Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
8~
SYSTEM FOR ACCOUNTING FOR POSTAGE EXPENDED BY
A POSTAGE METER HAV NG DATA SECHRITY DURING PRINTING
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Postal rates have been steadily increasing for the
past several years and postage costs have become a greater
and greater burden for mailers. To help in controlling
postage costs, mailers, particularly larger mailers, have a
need for a means to account for postage expended on a
departmental and/or a customer basis in order to maintain
closer control of postage costs and to facilitate charge back
of such costs. Such mailers will typically have one or more
postage meters. (Postage meters are well-known devices which
imprint appropriate postal indicia and account for postage
expended up to a pre-set limit.) Given the need to control
postage costs through closer departmental or customer
accounting and the fact that postage meters only record total
postage expended, there is a need for systems to facilitate
accounting for the postage expended through a postage meter.
One such system is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
4,319,328, For: Postage Cost Recording System, To: Eggert,
Issued: March 9, 1982. In the system disclosed, a postage
computer sets a mechanical postage meter in accordance with
information received from a postal scale and records postage
for each item metered in response to a signal from a "item
feed sensor". Other such systems include the Electronic
Accounting System (EAS) and the Electronic Journal Printer
(EJP) marketed by Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
an important feature of such systems is data security.
Clearly such systems will fail of their object if data may be
lost or altered by power failure or transients, or through
inadvertent or fraudulent operation of the system.
Heretofore, such systems have relied upon the use of non-
volatile memory to secure data during power failure and on
the use of special supervisory access codes for functions
~k .
z~
-- 2 --
such as editing of accounts. One example of a technique for
data security is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,323,987 to
Holtz et al. The system taught in this patent includes a
back-up battery power supply which is connected to a volatile
memory if an impending power failure is detected. The system
further includes a timer which measures the duration of the
power failure and initiates a transfer of the memory contents
to an external device such as a printer for later recovery.
While systems using such techniques have been
lo generally successful, some problems have remained. Despite
the use of non-volatile memory power failures or transients
which occur at critical times such as during print out of
account records or editing of account records, may still
result in the loss of account data. Also, it has been found
that operators have in practice often obtained the
supervisory access code and erroneously edited account
records.
1.
-- 3 --
Through their experience with such previous systems,
Applicants and their co-workers have learned that the
sensitivity of such systems to power failures or transients
when outputting or editing account records arises out of the
nature of mailroom operations. When users create accounts,
they will, in general, wish to assign identifying account
numbers in accordance with their own pre-existing systems.
As a result, the account numbers of account records stored in
non-volatile memory will, in general, be random with respect
lo to the se~uence in which the account records are stored.
When these records are printed out, howeverl the users want
the print out to be in account number order for ease of use.
As a result in previous systems, it has generally been
necessary to sort the data base of the account records before
the records are output. As the Applicants have realizedl the
problem here is that a power failure or transient which
occurs at the point where a record has been partially
rewritten, may result in the loss of the data in that
account. Similarly, when an account is edited, a power
failure or transient which occurs when the edited account is
only partially updated, will effectively result in the loss
of the data in that account since it will in general be
difficult or impossible to identify which items in the
account have been updated and which have not been updated.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention
to provide a system for accounting for postage expended
through a postage meter.
More particularly, it is an object of the subject
invention to provide such a system which has improved data
security in the event of a power failure or transient when
account records are being output or edited.
~L~28~2~L~
-- 4
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above objects are achieved and the disadvantages
of the prior art are overcome in accordance with the subject
invention by means of a system for accounting for postage
expended by a postage meter which includes an apparatus for
entry of commands and pos-tal information including an account
number by an operator, such apparatus typically including a
keyboard and display, a printer, a memory for storing program
data and account records, the memory further includLng a non-
volatile memory for storing the account records, an interface
to an electronic postage meter, and a processor including a
CPU connected to the data entry apparatus, the memory, the
printer, and the interface. The processor responds to entry
of the postal information in accordance with the program data
to transmit signals through the interface to set the postage
meter, and then responds to a signal specifying the postage
expended transmitted back from the postage meter through the
interface to update the account record corresponding to the
account number specified by the postal information. The
processor also responds to entry of a report command to print
the account records in account number order on the printer by
sequentially scanning all of the account records, printing
the account record having the lowest account number which has
not previously been printed, storing an indication of the
account record printed, and repeating this procedure until
all account records are printed.
In another embodiment of the subject invention, the
system responds to entry of an edit command to edit account
records selected in accordance with information entered by an
operator. The processor first sets a flag in the account
record to be edited indicating edited status, then creates a
second copy of the account record in a pre-selected portion
of the non-volatile memory, and then updates the selected
record as specified by information entered by an operator.
Thus, it may be seen that the subject invention
provides an advantageous way to increase the data security of
systems for accounting for postage expended by a postage
meter in the event of power failure or transients.
~286)~:14
-- 5 --
other objects and advantages of the subject invention
will be apparent to those skilled in the art from
consideration of the attached drawings and the detailed
description set forth below.
i
~L28C~Z~L
-- 6 --
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
. _ _ _ _
Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a system
in accordance with the subject invention.
Figure 2 shows a plan view of a keyboard and displayed
used in an embodiment of the subject invention.
Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the sequence of a
meter transaetion by the system of the subjeet invention.
Figure 4 shows typieal reports generated by the system
in a meter transaetion.
Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram of the sequenee of
a meter differenee transaction in the system of the subject
invention.
Figure 6 shows typieal reports generated in a meter
difference transaction.
Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram of the sequence of
an edit transaction in the system of the subject invention.
Figure 8 shows typical reports generated by the system
during an edit transaetion.
Figure 9 shows a sehematic diagram of the sequence of
a elear transaetion in the system of the subjeet invention.
Figure 10 shows typical reports generated by the
system during a clear transaction.
Figure 11 shows a flow chart representation of the
operation of the system of the subject invention during an
edit/clear transaction.
Figure 12 shows a schematic diagram of the sequence of
an account report transaetion in the system of the subject
invention.
Figure 13 shows typical reports generated by the
system during an account report transaction.
Figure 14 shows a flow ehart representation of the
operation of the system of the subjeet invention in printing
out an aeeount report transaetion. ~-
~z~z~ ~
-- 7 --
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
EMBODIMENTS OF THE SUBJECT INVENTION
Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an
embodiment of the subject invention. Accounting system 10
comprises a CPU 12, which may be an Intel~801 8 bit
microprocessor marketed by the Intel Corporation, San Clara,
California. CPU 12 is connected to memory 14, which includes
ROM 14a for storing program data, non-volatile memory 14b for
storing account records and other critical data which must be
retained when system power is off, and RAM 14c which serves
as a working memory for CPU 12. Also connected to CPU 12 are
keyboard and display 16 and printer 18. Keyboard and display
16 will be described more fully below and printer 18 is
preferably a thermal dot matrix printer capable of printing
40 columns of 5 by 7 matrices.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that each of
the above components is a well-known commercially available
item available from numerous sources and that their
connection to and control by CPU 12 represents well
understood techniques. Further description of the
connections between these components is not believed
necessary to an understanding of the subject invention and
will not be given here.
Also connected to CPU 12 is electronic postage meter
30, which may be a model 6500 Electronic Postage Meter,
marketed by Pitney ~owes Inc. of Stamford, Connecticut. Such
meters are devices which imprint indicia representative of a
pre-selected postage amount and which account for postage
expended in this manner. Typically, the accounting system of
such a meter will include an ascending register which is
initially set to zero and is incremented to reflect total
postage expended by the meter, and a descending register
which is initially set to a pre-selected amount and is
decremented to reflect the postage values remaining in the
meter.
Typically, such meters are provided with a
communications port for control by an external device such as
system 10. ~owever, because such meters are, in effect,
~2~ 14
- 8 -
machines for spending money they are preferably controlled
through special, low error~ secure interfaces. Such an
interface is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,301,507, For:
Electronic Postage Meter Having Plural Computing System, By:
Soderberg et al, Issued: November 17~ l9Bl.
In the system of Figure 1, meter 30 i5 connected to
CPU 12 by meter interface 22.
Optionally, postal scale 40 may also be connected to
CPU 12 through scale interface 24. Postal scales are well
known devices for computing postal charges in accordance with
the weight of an item as well other information entered by an
operator and postal scale 40 would provide postal charges as
well as such other information as item weight; destination
zone, etc., to CPU 12. ~s will be apparent from the
description set forth below, inclusion of postal scale 40
will simply provide an alternative way to enter postal
information into system 10 and will not substantially affect
the operation of system 10 in its basic accounting function.
Figure 2 shows keyboard and display 16. Keyboard and
display 16 includes a display 16-2 which may be any of
several commercially available forms of alphanumeric display
but is preferably a 16 character, 14 segment fluorescent tube
display having full alphanumeric capabilities. Keyboard and
display 16 also includes numeric keypad 6-4 function keys 16-
6 and control keys 16-8. Keyboard and display 16 also
includes two unlabeled keys 16-1~ which may be used for
additional or special functions as will be described more
fully beIow.
Numeric keypad 16-4 and control keys 16-8 are used by
an operator to control the sequence of various transactions
initiated through function keys 16-6. More particularly,
numeric keypad 16-4 and function keys 16-8 operate as
follows.
0-9 -10 numeric keys comprising keypad 16-4 and used
to specify numeric values such as account number, postage
value, class, account, etc.
"." -used as a delimiter between dollars and cents.
~2~3~Z~
~ Hyphen/minus, used as a hyphen within an account
number and as a minus sign when editing account data.
RESET - Reset, used to exit the current function and
return to the initial state.
CE/C- Clear Entry, used to clear the currently
displayed value. A second depression causes the system to
return to the last displayed prompt.
END TRANS - End Transaction used to signal the end of
processing of a batch of mail.
ENTBR - Enter, used to enter the displayed value into
the system and to signal the meter to operate in letter mode.
TAPE - Tape, used to signal tape mode to the meter.
YES - Yes, used to signal a yes response to a prompt.
NO - No, signal used to signal a no response to a
prompt.
PAPERFEED - Paperfeed, used to advance the printer
paper.
PAUSE/CONT - Pause/Continue, used to stop or start
printing and to cycle through displays of values by the
system-
Function keys 16-~ each initiate a particular
transaction with the system. Each of these transactions is
defined more particularly below.
OPEN/CLOSE - This transaction will open a system for
use or close it so that it may not be used. When the system
is opened, the operator will be able to establish various
system parameters such as date and time, station I.D.,
whether or not to print accounts having a zero balance,
whether or not other transactions should require a class of
mail input, and whether or not to update the account base.
Preferably, opening the system will require input of an
operator access code to identify the operator and changes in
any system parameters, other than the date and time, will
require entry of a supervisor's password.
CREATE/DELETE - The Create/Delete transactions allows
the operator to create or delete accounts in the account data
base and to define the various classes of mail which may be
included in each account~ The operator may arbitrarily
~L28~Z~
- 10 -
define the account number for each account created.
Preferably, the Create/Delete transaction re~uires the input
of a supervisor's password.
LOCK/UNLOCK - The Lock/Unlock transaction allows the
opexator to lock specified accounts so that they may not be
used or to unlock previously locked accounts. Preferably,
the Lock/Vnlock transaction requires entry of a supervisor's
password code.
BATCH TOTALS - The Ba-tch Totals transaction is used in
the course of a meter transaction (described below) to
display the total postage value dispensed and the total
number of pieces for a batch of mail on display 16-2.
DISPLAY TOTALS - The Display Totals transaction is
used by an operator to display the total amount of postage
dispensed and the total number of pieces by account and class
(if the class option has been selected during the open
transaction).
RECEIPT - The Receipt transaction is used by an
operator at any time to determine whether or not a receipt
will be issued for subsequent transactions.
PAPER ADV - The Paper Advance transaction is used to
advance the paper in printer 18.
OPR REPORT - The Operator Report transaction is used
by the operator to print out summary reports of the meter
status including ascending and descending registers, piece
countr etc.; station summary including total piece count and
value for each class of mail; and account status for each
account and class in the account data base, showing the
edited, zero balance, locked and check sum status for each
account and class (if the class option has been selected
during set up) in the account data base.
ACCNT REPORT - The Account Report transaction is used
by the operator to generate reports for the entire account
data base or for selected accounts. This function will be
described more fully below.
EDIT/CLE~R - The Edit/Clear transaction is used by the
operator to edit or clear selected accounts. Preferably,
this transaction requires entry of a supervisor's password
code. This transaction will be described more fully below.
2~
METER TRANSACTION - The Meter Transaction is used by
the operator to set up the meter or a batch of mail and to
account for postage expended in processing that batch. It is
the default transaction of the system and is initiated on
power-up or by the Reset command. The Meter Transaction will
be described more fully below.
Each of the above described transactions, other than
those to be more fully describecl below, represents a routine
data processing function easily implemented by any person
skilled in the art. These transaction have been described in
order to provide a complete description of the features of
the preferred embodiment but do not form limitations on the
subject invention. Accordingly, a further description of
these features is not believed necessary to an understanding
of the subject invention and will not be given herein.
~L2~ 2~4
- 12 -
TABLE 1
ACCOUNT RECORD DATA FIELD
Data # Characters # Bytes
Account Number 8 (XXXXXXXX) 4
Mail Type 1 (X)
Piece Count 6 (XXXXXX) 3
Postage Costs 8 (X~XXX.XXX) 4
Other
Check Sum
Locked/Unlocked Status
Edited Account Status
Check Sum Error ) Total Bytes Required 14
Table 1 shows an exemplary account record in
accordance with the subject invention. The record includes .
an 8 character Account Number stored in 4 bytes, a 1
character Class (mail type) stored in 1 byte, a 6 character
Piece Count stored in 3 bytes, and an 8 character total
Postage Costs, with 3 characters to the right of the decimal
point, stored in 4 bytes. Additionally, there is 1 byte for
a Check Sum and 1 byte containing various status flags,
Locked/Unlocked Status, Edited Account Status, and Check Sum ;-
Error. In systems including a postal scale, the data field
shown above would be expanded to include additional items
such as weight, destination ~one, etc.
As will be described further below, during a Meter
Transaction the Account Record for a selected Account Number
and class are updated with the Piece Count and total Postage
Costs for a batch. As will also be described further below,
various reports are generated by the system by searching the
Account Record data base and generating the totals required
for particular transactions.
Turning to Figure 3, the sequence for a Meter t
Transaction is shown. At step 3-2 the system is shown in the
initial state after power-up or a Reset command displaying
the prompt ENTER ACCNT. At step 3-1, the operator enters an
account number through keypad 16-4 and the account number is
displayed on clisplay 16-2. At step 3-2 the operator may
enter the Account Number with an en-ter command. The system
~a~A
- 13 -
then displays the prompt ENTER CLASS. At step 3-3 the
operator may enter a class which is displayed on display 16-
2. At step 3-4 the operator confirms the class with an ENTER
command and the system displays the prompt ENTER VALVE. At
step 3-5 the operator enters a dollar and cents value through
keypad 16-4 and the value is displayed by the system. ~t
step 3-6 the operator enters the value using a ENTER command
and display 16-2 shows the account number and class. At this
point, the system is in the letter mode and the operator may
run a batch of mail. When the batch is completed, the
operator signals this using the End Transaction command at
step 3-7. At this point, the system will print Report 1 and
display the prompt SAME ACCNT. In response to the End
Transaction command, the system requests postage meter 30 to
transmit the contents of its Batch Register and Piece Count
register and updates the specified account by adding these
values to the current totals in the specified account.
At step 3-7 the operator may either enter a Yes
command returning the system to step 3-2 or a No command
causing the system to print Report la.
It is inplicit in the above description that the
operator may clear mistaken entries using the CE/C command as
described above and that reports may be suppressed using the
Receipt command as described above.
Figure 4 shows the reports printed during the Meter
Transaction of Figure 3. These reports include a header with
an identifying title, the station I.D., the date and time.
Report 1 shows the account number with each batch recorded by
class, total pieces, and total postage expended. Report la
is appended to the end of Report 1 when the ~eter Transaction
ends and shows total pieces and total postage expended Eor
the transaction. Report 2 shown in the Figure 2 is exemplary
of a report printed by a system which includes a postal
scale. Report 2 is substantially similar to Report 1 but
includes additional information provided through postal scale
40 such as weight, and destination zone. This additional
~ 2~Z~
- 14 -
information however has little affect on the overall
operation of the system and will not be described further
herein.
At step 3-6 the operator may enter a Tape command in
place of the Enter command which will cause meter 30 to
generate a tape for application to a parcel or other item to
be mailed. Additional Tape commands will cause additional
tapes to be generated.
In one preferred embodiment of the subject invention,
provision is made to detect chanqes in meters or the use of a
meter "off-line" (i.e., when not connected to the system).
Such provision is shown in Figure 5.
As noted above, meter 30 includes an Ascending
register which contains the total postage expended by meter
30. In the embodiment of Figure 5, the system requests and
meter 30 transmits the contents of the AscendiDg register at
the beginning of each Meter Transaction. The system then
compares the contents of the Ascending register to previously
stored contents of the Ascending register. If a difference
is detected, the system displays the prompt METER DIFFERENCE
and prints Report 3 at step 5-0. At step 5-1 the system
displays the prompt PASSWORD, requesting a supervisory
password from the operator, and at step 5-2 the operator may
enter the supervisor's password code which is displayed on
display 16-2. At step 5-3 the operator enters the password
code and the system displays the prompt METER CHANGED. If
the operator responds with a Yes command, the system prints
Report 3a and exits, updating the value stored for the
Ascending register to conform to the most recently
transmitted value. If the operator responds with a No
command, the system displays the prompt ACCNT at step 5-4.
At step 5-5 the operator enters an account number and at step
5-6 enters it into the system with a Enter command. If the
system was initiali~ed during the Open Transaction to display
class prompts at step 5-6, the system will display the prompt
CLASS. At step 5-7 the operator may input a class and enter
- 15 -
it into the system at step 5-8. At step 5-8 the system will
exit the Meter Difference Transaction, updating the stored
Ascending register value to conform to the most recently
transmitted value, and print Report 3b.
Figure 6 shows various reports which may be printed
during a Meter Difference Transaction. Report 3 includes an
appropriate title, the standard heading, the previous reading
of the Ascending register, the current reading, and the
difference. If the operator has indicated at step 5-3 that
meter 30 has been changed, Report 3a will be appended showing
that the register difference is due to a meter change. If
the operator has indicated that the meter has not been
changed and entered an Account Number and, possibly, a Class
Report 3b will be appended showing that the difference was
due to postage expended off-line and that that difference`has
been charged to the selected Account and Class.
Figure 7 shows an edit transaction sequence. At step
7-0 the operator enters the edit transaction by entering an
Edit/Clear command and the prompt PASSWORD is displayed. At
step 7-1 the operator enters a supervisor's password code and
at 7-2 enters it into the system which displays the prompt
EDIT ACCNT/CL. If at step 7-3 the operator enters a Yes
command, the system displays ACCNT. Steps 7-4 through 7-7
allow the operator to enter an Account Number and, possibly,
Class. At step 7-7 displays 16-2 shows AMT = + / -. At step
7-8 the operator enters a dollar amount, including a minus
sign if the amount is to be subtracted. At step 7-9 the
operator enters the amount into the system and display 16-2
shows the prompt PIECES = + / -. Steps 7-9 through 7-11
allow the operator to similarly update the Piece Count. At
steps 7-11 display 16-2 shows the prompt TRANSFER AMTS. If
the operator enters a No command at step 7-12, the system
prints Report 4 and display 16-2 shows the prompt OK AS
PRINTED. If the operator enters a Yes command, display 16-2
shows the prompts ANOTHER CLASS and ANOT~IER ACCNT at steps 17-
13 and 17-14 respectively. A Yes command entered at either
~IL28~
- 16 -
step will return the system to step 7-5 or 7-3 respectively
to edit another class in the same account or another account.
If the operator enters No commands at both steps, the system
will exit the Edit Transaction. If at step 7-11 the operator
enters a Yes command at step 7-15 - 7-18 r the operator may
enter another Account Number and, possibly, Class. The funds
and/or piece count changes entered by the operator will be
transferred to or from this second account and class. At
step 17-19 the prompt OK AS PRINTED is displayed and Report 5
is printed. If the operator enters a Yes command, the system
returns to step 7-13 to ask if another class in the same
account is to be edited and prints Report 5a. If a No
command is entered, the system returns to step 7-14 to ask if
another account is to be edited and prints Report 5b.
Figure 8 shows the reports printed in an edit
transaction. Report 4 includes an appropriate title and the
standard heading and identifies the account and, possible,
class edited. The Report sets forth the previous totals for
the account and class edited, the change, and the new total.
Report 4a is appended to show that the editing changes have
been confirmed by the operator and that the account totals
have been changed. If the operator does not confirm the
changes, Report 4b is appended to show that the previous
totals remain unchanged. Report 5 is generated if the
editing changes represent a transfer of funds from one
account to another. Report 5 includes the same title and
standard heading as Report 4 and the same information for
both the first and second accounts and classes as provided in
Report 4 with the changes in the first and second accounts
being compli~entary. As with Report 4, Report 5a is appended
if the editing changes are confirmed by the operator and
Report 5b is appended if the editing changes are not
confirmed and the totals remained unchanged.
Figure 9 shows a Clear Transaction in the system. If
at step 7-3 of an Edit Transaction the operator enters a No
command, the system goes to step 9-0 of a Clear Transaction
~28~Zl~
- 17 -
and display 16-2 shows the prompt CLR AND ACCNT/CL. If the
operator enters a Yes command at steps 9-1 and 9-2, an
Account Number is entered in the manner described above. At
step 9-3 the system displays CLR ALL CLASSES. If the
operator enters a No command at step 9-4, the system displays
CLASS and at step 9-5 a Class is entered. At step 9-6
display 16-2 shows ANOTHER CLASS. If the operator enters a
No command at step 9-7, the prompt OK AS PRINTED is displayed
and Report 6 is printed. If the operator enters a Yes
command, Report 6a is printed and if No command is entered,
Report 6b is printed. At step 9-8 ANOTHER ACCNT is shown and
if a No command is entered, the system exits the Clear
Transaction, and if Yes is entered, it returns to step 9-1 to
get another Account Number.
If at step 9-3 the operator enters a Yes command, the
system goes to step 9-7 and displays the prompt OK AS PRINTED
and prints Reports 6, 6a, or 6b as described above for all
classes in that account. If at step 9-6 a Yes command is
entered, the system returns to step 9-4 to get another Class.
If at step 9-0 a No command is entered, the system goes
directly to step 9-9 and displays the prompt CLR ALL ACCNTS.
If a Yes command is entered at 9-10, the prompt ARE YOU S~RE
is displayed. If a second Yes command is entered, the prompt
OK AS PRINTED is displayed and Report 7 is prin-ted at step 9-
11. If a third Yes command is entered, Report 7a is printed
and the system exits the Clear Transaction. If a No command
is entered at any of steps 9-9, 10, or 11, the system exits
the Clear Transaction.
Figure 10 shows the Reports generated in a Clear
Transaction. Report 6 includes an appropriate title, the
standard heading and the last values by account, and class if
the class option was selected during the Open Transaction,
for a selected account. Report 6a is appended if the
operator confirms and Report 6b is appended if the operator
does not confirm the Clear Transaction.
~L~8~
- 18 -
Report 7 has the same title and header and lists the
same information as Report 6 for all Accounts and the data
base. In addition, Report 7 lists totals for Piece Count and
Postage by Class. Report 7a is appended if the operator
confirms the Clear Transaction for all Accounts and Report 7b
is appended if the Transaction is not confirmed.
As noted above, the Edit Transaction is a vulnerable
point in the operation of the system of the subject
invention. Accordingly, Accounts are edited as shown in the
flow chart of Figure 11. At 100 the program for system 10
enters the editing routine in the Edit Transaction when the
operator confirms an editing change to a particular Account
Record. At 102 the Eaited Flag in the Account Record is set.
At 104 the selected Account Record is copied to a copy buffer
in non-volatile memory to protect the record of the unedited
Account Record in the event of a power failure or transient
occurs during updating of the Account Record. If such a
power failure or transient occurs, the image stored in the
copy buffer at 104 will enable an operator to restore the
Account Record data base if Reports have not been generated
or have been lost. At 106 system 10 tests the Edit Record
Buffer which is maintained in a pre-determined region of non-
volatile memory to determine if it is full. If it is full,
the oldest Edit Record is purged. At 110 system 10 then
records an Edit Record consisting of at least the Account
Number in the Edit Record Buffer and then updates the account
record, then exits to return to the Edit Transaction. As
will be described more fully below, the Edit Record Buffer
provides a secure record of a predetermined number of the
last Edit Transactions performed on the Account Record data
base. This Edit Record Buffer is helpful to service
technicians in detecting inappropriate Edit Transactions by
operators, as described above. This Edit Record Buffer is
accessible to service technicians in the manner described
below but is not intended to be accessible to operators or
supervisors. Note that the Edit Record suffer may consist
~2~%~
-- 19 --
only of the Account Number but also may, memory space
permitting, be extended to include additional data up to a
complete image of the previous Account Record. Similar
records are stored in the Edit Record Buffer when accounts fare created and/or deleted.
As will be discussed further below, the Edit Record
Buffer is a useful supplement to the Edited Flag stored in
the Account Record since it provides a record of the number
and sequence of changes to the Account Record data base which
is not altered by the creation and deletion of accounts.
Figure 12 shows a schematic representation of a
Account Report Transaction. When the operator initiates the
Account Report Transaction, the system displays ALL ACCNTS.
If the operator enters a Yes command at step 12-0, display 16-
2 shows the prompt DETAIL BY CLASS at step 12-1. If the
operator enters a second Yes command, the system displays the
prompt PRINTING at step 12-2, prints Report 8 and exits the
routine. A No command at 12-1 causes the system to print
Report 9.
- If at step 12-0 the operator enters a No command, the
system goes to step 12-3 and displays the prompt ACCNT and at
steps 12-4 and 12-5 an account number is entered in the
manner described above. At step 12-5 the system displays the
prompt DETAIL BY CLASS again, and Report 10 or 11 is printed
in response to a Yes or No command respectfully at step 12-6.
At step 12-7 the prompt ANOTHER ACCNT allows the operator to
either exit with a No command or return to step 12-3 to print
another Account Report.
Figure 13 shows the reports generated during an
Account Report Transaction. Report 8 includes an appropriate
title and the standard heading as well as the dates of the
reporting period. The report gives the total Piece Count and
Postage Expended for each Account, and for each Account
broken down by Class. Report 8 also includes a Station Total
which gives the total Piece Count and Postage Expended for
the station during the reporting period and breaks this total
down by Class.
~Z8~Z~
- 20
Report 9 provides the same information as Report 8
without the Class breakdown and Report 10 provides the same
information as Report 8 for a specified Account Number.
Report 11 provides the same information as Report 10 again,
without the Class breakdown.
As noted above, the Applicants have realized that when
the entire Account Record data base is printed in Account
Number order, system 10 is particularly vulnerable to power
failures or transients during soet routines which place the
data base in Account Number order. Accordingly, printing of
the data base is carried out in accordance with the flow
chart of Figure 14 without sorting the data base.
Initially, N = 0, P = 0, a register LAST ACCT = 0, and
a second register CURRENT ACCT = 9...9.
At 200 system 10 increments N and gets the "N"th
Account in the sequence of Accounts stored in the data base.
At 202 system 10 tests to see if there are more accounts in
the data base. If there are at 204, it compares the Account
Number to the contents of LAST ACCT. At 206 it compares the
Account Number of the "N"th Account to the LAST ACCT. If the
Account Number is greater than LAST ACCT at 208, system 10
compares the Account Number to the CURRENT ACCT. If the
Account Number is less than the CURRENT ACCT at 210, then the
system sets CURRENT ACCT equal to the Account Number and sets
P equal to N and returns to 200 to get the next account in
sequence in the data base. If either of the tests at 206 or
210 are failed, system 10 returns immediately to 200. At 202
when all accounts have been tested, system 10 goes to 214 and
tests if LAST ACCT is equal to CURRENT ACCT. If it is not,
system 10 sets the LAST ACCT equal to CURRENT ACCT, and
prints the "P'lth Account, reinitializes the CURRENT ACCT, at
218, and returns to 200. If the LAST ACCT is equal to the
CURRENT ACCT, system 10 sets the Accounts Printed Flag at 220
and exits.
As can be seen, the procedure of Figure 14 avoids the
need for rewriting of Accounts in the data base and minimizes
the risk from power failures or transients.
~x~
- 21 -
As noted above, a service technician may use the Edit
Record Buffer in cases where a claim is made that system 10
is not properly accounting. By setting a mode switch (not
shown) from the operate to the service mode, then pressinq
one of unmarked keys 16-12 and, in response to a prompt,
entering a service code, known only to the service
technician, a printout of the Edit Record Buffer may be
obtained. If this record shows that accounts in question
have been altered, the technician may then reasonably expect
the supervisor to provide the printout of the alteration.
The descriptions of preferred embodiments set forth
above and shown in the attached drawings have been provided
by way of illustration only and these skilled in the art will
recognize numerous other embodiments within the scope of the
subject invention. Accordingly limitations on the scope of
the subject invention are to be found only in the claims set
forth below.
