Abstract: A method for mail accounting and payment includes creating a mail batch including a plurality of mailpieces and creating a statement of mailing containing data relating to the mail batch. The statement of mailing is digitally signed to facilitate a subsequent verification of the integrity of the data in the statement of mailing. The digital signature is included as part of the statement of mailing. The statement of mailing is submitted to a transaction processing center. The transaction processing center initiates a funds transfer to a carrier delivery service for carrier delivery services payment for the batch of mail. The statement of mailing or other mailing data may be stored in a nonvolatile memory means. The nonvolatile memory means allows the statement of mailing to be stored therein and erased therefrom but not modified.

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: A value metering system embodying the present invention includes a storage component for storing a unique value metering system identification to enable identification of the value metering system from a plurality of other value metering systems. A communications component receives broadcast communications messages and processes the broadcast communications messages to determine if a received broadcast communications message is intended for the value metering system. A Controller component controls the operation of the value metering system. The controller component is coupled to the communications component and is responsive to specific received broadcast communications messages determined by the communications component to be intended for the value metering system.

Abstract: A mail processing system includes mail processing devices such as postage meters, a sorting machine and a host computer. Each mail processing device provides to each outgoing mail not only its mailing charge but also an indicator which identifies the device itself, storing such provided data in its memory device. The sorting machine reads from each received mail the data provided to it and stores such data in its memory device according to the device-identifying indicator. The computer serves to retrieve data from these memory devices to make comparisons. If the discrepancy is greater than a specified value, a warning signal is outputted as a fraud has been committed.

Abstract: A value dispensing system comprising a portable data carrier and a terminal. The portable data carrier including a memory having stored therein accounting information indicative of an amount of value available for dispensing. The terminal including a memory and means for dispensing value and adapted to receive the portable data carrier and process a transaction which dispenses a given value in response to a digital token generated by the portable data carrier using a first cryptographic key. For the value dispensed, the postage evidencing system creates a transaction record having a secret portion which is indicative of the amount of value available for dispensing on the portable data carrier wherein the secret portion of the transaction record is encrypted using a second cryptographic key derived from the first cryptographic key, and the transaction record is stored in the terminal memory.