Electronic postage meter having a one time actuable operating program to enable setting of critical registers to predetermined values.

摘要

In order to allow manufacturing complete freedom in testing and to ensure that a customer receives an electronic postage meter or electronic parcel register preset to known values, the meter is operable to preset internal registers in the accounting module (2) when a serial number is locked in the unit. The dollar values in ascending and descending registers, and the unit piece count may be preset to any predetermined value only once during the life of the non-volatile memory device (36) associated with the accounting module. The serial number lock is modified to enable internal register modification to be provided. To minimize any unauthorized abuse, by an external stimulus or by an internal failure, the serial number lock is tested before each register value is preset. The serial number lock is set after the preset to bar unauthorized entry into this sensitive routine. If a set lock is detected during any of the tests, a non-recoverable fatal error is set in the meter/register. Operation of the unit is prevented if this fatal error condition is detected during the power-on sequence of the meter or register.