/or modified by the user according to the user's needs. For that purpose, the system further comprises a base station to allow the user to create and/or modify the data collection format. The base station is capable of communicating with the portable data terminal for unloading electronic files to the portable data terminal in order to modify the data collection format.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the thickness of a mail piece is provided. A first image of at least a portion of a surface of a mail piece is captured using a first optical axis for a feature on the surface of the mail piece. A second image of the feature is captured after the mail piece has moved a distance using a second optical axis that is angled with respect to the first optical axis. The first and second images are correlated to determine a displacement of the feature, and the thickness of the mail piece is determined based on the displacement and the angle between the first and second optical axes.

Abstract: A system for generating digital postage stamps wherein a PC requests digital postage stamps from a data center. The data center generates a digital book of postage stamps, which the PC downloads to its hard drive. The digital book of postage stamps includes a read-only software module that prints each digital postage stamp using stamp related information contained within the software module. The software module on the PC verifies that the signature of the PC is identical to the PC signature that was stored in the software module when the software module was configured at the data center. If verified, the software module generates the digital postage stamp and then initiates printing on a printer coupled to the PC. The software module renders the data associated with the digital postage stamp being printed unusable for subsequent generations of digital postage stamps.

Abstract: A method of measuring a mailpiece includes deflecting a laser beam through an arc, determining an angle at which the laser beam is currently directed, and calculating a dimension of the mailpiece based at least in part on the determined angle.

Abstract: A card for testing print heads includes a first layer having a first height and longitudinal length and a second layer located on top of the first layer having a second height and longitudinal length smaller than the first length. Also, a method of determining ink drop velocity including providing such a card, and printing a line including a plurality of dots thereon. A first of the dots is located on the first layer and a second of the dots is located on the second layer. Finally, the method includes determining a first relative distance between the first and second of the dots along the print direction, determining a second relative distance between the top surfaces of the first and second layers, and calculating the ink drop velocity as follows: V*(RD1/RD2), wherein V is the print velocity, D1 is the first relative distance, and D2 is the second relative distance.

Abstract: A method of processing votes in an election includes receiving a voter identity for a voter, receiving a vote set for the voter, providing a phrase to the voter based on the received vote set, generating a unique receipt number for the voter and providing the receipt number to the voter, and associating the voter identity and the receipt number with one another in a first function. The method further includes generating a unique vote number for the voter, associating the vote set, the vote number and the receipt number with one another in a second function, and associating the phrase and the vote number with one another in a third function that is provided to the voter. The method includes associating the vote number with the vote set in a fourth function that is accessible for purposes of later verifying proper counting and contesting of a vote.

Abstract: A method, and deterministic random bit generator system operating in accordance with the method, for generating cryptographic keys and similar secret cryptographic inputs which are hard to guess. A seed is input from an entropy source; and an initial state is generated as a function of the seed. When a request to generate a cryptographic key is received a current state, where the current state is initially the initial state, is mixed to generate an out put string and a next state and the current state is set to the next state. The requested cryptographic key is generated from the string; and output. These steps can be repeated to generate successive output strings with assurance of forward and backward secrecy. An encryption system including such a generator is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system that enables the accurate identification of the originator of a mail piece within a corporate mail room environment is provided. Each person that generates mail items is provided with tracking information to be placed on each mail item. The tracking information can include, for example, an employee identification number, an equipment identification number and a unique sequence number. When the mail item is received in the corporate mail room, the tracking information is scanned and the tracking information is associated with a unique aspect of the mail item. Utilizing the tracking information associated with each mail item, the ambiguity of origination of each mail item is removed as there is now a verifiable record of the originator and/or originating equipment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for embedding information in an image during relative movement between a print medium and an ink jet print head is provided. A plurality of first lines are printed and a plurality of second lines are printed. Each of the first lines includes a plurality of first dots and a plurality of second dots offset from the first dots by a first amount, and each of the second lines includes a plurality of third dots and a plurality of fourth dots offset from the third dots by a second amount different than the first amount. The information is encoded in the image using an encoding scheme in which the first lines represent a first value in the encoding scheme and the second lines represent a second value in the encoding scheme.

Abstract: A method and system that protects against a replay attack in a closed system postage meter is provided. “Freshness” data is included along with each indicium message sent from the meter to the printer, thereby enabling the printer to detect “stale” indicium data, i.e., indicium data that was previously generated and is being replayed, and prohibit the printing of duplicate indicia. The freshness data includes a random nonce generated by the printer during initialization along with sequence data that the printer can verify against sequence data from the previous printed indicium. If in the current indicium message the nonce is different or the current sequence data is not greater than or equal to the sequence data from the previous printed indicium, indicating the current indicium data may have been previously generated and is a replay, the printer will not print the current indicium data.

Abstract: In a value dispensing system, a system and method for securely loading and executing software in a secure device that does not include any non-volatile programmable memory is provided. A non-secure portion of the value dispensing system stores software for loading into the secure portion when needed. Commands being sent to the secure printer are monitored to determine if the secure has the necessary software to execute the command. If the secure device currently does not have the necessary software to execute the command, the command is delayed and the proper software is loaded from the non-secure portion to the RAM of the secure device. A signature associated with the software is verified to ensure the authenticity of the software. If the signature is verified, the command is passed to the secure device, and, utilizing the software in the RAM, the command is executed by the secure device.

Abstract: A printing system is provided that dynamically adjusts the method of printing an image based on the lightness or darkness of the medium upon which the image will be printed. The reflectivity of the medium upon which an image is to be printed is determined, and the way in which the image will be printed is adjusted based on the determined reflectivity of the medium. For lighter colored mediums, on which sufficient contrast will be provided, the image can be printed directly onto the medium. For darker colored mediums, on which the ink used to print the image will not provide enough contrast with respect to the medium to produce a reliably readable image, the method of printing the image is modified to ensure that sufficient contrast is always provided to produce a reliably readable image.

Abstract: A mailing machine that optimizes throughput by reducing the amount of time necessary for the PSD to generate the digital signature and indicium for each mail piece is provided. The debit operation performed by the PSD, i.e., adjusting the PSD registers, is separated into three different sections, a pre-debit operation, a perform debit operation, and a complete debit operation. In addition, the calculation of the digital signature can optionally be pre-computed, or, alternatively, computed in stages, i.e., partial signature calculation. Utilizing this granularity, the cryptographic operations associated with generating the digital signature can be shifted between the three debit operations such that the execution time of the time critical portion of the debit operation (perform debit) can be optimized to meet the performance requirements of the mailing machine in which the PSD is deployed.

Abstract: A system and method for fast weighing of items such as mailpieces. The system includes a scale system having a platform connected to a load cell that provides an output signal to an analog-to-digital converter. The resulting digital output signal is processed by a low pass filter and analyzed by a microprocessor to determine weights of items on the platform. The microprocessor also determines postage amounts of items on the platform. The microprocessor also determines postage amounts as functions of the weights and outputs these postage amounts to a postage meter. The microprocessor determines the weights as the median of the peak to valley difference of the digital output signal when the digital output signal peak to valley difference is less than a predetermined value. The microprocessor identifies peaks and valleys of the digital output signal by determining when the derivative of the signal changes sign.

Abstract: A method and a system for metering an advertisement having a message to be presented to a plurality of users of a communications network, wherein the metering is used to count the number of times the message is actually presented to one or more users. The method comprises the steps of embedding a code in the message; and detecting the embedded code to count the number of presentations. Preferably, the embedded code contains the client's identity so as to allow the server to identify the client who should pay for the advertisement, and a rate code for calculating an advertisement charge to the client. In order to prevent an unscrupulous host web server from manipulating the metering system, a challenge-response mechanism is used to ensure the metering system has not been reconnected through an alternate channel of the network. Furthermore, a click-through monitoring process is used to monitor whether the user actually clicks on the advertisement image to learn more about the advertised service or product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of converting data stored in one or mores files from a first format to a second format. The files include one or more records, with each record including one or more fields of data. Each of the records is associated with a first data map corresponding to the first format and a second data map corresponding to the second format. The method converts each file, record by record, using the information from the first and second data maps associated with the selected record. A determination is made as to whether each field is present in the second format, and if so, the field data is copied to a new record at a field location for the field that is set forth in the second data map.

Abstract: A virtual postage metering system and method provides value added services corresponding to postage metering transactions. Funds are not stored at a user's site, reducing the risk of unauthorized modification of accounting balances. There is a database record of every mailpiece, thereby improving verification since all valid pieces are known. Furthermore, the present invention enables the Post to know the volume of mail to be processed prior to receipt of physical mail pieces. Since more mailer data is available (e.g. when users usually mail, how much mail per day, average postage amount) the virtual postage metering system enables the postal service to predict mail handling patterns. Additionally, users have the option to pay as they go which contrasts present systems in which funds must be on deposit prior to being downloaded to a meter although such downloaded funds may remain in the meter for weeks before being used.

Abstract: A drop box for storing mail pieces includes an enclosure, and an articulated door which runs on tracks. The door is selectively positioned in a horizontal course. When the door is in the horizontal course, a mail piece may be inserted through an opening in the enclosure and placed on the door. The door is then withdrawn from the horizontal course to allow the mail piece to drop into a lower portion of the enclosure. When the door has been withdrawn from the horizontal course, it closes the opening in the enclosure.