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US 6,480,831 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for securely transmitting keys from a postage metering apparatus to a remote data center
AssigneePitney Bowes Inc.
InventorsRobert A Cordery, Frederick W. Ryan, Jr., Robert W. Sisson
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Abstract
A method for transmitting a key from a first device to a remotely located second device includes the steps of generating the key within the first device; selecting one of a plurality of one-time pad values from a one-time pad stored within the first device; creating a hash of at least the key and the selected one of the plurality of one-time pad values; and sending the hash and the key from the first device to the second device.
Claims4
A method for generating and transferring keys in a postage metering system comprising the steps of:
- (a) storing a one-time pad in a postage meter, the one-time pad including a plurality of one-time pad values;
- (b) generating cryptographically verifiable postage indicium in the postage meter using an original private key;
- (c) printing the cryptographically verifiable postage indicium on mailpieces;
- (d) determining that the original private key must be changed;
- (e) generating in the postage meter a first new private key and a first new public key;
- (f) selecting a first one of the plurality of one-time pad values;
- (g) creating a first hash of at least the selected first one of the plurality of one-time pad values and the first new public key;
- (h) sending the first hash and the first new public key to a verification site;
- (i) using the first new private key in lieu of the original private key for generating and printing the cryptographically verifiable postage indicium on mailpieces;
- (j) determining that the first new private key must be changed;
- (k) generating in the postage meter a second new private key and a second new public key;
- (l) selecting a second one of the plurality of one-time pad values;
- (m) creating a second hash of at least the selected second one of the plurality of one-time pad values and the second new public key;
- (n) sending the second hash and the second new public key to the verification site;
- and
- (o) using the second new private key in lieu of the first new private key for generating and printing cryptographically verifiable postage indicium on mailpieces.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.