Abstract: A system for routing electronic account data, includes: a first provider of account services having a first user service provider for communicating account data initiated from a first set of users and a first customer service provider for communicating the account data with a first set of customers; a second provider of account services having a second user service provider for communicating account data initiated from a second set of users and a second customer service provider for communicating the account data with a second set of customers; and an electronic account exchange system communicating with the first and second user service providers and the first and second customer service providers, the electronic account exchange system being operable to permit one or more of the first set of users to communicate its account data with one or more of the second set of customers.

Abstract: An apparatus for issuing money orders and similar instruments and for securing payment therefor is provided as a subsystem of an existing kiosk of a type including, but not limited to postal kiosks, informational kiosks, Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale terminals (POS), vending machines and the like, or any combination thereof. Payment is secured by drawing funds directly from a customer's bank account; by drawing funds from a smart card, or by accepting currency through a bill acceptor. The apparatus further includes facilities for redeeming money orders and dispensing cash amounts corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A postage metering system includes means for printing postage a postage indicia. The printing means has first meter data stored therein. Means are coupled to the printing means for accounting for value printed by said printing means. The accounting means has second meter data stored therein. Means are provided for operating the printing means to print an indicia containing said first meter data from said printing means and said second meter data from said accounting means.

Abstract: A method for ensuring for each postage transaction in a postage meter having a vault subsystem and a printing subsystem that debiting occurs prior to printing of a postal indicia includes authenticating the postage transaction as being valid, performing debiting within the vault subsytem, sending an encrypted debit certificate from the vault subsystem to the printing subsytem, independently recreating the encrypted debit certificate in the printing subsystem, comparing the encrypted debit certificate to the recreated encrypted debit certificate to ascertain if a predetermined relationship exists therebetween, and initiating printing of the postal indicia only upon determination of the existence of the predetermined relationship. An apparatus incorporates the method.

Abstract: A postage metering capability is integrated in an automated teller machine. With minimal modification and using several components of the ATM to perform functions useful in dispensing of postage, the secured environment of an ATM is used to implement numerous postage metering functions. When used with a smart card, postage value is accounted for without reference to an internal vault of the apparatus or to a postal facility, by using a vault of the smart card. The smart card may be used to dispense postage by accessing a customer's postage account at a remote center to set into the internal vault a value to be dispensed, with communication secured in accordance with information provided by the smart card. Using such information, the customer's postage account may also be accessed to recharge the vault of the smart card, rather than the internal vault. Additionally, postage may be dispensed in accordance with value inputted directly by a customer, using cash, credit-, debit-, or money-cards.

Abstract: A Key Management System 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, 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.

Abstract: A method for authorizing performance of a function in a distributed system having first and second subsystems in communication with each other includes the steps of separately generating a mutual session key within the first and second subsystems; utilizing the mutual session key generated in each of the first and second subsystems for authenticating the first subsystem; and authorizing performance of the function only upon completion of the authenticating of the first subsystem. An apparatus performs the inventive method.

Abstract: A remote inspection system including a value dispensing device including structure for printing an indication of value, structure for accounting for value dispensed, and structure for querying and receiving operational data from both the printing structure and the accounting structure and for creating a message based on the operational data which message has a first portion identifying the data and a second encrypted signature portion which is created based on at least some of the operational data; a data center remotely located from the value dispensing device; and structure for establishing communication between the data center and the value dispensing device permitting the value dispensing device to send the message to the data center; wherein the data center includes apparatus for extracting the operational data from the message, apparatus for extracting the at least some of the operational data from the message to create the second encrypted signature portion based on the at least some of the information

Abstract: A method of manufacturing transaction evidencing devices, such as digital postage meters, includes the steps of generating a master key in a logical security domain of a Key Management System; installing the master key into a digital postage meter; verifying the installation of the master key; and registering the master key to a logical security sub-domain in the Key Management System. The step of generating the master key further includes the steps of generating a domain; generating at least one sub-domain; installing the domain in secure boxes of the Key Management System; generating a master key and test token within the domain; and recording the master key in the domain archive. The step of installing the master key further includes the steps of installing the master key into a digital meter; and associating the master key with a unique device identifier.