US4864618A — Automated transaction system with modular printhe…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 252 words

In a transaction terminal having input means for inputting a request for printing a value indicia on an article, printing means for printing the requested value indicia on the article, and operating means for operations said terminal to enable a user to input the request for value indicia through said input means and to enable said printing means to print the requested value indicia on the article, an improved printing means for said transaction terminal comprising: said printing means being formed as a separate section in said terminal and having a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor for controlling said printhead contained therein; first ink supply means for supplying a visible ink to said printhead; second ink supply means for supplying an invisible, machine-readable ink to said printhead; and said printhead microprocessor having interface means connected to said operating means of said terminal for receiving the value indicia request input to said terminal, and print program means for controlling said printhead to print the requested value indicia as a visible indicia with visible ink from said first ink supply means on said article, for deriving an authentication code which uniquely corresponds to the requested value indicia, and for controlling said printhead to print the authentication code as an invisible indicia with invisible ink from said second ink supply means on said article, whereby said printed visible value indicia can be subsequently verified as authentic by machine reading of said invisible authentication code and comparing the authentication code for correspondence to the value indicia.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 252 words

In a transaction terminal having input means for inputting a request for printing a value indicia on an article, printing means for printing the requested value indicia on the article, and operating means for operations said terminal to enable a user to input the request for value indicia through said input means and to enable said printing means to print the requested value indicia on the article, an improved printing means for said transaction terminal comprising: said printing means being formed as a separate section in said terminal and having a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor for controlling said printhead contained therein; first ink supply means for supplying a visible ink to said printhead; second ink supply means for supplying an invisible, machine-readable ink to said printhead; and said printhead microprocessor having interface means connected to said operating means of said terminal for receiving the value indicia request input to said terminal, and print program means for controlling said printhead to print the requested value indicia as a visible indicia with visible ink from said first ink supply means on said article, for deriving an authentication code which uniquely corresponds to the requested value indicia, and for controlling said printhead to print the authentication code as an invisible indicia with invisible ink from said second ink supply means on said article, whereby said printed visible value indicia can be subsequently verified as authentic by machine reading of said invisible authentication code and comparing the authentication code for correspondence to the value indicia.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 42 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein said printhead and said printhead microprocessor are physically permanently bonded together in said separate section such that said printhead microprocessor cannot be physically tampered with without disabling said printhead.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 54 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein said printhead, said printhead microprocessor, said first ink supply means, and said second ink supply means are physically incorporated together in said separate section, and said separate section is formed as a modular unit which is removably mounted in said terminal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 62 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein said operating means of said terminal includes verification means for verifying whether a user is authorized to input a value indicia request to said terminal and provides an input value indicia request to said printhead microprocessor only if the user is verified by said verification means of said terminal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 71 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein said print program means of said printhead microprocessor includes security program means incorporated therein for validating whether an input value indicia request received through said operating means of said terminal is a valid request and enables said printhead to print the value indicia on the article only if the request has been validated by said security program means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 77 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein said terminal includes first receiving means for receiving a user card inserted therein, said user card having a card microprocessor mounted therein for maintaining a user transaction account and data output means connected to said card microprocessor, and said terminal further includes first path means for establishing a connection between said user card data output means and said interface means of said printhead microprocessor.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 75 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 6, wherein said user card microprocessor and said printhead microprocessor have mutual security program means respectively incorporated therein for executing a security procedure between said microprocessors to validate whether an input value indicia request is a valid request and to enable said printhead to print the value indicia on the article only if the request has been validated through said mutual security program means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 53 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 1, wherein the requested value indicia to be printed is a postmark including a postage amount, and said print program means includes encoding means for generating an authentication code uniquely corresponding to a selected portion of a postmark requested to be printed.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 49 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 8, wherein said encoding means encodes said selected portion of the postmark as a binary authentication code, and said print program means operates said printhead to print said binary authentication code within a designated portion of said postmark.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 49 words

An improved printing means for a transaction terminal according to claim 8, wherein said encoding means encrypts said selected portion of the postmark as a bar authentication code, and said print program means operates said printhead to print said bar authentication code within a designated portion of said postmark.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 80 words

A modular printing section for use in a terminal comprising: a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor for controlling said printhead physically permanently bonded together in said modular printing section such that said printhead microprocessor cannot be physically tampered with without disabling said printhead; means for removably mounting said modular printing section in an associated terminal; and said printhead microprocessor having interface means for establishing an operative connection with the associated terminal to receive a print request signal from said terminal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 80 words

A modular printing section for use in a terminal comprising: a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor for controlling said printhead physically permanently bonded together in said modular printing section such that said printhead microprocessor cannot be physically tampered with without disabling said printhead; means for removably mounting said modular printing section in an associated terminal; and said printhead microprocessor having interface means for establishing an operative connection with the associated terminal to receive a print request signal from said terminal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 126 words

A modular printing section according to claim 11, further comprising first ink supply means for supplying a visible ink to said printhead, second ink supply means for supplying an invisible, machine-readable ink to said printhead, and said printhead microprocessor having print program means for controlling said printhead to print a visible indicia with visible ink from said first ink supply means, for deriving an authentication code which uniquely corresponds to the visible indicia, and for controlling said printhead to print the authentication code as an invisible indicia with invisible ink from said second ink supply means, whereby said printed visible indicia can be subsequently verified as authentic by machine reading of said invisible authentication code and comparing the authentication code for correspondence to the visible indicia.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

A modular printing section according to claim 12, wherein said printhead, said printhead microprocessor, said first ink supply means, and said second ink supply means are physically incorporated together as a unit in said modular printing section.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 57 words

A modular printing section according to claim 11, wherein said print program means of said printhead microprocessor includes security program means incorporated therein for validating whether a print request signal received from the associated terminal is a valid request and enables said printhead to print only if the request has been validated by said security program means.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

A modular printing section according to claim 11, wherein the print request signal designates a value indicia to be printed, and said print program means includes encoding means for generating an authentication code uniquely corresponding to a selected portion of the value indicia.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 48 words

A modular printing section according to claim 15, wherein the value indicia to be printed is a postmark including a postage amount, and said print program means includes encoding means for generating an authentication code uniquely corresponding to a selected portion of a postmark requested to be printed.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

A modular printing section according to claim 16, wherein said encoding means encodes said selected portion of the postmark as a binary authentication code, and said print program means operates said printhead to print said binary authentication code within a designated portion of said postmark.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 45 words

A modular printing section according to claim 16, wherein said encoding means encrypts said selected portion of the postmark as a bar authentication code, and said print program means operates said printhead to print said bar authentication code within a designated portion of said postmark.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1992-09-04	1993-03-06	1993-09-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1996-09-04	1997-03-06	1997-09-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2000-09-04	2001-03-06	2001-09-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automated transaction system with modular printhead having print authentication feature

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