EP0986029A1 - Method for controlling the consumption of franking machines - Google Patents
Method for controlling the consumption of franking machines Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0986029A1 EP0986029A1 EP99402145A EP99402145A EP0986029A1 EP 0986029 A1 EP0986029 A1 EP 0986029A1 EP 99402145 A EP99402145 A EP 99402145A EP 99402145 A EP99402145 A EP 99402145A EP 0986029 A1 EP0986029 A1 EP 0986029A1
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- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- postage
- server
- terminal
- machines
- user
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
- G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
- G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
- G07B2017/00088—Communication details outside or between apparatus via landlines
- G07B2017/00096—Communication details outside or between apparatus via landlines via phone lines
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
- G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
- G07B2017/00145—Communication details outside or between apparatus via the Internet
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00016—Relations between apparatus, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office, in a franking system
- G07B17/0008—Communication details outside or between apparatus
- G07B2017/00153—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information
- G07B2017/00169—Communication details outside or between apparatus for sending information from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
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- G—PHYSICS
- G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
- G07B—TICKET-ISSUING APPARATUS; FARE-REGISTERING APPARATUS; FRANKING APPARATUS
- G07B17/00—Franking apparatus
- G07B17/00185—Details internally of apparatus in a franking system, e.g. franking machine at customer or apparatus at post office
- G07B17/00193—Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
- G07B2017/00201—Open franking system, i.e. the printer is not dedicated to franking only, e.g. PC (Personal Computer)
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the field of treatment of mail and more particularly it relates to a process for controlling consumption of franking machines.
- connection to a server does not allow the user to have a global or even local overview of the management of its fleet and in particular it is not possible for him to know, at a given instant, the state indexes of the different machines without reading these at the level of each machine as the state of the corresponding statistics.
- external connection to a remote server is only possible with machines electronic postage meter. Out, it exists today on the only French territory over 100,000 electromechanical franking machines which do not have this possibility of connection to a remote computer server.
- the essential object of the present invention is a method of control of the consumption of franking machines in particular suitable for managing a diverse fleet of machines and which does not require direct link with a computer server.
- An object of the invention is to propose a process for controlling the consumption of a fleet of machines franking that is both flexible and easy to use while allowing consistent management for the user client.
- Another object of the invention is secure the exchange of information with postal administration.
- Yet another object of the invention is to allow to the Postal Administration more precise monitoring and control of operations postage made by the user client.
- a consumption control process a plurality of franking machines through a public network of communication, at least one franking machine not being connected to this network, characterized in that first of all, by means of at least one terminal independent supervision of the at least one postage meter autonomous.
- the communication protocol used to establish a connection with the remote server is either a Videotex protocol, for example the teletel protocol, ie a TCP / IP type protocol.
- the data exchange step includes a data entry step the user of an identifier including at least one password or personal identification number and a display step, at the supervision, on the one hand, of a list of printheads associated with said plurality of user franking machines, and on the other hand, for each print head, a last billing index validated by the server.
- the postage authorization code contains information relating to a maximum amount of credit or consumption and a postage period authorized. It is further obtained by calculation notably from said current billing index and / or the serial number of a printhead, which provides control easy and automatic index entered by the user, making unnecessary the travel of a representative of the postal administration to the site control.
- FIG. 1 An example of configuration of a fleet of postage meters of a user is shown in figure 1.
- This park is located for example on two different production sites.
- a first site S1 is available a single electronic franking machine 10 connected by a modem 12 to a public communications network, for example the network dial-up telephone or digital network (PSTN / ISDN 40).
- PSTN / ISDN 40 the network dial-up telephone or digital network
- a second S2 site separate from the first, five machines are available postage, three electronic type and two traditional machines electromechanical.
- the electronic machines 20, 22, 24 are for example connected to an internal network 26 which has common access to the network public 40 by a modem 28 while the two traditional machines 30, 32, on the contrary, are isolated from this network and operate autonomous.
- the user's different franking machines are under the monitoring of a computer server responsible for managing the fleet of franking machines and located remotely from these production sites in the premises A of the Postal Administration or at the dealer of machines.
- This server 50 is conventionally connected by a means of communication to a network (of the PSTN / ISDN / X25 type), for example by a modem 52 to the public network 40.
- At least one supervision terminal 60 is provided. connected to the public network by a modem 62 (which is preferably integrated into the terminal) and providing the user with input and visualization of information necessary for the management of its fleet of to set free.
- This terminal is advantageously located on a site of production near traditional machines without connection to public network. Of course, several terminals having access to the same information can be arranged on the same site or on sites different according to user needs.
- the terminal is connected with the server by means of a videotex protocol (for example the protocol known as “Teletel”) or a so-called TCP / IP protocol through an Internet browser using a specific process which will now be explained with reference to FIG. 2 and which shows the different stages of connecting terminal 60 to the fleet user franking machines with server 50 of the Postal Administration (or dealer of these machines).
- a home page appears on the terminal screen.
- the user is prompted to enter their terminal identifier on the terminal keyboard, which may consist of a customer name and password or personal identification number (PINE). If these references are correct, the server displays at the terminal, in a next step 110, the complete list of printheads (electronic and traditional) in possession of the user (on all of these sites or possibly on a given site if the user made the request) with for each of them at the same time the last index of billing previously validated by the server and the current index (entry previous) with its corresponding entry date.
- PINE personal identification number
- Step 110 can also optionally include a display step at the terminal supervision, a selectable plurality of tables and / or statistical graphical representations related to this top list printing.
- a step 120 the user selects a first head of traditional printing which he wishes to update the index and enters the terminal keyboard the new current index.
- the server checks that this index is greater than the last validated index, i.e. the last index taken into account account to establish invoicing by the postal administration (failing this a error message is issued) and then displays, in a new step 130, the new current index with its modification date and time as well as a first postage authorization number associated with the head selected printout.
- This authorization number is obtained conventionally by a calculation from data known as by example, without this data being limiting, the serial number of the print head and the current billing index.
- the number postage authorization can still be obtained by calculation from in particular from the current date and / or from information in particular relating to a maximum amount of credit or consumption authorized and / or to an authorized postage period.
- the user can then, in a step 140, renew the previous operations for a second selected print head, the server sending a second postage authorization code for this second head in a final step 150.
- the exchange is complete and the user can then stop the liaison.
- the different postage authorization codes can then be entered manually by the user at the level of the franking provided with the corresponding printing heads.
- the connection with the server does not have to be daily but only according to a periodicity defined in prior with the Postal administration.
- a service contract between the administration (or the franking machines) and the user on the management of his fleet at means of supervision terminals it is attached to this user both a predetermined financial limit (for example between 1,000 and 50,000 Frs) variable according to its foreseeable or possibly known solvency or his seriousness for example in the payment of his previous invoices and a time limit (selected for example from the periods following: fifteen days, one month, three months and six months) variable in depending in particular on the total postage envisaged and at the end of which the user must have connected to the server at least once.
- a predetermined financial limit for example between 1,000 and 50,000 Frs
- a time limit selected for example from the periods following: fifteen days, one month, three months and six months
- the postage authorization code which they may constitute by example the last three characters (two characters can correspond at the maximum authorized postage amount, from 1 to 99, one character being associated with the authorized postage period) and thus be in able to be communicated to the postage meter.
- FIG. 3 The structure of the franking machine allowing the implementation of the process according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. It also comprises conventional devices, not shown, relating to entry, transport and positioning of mail items for printing the postal imprint, a print head 70 responsible for ensuring this printing under the control of a central processing unit 72 conventionally comprising means for memorizing programs and of data.
- a non-volatile memory 74 is further provided for receiving postal data and in particular the content of the bottom-up counters and descendant which are preferably stored according to data from dates (and times) provided by a 76 calendar clock.
- An interface user 78 provided with a keyboard and a display, for example with crystals liquids, is also available at the franking machine for allow the entry of various data necessary for postage (by example nature of the carrier or category of shipment and possibly weight of the mail item in the absence of automatic weighing) and display of multiple information for the user (verification of entered for example) and in particular the billing index.
- each franking machine there is added to each franking machine a specific module 80, which can be software and then integrated into memory of processing unit programs, intended to calculate the code postage authorization according to a calculation process similar to the one followed by the server and blocking the franking machine when, on the one hand, this calculated code is different from that provided by the server and then communicated manually by the user to the machine to frank (through its user interface) and, on the other hand, when the user has not respected certain operating conditions imposed by the Postal Administration and in particular when it has exceeded authorizations granted by this administration as to the amount or the authorized postage period (note that the period control can be provided very simply using the clock-calendar).
- a specific module 80 which can be software and then integrated into memory of processing unit programs, intended to calculate the code postage authorization according to a calculation process similar to the one followed by the server and blocking the franking machine when, on the one hand, this calculated code is different from that provided by the server and then communicated manually by the user to the machine to frank (through its user
- the fleet of franking machines includes only machines connected to the network, entering the identifier including at least one word of password or personal identification number will appear on the screen display of the supervision terminal used, a menu allowing the user, to enter new billing indexes relating to all of these machines, or consult the status of all machines in the fleet with the last respective index validated by the server as the state of the various configurable statistical data defining this park, locally or global, in the form of tables and graphical representations in particular.
- the invention thus covers a method of controlling consumption a plurality of franking machines through a public network of communication, in which first of all, by means of at least one terminal independent supervision of this plurality of machines, through the public network, a link with a management server according to a communication protocol determined and then we proceed to an exchange data between the terminal and the server during which the user enters at the supervision terminal, an identifier including at least one password pass or personal identification number, and receives in return the possibility to choose in a display menu of said terminal, the entry of new index or display of the latest indexes validated by the server as statistical data relating to said plurality of postage meters.
- a variant of the method according to the invention consists in connecting to the server via a telephone with integrated display and a Text-to-speech telephone communication line.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
- Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
- Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
- Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)
Abstract
Description
La présente invention se rapporte au domaine du traitement de courrier et plus particulièrement elle concerne un procédé de contrôle des consommations de machines à affranchir.The present invention relates to the field of treatment of mail and more particularly it relates to a process for controlling consumption of franking machines.
On sait qu'un contrôle de la consommation des machines à affranchir est indispensable, aussi bien de la part du client utilisateur, qui doit relever quotidiennement la valeur du compteur ascendant ou descendant (appelée aussi index de facturation) afin de remplir un bordereau de consommation journalière adressé en général mensuellement à l'Administration Postale, que de la part d'un agent de cette administration qui doit se déplacer pour contrôler la véracité de cet index en regard des bordereaux reçus.We know that a control of the consumption of franking machines is essential, both on the part of the user client, who must answer the value of the ascending or descending counter (called also billing index) in order to fill in a consumption slip usually sent monthly to the Postal Administration, only from an agent of this administration who must travel to check the veracity of this index against the slips received.
Ce relevé devient toutefois particulièrement délicat lorsqu'il s'agit de gérer un parc important de machines à affranchir.However, this statement becomes particularly delicate when it comes to manage a large fleet of postage meters.
Il est connu notamment par le brevet EP 0 208 231 de supprimer ces relevés manuels en connectant la machine à affranchir, au travers du réseau téléphonique, à un serveur informatique spécialisé géré par l'Administration Postale ou le concessionnaire de cette machine à affranchir. Ainsi, l'administration ou le concessionnaire étant constamment informé des index des différentes machines, le client utilisateur n'a plus besoin de remplir de bordereaux de consommation journalière et il n'est plus nécessaire qu'un agent de cette administration se déplace pour en contrôler l'exactitude. En outre, cette connexion permanente permet en général un rechargement à distance du montant d'affranchissement autorisé.It is known in particular from patent EP 0 208 231 to remove these manual readings by connecting the franking machine, through the network telephone, to a specialized computer server managed by the Administration Postal or dealer of this postage meter. So, the administration or the concessionaire being constantly informed of the indexes different machines, the user client no longer needs to fill in daily consumption slips and only one agent of this administration moves to check its accuracy. In in addition, this permanent connection generally allows recharging at distance from the authorized postage amount.
Toutefois. cette liaison à un serveur ne permet pas à l'utilisateur d'avoir un aperçu global ou même local de la gestion de son parc et notamment il ne lui est pas possible de connaítre, à un instant donné, l'état des index des différentes machines sans relever ceux-ci au niveau de chaque machine comme l'état des statistiques correspondantes. En outre, une telle connexion externe à un serveur distant n'est possible qu'avec des machines à affranchir électroniques modernes. Hors, il existe aujourd'hui sur le seul territoire français plus de 100 000 machines à affranchir électromécaniques traditionnelles qui ne possèdent pas cette possibilité de connexion à un serveur informatique distant.However. this connection to a server does not allow the user to have a global or even local overview of the management of its fleet and in particular it is not possible for him to know, at a given instant, the state indexes of the different machines without reading these at the level of each machine as the state of the corresponding statistics. Furthermore, such external connection to a remote server is only possible with machines electronic postage meter. Out, it exists today on the only French territory over 100,000 electromechanical franking machines which do not have this possibility of connection to a remote computer server.
Aussi, l'objet essentiel de la présente invention est un procédé de contrôle des consommations de machines à affranchir particulièrement adapté à la gestion d'un parc hétéroclite de machines et qui ne nécessite pas de liaison directe avec un serveur informatique. Un but de l'invention est de proposer un procédé de contrôle des consommations d'un parc de machines à affranchir à la fois souple et simple d'utilisation tout en permettant une gestion cohérente pour le client utilisateur. Un autre but de l'invention est d'assurer une sécurisation des échanges d'informations avec l'administration postale. Encore un autre but de l'invention est de permettre à l'Administration Postale un suivi et un contrôle plus précis des opérations d'affranchissement effectuées par le client utilisateur.Also, the essential object of the present invention is a method of control of the consumption of franking machines in particular suitable for managing a diverse fleet of machines and which does not require direct link with a computer server. An object of the invention is to propose a process for controlling the consumption of a fleet of machines franking that is both flexible and easy to use while allowing consistent management for the user client. Another object of the invention is secure the exchange of information with postal administration. Yet another object of the invention is to allow to the Postal Administration more precise monitoring and control of operations postage made by the user client.
Ces buts sont atteints par un procédé de contrôle des consommations d'une pluralité de machines à affranchir au travers d'un réseau public de communication, au moins une machine à affranchir étant non reliée à ce réseau, caractérisé en ce que tout d'abord, au moyen d'au moins un terminal de supervision indépendant de la au moins une machine à affranchir autonome. on établit au travers du réseau public une liaison avec un serveur de gestion selon un protocole de communication déterminé, et ensuite on procède à un échange de données entre le terminal et le serveur au cours duquel l'utilisateur saisit au terminal de supervision un index courant de facturation relatif à la au moins une machine à affranchir autonome et reçoit en retour un code d'autorisation d'affranchissement pour valider les affranchissements ultérieurs de la au moins une machine à affranchir autonome. Le protocole de communication utilisé pour établir une liaison avec le serveur distant est soit un protocole Vidéotex, par exemple le protocole télétel, soit un protocole de type TCP/IP.These goals are achieved by a consumption control process a plurality of franking machines through a public network of communication, at least one franking machine not being connected to this network, characterized in that first of all, by means of at least one terminal independent supervision of the at least one postage meter autonomous. we establish a connection with a server through the public network management according to a determined communication protocol, and then we performs a data exchange between the terminal and the server during from which the user enters a current index of billing relating to the at least one self-contained franking machine and receives in return a postage authorization code to validate the subsequent postage from the at least one postage meter autonomous. The communication protocol used to establish a connection with the remote server is either a Videotex protocol, for example the teletel protocol, ie a TCP / IP type protocol.
Ainsi, par ce seul dialogue de l'utilisateur avec un serveur Vidéotext ou Internet de l'Administration Postale ou du concessionnaire, sans passer par la machine à affranchir, il est possible d'assurer une gestion parfaitement cohérente et simple d'un parc de machines à affranchir totalement hétéroclites; une surveillance plus stricte du trafic postal comprenant un contrôle plus rigoureux de l'index entré par l'utilisateur est en outre obtenue, de même qu'une meilleure sécurisation des échanges de données d'informations.Thus, by this single user dialog with a Videotext server or the Internet of the Postal Administration or the dealer, without passing by the franking machine, it is possible to ensure management perfectly consistent and simple from a fleet of postage meters totally heterogeneous; stricter surveillance of postal traffic including more rigorous control of the index entered by the user is in addition obtained, as well as a better security of the exchanges of information data.
L'étape d'échange de données comporte une étape de saisie par l'utilisateur d'un identificateur incluant au moins un mot de passe ou numéro d'identification personnel et une étape d'affichage, au terminal de supervision, d'une part d'une liste des têtes d'impression associées à ladite pluralité de machines à affranchir de l'utilisateur, et d'autre part, pour chaque tête d'impression, d'un dernier index de facturation validé par le serveur.The data exchange step includes a data entry step the user of an identifier including at least one password or personal identification number and a display step, at the supervision, on the one hand, of a list of printheads associated with said plurality of user franking machines, and on the other hand, for each print head, a last billing index validated by the server.
Avantageusement, le code d'autorisation d'affranchissement comporte des informations relatives à un montant maximal de crédit ou de consommation et une période d'affranchissement autorisés. Il est en outre obtenu par calcul à partir notamment dudit index de facturation courant et/ou du numéro de série d'une tête d'impression, ce qui procure un contrôle aisé et automatique de l'index introduit par l'utilisateur, en rendant inutile le déplacement sur site d'un représentant de l'administration postale à des fins de contrôle.Advantageously, the postage authorization code contains information relating to a maximum amount of credit or consumption and a postage period authorized. It is further obtained by calculation notably from said current billing index and / or the serial number of a printhead, which provides control easy and automatic index entered by the user, making unnecessary the travel of a representative of the postal administration to the site control.
D'autres caractéristiques et avantages de la présente invention ressortiront mieux de la description suivante, donnée à titre indicatif et non limitatif, en regard des dessins annexés sur lesquels :
- la figure 1 illustre un exemple de configuration d'un parc de machines à affranchir,
- la figure 2 explicite le procédé selon l'invention régissant les échanges entre un terminal et un serveur distant, et
- la figure 3 montre une machine à affranchir permettant la mise en oeuvre du procédé de la figure 2.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an example of configuration of a fleet of franking machines,
- FIG. 2 explains the method according to the invention governing the exchanges between a terminal and a remote server, and
- FIG. 3 shows a franking machine enabling the method of FIG. 2 to be implemented.
Un exemple de configuration d'un parc de machines à affranchir
d'un utilisateur est montré sur la figure 1. Ce parc est situé par exemple sur
deux sites de production différents. Sur un premier site S1 est disponible
une machine à affranchir unique de type électronique 10 reliée par un
modem 12 à un réseau public de communication, par exemple le réseau
téléphonique commuté ou un réseau numérique (RTC/RNIS 40). Sur un
second site S2, distinct du premier, sont disponibles cinq machines à
affranchir, trois de type électronique et deux machines traditionnelles
électromécaniques. Les machines électroniques 20, 22, 24 sont par exemple
connectées à un réseau interne 26 qui dispose d'un accès commun au réseau
public 40 par un modem 28 alors que les deux machines traditionnelles 30,
32 sont au contraire isolées de ce réseau et ont un fonctionnement
autonome.An example of configuration of a fleet of postage meters
of a user is shown in figure 1. This park is located for example on
two different production sites. On a first site S1 is available
a single
Les différentes machines à affranchir de l'utilisateur sont sous la
surveillance d'un serveur informatique chargé de la gestion du parc des
machines à affranchir et disposé à distance de ces sites de production dans
les locaux A de l'Administration Postale ou chez le concessionnaire des
machines. Ce serveur 50 est relié classiquement par un moyen de
communication à un réseau (du type RTC/RNIS/X25), par exemple par un
modem 52 au réseau public 40.The user's different franking machines are under the
monitoring of a computer server responsible for managing the fleet of
franking machines and located remotely from these production sites in
the premises A of the Postal Administration or at the dealer of
machines. This
Selon l'invention, il est prévu au moins un terminal de supervision 60
relié au réseau public par un modem 62 (lequel est de préférence intégré au
terminal) et assurant pour l'utilisateur la saisie et la visualisation
d'informations nécessaires à la gestion de son parc de machines à
affranchir. Ce terminal est avantageusement disposé sur un site de
production près des machines traditionnelles dépourvues de liaison au
réseau public. Bien entendu, plusieurs terminaux ayant accès aux mêmes
informations peuvent être disposés sur un même site ou sur des sites
différents selon les besoins de l'utilisateur. Le terminal est mis en relation
avec le serveur au moyen d'un protocole vidéotex (par exemple le protocole
connu sous le nom de « Télétel ») ou bien d'un protocole dit TCP/IP au
travers d'un explorateur (browser) Internet et selon un procédé spécifique
qui sera maintenant explicité en regard de la figure 2 et qui montre les
différentes étapes de mise en relation du terminal 60 de l'utilisateur du parc
de machines à affranchir avec le serveur 50 de l'Administration Postale (ou
du concessionnaire de ces machines).According to the invention, at least one
Après avoir réalisé la connexion avec le serveur (connexion au
service « Minitel » ou au site Internet du serveur), une page d'accueil
apparaít à l'écran du terminal. Dans une première étape 100, l'utilisateur est
invité à entrer au clavier du terminal son identificateur qui peut consister en
un nom de client et un mot de passe ou numéro d'identification personnel
(PIN). Si ces références sont correctes, le serveur affiche au terminal, dans
une étape suivante 110, la liste complète des têtes d'impression
(électroniques et traditionnelles) en possession de l'utilisateur (sur
l'ensemble de ces sites ou éventuellement sur un site donné si l'utilisateur
en a fait la demande) avec pour chacune d'elles à la fois le dernier index de
facturation précédemment validé par le serveur et l'index courant (la saisie
précédente) avec sa date de saisie correspondante. A défaut l'utilisateur est
invité à renouveler son identification (on notera qu'en cas d'échecs répétés
la connexion au serveur est rompue automatiquement et un appel au Service
Après Vente est alors nécessaire pour rétablir le service). L'étape 110 peut
également comporter de façon optionnelle, une étape d'affichage au terminal
de supervision, d'une pluralité sélectionnable de tableaux et/ou de
représentations graphiques statistiques se rapportant à cette liste de tête
d'impression.After making the connection with the server (connection to
"Minitel" service or on the server's website), a home page
appears on the terminal screen. In a
Dans une étape 120, l'utilisateur sélectionne une première tête
d'impression traditionnelle dont il souhaite mettre à jour l'index et entre au
clavier du terminal le nouvel index courant. Le serveur vérifie que cet index
est supérieur au dernier index validé, c'est-à-dire le dernier index pris en
compte pour établir une facturation par l'administration postale (à défaut un
message d'erreur est émis) et affiche alors, dans une nouvelle étape 130, le
nouvel index courant avec sa date et son heure de modification ainsi qu'un
premier numéro d'autorisation d'affranchissement associé à la tête
d'impression sélectionnée. Ce numéro d'autorisation est obtenu
classiquement par un calcul à partir de données connues comme par
exemple, sans que ces données ne soient limitatives, le numéro de série de
la tête d'impression et l'index de facturation courant. Le numéro
d'autorisation d'affranchissement peut encore être obtenu par calcul à partir
notamment de la date courante et/ou à partir notamment des informations
relatives à un montant maximal de crédit ou de consommation autorisé et/ou
à une période d'affranchissement autorisée.In a step 120, the user selects a first head
of traditional printing which he wishes to update the index and enters the
terminal keyboard the new current index. The server checks that this index
is greater than the last validated index, i.e. the last index taken into account
account to establish invoicing by the postal administration (failing this a
error message is issued) and then displays, in a
L'utilisateur peut ensuite, dans une étape 140, renouveler les
opérations précédentes pour une seconde tête d'impression sélectionnée, le
serveur adressant un second code d'autorisation d'affranchissement pour
cette seconde tête dans une ultime étape 150. A défaut d'une autre sélection,
l'échange est terminé et l'utilisateur peut alors interrompre de lui même la
liaison. Les différents codes d'autorisation d'affranchissement peuvent alors
être introduits manuellement par l'utilisateur au niveau des machines à
affranchir munies des têtes d'impression correspondantes.The user can then, in a step 140, renew the
previous operations for a second selected print head, the
server sending a second postage authorization code for
this second head in a
Contrairement à l'établissement des bordereaux de consommation journalière qui nécessitait des relevés chaque jour, la liaison avec le serveur n'a pas à être quotidienne mais seulement selon une périodicité définie au préalable avec l'administration Postale. En effet, lors de la mise en place d'un contrat de service entre l'administration (ou le concessionnaire des machines à affranchir) et l'utilisateur portant sur la gestion de son parc au moyen de terminaux de supervision, il est fixé à cet utilisateur à la fois une limite financière prédéterminée (par exemple entre 1 000 et 50 000 Frs) variable en fonction de sa solvabilité prévisible ou éventuellement connue ou de son sérieux par exemple dans le paiement de ses factures antérieures et une limite temporelle (sélectionnée par exemple parmi les périodes suivantes : quinze jours, un mois, trois mois et six mois) variable en fonction notamment du total d'affranchissement envisagé et à l'issue de laquelle l'utilisateur devra s'être connecté au moins une fois au serveur. Ces deux limites qui peuvent être modifiées en cours de contrat, par exemple sur simple décision de l'administration postale sont ensuite communiquées avec le code d'autorisation d'affranchissement dont ils peuvent constituer par exemple les trois derniers caractères (deux caractères pouvant correspondre au montant maximal d'affranchissement autorisé, de 1 à 99, un caractère étant associé à la période d'affranchissement autorisée) et être ainsi en mesure d'être communiquées à la machine à affranchir.Unlike the establishment of consumption slips which required readings every day, the connection with the server does not have to be daily but only according to a periodicity defined in prior with the Postal administration. Indeed, during the establishment a service contract between the administration (or the franking machines) and the user on the management of his fleet at means of supervision terminals it is attached to this user both a predetermined financial limit (for example between 1,000 and 50,000 Frs) variable according to its foreseeable or possibly known solvency or his seriousness for example in the payment of his previous invoices and a time limit (selected for example from the periods following: fifteen days, one month, three months and six months) variable in depending in particular on the total postage envisaged and at the end of which the user must have connected to the server at least once. These two limits which can be modified during the contract, for example on simple decision of the postal administration are then communicated with the postage authorization code which they may constitute by example the last three characters (two characters can correspond at the maximum authorized postage amount, from 1 to 99, one character being associated with the authorized postage period) and thus be in able to be communicated to the postage meter.
On aura noté que la saisie des index ne vaut bien entendu que pour les machines traditionnelles, les index des autres têtes n'étant pas susceptibles d'être modifiés. Mais, en affichant les index de toutes les têtes d'impression, il est possible de donner à l'utilisateur une vue complète de son parc de machines à affranchir et donc de pouvoir l'informer à tout moment de l'état de celles-ci, les index précédents et courants des machines électroniques étant en effet envoyés de façon connue une fois par jour directement au serveur par les liaisons permanentes existantes entre les machines à affranchir et le serveur.It will have been noted that entering the indexes of course only applies to traditional machines, the indexes of the other heads not being subject to change. But, by displaying the indexes of all the heads it is possible to give the user a complete view of its fleet of franking machines and therefore to be able to inform everyone moment of the state of these, the previous and current indexes of the machines electronic being sent in a known manner once a day directly to the server by the permanent links existing between the postage machines and the server.
La structure de la machine à affranchir permettant la mise en oeuvre
du procédé selon l'invention est illustrée sur la figure 3. Elle comporte outre
les dispositifs classiques non représentés relatifs à l'entrée, le transport et le
positionnement des articles de courrier en vue de l'impression de
l'empreinte postale, une tête d'impression 70 chargée d'assurer cette
impression sous la commande d'une unité centrale de traitement 72
comportant classiquement des moyens de mémorisation de programmes et
de données. Une mémoire non volatile 74 est en outre prévue pour recevoir
les données postales et notamment le contenu des compteurs ascendant et
descendant qui sont mémorisées de préférence en fonction de données de
dates (et heures) fournies par une horloge-calendrier 76. Une interface
utilisateur 78 munie d'un clavier et d'un afficheur, par exemple à cristaux
liquides, est aussi disponible au niveau de la machine à affranchir pour
permettre la saisie de données diverses nécessaires à l'affranchissement (par
exemple nature du transporteur ou catégorie d'envoi et éventuellement
poids de l'article de courrier en absence de pesée automatique) et
l'affichage d'infonnations multiples pour l'utilisateur (vérification des
saisies par exemple) et notamment l'index de facturation.The structure of the franking machine allowing the implementation
of the process according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. It also comprises
conventional devices, not shown, relating to entry, transport and
positioning of mail items for printing
the postal imprint, a
Selon l'invention, il est ajouté à chaque machine à affranchir un
module spécifique 80, qui peut être logiciel et intégré alors dans la mémoire
de programmes de l'unité de traitement, destiné à calculer le code
d'autorisation d'affranchissement selon un processus de calcul analogue à
celui suivi par le serveur et à assurer le blocage de la machine à affranchir
lorsque, d'une part, ce code calculé est différent de celui fourni par le
serveur et communiqué ensuite manuellement par l'utilisateur à la machine
à affranchir (au travers de son interface utilisateur) et, d'autre part, lorsque
l'utilisateur n'a pas respecté certaines conditions de fonctionnement
imposées par l'Administration Postale et notamment lorsqu'il a dépassé les
autorisations accordées par cette administration quant au montant ou à la
période d'affranchissement autorisé (on notera que le contrôle de la période
peut être assuré très simplement à l'aide de l'horloge-calendrier).According to the invention, there is added to each franking machine a
Par ce système, l'utilisateur se voit contraint de dialoguer régulièrement avec le serveur pour éviter un blocage de ses machines. En outre, comme après chaque connexion, il est procédé au calcul d'un code d'autorisation d'affranchissement intégrant notamment l'index courant saisi par l'utilisateur, les fraudes sur cet index sont supprimés car lors de la saisie de ce code sur la machine à affranchir tout erreur entraínera la blocage de la machine. Une surveillance plus stricte du trafic postal est aussi obtenue de même qu'une meilleure sécurisation des échanges d'informations.By this system, the user is forced to dialogue regularly with the server to avoid blocking his machines. In in addition, as after each connection, a code is calculated postage authorization including in particular the current index entered by the user, fraud on this index is deleted because when entering of this code on the franking machine any error will cause the blocking of the machine. Stricter surveillance of postal traffic is also obtained from even better security of information exchanges.
Si le parc des machines à affranchir ne comprend que des machines reliées au réseau, la saisie de l'identificateur incluant au moins un mot de passe ou numéro d'identification personnel fera apparaítre sur l'écran d'affichage du terminal de supervision utilisé, un menu permettant à l'utilisateur, de saisir de nouveaux index de facturation relatifs à toutes ces machines, ou de consulter l'état de toutes les machines du parc avec les derniers index respectifs validés par le serveur comme l'état des diverses données statistiques paramétrables définissant ce parc, de manière locale ou globale, sous forme de tableaux et de représentations graphiques en particulier.If the fleet of franking machines includes only machines connected to the network, entering the identifier including at least one word of password or personal identification number will appear on the screen display of the supervision terminal used, a menu allowing the user, to enter new billing indexes relating to all of these machines, or consult the status of all machines in the fleet with the last respective index validated by the server as the state of the various configurable statistical data defining this park, locally or global, in the form of tables and graphical representations in particular.
Les rapports habituels relatifs aux têtes valides, aux incidents et aux consommations de toutes les machines d'un site peuvent être ainsi facilement produits.The usual reports relating to valid heads, incidents and consumption of all machines on a site can be as well easily produced.
L'invention couvre ainsi un procédé de contrôle des consommations d'une pluralité de machines à affranchir au travers d'un réseau public de communication, dans lequel tout d'abord, au moyen d'au moins un terminal de supervision indépendant de cette pluralité de machines, on établit au travers du réseau public, une liaison avec un serveur de gestion selon un protocole de communication déterminé et ensuite on procède à un échange de données entre le terminal et le serveur au cours duquel l'utilisateur saisit au terminal de supervision, un identificateur incluant au moins un mot de passe ou numéro d'identification personnel, et reçoit en retour la possibilité de choisir dans un menu d'affichage dudit terminal, la saisie de nouveaux index ou l'affichage des derniers index validés par le serveur comme des données statistiques se rapportant à ladite pluralité de machine à affranchir. The invention thus covers a method of controlling consumption a plurality of franking machines through a public network of communication, in which first of all, by means of at least one terminal independent supervision of this plurality of machines, through the public network, a link with a management server according to a communication protocol determined and then we proceed to an exchange data between the terminal and the server during which the user enters at the supervision terminal, an identifier including at least one password pass or personal identification number, and receives in return the possibility to choose in a display menu of said terminal, the entry of new index or display of the latest indexes validated by the server as statistical data relating to said plurality of postage meters.
Une variante du procédé selon l'invention consiste à se connecter au serveur par l'intermédiaire d'un poste téléphonique à afficheur intégré et une ligne de communication téléphonique du type à synthèse vocale.A variant of the method according to the invention consists in connecting to the server via a telephone with integrated display and a Text-to-speech telephone communication line.
Claims (12)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
FR9811373A FR2783337B1 (en) | 1998-09-11 | 1998-09-11 | METHOD FOR MONITORING THE CONSUMPTION OF POSTAGE MACHINES |
FR9811373 | 1998-09-11 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0986029A1 true EP0986029A1 (en) | 2000-03-15 |
EP0986029B1 EP0986029B1 (en) | 2003-10-15 |
Family
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP99402145A Expired - Lifetime EP0986029B1 (en) | 1998-09-11 | 1999-08-30 | Method for controlling the consumption of franking machines |
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US (2) | US6868443B1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP0986029B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE69912054T2 (en) |
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US20030097337A1 (en) * | 2001-11-16 | 2003-05-22 | George Brookner | Secure data capture apparatus and method |
FR2911803B1 (en) * | 2007-01-26 | 2009-05-08 | Neopost Technologies Sa | VERY HIGH CADENCE ADDRESS TREATMENT SYSTEM |
US8903790B2 (en) * | 2009-12-15 | 2014-12-02 | At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. | Feed for expecting entities for address books |
EP3151503B1 (en) | 2015-09-29 | 2019-12-11 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method and system for authenticating a surrounding web application with an embedded web application |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20010042120A1 (en) | 2001-11-15 |
DE69912054T2 (en) | 2004-06-17 |
EP0986029B1 (en) | 2003-10-15 |
US20030131103A1 (en) | 2003-07-10 |
DE69912054D1 (en) | 2003-11-20 |
FR2783337A1 (en) | 2000-03-17 |
FR2783337B1 (en) | 2000-12-15 |
US6868443B1 (en) | 2005-03-15 |
US8626885B2 (en) | 2014-01-07 |
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