Abstract: A secure system for Authentication information. The system includes a scanner for reading the information contained in a document, a timing mechanism for entering the time the document was read, an encryptor for encrypting the read and timed information and a counter for counting the number of documents processed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a document authentication system that may be read by a human and/or machine. A one or two-dimensional bar code or other printed code is printed over a magnetic strip, which may contain information linked to the encoded bar code data and human readable text that appears on the document. The magnetic strip that contains a printed bar code is affixed to a document that contains human readable text and a protective transparent laminates is placed over the bar code for abrasion resistance. The bar code or other code may be printed with an invisible ink for additional security.

Abstract: A system that scans and reads IBI in accordance with the USPS Specification. This invention also improves both the readability and security of the IBI. The apparatus of this invention utilizes a postage meter that prints an IBI, scans and checks the IBI and prints an invisible, secure message, i.e., bar code over the IBI. When, the mail piece arrives at the post, the additional material is scanned and read at the same time the IBI information is scanned and read. The scanned verification information is then collected and may be subsequently transmitted to a central data center and used for further verification of the postage paid. This stored information may be retrieved during connection to a central postage meter resetting data center when the meter is reloaded and forensically checked.

Abstract: A bar code and/or indicia scanning method that is able to determine what light was emitted from an upper layer invisible bar code and/or upper layer invisible indicia and what light was reflected back to the detector from a visible lower layer bar code and/or visible lower layer indicia. The detecting is "blind" to the spectra of the excitation source. Rather than differentiate between the exciter and emitter in the spectral domain, this invention differentiates between the exciter and the emitter in the time domain. The latency and persistence of the phosphorescent pigments of the invisible ink are used so that the detected signal is only the signal emitted by the upper layer invisible ink after the light source is turned off. Illumination and detection are synchronized to reduce the effects of reflection to zero so that the detector need not be chosen to be blind to the exciter. The foregoing is particularly suited to LED and laser illumination where the light source may be easily turned on and off.

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 method is disclosed for ensuring proper payment by a mailer for postage indicia printed by the postage meter of a mailing machine operated by the mailer. The method includes a series of steps carried out by the mailer in connection with the preparation of a discrete quantity of mail by use of a mailing machine which has the capability of determining and recording in a database various characteristics of the mail that affect the postage required for a postal facility to handle the mail, and generates a product usage profile of the mailer's history of mailing. The Post Office counts the mail, and then calculates an expected cost of the mailing using data from the mailer's product usage profile, and then compares that expected cost with the amount of postage credit funds remaining in the mailer's postage meter to determine whether it is likely that any fraud has occurred in the preparation of the mailing.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for identifying, authenticating and tracking articles of manufacture throughout their manufacturing and distribution channels. The foregoing system utilizes: manufacturing meters that are located at authorized manufacturing locations and produce encrypted data that is uniquely associated with each manufactured article; a printer located at the authorized manufacturing locations so that the printer will print the information encrypted by the meter, which encrypted information is affixed to the manufactured article; a data center coupled to the manufacturing meters and located at a site remote from the manufacturing meters; means for producing information that identifies the manufactured articles; and a plurality of means located where the authenticity of the manufactured articles are checked by comparing the encrypted information on the article with the information produced that identifies the article.

Abstract: An identification card and method and apparatus for producing and authenticating such an identification card. A person whom the identification card will identify, is scanned to produce a digital signal which is compressed, encrypted, and coded as a two dimensional barcode or as some other appropriate form of coding, which is incorporated into one portion of the identification card. The image is also printed or otherwise embodied onto another portion of the identification card. A text message maybe appended to the signal before it is encrypted and also printed as plain text on the identification card. In one embodiment the signal representing the image is encrypted using a public key encryption system and the key is downloaded from a center. To validate the card the coded message is scanned, decoded, decrypted, expanded and displayed.

Abstract: A monitoring system that determines the amount and type of customers' usage of machines and equipment without having a representative of the manufacturer physically inspect the customers machines and equipment. The monitoring system utilizes a mailpiece to transmit information about the customers' usage of customers machines and equipment.

Abstract: Wax based invisible inks have been discovered that emit light at various wavelengths in the visible region when they are excited by UV light. This allows lower layer clear text information to be written on an object with a regular, visible ink and an upper layer bar code to be written over the lower layer text information with an ink that is invisible to the naked eye. This allows the lower layer text information and upper layer bar code to contain more information than conventional bar codes. These inks allow printing and decoding invisible bar codes over printed information with visible inks. The detection by fluorescence of these invisible inks provides a high signal to noise ratio and no interference with the visible printed information.

Abstract: A system and method for issuing and validating tickets. The system includes a data processing system for receiving ticket request information and generating ticket information; the ticket information including encrypted validating information, a local printing system which receives the ticket information and prints the encrypted validating information on a ticket in machine readable format, and a validating system for converting the encrypted validating information into a digital format, decrypting the validating information, testing the validating information to validate the ticket and, if the ticket is valid, downloading at least a portion of the ticket information for reconciliation of accounts; that is for reconciling ticket issuance, use, and payment.

Abstract: Inks have been discovered that are selectively excitable by different wavelengths of incident radiation. This allows a lower layer bar code to be written on an object with an ink and an upper layer bar code to be written over the lower layer bar code with an ink that is invisible to the naked eye. This allows the lower layer and upper layer bar code to contain more information than conventional bar codes.

Abstract: Inks have been discovered that are selectively excitable by different wavelengths of incident radiation. This allows a lower layer bar code to be written on an object with an invisible ink and an upper layer bar code to be written over the lower layer bar code with an ink that is invisible to the naked eye. The apparatus of this invention is a detector that is able to read the upper and lower layer bar codes.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that makes it more difficult to print fraudulent indicia. Security is achieved by varying the dot size of pixels in the printed image according to a predetermined arrangement.

Abstract: This invention relates to a document authentication concept wherein a transparent tape having encoded text thereon is applied to the document. The encoded text printed on the transparent tape is printed with invisible ink so that the message thereon is not visible to the unaided eye. Preferably, the ink is visible in the infrared range. With such a combination, the authentication medium can be applied to a document that has a predetermined format so that the tape can be placed over a portion of the text and the latter will still be readable.

Abstract: A lower layer bar code is written on an object with a normal ink and an upper layer bar code is written over the lower layer bar code with an ink that is invisible to the naked eye. The apparatus of this invention is a detector that is able to read the upper and lower level bar codes.

Abstract: A biometric is a substantially stable physical or behavioral characteristics of a person which can be automatically measured and characterized for comparison. In accordance with the subject invention an identification card includes an encrypted representation of the biometric characteristic, which may be a finger print or a description of the manner in which the person signs his or her name, including the order and velocity in which strokes comprising a signature are written. The identification card is validated, and the person identified by an apparatus including a scanner which simultaneously scans two fields. The card is position in the first field and the biometric (e.g. a thumbprint) is simultaneously positioned in the second field and both are scanned at once, to produce a composite signal including both the code of representation and the scanned biometric. A microprocessor separates the composite signal, decodes the coded representation, and compares it to the stand biometric to validate the card.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for verification of documents belonging to selected groups of classes of such documents. The documents are verified to assure that information contained in the documents is authenticated and unchanged. In one embodiment of the subject invention the documents maybe identification cards including both text and an image of the bearer. Each document also includes encrypted information E.sub.i [M] derived from the document, and encrypted decryption key CE.sub.j [Di] for decrypting the encrypted information and information identifying the document as a member of the jth class C.sub.j of a group of classes of documents. Verifying apparatus validates the document by a scanning information from the document decrypting the encrypted decryption key an using the decryption key so obtained to decrypted the encrypted information and comparing the recovered encrypted information with information derived from the document directly.

Abstract: A postage dispensing device that prints a postage indicia using a two step process. A thermal ribbon is provided which has pre-formed images on a major portion of the thermal ribbon that is applied with a hot melt ink jet printer. Inked areas are provided on the thermal ribbon where an image is generated by a dot matrix thermal printer. The pre-formed images represent non-variable portion of a postage indicia whereas the images formed by the thermal printer represent variable data of the postage indicia. The use of a hot melt ink jet printer allows one to alter the pre-formed image as required and allows a variety of colors to be used.

Abstract: Postage dispensing apparatus and method of producing a label that indicates parameters of the postage dispensing apparatus in a code, preferable in encrypted code. A processor is programmed with an encryption algorithm and the printer of the apparatus is a dot matrix printer that is capable of printing a code such as a bar code or two dimensional code. A label is imprinted with data, preferably in encrypted format, that represents a record of the parameters of the postage dispensing device. This serves as a record of the use and status of the postage dispensing apparatus.