Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for dispensing postage or other authorization information electronically by using a portable processor containing a maximum amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail or other item. A plurality of shipping service providers may utilize the portable processor to store and dispense credit value for authorization of various shipping services. Accordingly, a user is presented with information regarding various shipping service providers fees and/or services associated with particular shipping/delivery parameters desired by the user in order to make an informed choice as to a most preferable method of shipment.

Abstract: A system and method for printing an outbound and/or an associated return postage meter stamp, including a desired postage amount, onto a label or onto an outbound document and/or an associated return document. A processor based system is programmed to interact with a customer to produce individualized documents, printed address labels, and a printed postage meter stamp having in one embodiment, a customized postage indicia. The processor based system automatically calculates the postage due for each specific document, prints that postage amount as a meter stamp, interacts with the customer to generate a personalized stamp indicia, encrypts selected information into a machine readable format, and prints the information entered by the customer in a selected format, all on the document or documents for transfer to the outside of a mailing envelope.

Abstract: A system and method for conducting secure fault tolerant transactions, such as financial transaction, remotely is disclosed. The transactions are conducted utilizing a portable processor device which is initialized and authorized according to the present invention. Thereafter, the portable processor operates to conduct transactions involving information exchange through unsecured communication paths according to a predetermined protocol. The protocol includes the use of atomic transactions within the portable processor device.

Abstract: A system and method for certified transmission of an electronic document, as verified by the generation of a certification indicia. Three embodiments of the system and method are disclosed, providing for the certified transmission of a document through an independent certification device or for direct transmission from a sender to a recipient. Furthermore, the resulting certification indicia may be generated by an independent certification device or by a portable processor at the sender or receiver's location.

Abstract: A system and method for coding data into physical form and for delivering the coded data to a recipient for entering the data into a form controlled by the recipient. One embodiment of the coded data is medical data generated by a plurality of different care providers and the recipient is a primary care provider. The medical data is coded in a uniform manner, such as a bar code, and is easily transported and stored, both in physical and electronic form.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a weight of a postal item from information associated with the generation of the postal item. A processor-based system accepts input of information including parameters associated with the context in which the postal item is being generated. These parameters may be accepted directly from a process which is generating the postal item or may be manually input. From these parameters, the system determines attributes of the postal item from which a determination of its weight may be made. The attributes may be specific to postal items generated by a particular user of the system or may be attributes found to generally represent postal items generated in the particular context indicated by the parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for certified transmission of an electronic document, as verified by the generation of a certification indicia. Three embodiments of the system and method are disclosed, providing for the certified transmission of a document through an independent certification device or for direct transmission from a sender to a recipient. Furthermore, the resulting certification indicia may be generated by an independent certification device or by a portable processor at the sender or receiver's location.

Abstract: A system and method for registering a software license agreement utilizing user information encoded in a machine readable media is disclosed. A user installs a software program onto a processor-based system. Thereafter, the user provides user-specific information to the program which is encrypted in a machine-readable form. This encrypted user information is then sent to a owner of rights in the software program to be included in a database of registered software users.

Abstract: A system and method for remote postage metering of postage indicia, including demanding a desired postage amount and subsequently printing the postage indicia onto a piece of mail. A user inputs certain necessary information, as well as additional desired information, into a local processor-based system. The local system then assembles a postage demand in suitable format and transmits the same to a remote postage metering device. The remote postage metering device then verifies the demand for authority to demand and valid funding. Upon verification, the remote postage meter assembles a data packet representing an authorized postage indicia. The data packet is transmitted to the local system for printing. Printing of the postage indicia may be unaccompanied, or may include additional information. Such additional information may include destination and return address, machine readable routing or identification information, or a complete document to be posted.

Abstract: A system and method for printing a postage meter stamp, including a desired postage amount and a personalized postage indicia, onto a piece of mail. A user takes a postal storage device to the Post Office in order to obtain a replenishment of the amount of postage stored within the postage storage device. A desired amount of postage is entered into the storage device by a postal employee through a processor-based system. The user is then able to access this stored postage at the user's location through a complementary processor-based system. The user is also able to create or to select one of a variety of graphical configurations of postage indicia to be imprinted as the postage meter stamp on a piece of mail.

Abstract: A system and method for printing postage indicia, including a desired postage amount, onto a piece of mail. A user takes a postal dispensing device to, or establishes information communication with, an authorized agent of a postal authority in order to obtain a replenishment of the amount of postage stored within the portable postage dispensing device. A desired amount of postage is entered into the dispensing device by an authorized agent through a host processor-based system. The user is then able to access this stored postage at the user's location through a network of processor-based systems. By using the network of processor-based systems the user is able to couple the portable dispensing device to a first processor-based system and then allow distribution of postage amounts to multiple ones of the networked processor-based systems. These ones of the networked processor-based systems may then print an authorized postage indicia on a postal item.

Abstract: A system and method for printing a postage meter stamp, including a desired postage amount and a personalized postage indicia onto a label or onto a document directly. A processor based system is programmed to interact with a customer to produce individualized documents, printed address labels, and a printed postage meter stamp having in one embodiment, a customized postage indicia. The processor based system automatically calculates the postage due for a specific document, prints that postage amount as a meter stamp, interacts with the customer to generate a personalized stamp indicia, encrypts selected information into a machine readable format, and prints the information entered by the customer in a selected format, all on the document for transfer to the outside of a mailing envelope.

Abstract: A system and method for generating, storing and retrieving cryptographic keys to be utilized in a processor-based system. In one embodiment, a Touch Memory ("TM") containing unique information is used as a portable memory to interface with a processor-based system wherein a cryptographic key generation program utilizes the unique information in the generation of cryptographic key sets. The generated encryption and decryption keys are stored on at least one such portable memory. Additionally, the encryption key is stored in the processor-based system. The presence of at least one specific portable memory is necessary at the time of decryption of data encrypted utilizing an encryption key associated with a decryption key, or portion thereof, stored on the specific portable memory.

Abstract: A system and method for printing a postage indicia, including a desired postage amount and encrypted information, onto a piece of mail. The mail when inserted into the normal mail system can be verified as having legally issued postage through realtime access to a central registered user database. A user takes a powerable postal dispensing device to an authorized agent of a postal authority in order to obtain a replenishment of the amount of postage stored within the portable postage dispensing device. A desired amount of postage is entered into the dispensing device by an authorized agent through a host processor-based system. The user is then able to access this stored postage at the user's location through a complementary host processor-based system. The authorized agent uses a PC bond system designed to allow data to be entered into the portable dispensing device only upon exercising a series of comprehensive checks based, in part, by data stored within the portable dispensing device.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for dispensing postage (or other graphical security indicia) electronically by using a portable processor containing a maximum amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail. The portable processor can be refilled at various locations through the use of a closed-loop system which relies upon a database of users who are preregistered in the database. Upon refill of the portable processor an expiration date is stored therein. Thereafter, each transaction includes reference to this expiration date and a secure realtime clock in order to determine if the portable processor may dispense postage. Additionally, the realtime clock is utilized to provide date stamping of the indicia generated.