Appeal No. 97-2877
Application No. 08/334,096
Claim 1 is the only independent claim on appeal, and it
reads as follows:
1. An improved metering system having:
a microcomputer in bus communication with
a program memory and secure non-volatile memory
units
an integrated circuit means having an address
decoder module, interrupt controller module, printer
controller module, said interrupt controller module and
printer controller module being responsive to control signals
from said address decoder
wherein said improvement comprises:
said interrupt controller having a priority
interrupt signal output signal which when activated causes
microprocessor to execute a meter disabling routine to prevent
printing of postage,
a count down timer in communication with said
interrupt controller having reset means for resetting said
count down timer prior to said count down timer timing out and
having means for causing said interrupt controller to output
said priority interrupt signal when said count down timer has
timed out, said resetting means further for controlling access
to said secure memories,
input means for receiving a combination, and
means for comparing said combination with a
corresponding combination stored in said secure memories, and
wherein
if said combination and said corresponding
combination are found valid by said comparing means, then said
2
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Last modified: November 3, 2007