Method for data input into a postage meter machine, arrangement for franking postal matter and for producing a franking design respectively allocated to a cost center

An apparatus for producing a franking image uniquely allocated to one cost center among a plurality of cost centers comprising:

• an automatic postage meter unit having an accounting means for conducting accounting procedures for entering and debiting funds in a plurality of different user accounts respectively uniquely identified and accessible by a cost center number, first and second means for entering data, means for generating a user-identifiable data output regarding said accounting procedures for controlling transfer of data between said first and second means for entering data and said means for generating a data output, an electronic printer, and a processor;
• a plurality of chip cards respectively possessed by different users respectively associated with said user accounts;
• each chip card having a memory with data including a chip and number, and its user's cost center number stored therein;
• a chip card write/read means, forming said second means for entering data, for reading the data stored in the memory of one of said chip cards which is currently inserted in said write/read means including said chip card number and the user's cost center number;
• and
• a non-volatile memory contained in said processor into which said data from said chip card are downloaded by said processor, and said processor including means, after downloading said data from said chip card, for automatically setting said printer to cause the printing of a franking image and for debiting the user account identified by the cost center number of the currently inserted chip card;
• and
• means in said postage meter unit for allowing access, while said chip card is inserted in said write/read means, to the user account identified by the cost center number downloaded from the currently inserted chip card and for simultaneously suppressing access to all other user accounts in said accounting means.

An apparatus for producing a franking image useable with a plurality of different advertisements comprising:

• an automatic postage meter unit having accounting means for conducting accounting procedures for entering and debiting funds, first and second means for entering data, means for generating a user-identifiable data output associated with said accounting procedures, input/output control means for controlling transfer of data between said first and second means for entering data and said means for generating a data output, an electronic printer, and a processor;
• a plurality of chip cards, each chip card having a memory with data including a chip card number and an advertising design number stored therein;
• a chip card write/read means, forming said second means for entering data, for reading the data stored in the memory of one of said chip cards which is currently inserted in said write/read means including said chip card number and said advertising design number;
• and
• a non-volatile memory contained in said processor having a plurality of advertising images stored therein, each advertising image being uniquely identified by an advertising design number, and said processor downloading said data from a currently inserted chip card into said non-volatile memory and said processor including means, after downloading said data from currently inserted chip card, for automatically setting said printer apparatus to cause the printing of a franking image and an advertising image corresponding to the advertising design number on the currently inserted chip card.

An apparatus for producing a franking image uniquely allocated to one cost center among a plurality of cost centers and combined with one advertisement among a plurality of advertisements, comprising:

• an automatic postage meter unit having accounting means for conducting accounting procedures for entering and debiting funds in a plurality of different user accounts respectively uniquely identified and accessible by a cost center number, first and second means for entering data, means for generating a user-identifiable data output regarding said accounting procedures, input/output control means for controlling transfer of data between said first and second means for entering data and said means for generating a data output, an electronic printer, and a processor;
• a plurality of chip cards respectively possessed by different users respectively associated with said user accounts, each chip card having a memory with data including a chip card number and its user's cost center number and an advertising design number stored therein;
• a chip card write/read means, forming said second means for entering data, for reading the data stored in the memory of one of said chip cards which is currently inserted in said write/read means including said chip card number, the user's cost center number and the advertising design number;
• and
• a non-volatile memory contained in said processor having a plurality of advertising images stored therein, each advertising image being identified by an advertising design number, and said processor downloading said data from the currently inserted chip card into said non-volatile memory, and said processor including means, after downloading said data from said currently inserted chip card, for automatically setting said printer to set said printer apparatus to cause printing of a franking image in combination with an advertising image corresponding to the advertising design number on the currently inserted chip card, and to cause said accounting means to debit the user account corresponding to the cost center number by an amount corresponding to a franking amount.