Postage meter with removable print head and means to check that print head is authorized
AssigneeNeopost Limited
InventorRaymond John Herbert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A postage meter includes a printing device, for example an inkjet print head cartridge having an integral ink supply, removable from the postage meter by a user of the postage meter whereby a cartridge with a depleted ink supply can be replaced with a cartridge having a full ink supply. The printing device includes means storing a unique identification of the printing device. The postage meter includes reading means to read the unique identification of a printing device installed in the postage meter to determine from whether the printing device is authorized for use in the postage meter. The postage meter is operable to print postage indicia only if the printing device is authorized for use in the postage meter.
Claims11
A postage meter including accounting means and a printing module;
- said printing module being removable from said postage meter by a user of the postage meter;
- electrical connection means for interfacing with electrical contacts on the printing module when the printing module is mounted in the postage meter;
- said printing module including identification means storing unique identification information uniquely identifying said printing module;
- said postage meter including reading means for reading the unique identification information from the identification means and for determining from the unique identification information if the printing module is a printing device authorized for use in the postage meter and
- said postage meter being operable to operate the printing module to print postage indicia only if the printing device is authorized for use in the postage meter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.