LOSS OF FUNDS PREVENTION FOR POSTAGE METERS AND PERSONAL COMPUTER METERS

摘要

In a portage meter, funds are requested from an accounting unit (15) and transferred to a print buffer (16) when a print registration sensor (13) defects a mailpiece (11) at a location that is sufficiently downstream of the printing mechanism (14) in order to enable the meter sufficient time to compose the indicia. A presentation sensor (18) detects the presence of the mailpiece (11) just prior to printing the indicia; and a printing mechanism (14) prints the indicia if the mailpiece (11) is properly aligned with the printing mechanism (14), or stores the indicia data in a secure register (19) if the mailpiece is not properly aligned with the printing mechanism to enable the operator to obtain a refund.