US5029093A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dual redundant electronic postage meter
Assignee: Pitney Bowes Inc
•
Filing: 1990-07-16
•
Granted: 1991-07-02
•
Expires: 2010-07-16
Abstract
Abstract A dual redundant electronic postage meter and associated method is provided for increasing the reliability of meter operation, comprising a first meter module including triple redundant memory technique/dual redundant means and dual redundant microprocessor means, a second meter module including triple redundant rechniques/dual redundant memory means and dual redundant microprocessor means, the dual redundant microprocessor means of the first meter module selectively communicating with a data entry means and external output means, and the dual redundant microprocessor means of the second meter module selectively communicating with the data entry means and the external output means, the second meter module being activiated in response to a failure in the operation of the first meter module.
Inventors
- 👤 Patricia P. Wiener
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 09:50
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00185; G07B17/00362; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/16; G07B17/00193; G07B2017/00241; G07B2017/00258; G07B17/00314; G07B2017/00338; G07B2017/00395; G07B2017/00411
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A dual redundant electronic postage meter for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter, comprising: a first meter module including dual redundant memory means for receiving and for storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; a second meter module including dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; said dual redundant microprocessor means of said first meter module communicating with a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first meter module and external output means for communicating postage accounting data and operational data of said first meter module; and said dual redundant microprocessor means of said second meter module communicating with the data entry means for receiving data processed by said second meter module and the external output means for communicating postage accounting data and operational data of said second meter module, said dual redundant microprocessor means of said second meter module being activated in response to said first meter module.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
A dual redundant electronic postage meter for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter, comprising: a first meter module including dual redundant memory means for receiving and for storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; a second meter module including dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; said dual redundant microprocessor means of said first meter module communicating with a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first meter module and external output means for communicating postage accounting data and operational data of said first meter module; and said dual redundant microprocessor means of said second meter module communicating with the data entry means for receiving data processed by said second meter module and the external output means for communicating postage accounting data and operational data of said second meter module, said dual redundant microprocessor means of said second meter module being activated in response to said first meter module.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said first and second meter modules are programmed to undergo triple redundancy checking prior to arriving at a decision.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said first and second meter modules are programmed to undergo triple redundancy checking prior to arriving at an accounting decision.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said dual redundant memory means of said first and second meter modules include battery augmented memories.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said dual redundant memory means of said first and second meter modules are organized to receive and store data on a byte basis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said dual redundant memory means of said first and second meter means are segmented with memory addresses for storage of data corresponding to retry and switch flags.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, including: cooling means for cooling said first and second meter modules.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said dual redundant microprocessor means include CMOS devices; and said dual redundant memory means include CMOS devices.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said redundant memory means include a memory address for storing data corresponding to a flag for address partitioning said dual redundant memory means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, further including: a first dual segmented ROM for said first meter module; and a second dual segmented ROM for said second meter module.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 10, wherein: said dual segmented ROMs include a first series of data instructions for determining a hard failure, a second series of data instructions for determining a soft failure and a third series of data instructions for determining a soft error.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 1, wherein: said each respective one of dual redundant memory means of said first and second meter means includes first address means for storing data representing an amount of postage previously used by the meter (AR), second address means for storing data representing an amount of postage remaining in the meter for use (DR), and third address means for storing data representing a sum of AR and DR, which is designated as a control sum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 12 wherein: the control sum may be retrieved from at least one of said dual redundant memory means upon request of at least one of said dual redundant microprocessor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The dual redundant electronic postage meter recited in claim 12 wherein: said at least one of said dual redundant microprocessor means access said third address means to retrieve the control sum only during power-up of the meter.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter by redundancy, comprising the steps of: providing a first meter module with dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; providing a second meter module with dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; connecting said first and second meter modules to a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first and second meter modules and external output means for communicating operational results of said first and second meter modules; and undertaking redundant decisional operations in response to data inputted into the data entry means during operational conditions.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
135 words
A method for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter by redundancy, comprising the steps of: providing a first meter module with dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; providing a second meter module with dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; connecting said first and second meter modules to a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first and second meter modules and external output means for communicating operational results of said first and second meter modules; and undertaking redundant decisional operations in response to data inputted into the data entry means during operational conditions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 15, wherein: the undertaking step includes triple redundancy checking for arriving at a decision.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 15, including the step of: using triple redundancy for arriving at an accounting decision.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method recited in claim 15, including the steps of: coupling printhead driver means to the first and second meter modules; coupling the printhead driver means to stepper motors which are mechanically coupled to print wheels; and positioning sensor means proximate to the print wheels for verifying positional accuracy of the print wheels.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the step of: providing real time control of meter accounting decisions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the step of: organizing each of said dual redundant memory means to receive and store data on a byte basis.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the step of: segmenting each of said dual redundant memory means with memory addresses for storage of data corresponding to retry and switch flags.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the step of: cooling the first and second meter modules.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the step of: storing data in each of the dual redundant memory means corresponding to a flag which address respectively partitions the respective dual redundant memory means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including in the step of: deactivating the first meter module and activating the second meter module upon detection of an error in the first meter module.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the steps of: providing a first dual segmented ROM for the first meter module; and providing a second dual segmented ROM for the second meter module.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method recited in claim 25, further including the steps of: providing a first series of data instructions in the dual segmented ROMs for determining a hard failure of the meter; providing a second series of data instructions in the dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft failure of the meter; and providing a third series of data instructions in the dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft error of the meter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method recited in claim 15, further including the steps of: providing a first address in each of the dual redundant memory means for storing data representing an amount of postage previously used by the meter (AR); providing a second address in each of the dual redundant memory means for storing data representing an amount of postage remaining in the meter for use (DR); and providing a third address in each of the dual redundant memory means for storing data representing a sum of AR and DR, which is designated as a control sum.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method recited in claim 27, further including the step of: retrieving control sum data stored at said third address from at least one of the dual redundant memory means upon request of one of said dual redundant microprocessor means.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method recited in claim 27, further including the step of: accessing the third address in at least one of the dual redundant memory means to retrieve the control sum only during power-up of the postage meter.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
412 words
A method for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter, comprising the steps of: providing a first meter module having first dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and first dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; providing a second meter module having second dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing accounting data and operational data and second dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; connecting said first and second meter modules to a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first and second meter modules and external output means for communicating operational results of said first and second meter modules; providing triple redundant decisional operations in response to data inputted into the data entry means; using triple redundancy for arriving at each accounting decision; connecting printhead driver means to the first and second meter modules; providing real time control of the meter accounting decisions; organizing said first and second dual redundant memory means to receive and store data on a byte basis; segmenting said first and second dual redundant memory means with memory addresses for storage of data corresponding to retry and switch flags; providing a first dual segmented ROM for the first meter module; providing a second dual segmented ROM for the second meter module; cooling the first and second meter modules; providing a first address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing an amount of postage previously used by the meter (AR); providing a second address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing the amount of postage remaining in the meter for use (DR); providing a third address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing the sum of AR and DR, which is designated as the control sum; storing data in each said dual redundant memory means corresponding to a flag which address partitions the respective dual redundant memory means; providing a first series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a hard failure of the meter; providing a second series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft failure of the meter; and providing a third series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft error of the meter, whereby the reliability of the electronic postage meter is increased.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
412 words
A method for increasing the reliability of an electronic postage meter, comprising the steps of: providing a first meter module having first dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing postage accounting data and operational data and first dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said first meter module; providing a second meter module having second dual redundant memory means for receiving and storing accounting data and operational data and second dual redundant microprocessor means for operating said second meter module; connecting said first and second meter modules to a data entry means for receiving data processed by said first and second meter modules and external output means for communicating operational results of said first and second meter modules; providing triple redundant decisional operations in response to data inputted into the data entry means; using triple redundancy for arriving at each accounting decision; connecting printhead driver means to the first and second meter modules; providing real time control of the meter accounting decisions; organizing said first and second dual redundant memory means to receive and store data on a byte basis; segmenting said first and second dual redundant memory means with memory addresses for storage of data corresponding to retry and switch flags; providing a first dual segmented ROM for the first meter module; providing a second dual segmented ROM for the second meter module; cooling the first and second meter modules; providing a first address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing an amount of postage previously used by the meter (AR); providing a second address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing the amount of postage remaining in the meter for use (DR); providing a third address in each respective dual redundant memory means for storing data representing the sum of AR and DR, which is designated as the control sum; storing data in each said dual redundant memory means corresponding to a flag which address partitions the respective dual redundant memory means; providing a first series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a hard failure of the meter; providing a second series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft failure of the meter; and providing a third series of data instructions in said first and second dual segmented ROMs for determining a soft error of the meter, whereby the reliability of the electronic postage meter is increased.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method recited in claim 30, further including the step of: retrieving the control sum from at least one of the dual redundant memory means upon request of one of the dual redundant microprocessor means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method recited in claim 30, further including the step of: accessing the third address to retrieve the control sum only during power-up of the postage meter.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method recited in claim 30, further including the step of: deactivating the first meter module and activating the second meter module upon detection of an error in the first meter module.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3938095A
Cited
US3978457A
Cited
US4358823A
Cited
US4191996A
Cited
US4101958A
Cited
US4471441A
Cited
EP0019515A2
Cited
US4484307A
Cited
US4301507A
Cited
US4422148A
Cited
US4377000A
Cited
US4481604A
Cited
US4371754A
Cited
GB2104267A
Cited
EP0081238A2
Cited
EP0085385A2
Cited
US4566106A
Cited
US4579054A
Cited
US4654819A
Cited
US4654846A
Cited
US4627016A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-07-01 | 1994-12-31 | 1995-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-07-01 | 1998-12-31 | 1999-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-07-01 | 2002-12-31 | 2003-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |