Appeal No. 2000-0376
Application 08/753,236
printing, or thermal printing, that cannot be counterfeited
(col. 1, lines 33-42). In microprocessor-controlled printing
methods in postage meter and monetary value stamping machines,
the material to be printed by stamping is produced by
microprocessors, memories, and registers (col. 2, lines 21-24).
The printing pattern or image is generated immediately before
printing from stored data, such as printing block patterns and
current data, like the date and amount of the fee (col. 2,
lines 24-28). An identification characteristic identifying the
postage meter and monetary stamping machine is also printed. To
make the identification characteristic uncounterfeitable,
parameters of the particular machine are linked with elements of
the fee amount and date to be printed and encrypted (col. 2,
lines 30-33). As shown in figure 1, the machine parameters MP,
such as a serial number or factory number (col. 2, lines 36-37),
a number of imprints with a date DT, a value setting VS, and
optionally numbers of an advertising printing block (not shown)
are linked by means of a cryptographic algorithm CA (called KA in
the specification) to be incorporated into the printing pattern
through printer control PC (called DS in the specification)
(col. 2, lines 34-43). The encrypted number is said to be
imprinted in the "open" (col. 1, lines 53-54; col. 2, line 60),
which we interpret to mean part of the final assembled printing
pattern, but separate from the part of the printing pattern
- 4 -
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007