Abstract: An apparatus for assembling mailpieces and a method for controlling such apparatus. The apparatus includes a document feeder for feeding sets of documents to a chassis for assembly into mailpieces a constant rate. Because the number of documents varies the time to assemble a set varies and it is possible that a set may not be available when the chassis is ready to cycle; resulting in a cycle in which no mailpiece is processed. To correct for this the average number of documents for a number of mailpieces to be processed is determined and a nominal chassis speed and cycling rate are determined correspondingly. The actual chassis speed is then periodically updated to approach the nominal speed.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the unauthorized refill of a retaining cartridge is prevented by providing a smart button cell affixed to a retaining cartridge. The smart button cell is loaded with information specific to both the vendor and the retaining cartridge and the information is cryptographically signed. The smart button cell is operatively inserted into a host machine, having a memory and a processor, in a manner enabling communication of information between the smart button cell and the memory of the host machine. The host machine then reads and verifies the cryptographic signature of the information to determine if the retaining cartridge is authorized. If the host machine determines the cartridge is authorized, then the machine operates under normal conditions. If however, the host machine determines the cartridge is not authorized then operation is terminated. After each time the cartridge is refilled the number of refills is recorded and used in determining a new cryptographic signature.

Abstract: A method and a printer for printing on a substrate with a plurality of automatic positioning multiple microprocessor controlled print head assemblies, wherein each assembly includes at least one print head and arranged for movement along a rectilinear path transverse to the direction of movement of the substrate feed path. A microprocessor-based controller determines the print position and directs the print head assemblies to print positions by motor control to properly place the print head assemblies over the substrate feed path. An encoder senses the position of a movable fence used to adjust the width of the feed path according to the width of the substrate to determine a dimension which corresponds to a set of pre-determined criteria used to position and control the print heads for printing on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A device in a postage meter that uses dot or drop printing to enhance security. Security is achieved by counting the number of signal pulses that are used to produce ink drops or ink dots that are required to produce the entire document or specific regions of the document. The aforementioned may be accomplished by adding a smart module to digital print head modules. The smart module would capture driver pulses from the print head module and interpret the pulses associated with regions of the image. Thus, the smart module would take data from the printer controller that is used to cut off printing when the ink is consumed and relate “set” values to the drops produced during the production of the document or portions of the document, thereby linking the document to the actual volume of ink produced.

Abstract: The invention is a method and system for determining an address from a print buffer stream. The method begins with initializing an address detection and determination routine, and then directing a print buffer stream to be read by the address detection and determination routine. In reading the print stream data, the application tokenizes address data resident in the print stream before comparing the tokenized data with data tables wherein each of the data tables comprises address characteristics. In making the comparison of the tokenized address data, the method then determines whether or not the tokenized address data matches a format in one of the data tables. If a match is found, then the method applies a coding scheme to the matched data. The coding scheme being determined in accordance with the matched data's corresponding data table. Matched data is coded in accordance with the coding scheme to create a coded address.

Abstract: A system for controlling the validity of printing of indicias on mailpieces from a potentially large number of users of postage meters includes apparatus disposed in each said postage meter for generating a code and for printing the code on each mailpiece. The code is an encrypted code representative of the postage meter apparatus printing the indicia and other information uniquely determinative of the legitimacy of postage on the mailpieces. The keys for the code generating apparatus are changed to change its code generation at predetermined time intervals in each of the meters. A security center includes apparatus for maintaining a security code database and for keeping track of the keys for generating security codes in correspondence with the changes in each generating apparatus and the information printed on the mailpiece by the postage meter apparatus for comparison with the code printed on the mailpiece.

Abstract: A jogger system to be mounted on a vertical stack mixed mail feeder to provide a vibration, intermittently pushing a mail stack preferably on the outboard side of the mail stack in order to cause the bottom edges of the mail stack to rest on an outboard slider bed and a timing belt on the feeder, and to align the lead-edges of the mail stack against a registration wall. Preferably, the jogger system is integrated to the outboard slider bed of the feeder and comprises at least one imbalance weight rotatably mounted on a shaft which is substantially parallel to the length of the slider bed, and a motor to rotate the imbalance weight so as to cause the vibration. The jogger system further comprises compliance means to be placed between the jogger system and the feeder for mounting.

Abstract: An electronic scale uses an analog signal from a load cell which is converted directly to a pulse width modulated output signal. This pulse width modulated output signal represents the weight of an object on the scale and is sufficient to be directly read by a typical microcontroller. Therefore, no amplifier or analog to digital converter is required. The microcontroller then converts a signal representing the weight of the object on the scale to a weight value. A method of using the counter/timers on the microcontroller with synchronized overflow, is disclosed to enable a high resolution value of the pulse width modulated signal, which is then converted into a weight value for object's weight given that the pulse width modulated output signal is proportional to the weight of an object placed on the load cell.

Abstract: An ink jet printer including a replaceable cartridge and a control device in operative communication with the cartridge. The control device is for monitoring a predetermined operating condition of the cartridge and providing electronic signals to the cartridge in response to the predetermined operating condition reaching a threshold level so as to disable the cartridge.

Abstract: A method and system for preparing mailpieces. A inserter system for assembling mailpieces in a mailing job is controlled in accordance with a measure of the fraction of chassis cycles which are empty. The chassis speed is continually adjusted during run-time for a mailing job to minimize the number of “dry holes”, i.e. the fraction of chassis cycles which do not contain a mailpiece.

Abstract: A method for controlling an inserter system having a chassis for assembling mailpieces, the chassis operating cyclically with successive accumulations advancing at the end of each cycle. The inserter system further includes a document feeder for feeding accumulations of documents to the chassis, the accumulations containing varying numbers of documents whereby the document feeder is operated at a first speed such that accumulations are available for input to the chassis at varying intervals substantially depending upon the number of documents in corresponding accumulations. And the chassis is operated at a selected speed, which speed is periodically updated in dependence upon the number of documents in the corresponding accumulations in the document feeder.

Abstract: A high speed, high volume mailing machine which utilizes ink jet technology for the printing of postage indicia on envelopes being fed through the mailing machine and on discrete portions of tape fed past the printing device of the mailing machine includes a tape storing and feeding mechanism which stores a roll of tape in the form of a web of indefinite length for feeding a discrete portion of the tape past the feeding device for each printing operation of the mailing machine, and feeds the tape forward to bring the printed portion thereof past and then reverses the movement of the tape to bring the new leading edge thereof to the beginning of the printing area. The tape storing and feeding mechanism provides a fixed support for the portion of the tape being printed on so as to maintain a critical gap between the surface of the tape and the plane of the jet nozzles to achieve a high printing quality.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for supplying document accumulation sets to an inserter system wherein sheets are first feed into a sheet stacking device to be stacked into a stacking pile. Individual sheets are then fed in seriatim from the stacking pile into a collating device, which collates a predetermined number of the individual sheets into a collation set. The collation set is then advanced into an accumulating device, which accumulates at least one collation set to form an accumulation set. The accumulation set is then advanced into the inserter system for further processing.

Abstract: A customizable user interface for a mailing apparatus, such as a postage meter or other mailing equipment, provided as input data to a user interface control program, the input data specifying all aspects of the look and feel of the user interface. The invention provides a specific organization of the input data suitable for providing the required specifications. At a high level, the data is organized into a screen tree component, for providing the feel of each screen, i.e. the response by the mailing apparatus (usually the execution of a function) to any key pressed by a user in association with each screen of the user information as well as for providing what screens to display in response to an event so as to communicate the occurrence of the event to a user; and a screen language component, used in conjunction with a font component, for providing the look of each screen, i.e.

Abstract: Mailing machine including a controller, a printer module including a connector, a print head controller for producing print data signals necessary to print a postal indicia on an envelope and a replaceable print head cartridge having a plurality of print elements which are selectively energizable in response to the print data signals. The print head cartridge is detachably mounted to the connector. The controller in operative communication with the printer module for: determining if a valid print head cartridge is installed; and if a valid print head cartridge is not installed, preventing the print data signals from reaching the connector.

Abstract: A methodology for generating a motion profile for an axis of a motor in a mailing apparatus, the linear or angular motion of the motor axis imparting a motion to a sheet or envelope being conveyed by the mailing apparatus. The methodology includes four processes for generating a segment of a motion profile, depending on whether, for the segment, absolute positional synchronism (of the motor axis to be controlled relative to another motor axis) is needed, or whether a so-called quick step is needed, i.e. a change in velocity corresponding to acceleration that varies during the step.

Abstract: A software system is selectively installed from a source into a target system according to a profile. The software system comprises a plurality of components. Only selected components are needed by the target system. A profile of the target system is created when the target system is defined; the profile defines the components needed by the target system. To configure the target system, an installation process installs in the target system only components from the source that are defined in the profile for the target system. The source may be a storage medium or a separate installation system.

Abstract: A control system for a mailing machine includes a user interface having a display, a memory having a screen region, a plurality of screens stored within the screen region and a control program for displaying the plurality of screens on the display and for controlling the operation of the mailing machine. Each of the plurality of screens has pre-function data and background function data, respectively. The pre-function data includes image data relating to a screen image for display. The control program uses the pre-function data to identify a pre-function to be executed before displaying the screen image and uses the background function data to identify a background function to be executed during the display of the screen image.

Abstract: A method of producing a label for a mailpiece having a postal indicium printed thereon including the following steps: (i) providing a user with a label stock including a plurality of labels; (ii) prompting the user to provide an input of a label position indicator corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of labels; (iii) feeding the label stock through a printer; and (iv) printing the postal indicium on the selected label.

Abstract: A method for assigning keys to a plurality of devices in a public key cryptographic system includes generating a set of more than one master private keys; calculating for each master private key a corresponding master public key; installing in each of the plurality of devices a corresponding device private key derived as a linear combination of at least two of the master private keys from the set of master private keys whereby knowledge of the corresponding device private key installed in any one of the plurality of devices is not sufficient to determine the corresponding device private key of any other of the plurality of devices. A device public key can be calculated as a corresponding combination of the master public keys.