Auto power-on, hot-pluggable user interface controller for mailing machines

A docking circuit for coupling a supply voltage from a machine to a removable user interface, the docking circuit comprising:

• a delay having an input and an output;
• and
• a power control circuit coupled to the output of the delay,
• wherein when the removable user interface is docked with the machine, a first signal is provided to the input of the delay, and after a predetermined time period the delay provides a second signal on the delay output to the power control circuit, the power control circuit, in response to the second signal from the output of the delay, coupling the supply voltage from the machine to the removable user interface.

A method for providing a first supply voltage from a mailing machine base to a removable user interface, the method comprising:

• docking the removable user interface with the mailing machine base;
• providing a first signal to a delay circuit in response to the docking;
• providing a second signal from the delay circuit to a power control circuit after a predetermined time period associated with the delay circuit;
• and
• coupling, by the power control circuit, the first supply voltage from the mailing machine base to the removable user interface in response to the second signal from the output of the delay.