Bizarre Patents
Mouse device with a built-in printer
A mouse device for use as an input device of a computer is provided that includes a housing in which recording paper is loadable, and a printer unit provided within the housing for printing on the recording paper print information received from the computer.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 5805711 | Method of improving the security of postage meter machines A method for securing data and program code of an electronic postage meter machine against manipulation, having a microprocessor in a control unit of the postage meter machine for implementing steps for a start and initialization routine and following sys... | 09/08/1998 |
| 5799093 | Process and apparatus for remote system inspection of a value dispensing mechanism such as a postage meter A remote inspection system including a value dispensing device including structure for printing an indication of value, structure for accounting for value dispensed, and structure for querying and receiving operational data from both the printing structur... | 08/25/1998 |
| 5796834 | System and method for controlling the dispensing of an authenticating indicia There is disclosed a system and method for dispensing postage (or other graphical security indicia) electronically by using a portable processor containing a maximum amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail. The portable p... | 08/18/1998 |
| 5796841 | Secure user certification for electronic commerce employing value metering system A system and method include means for processing a cryptographic certificate adapted to provide security functionality. A register means is provided and means for adjusting the register means to account for services when the cryptographic certificate is p... | 08/18/1998 |
| 5793867 | System and method for disaster recovery in an open metering system System and method for securely backing up and reliably retrieving vault data in a metering system that includes a host processor operatively coupled to a vault. Whenever a transaction is completed by the vault, the vault cryptographically signs the vault ... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5781634 | Electronic data interchange postage evidencing system Methods and systems for preparing mailpieces involve the creation of mailing lists which includes correct and incorrect recipient address information. The list is transmitted to a data center. Received from the data center is a mailing list including addr... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5778076 | System and method for controlling the dispensing of an authenticating indicia There is disclosed a system and method for dispensing postage (or other graphical security indicia) electronically by using a portable processor containing a maximum amount of preauthorized postage which can be applied to any piece of mail. The portable p... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5771289 | Method and apparatus for transmitting electronic data using attached electronic credits to pay for the transmission A method and apparatus for transmitting electronic messages wherein payment is required for the transmission. Payment is made as messages are transmitted using previously obtained electronic stamps or credits. An electronic sender obtains in advance the e... | 06/23/1998 |
| 5742682 | Method of manufacturing secure boxes in a key management system A method of manufacturing a secure box in a Key Management System that includes a plurality of functionally distinct secure boxes initializes a first manufacturing box if one does not exist. The method creates in a manufacturing box at least one logical s... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5742683 | System and method for managing multiple users with different privileges in an open metering system A system and method of managing multiple users of an open metering system, wherein the users have different access privileges, includes the steps of providing a user password system for vault access; programing the vault with a plurality of transition sta... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5696829 | Digital postage meter system A mailing system is includes of a mailing machine operating under the control of a microcontroller having a communication port with a first channel and a second channel. The mailing system also includes a meter vault which operates under the control a mic... | 12/09/1997 |
| 5682429 | Electronic data interchange postage evidencing system Methods and systems for preparing mailpieces involve the creation of mailing lists which includes correct and incorrect recipient address information. The list is transmitted to a data center. Received from the data center is a mailing list including addr... | 10/28/1997 |
| 5680456 | Method of manufacturing generic meters in a key management system A method of manufacturing transaction evidencing devices, such as digital postage meters, includes the steps of generating a master key in a logical security domain of a Key Management System; installing the master key into a digital postage meter; verify... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5675651 | Method for transmitting information between a computerized control center and a plurality of electronic franking machines A method uses portable objects where the reading and writing of data in the memory are free, owing to the writing in the latter, if necessary, of elements which can be prepared and verified only if secret information kept both in a secure memory at the co... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5675650 | Controlled acceptance mail payment and evidencing system A method for controlled acceptance mail payment and evidencing in accordance with the present invention includes creating a mail batch with a plurality of mailpieces each having encrypted indicia printed thereon. A mail documentation file is created conta... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5661803 | Method of token verification in a key management system A method of token verification in a Key Management System provides a logical device identifier and a master key created in a logical security domain to a transaction evidencing device, such as a digital postage meter. The method creates a master key recor... | 08/26/1997 |
| 5655023 | Advanced postage payment system employing pre-computed digital tokens and with enhanced security A method and system for postage payment include the generation of a plurality of dispensable discrete items of encrypted data. Each of the items of encrypted data, which may be digital tokens, have a specific value. The generated plurality of discrete ite... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5655024 | Method of tracking postage meter location The method provides for tracking a meter vault which is adapted for use in combination with a graphic interface unit. The graphic interface unit includes the graphics for the indicia town circle with an assigned area of origin code. The meter vault has an... | 08/05/1997 |
| 5625694 | Method of inhibiting token generation in an open metering system A method is provided for inhibiting the generation of digital tokens in an open metering system that includes a host processor and a vault. The method includes the steps of generating in the host processor a first digital token request that corresponds to... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5613007 | Portable thermal printing apparatus including a security device for detecting attempted unauthorized access An apparatus for printing on a substrate includes a device for printing indicia on a substrate; a control that controls the indicia printing device, the control including apparatus for establishing a communicating link with an external device, the establi... | 03/18/1997 |
| 5454038 | Electronic data interchange postage evidencing system Methods and systems for preparing mailpieces involve the creation of mailing lists which includes correct and incorrect recipient address information. The list is transmitted to a data center. Received from the data center is a mailing list including addr... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5448641 | Postal rating system with verifiable integrity A data center provides a rate table to a user. The rate table is communicated to the mailer along with a hash code that is based on information from the rating table. The hash code provides a unique number based on the rating table. The user within a secu... | 09/05/1995 |
| 5377268 | Metering system with remotely resettable time lockout A metering system requires a user to provide periodic, accurate meter readings to a billing authority. The metering system includes a mechanism for dispensing postage or another accountable quantity, an accounting mechanism for updating and storing inform... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5377264 | Memory access protection circuit with encryption key A data verification system including a circuit verifies that unlocking data generated by a microprocessor to be written into the ASIC before a memory write is valid. The microprocessor is programmed to generate an ASIC address when unlocking data is to be... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5243654 | Metering system with remotely resettable time lockout A metering system requires a user to provide periodic, accurate meter readings to a billing authority. The metering system includes a mechanism for dispensing postage or another accountable quantity, an accounting mechanism for updating and storing inform... | 09/07/1993 |
| 5233657 | Method for franking postal matter and device for carrying out the method A method for franking postal matter uses an apparatus of a postage user having franking functions and being coupled through telecommunication devices with a remote data processing center for recording and releasing postage. A terminal device of a telecomm... | 08/03/1993 |
| 5121432 | Franking machine, with printing device external to secure housing A franking machine is disclosed in which the accounting and control circuits of the meter are housed in a secure housing and a printing device for printing a franking impression is located exterior to the secure housing and is connected to the accounting ... | 06/09/1992 |
| 5107455 | Remote meter I/O configuration A technique for reconfiguring in the field external devices in communication with postage meters, the external devices having an external device feature set that may be selectively enabled or disabled by software. The technique provides security so that a... | 04/21/1992 |
| 4934846 | Franking system A method of franking mail items is disclosed in which the franking impression includes a machine readable portion and a visually readable portion. The machine readable portion comprises a data block including at least a postage charge and a pseudo-random ... | 06/19/1990 |
| 4893338 | System for conveying information for the reliable authentification of a plurality of documents A system for conveying information for the reliable authentication of a plurality of documents includes a device for solving a set of polynomial equations to develop a string of characters and having a decryption key therein that, upon application to the ... | 01/09/1990 |
| 4888803 | Method and apparatus for verifying a value for a batch of items A method and apparatus for verifying a total value for a batch of items, and particularly a total postage value for a batch of mail pieces. A batch of mail is prepared in a conventional manner in accordance with information generated by a data processing ... | 12/19/1989 |
| 4864618 | Automated transaction system with modular printhead having print authentication feature An automated transaction system employs a terminal for printing a value indicia, such as a postmark, on an article. The terminal contains a modular printer unit which has a printhead and a dedicated microprocessor physically permanently bonded together su... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4802218 | Automated transaction system An automated transaction system employs a card maintaining an account balance and a terminal for dispensing an article of value and debiting the card's balance. The card has a secure, resident microprocessor which executes an interactive handshake recogni... | 01/31/1989 |
| 4787045 | Postage meter recharging system An electronic postage meter system in which a postage meter is coupled to a data center by way of a communication path, to enable recharging of the accounting register of the postage meter under the control of the data center. The postage meter includes a... | 11/22/1988 |
| 4780828 | Mailing system with random sampling of postage A system for accounting for postage on large batches of mail without franking of each mail piece. The system includes an intelligent inserter system or automatic weighing system for generating postage determining information for mail pieces in a large bat... | 10/25/1988 |
| 4757537 | System for detecting unaccounted for printing in a value printing system A system for detecting fraudulent imprints on documents is disclosed. The system comprises a metering device, a host and a verifying facility. The metering device provides a validation signal to the host and its associated printer. Thereafter, the printer... | 07/12/1988 |
| 4253158 | System for securing postage printing transactions A postage meter includes printing and accounting stations interconnected through an insecure communications link. Each time the meter is tripped, a number generator at the printing station is activated to generate a number signal which is encrypted to pro... | 02/24/1981 |
