PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW OF U.S. PATENT NO. 8,185,964
`
`Exacq Technologies, Inc.
`Exhibit 1011
`
`                        
`
`

`
`(12) United States Patent
`Heiden et al.
`
`US006438530B1
`US 6,438,530 B1
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54)
`(75)
`
`(73)
`
`(*)
`
`(21)
`(22)
`(51)
`(52)
`
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`SOFTWARE BASED STAMP DISPENSER
`
`Inventors? Gary M- Heidell, Shelton; Richard W-
`Heidell, Huntington; Chullhlla Li,
`North Haven, all of CT (US)
`
`Assignee; Pitney Bowes Inc,’ Stamford, CT (Us)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U'S'C' 154(k)) by 0 days‘
`
`Appl. No.: 09/474,510
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 29, 1999
`
`7
`Int. Cl- .............................................. ..
`US. Cl. ....................... .. 705/401; 705/60; 705/408;
`705/410
`Field of Search .......................... .. 705/60, 62, 401,
`705/408, 410
`
`References Cited
`
`Us PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,725,718 A * 2/1988 Sansone et al- ----------- -- 235/495
`47757537 A * 7/1988 Edelmann etaL
`380/51
`4,775,246 A * 10/1988 Ede_1mann et a1‘
`705/62
`4302218 A * 1/1989 Wnght et a1‘ ' ' ' ' '
`' ' ' " 705/60
`4,831,555 A * 5/1989 Sansone et a1.
`.. 358/114
`4,873,645 A * 10/1989 Hunter et a1‘
`700/231
`5,454,038 A * 9/1995 Cordery et aL _____________ __ 705/60
`5,509,109 A * 4/1996 Kim et a1_ _______________ __ 358/115
`5,655,023 A * 8/1997 (jordery er a1,
`380/51
`5,987,441 A * 11/1999 Lee et al. ....... ..
`705/401
`6,141,654 A * 10/2000 Heiden et al- ------------ -- 705/408
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`The United States Postal Service (USPS): “Information—
`Based Indicia Program (IBIP) Performance Criteria for
`information—Based Indicia and Security Architecture for
`Open IBI Postage Metering Systems (PCIBI—O)”; Apr. 26,
`1999*
`McNamara: “E—Stamp No lick, no stick, just clic ”; Net
`Work World, Apr. 6, 1998, vol. 15, No. 14, p. 10.*
`* Cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner_EdWard R_ Cosimano
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Angelo N. Chaclas; Charles
`R. Malandra; Brian A. Lemm
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method for generating digital postage stamps Wherein a
`data center receives a request from a PC for a selected
`number of digital postage stamps, concludes a payment
`transaction for the Selected number of
`postage
`stamps, generates a digital book of postage stamps, Which
`the PC doWnloads to its hard drive. The digital book of
`postage Stamps includes a read-Only Software module that
`prints each digital postage stamp using stamp related infor
`mation contained Within the softWare module. The stamp
`related information includes stamp information, Which is
`required for each postage stamp, user information, Which
`identi?es the requester and the PC, data center server
`information, Which is unique to each digital postage stamp
`and a digital signature of at least some of the user, stamp
`and/or server information. Before printing a digital postage
`stamp, the softWare module on the PC veri?es that the
`signature of the PC is identical to the PC signature that Was
`stored in the softWare module When the softWare module
`.
`Was con?gured at the data center server. If veri?ed, the
`softWare module generates the digital postage stamp using
`the stamp, user and server data associated With the digital
`postage stamp and then initiates the printing of the digital
`postage stamp on a printer coupled to the PC. The softWare
`module renders the stamp, user and server data associated
`With the digital postage stamp being printed unusable for
`subsequent generations of digital postage stamps.
`
`JP
`
`11-328462 A * 11/1999
`
`22 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
`
`200
`
`RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM A PC FOR A
`
`y SELE°I5%IIEG“E§$AII$€‘G"AL
`
`l
`210
`\ CO'ITLEUSDEELEETETEsta/‘02W
`
`POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`I
`
`220
`
`230
`
`GENERATE A DIGITAL BOOK OF POSTAGE STAMPS
`COMPRISING A READ-ONLY SOFTWARE MODULE
`THAT PRINTS EACH DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP
`USING STAMP RELATED INFORMATION CONTAINED
`WITHIN THE SOFTWARE MODULE
`
`I
`
`SENDING THE DIGITAL BOOK OF
`POSTAGE STAMPS TO THE FIRST PC
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 1
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 1 0f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`3
`
`U m Fl;
`
`7 5525:
`
`El m [@I.
`
`FdE
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 2
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 0f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`FIG. 2
`
`200
`RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM A PC FOR A
`\’ SELECTED NUMBER OF DIGITAL
`POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`210
`\ CONCLUDE A PAYMENT TRANSACTION FOR
`THE SELECTED NUMBER OF DIGITAL
`POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`I
`
`GENERATE A DIGITAL BOOK OF POSTAGE STAMPS
`220
`\_ COMPRISING A READ-ONLY SOFTWARE MODULE
`THAT PRINTS EACH DIGITAL POSTAGE sTAMP
`USING STAMP RELATED INFORMATION CONTAINED
`WITHIN THE SOFTWARE MODULE
`
`230
`\/ SENDING THE DIGITAL BOOK OF
`POSTAGE STAMPS TO THE FIRST PC
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 3
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 3 0f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`FIG. 3
`
`300
`\I ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
`A PC AND A DATA CENTER SERVER
`
`I
`
`SEND A REQUEST FROM THE PC TO THE
`310
`V SERVER FOR A SELECTED NUMBER OF
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`I
`
`PROVIDE PAYMENT INFORMATION NEEDED
`320
`TO CONCLUDE PAYMENT FOR THE
`V SELECTED NUMBSETRAOAEQIGITAL POSTAGE
`
`Y
`
`RECEIVE A DIGITAL BOOK OF POSTAGE
`STAMPS COMPRISING A READ-ONLY
`SOFTWARE MODULE THAT PRINTS EACH
`33°
`V DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP USING STAMP
`RELATED INFORMATION CONTAINED
`WITHIN THE SOFTWARE MODULE
`
`340
`\/ STORE THE DIGITAL BOOK OF POSTAGE
`STAMPS IN THE HARD DRIVE OF THE PC
`
`I
`
`RUN THE SOFTWARE MODULE ON THE PC
`350
`\_ TO GENERATE AND PRINT ONE OF THE
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS IN THE DIGITAL
`BOOK OF POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 4
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 4 0f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`FIG. 4
`
`4
`VERIFY BEFORE GENERATING THE DIGITAL POSTAGE
`00
`STAMP THAT THE SIGNATURE OF THE PC IS IDENTICAL
`TO THE PC SIGNATURE THAT WAS STORED IN THE /
`V
`SOFTWARE MODuLE WHEN THE SOFTWARE MODULE
`WAS CONFIGURED AT THE DATA CENTER SERVER
`
`410
`
`SIGNATURES IDENTICAL?
`
`420 W
`
`DO NOT PRINT
`POSTAGE, SEND
`MESSAGE TO uSER
`
`43o
`GENERATE THE DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP
`USING THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD DATA -/
`ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGITAL POSTAGE
`STAMP
`
`‘V
`440
`PRINT THE DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP AND
`OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON A J
`PRINTER COUPLED TO THE PC
`
`V
`
`RENDER THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD DATA
`ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGITAL POSTAGE
`STAMP UNUSABLE FOR SUBSEQUENT
`GENERATIONS OF DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS
`
`450
`/
`
`ALL STAMPS IN BOOK OF
`STAMPS PRINTED?
`
`470 \
`
`NOTIFY USER AND
`UNINSTALL SOFTWARE
`MODULE FROM PC HARD
`DRIVE
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 5
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 5 0f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`(I! O O
`
`FIG.5
`
`APPLICATION SOFTWARE FOR PC TO GENERATE AND PRINT
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP USING DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP DATA
`ATTACHED BELOW
`
`01 01 01 01
`a m I\)
`
`STAMP DATA I ORIGIN ZIP CODE OF THE PC, DENOMINATION OF
`THE DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS AND DATE OF REQUEST
`
`--~ (0 [o [o (o
`
`USER DATA: USER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER AND PC SIGNATURE
`INFORMATION
`
`SERVER DATA: IDENTIFICATION OF THE SERVER GENERATING
`THE DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS, STATUS INFORMATION OF THE
`SERVER AND A NUMBER CORRESPONDING TO A SEQUENTIAL
`NUMBER OF DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMPS GENERATED BY THE
`SERVER
`
`550
`\ DIGITAL SIGNATURE OF STAMP
`
`560.
`
`NUMBER OF UNUSED STAMPS REMAINING IN THE BOOK OF
`STAMPS
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 6
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 20, 2002
`
`Sheet 6 6f 6
`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`FIG.6
`
`/ 60°
`
`APPLICATION SOFTWARE FOR PC TO GENERATE AND PRINT
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP USING DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP
`DATA ATTACHED BELOW
`
`510
`/
`
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP 1
`
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP 2
`
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP 3
`
`610
`J
`
`’\
`
`620
`
`630
`
`DIGITAL POSTAGE STAMP N
`
`-\
`640
`
`FIG.7
`A
`
`700
`
`‘
`
`704
`
`C702 /
`
`II | I ll
`
`v =
`)=
`00.33
`US POSTAGE * * *
`
`F
`
`
`
`FIRST CLASS
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 7
`
`

`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`1
`SOFTWARE BASED STAMP DISPENSER
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The invention disclosed herein relates generally to sys
`tems and methods for evidencing postage payment, and
`more particularly to systems and methods for evidencing
`postage payment using a personal computer.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`Postage metering systems have been developed Which
`employ encrypted information that is printed on a mailpiece
`as part of an indicium evidencing postage payment. The
`encrypted information includes a postage value for the
`mailpiece combined With other postal data that relate to the
`mailpiece and the postage meter printing the indicium. The
`encrypted information, typically referred to as a digital token
`or a digital signature, authenticates and protects the integrity
`of information, including the postage value, imprinted on the
`mailpiece for later veri?cation of postage payment. Since the
`digital token incorporates encrypted information relating to
`the evidencing of postage payment, altering the printed
`information in an indicium is detectable by standard veri?
`cation procedures. Examples of systems that generate and
`print such indicium are described in US. Pat. Nos. 4,725,
`718, 4,757,537, 4,775,246 and 4,873,645, each assigned to
`the assignee of the present invention.
`Presently, there are tWo postage metering device types:
`closed system and open system. In a closed system, the
`system functionality is solely dedicated to metering activity.
`Examples of closed system metering devices, also referred
`to as postage evidencing devices, include conventional
`digital and analog (mechanical and electronic) postage
`meters Wherein a dedicated printer is securely coupled to a
`metering or accounting function. Typically, in a closed
`system, the printer is securely coupled and dedicated to the
`meter, and printing evidence of postage cannot take place
`Without accounting for the evidence of postage. In an open
`system, the printer is not dedicated to the metering activity,
`freeing system functionality for multiple and diverse uses in
`addition to the metering activity. Examples of open system
`metering devices include personal computer (PC) based
`devices With single/multi-tasking operating systems, multi
`user applications and digital printers. An open system meter
`ing device is a postage evidencing device With a non
`dedicated printer that is not securely coupled to a secure
`accounting module. An open system indicium printed by the
`non-dedicated printer is made secure by including addressee
`information in the encrypted evidence of postage printed on
`the mailpiece for subsequent veri?cation. See US. Pat. Nos.
`4,725,718 and 4,831,555, each assigned to the assignee of
`the present invention.
`Recently, the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) has
`approved personal computer (PC) postage metering systems
`as part of the USPS Information-Based Indicia Program
`(“IBIP”). The IBIP is a distributed trusted system Which is
`a PC based metering system that is meant to augment
`existing postage meters using neW evidence of postage
`payment knoWn as information-based indicia. The program
`relies on digital signature techniques to produce for each
`mailpiece an indicium Whose origin can be authenticated
`and content cannot be modi?ed. The IBIP requires printing
`a large, high density, tWo-dimensional (“2-D”) bar code on
`a mailpiece. The 2-D bar code, Which encodes information,
`is signed With a digital signature. A description of the IBIP
`PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR INFORMATION
`BASED INDICIA AND SECURITY ARCHITECTURE
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`2
`FOR OPEN IBI POSTAGE METERING SYSTEMS
`(PCIBI-O), a published draft Security Device (“PSD”),
`Which is a secure processor-based accounting device that is
`couple to a personal computer to dispense and account for
`postal value stored therein to support the creation of a neW
`“information-based” postage postmark or indicium that Will
`be applied to mail being processed using IBIP, and de?nes
`the proposed requirements for a host system element
`(personal computer) of IBIP.
`The IBIP Speci?cation de?nes a stand-alone open meter
`ing system, referred to herein as a PC Meter, comprising a
`PSD coupled to a PC, Which operates as a host system With
`a printer coupled thereto. The PC runs the metering appli
`cation softWare and associated libraries and communicates
`With the attached PSD. The PC Meter processes transactions
`for dispensing postage, registration and re?ll on the PC.
`Meter processing is performed locally betWeen the PC and
`the PSD coupled thereto. Connections to a Data Center, for
`example for registration and re?ll transactions, are made
`locally from the PC through a local or netWork modem/
`internet connection. Accounting for debits and credits to the
`PSD is also performed locally, logging the transactions on
`the PC. Several application programs running on the PC,
`such as a Word processor or an envelope designer, may
`access the metering application softWare. At the present, the
`USPS has approved for one PC Meter product E-Stamp®
`Internet Postage Which is distributed by E-Stamp Corpora
`tion of Houston, Texas. Other PC meter products are cur
`rently in beta test With the USPS.
`The USPS has approved an alternative version of the PC
`Meter in Which the PSD function is performed at a server
`that is remote from the PC and accessible through the
`Internet. This alternative version, Which is referred to herein
`as a “virtual meter”, is a netWork metering system, has many
`client PCs Without any PSDs coupled thereto. The client PCs
`run application softWare for requesting and formatting post
`age indicia, but all PSD functions are performed on server(s)
`located at a Data Center. The PSD functions at the Data
`Center may be performed in a secure device attached to a
`computer at the Data Center, or may be performed in the
`Data Center computer itself. The client PCs must connect
`With the Data Center to process transactions such as postage
`dispensing, meter registration, or meter re?lls. Transactions
`are requested by the client PC and sent to the Data Center for
`remote processing. The transactions are processed at the
`Data Center and the results are returned to the client PC.
`Accounting for funds and transaction processing are cen
`traliZed at the Data Center. See, for example, US. Pat. Nos.
`5,454,038 and 4,873,645, Which are assigned to the assignee
`of the present invention.
`The virtual meter does not conform to all the current
`requirements of the IBIP Speci?cations. In particular, the
`IBIP Speci?cations do not permit PSD functions to be
`performed at the Data Center. HoWever, it is understood that
`a virtual meter con?guration With each mailer’s PSD located
`at the Data Center may provide an equivalent level of
`security as required by the IBIP Speci?cations.
`In conventional closed system mechanical and electronic
`postage meters, a secure link is required betWeen printing
`and accounting functions. For postage meters con?gured
`With printing and accounting functions performed in a
`single, secure box, the integrity of the secure box is moni
`tored by periodic inspections of the meters. More recently,
`digital printing postage meters typically include a digital
`printer coupled to a metering (accounting) device, Which is
`referred to herein as a postal security device (PSD). Digital
`printing postage meters have removed the need for physical
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 8
`
`

`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`3
`inspection by cryptographically securing the link betWeen
`the accounting and printing mechanisms. In essence, neW
`digital printing postage meters create a secure point-to-point
`communication link betWeen the PSD and print head. See,
`for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,218, issued to Christopher
`B. Wright et al. and noW assigned to the assignee of the
`present invention. An example of a digital printing postage
`meter With secure print head communication is the Personal
`Post Of?ceTM manufactured by Pitney BoWes Inc. of
`Stamford, Conn.
`Although the IBIP provides a viable system and method
`for printing postage on a PC, there are requirements inherent
`in the IBIP that limit the desirability for use by small of?ce
`home of?ce users Whose use of the PC metering may not
`include mailing in a volume suf?cient to Warrant costs above
`and beyond the costs of stamps purchase from the Post
`Of?ce. For example, non-business users may balk at the
`additional cost associated With requiring the rental of a PSD
`or the administrative cost for maintaining an account at a
`Data Center. For the virtual meter, in addition to the cost,
`non-business users may balk at the need to connect to the
`Internet every time postage is needed.
`At the present, the IBIP includes sampling veri?cation,
`Which is not a reliable method for detecting fraud. A more
`robust veri?cation system must be implemented. A key
`component of any veri?cation system for the IBIP is veri
`?cation that addressee information contained in the 2-D bar
`code of the indicium is matched to addressee information
`contained in the addressee block of the mailpiece or in the
`postnet bar code on the mailpiece. It is not clear at this time
`hoW soon a reliable veri?cation system Will be in place to
`verify the volume of mailpieces that are produced by an IBIP
`PC meter. This problem is accentuated by the fact that IBIP
`veri?cation of open system indicia, Which includes verifying
`correct addressee information is in the indicia, must take
`place at the same time that veri?cation of closed system
`indicia, Which does not have addressee information in the
`indicia, is also being performed. The total veri?cation pro
`cess is even more complicated considering that there are
`different indicia created by traditional ?atbed (i.e. non
`digital) printer meters and digital printer meters.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention provides an alternative to the IBIP
`scheme for PC postage. It has been found that a digital “book
`of stamps” can be purchased electronically over the Internet.
`The digital book of stamps a self-executing softWare module
`that is con?gured to run only on one PC. The user purchases
`digital postage over the Internet in a manner comparable to
`purchasing a book of stamps from the post of?ce. The digital
`postage can be for one or more denominations. Each digital
`postage stamp that is printed on a mailpiece is veri?able and
`can be identi?ed as being printed by a, particular softWare
`module that has been run on a particular PC. In the present
`invention, a digital postage stamp does not include any
`addressee information. Therefore, any digital postage stamp
`can be used as postage payment evidence on any mailpiece,
`i.e., just as a conventional postage stamp.
`In accordance With the present invention, veri?able digital
`postage may be printed by non-dedicated printer coupled to
`a PC Wherein such digital postage does not include
`addressee information. Thus, purchasing postage value over,
`for example, the Internet, is akin to purchasing a book of
`stamps at the Post Office. Unlike the information-based
`indicium that requires addressee information, the present
`invention provides that each digital stamp printed by the PC
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`4
`can be used on any mailpiece. It has been found, hoWever,
`that some form of encoded addressee information may be
`printed With the digital postage stamp to improve the veri
`?cation process, but this does not restrict a particular digital
`postage stamp to a particular mailpiece.
`A ?rst embodiment provides a system and method for
`purchasing a book of digital stamps of ?xed denomination
`over the Internet. The book of digital stamps comprises a
`softWare module that runs only on the PC from Which the
`request for postage originates and to Which the book of
`stamps is doWnloaded. The book of stamps is a softWare
`module that is created at the data center server for generating
`digital stamps only in the PC that initiated the purchase of
`the book of stamps. The softWare module comprises stamp
`data needed to generate each stamp, and algorithms for
`generating each of the digital stamps from the stamp data.
`Once all of the digital stamps have been printed, the stamp
`softWare module preferably uninstalls itself automatically
`after notifying the user that the book of stamps is empty. For
`purposes of security and control, the book of stamps can be
`programmed With a time limit for using the stamps.
`In an alternative embodiment, the data center server
`generates the bitmap of the each stamp in the book of stamps
`and the bitmaps of the stamps are included With the softWare
`module, Which further comprises algorithms for printing the
`stamps.
`In yet another embodiment, the user purchases a book of
`stamps of no predetermined denomination, ie a total value
`of postage. The digital stamp softWare module then includes
`a user interface Whereby the user selects the denomination
`for each stamp to be printed up to the unused amount of the
`book of stamps.
`In accordance With the present invention, the data center
`is not required to maintain a user account for the prepayment
`or post-payment of postage value. Digital postage stamps
`are purchase over the Internet through conventional Internet
`transaction methods, such as by credit card. Thus, the
`present invention provides a method of purchasing digital
`postage stamps over the Internet in the same manner as one
`Would purchase a book of stamps at the Post Of?ce. It Will
`be understood that under the present invention, the user may
`have more than one book of stamps stored on the PC. For
`example, the user may have a book of 33 cent digital stamps
`and a book of tWenty cent digital stamps.
`In accordance With the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, a method for generating digital postage
`stamps provides a data center receiving a request from a PC
`for a selected number of digital postage stamps, concluding
`a payment transaction for the selected number of digital
`postage stamps, and generating a digital book of postage
`stamps, Which the PC doWnloads to its hard drive. The
`digital book of postage stamps includes a read-only softWare
`module that generates and prints each digital postage stamp
`using stamp related information contained Within the soft
`Ware module. The stamp related information includes stamp
`information that is required for each postage stamp, user
`information that identi?es the requester and the PC, data
`center server information that is unique to each digital
`postage stamp and a digital signature of at least some of the
`user, stamp and/or server information. Before printing a
`digital postage stamp, the softWare module on the PC
`veri?es that the signature of the PC is identical to the PC
`signature that Was stored in the softWare module When the
`softWare module Was con?gured at the data center server. If
`veri?ed, the softWare module generates the digital postage
`stamp using the stamp, user and server data associated With
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 9
`
`

`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`5
`the digital postage stamp and then initiates the printing of the
`digital postage stamp on a printer coupled to the PC. The
`software module renders the stamp, user and server data
`associated With the digital postage stamp being printed
`unusable for subsequent generations of digital postage
`stamps. When all stamps of the book of stamps have been
`printed, the softWare module uninstalls itself.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The accompanying draWings, Which are incorporated in
`and constitute a part of the speci?cation, illustrate presently
`preferred embodiments of the invention, and together With
`the general description given above and the detailed descrip
`tion of the preferred embodiments given beloW, serve to
`eXplain the principles of the invention. As shoWn throughout
`the draWings, like reference numerals designate like or
`corresponding parts.
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a postage metering system in
`accordance With the present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a How chart of the preferred embodiment of a
`data center process for responding to a request from a PC for
`a softWare module containing a digital book of postage
`stamps in the postage metering system of FIG. 1;
`FIG. 3 is a How chart of a PC requesting, obtaining and
`printing one of the stamps in the digital book of postage
`stamps generated in FIG. 2;
`FIG. 4 is a How chart of the preferred embodiment of the
`PC generating a digital postage stamp from the digital book
`of postage stamps;
`FIG. 5 is a block diagram representative of a digital book
`of postage stamps;
`FIG. 6 is a block diagram representative of an alternative
`to the digital book of postage stamps of FIG. 5;
`FIG. 7 is representation of a digital postage stamp.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT
`INVENTION
`
`In describing the present invention, reference is made to
`the draWings, Wherein there is seen in FIG. 1 a block
`diagram of a postage metering system, generally designated
`10, Which is representative of a system in Which the present
`invention is implemented. Postage metering system 10
`includes a plurality of personal computers (PC) 20 (only one
`is shoWn) that are communicatively connected to a server 42
`at a remote Data Center 40. It Will be understood that PCs
`20 may be connected to server 42 using various conven
`tional methods, such as through a local or netWork modem/
`internet 30 connection. PC. 20 has a printer 22 connected
`thereto for printing postage revenue block 1 on a mailpiece
`5. Server 42 has access to a database 44, Which includes
`information needed to Data Center 40 to distribute digital
`books of postage stamps in the manner described beloW.
`Finally, Postage metering system 10 includes a veri?cation
`subsystem 60 that is used to verify a subset or all of the
`mailpieces 5 on Which a digital postage stamp is printed as
`evidence of postage payment.
`Referring noW to FIG. 2, a data center process is shoWn
`for responding to a request from a PC a softWare module
`containing a digital book of postage stamps. At step 200, the
`data center receives a request from a PC for a selected
`number of digital postage stamps. The request includes user
`data, such as PC signature (described beloW) and an iden
`ti?cation number, Which is obtained during a one-time
`registration for the purchase of stamps over the Internet. The
`request also includes stamp data, such as origin Zip code of
`
`10
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
`
`55
`
`65
`
`6
`the PC, denomination of the postage stamps and date of the
`request. At step 210, a payment transaction for the selected
`number of digital postage stamps is concluded. The payment
`transaction preferably is a credit card transaction, but may be
`a pre-established credit/debit account as used With conven
`tional postage meters. At step 220, the server in the data
`center generates a digital book of postage stamps comprising
`a read-only softWare module that prints each digital postage
`stamp of the digital book of postage stamps using stamp
`related information contained Within the softWare module.
`The stamp related information includes the user data and
`stamp data that Was received With the request from the PC,
`and further includes server data, such as identi?cation of the
`server generating the digital book of stamps, status of the
`server and a number corresponding to a sequential number
`of digital postage stamps generated by the server. The stamp
`related information further includes a digital signature of at
`least some of the user, stamp and/or server information. The
`softWare module also includes the number of digital postage
`stamps in the digital book of postage stamps. The softWare
`module is generated to be eXecutable only on the PC that has
`initiated the request for the digital book of postage stamps.
`This prevents the fraudulent copying of the softWare module
`for use on another PC.
`In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
`data center does not generate the graphical image of each
`digital stamp, but stores the information needed for the
`softWare module to generate the graphical image of the
`digital stamp at the PC When the digital stamp is printed.
`This embodiment is preferred because siZe of the softWare
`module is signi?cantly smaller if the graphical images are
`generated at the PC, thus reducing the time needed to
`doWnload the softWare module electronically. HoWever, a
`viable, alternative embodiment is one in Which the graphical
`image of each digital stamp is generated and made part of
`the softWare module by the data center. A more detailed
`description of the digital book of postage stamps, including
`the information required to generate the stamps, is provided
`beloW. At step 230, the server in the data center sends the
`digital book of postage stamps to the requesting PC.
`Referring noW to FIG. 3, the process is shoWn of a PC
`requesting, obtaining and using the digital book of postage
`stamps received from the data center, At step 300, commu
`nications is established betWeen a PC and a data center
`server. When communications are established over the Inter
`net 30, preferably a conventional secure channel such as SSL
`should be used. At step 310, a request is sent from the PC to
`the server for a selected number of digital postage stamps.
`At step 320, the PC provides to the server in the data center
`payment information needed to conclude payment for the
`selected number of digital postage stamps. At step 330, the
`PC receives a digital book of postage stamps comprising a
`read-only softWare module that generates and prints each
`digital postage stamp using stamp related information con
`tained Within the softWare module. At step 340, the PC stores
`the digital book of postage stamps in the hard drive.
`Referring noW to FIG. 4, the preferred embodiment is
`shoWn for the PC generating digital postage stamps from the
`digital book of postage stamps. At step 400, the softWare
`module veri?es before generating the book of digital postage
`stamps that the signature of the PC in Which the softWare
`module is running is identical to the PC signature that Was
`stored in the softWare module When the softWare module
`Was con?gured at the data center server. This veri?cation
`provides a level of security, Which prevents the softWare
`module, ie the digital book of postage stamps from being
`used on another computer. Once doWnloaded to a speci?c
`
`Exacq
`Ex. 1011
`Page 10
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`

`
`US 6,438,530 B1
`
`7
`PC, the software module cannot be copied for use on another
`PC, thus preventing fraudulent copies from being distributed
`for repetitive printing of each of the digital stamps.
`One example of a PC signature is the Processor serial
`number (PSN) in the Pentiurn® II Processors manufactured
`by Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. The PSN feature
`is embedded into the chip during the manufacturing process
`of the Pentiurn® III processor. The PSN serves as an
`identi?er for the processor, and, by association, its system.
`Like the serial numbers on many other electronic devices or
`products, except the PSN is implemented electronically,
`rather than being placed on the exterior of the product.
`Another example of a PC signature for a computer that has
`Ethernet interface standard equipment is a unique ID called
`a “MAC address” and every piece of Ethernet hardWare ever
`manufactured has been assigned one under the supervision
`of a standards organiZation.
`At step 410, if the signatures are not identical, then at step
`420, the softWare module displays an appropriate message to
`the user and does not print the requested digital postage
`stamp. If the signatures are identical, then at step 430, the
`softWare module generates the digital postage stamp using
`the stamp data, user data and server data that stored Within
`the softWare module. A more complete description of the
`stamp data, user data and server data is provided beloW. At
`step 440, the softWare module initiates the printing of the
`digital postage stamp on a printer coupled to the PC. At step
`450, the softWare module prevents duplicate printing of a
`digital postage stamp by making the data used in generating
`the digital postage stamps that is being printed, i,e., the
`stamp data, user data and server data, unusable for subse
`quent generations of digital postage stamps. At step 460, the
`softWare module determines if all postage stamps in the
`digital postage stamps have been printed. If all stamps have
`been printed, then at step 470, the softWare module noti?es
`the user and uninstalls itself from the PC hard drive. If all
`stamps in the book have not been printed, the method returns
`to step 400 to enable generation of another digital postage
`stamp. Referring noW to FIG. 5, a block diagram represen
`tative of a digital book of postage stamps