Method for paying the resetting of an electronic franking machine and arrangement for operating a data host

The invention relates to a method for paying the post-accreditation of an electronic franking machine according to the type specified in the preamble of claim 1 or 4, 6 or 18 and an arrangement for operating a data center according to the type specified in the preamble of claim 10 for the provision and provision of special Services according to a customer order. This procedure improves the payment of post-accreditation for users of franking machines by involving a credit card institute.

A franking machine generally creates an imprint in a form agreed with the post right-aligned, parallel to the upper edge of the mail item, beginning with the content of the postage in the postmark, the date in the day stamp and stamp imprints for advertising slogans and, if applicable, the type of shipment in the election print stamp. The post value, the date and the type of shipment form the variable information to be entered in accordance with the piece of mail.

The postage value is usually the prepayment (franking) paid by the sender, which is taken from a refillable credit register and used to clear the mail item.

For the aforementioned replenishment, postal register values ​​are read by a postal inspector for billing and the value specification is then carried out. In contrast to this, in the current account procedure, a register is only counted up depending on the frankings made with the postage value and is read at regular intervals by a postal inspector.

In principle, every franking made must be accounted for and any manipulation that leads to franking that has not been invoiced must be prevented. Manipulation security must also be ensured in the event that a remote value specification is carried out from a remote data center in order to reload the franking machine.

According to US Pat. No. 3,255,439, a reloading or crediting of a franking machine has already been associated with an automatic signal transmission from the franking machine to the data center whenever a predetermined sum of funds that has been franked or the number of processed mail pieces or a predetermined time period has been reached. Alternatively, a signal corresponding to the sum of funds, number of pieces or time period can be transmitted. Communication takes place by means of binary signals via converters connected to one another via a telephone line. The machine receives an equally secured reload in accordance with the credit balance and blocks if no credit is replenished.

From US 4,811,234 it is known to carry out the transactions in encrypted form, to query the register data of the franking machine and to transmit it to the data center by MODEM. Encryption offers the necessary security against manipulation of the register status, such as the stored right of disposal (descending register). The franking machine identifies itself with an identity number at the data center and transmits its encrypted register content when a preset threshold value is reached. As soon as the connection to the data center is established, the franking machine user's account, which is held internally in the data center, is checked with regard to the validity of the account and with regard to the availability of the credit desired for reloading the franking machine. If there is sufficient credit available, reloading is carried out using the aforementioned transaction. Otherwise, the customer support service will be warned if the credit is not available. It is intended to display a time reference in the data center for the reduction in the authorized amount remaining in the register. If necessary, the data center modifies the desired franking amount up to which franking may be carried out by means of corresponding authorization signals. It is also envisaged to carry out the transactions outside of peak load times, preferably at night, when the aforementioned presettable threshold value has been reached in the course of the previous period. However, use cases are quite conceivable where the amount of mail to be franked fluctuates (seasonal operation) and cannot be estimated in advance. If a credit balance that is too high is debited from the bank account and transferred to the franking machine as credit, no interest would be earned, so that the user is more interested in smaller credits. In these cases, the franking machine would disadvantageously block unnecessarily often if the desired credit is not available or the user would have to communicate unnecessarily often with the data center even during peak load times due to insufficient reloading amounts. It has indeed been proposed to alternatively maintain a user account for credit in a bank, which can therefore earn interest. In accordance with the data transmitted from the franking machine to the data center, the data center requests the bank. In addition to account and credit data, funds are also transferred from the bank to the data center in order to top up the account managed in the data center with a credit, ie in order to make the means available which are necessary for reloading the franking machine. The disadvantage of this alternative method, however, is that the customer must continue to plan the next remote value specification and accordingly have to make money available in a special user account at the bank for the postage meter loading, which not only means separate account management costs but also processing times and costs for transferring funds account managed in the data center. In addition, an effort would have to be made to ensure that this transfer of funds to the data center is secured against manipulation.

When paying with payment cards, identification cards such as credit cards (pay later) and such as debit cards (pay now) or prepaid cards (pre-paid) are used worldwide. However, it is expensive to make such a method available for standard franking machines which are not yet equipped with a corresponding card read / write unit. This would require an expensive retrofitting action, which is not in itself necessary if the previous payment system is maintained.

A service issuing system known from DE 36 28 253 A1 has a prepaid card read / write unit which is a component of an electronic storage and control device. Anonymous prepaid cards are suitable for the payment of small amounts of money (telephone card), but are not yet approved by the banks for the payment of larger amounts until the necessary counterfeit security can not be proven.

When paying by credit card, such as American Express, identification using a credit card and direct debit (pay later) through the involvement of a commissioned credit card institution are preferred. Such payment systems have already been proposed for mail processing machines (US 5,025,386) and require an additional magnetic card or IC card read / write unit. This high level of effort is justified only in the case of vending machines that are open to the public.

The task was to solve the disadvantages of the prior art and to create the technical requirements for a further payment option with regard to the reloading of franking machines without increasing the hardware expenditure on the franking machine side.

Another task is to arrange means in the data center in order to carry out a franking machine-specific credit card method also for standard franking machines.

The object is achieved with the features of claims 1 and 4, 6 and 18 for a method and with features of claim 10 for an arrangement for operating a data center for the provision and provision of special services according to a customer order.

The franking machine can be switched to a corresponding mode for the purpose of reloading. The franking machine communicates with a data center, data being entered into the franking machine and the franking machine being switchable to either a communication mode or a credit request mode.

The connection is established from the franking machine to the data center and then a plausibility check of the entered franking machine data and franking machine register values ​​is carried out by the data center. The lending process is started by the data center if the credit card number has been entered in the franking machine. The data center establishes a connection to the credit card institute in order to have the credit card institute check the credit card status of the customer and thus, upon authorization by the credit card institute, an approval message is sent to the data center. The data center then carries out the reloading process in the franking machine with a credited credit amount. The credit card institute also authorizes a money transfer from the customer bank directly to the postal carrier's or the postal authority's bank or indirectly via an intermediary bank that has an electronic communication link to the data center. If the data line to the credit card institute is busy, the connection is reestablished by the data center, with a limited number of attempts being permitted to establish the connection. After an unsuccessful repetition, it can be canceled. The franking machine can then alternatively be reloaded via the data center with a prepaid credit if the aforementioned intermediary bank, which has an electronic communication link to the data center, delivers corresponding customer account information about the prepaid credit to the data center.

To carry out the method, an arrangement for operating a data center has a database with register entries for the provision and provision of special services in accordance with a customer order.

The data center provides storage space in the database for sub-registers that are assigned to two special accounts of the franking machine user. It is envisaged that a credit from a first bank (customer bank) or Directly transferred from the franking machine user to an associated first bank account at a specially commissioned second bank or financial institution that is communicatively coupled to the data center and that a credit is kept in the special first sub-register of the data center in accordance with the prepaid amount and that, according to the invention, a special second sub-register in the data center is used is led by credit. The data center is commissioned by the customer to provide a corresponding service for the reloading or post-accreditation of his franking machine, if necessary to transfer the money to the account at a third bank specially commissioned by the postal carrier or to the account at the bank of the regional post office to be transferred in a predetermined manner in order to pay for the service of the postal carrier.

When franking with a standard franking machine, the franking amount is debited from the credit stored electronically in the postal register (descending register) (remaining amount). The proper booking and reloading or crediting will be checked by a data center as soon as a communication connection to the data center is established. To call up the post-accreditation routine, the user enters an identification number (PIN) into the franking machine via a keyboard, which identifies the franking machine at the data center.

It is assumed that a commissioned credit card institute CPC (Credit Card Processing Center) and a data center work together to facilitate the reloading of franking machines with credit for the user by means of the special second sub-register, which is kept in the data center. The prerequisite for the use of such a further payment option is, of course, the transmission of appropriate information to the data center and the provision of a corresponding data processing and storage capacity in the data center in order to process the aforementioned information. Based on a temporary communication connection between the commissioned credit card institute CPC (Credit Card Processing Center) and the data center and based on an associated transmission device and the management of another customer account for payment with the aforementioned special second sub-register at the credit card institute, the data center provides the service for which it was commissioned by the customer.

The advantage of the new method is that the customer does not have to plan the next remote value specification in advance and does not necessarily have to provide money on the special first account accordingly. Since, in contrast to a money transfer, a period of several hours to a few days does not have to pass because no money is transferred from the customer account of the credit card institute to a special account in the data center, but because the loan is immediately available, there is another advantage in the time gain . Another associated advantage is the financial gain, since no interest losses occur if only the currently required credit needs to be provided as a loan. This profit is only reduced by possible additional costs through an increased service fee with which this service is paid. In principle, the bank account at the customer bank can be debited by the credit card institute and transfer of the credit to the account of the mail carrier according to the remote value specification, ie after the franking machine has been reloaded.

Also to be emphasized is the minimization of the administrative effort when using the special second sub-register in the data center, both for the customer and for the data center, especially since no funds, but only information is transmitted. This advantage compensates for the disadvantage that the contact between the data center and the credit card institute CPC (Credit Card Processing Center) extends the remote value specification process for reloading credit.

Starting from a franking machine that has a microprocessor and a suitable program and that works according to a method for improving the security of franking machines that includes encryption of the transaction data, user-specific information transmitted to the data center already forms a secure basis for storing the stored credit consumption data. or. Check credit reload data for plausibility and to trigger corresponding data processing operations in the data center. This user-specific information comprises at least the identification number (PIN) and the values ​​in the postal registers, for example about the credit consumption and the remaining amount of the franking machine.

In a first variant according to the invention, the user-specific information can additionally include information about the type of payment, which is entered immediately after the identification number (PIN) on the keyboard of the franking machine. The information about the payment method includes, for example, the credit card number and the expiry date of the credit card and, if applicable the information about the name of the credit card institute commissioned if the data center works with several credit card institutes.

According to the invention, the franking machine automatically establishes the communication link to the data center after the user input has been completed, in order to transmit the user-specific information. The data center then automatically transmits information to the credit card institute when a credit card number has been entered and waits for approval if the credit card institute is currently unavailable or retry communication with the credit card institute if the connection is interrupted and the unsuccessful Communication attempts, wherein the credit request is deleted in the specific register VGW of the data center if the connection is not established after a predetermined number of attempts.

In a second variant according to the invention, the user-specific information can additionally include information about the type of payment which is transmitted in the course of communication with the data center, ie which is not communicated to the data center immediately after the PIN has been entered. The second variant according to the invention comprises the following steps:<ul id="ul0001" list-style="dash" compact="compact"><li>Carrying out a separate first communication A, the transmitted user-specific information additionally including information about the type of payment, which is transmitted in the course of communication with the data center and is entered in a special mask and</li><li>Carrying out a separate second communication B, the electronic franking machine being switched to a reload mode and the data center carrying out the reloading process and its booking in accordance with the entry in the aforementioned special mask.</li></ul>

It is envisaged that the user-specific information transmitted by the franking machine only includes the identification number (PIN) and the values ​​in the postal registers and that the information about the type of payment, which was transmitted in a previous separate communication together with the default request to the data center, as an order in the form of an order code belonging to the identification number (PIN) or the customer name is stored in the database of the data center until another order is placed.

In a third variant according to the invention, the user-specific information likewise only includes the identification number (PIN) and the values ​​in the postal registers. Information about the type of payment is transmitted to the data center in a separate communication beforehand.

Such information about the type of payment, which is transmitted when entering or in the course of communication with the data center or separately from it, switches the necessary data processing and storage capacity accordingly in the data center in order to process the aforementioned information.

Advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are shown below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. Show it:<ul id="ul0002" list-style="none"><li>FIG. 1, service and data processing system of the data center for reloading a franking machine and for paying the mail carrier,</li><li>FIG. 2, expanded service and data processing system of the data center for reloading a franking machine and for paying the mail carrier,</li><li>FIG. 3, schedule for the loan request according to variant 1,</li><li>FIG. 4, schedule for the credit request according to variant 2,</li><li>FIG. 5, schedule for the credit request according to variant 3,</li><li>FIG. 6, arrangement for the credit request in the data center,</li><li>Figure 7, arrangement and assignment of sub-registers or registers in the memory area of ​​the database.</li></ul>

FIG. 1 shows a preferred service and data processing system of the data center 50 for reloading a franking machine 40 and for paying the mail carrier, which is in communication with a franking machine 40. The funds required for reloading are provided by the first bank 10 (customer bank) or deposited by the user of the franking machine directly into an account in a commissioned second bank 20 (for example in the USA the USPS-Lockbox Bank or in Germany the Postbank or bank of the private mail carrier or corresponding banks in other countries) and when the credit is called up by the data center from the commissioned second bank 20 to the third bank 30 (for example in the USA the Federal Reserve Bank or Bank of the private mail carrier or a corresponding bank in a respective other country) which maintains the account of the mail carrier. The cash balance is called up periodically in the form of a collective transfer to the account of the mail carrier in the third bank 30 if there is customer billing information transmitted from the data center 50 to the second bank 20. Such customer billing information is generated regularly when a reloading requirement to reload a customer's franking machine has been met by the data center 50.

A suitable postage meter machine has been described, for example, in connection with a method for improving the security of postage meter machines under US application number 08/346 909 (EP 660 269 A2). The franking machine is equipped with a printer module for a fully electronically generated franking image, with at least one input means - having several actuating elements -, a display unit, a MODEM establishing communication with a data center, further input means or a scale which is connected to an input / output control module with a Control device are coupled and with non-volatile memories for data or Programs which include data for the variable or constant parts of the franking image. The user switches the franking machine to a communication mode for reloading. The user-specific information transmitted to the data center includes the identification number (PIN) and the values ​​in the postal registers. The franking machine can, for example, transmit the following postal register values ​​to the data center before reloading the credit:<ul id="ul0003" list-style="none"><li>R1 (descending register) remaining amount in the franking machine,</li><li>R2 (ascending register) amount of consumption in the franking machine,</li><li>R3 (total load) the previous total specification of all remote value specifications,</li><li>R4 (number of pieces Σ for prints with a value ≠ 0) number of valid prints,</li><li>R8 (R4 + number of pieces Σ for prints with the value = 0) Number of all prints</li></ul> The data center stores the transmitted register data associated with each franking machine, which can be identified in each case by their PIN. In connection with the PIN, the desired request for future reloading has already been registered in a previous communication or transaction. The stored default request VGW can be changed according to the input of the franking machine user during a previous transaction, in order to load a reload value NLW corresponding to the default request into the franking machine in a subsequent subsequent reloading process.

You can also check in the data center whether the following equation is fulfilled:<maths id="math0001" num="(1)"><math display="block"><mrow><mtext>R3 = R2 + R1</mtext></mrow></math><img file="EP0779601A2_D0001.tif" /></maths>

Before each remote value specification of a reload credit for the descending register, the remaining amount R1 can be queried and statistically evaluated in the data center.

According to the first variant according to the invention, such a franking machine is equipped with a specially expanded program which enables the user of the franking machine to enter the required user-specific information about the type of payment in addition to the identification number (PIN).

FIG. 2 shows a service and data processing system of the data center that has been expanded in accordance with the invention for reloading a franking machine and for paying the mail carrier, the data processing system of the data center being in communication connection with at least one franking machine and with a bank or a credit card institute in communication (electronic bank connection) .

This service and data processing system of the data center 50, which is in communication with a franking machine 40, uses the services of a credit card institute 60 to reload a franking machine 40. Such a credit card institute 60 is, for example, a credit card processing center (CPC) which debits the customer account from the first bank 10 (customer bank) commissioned by the user of the franking machine in accordance with the credit used to reload the franking machine with the necessary funds. Such a debit from the customer account can be done, for example, by direct debit. A credit card processing center (CPC) at Citybank, Eurocard or American Express, for example, can be equipped with the necessary data processing and communication technology for electronic connection to the data center. The assignment of the essential steps 1 to 8 to specific communication connections can be seen in FIG. 2.

Of course, the payment option - already explained in FIG. 1 - is also retained. In the latter, the funds required for reloading are withdrawn from the first bank 10 (customer bank) or deposited by the user of the franking machine directly into an account in a commissioned second bank 20 (for example in the USA the USPS-Lockbox Bank or a corresponding bank in another country) and when the credit center calls up the credit from the commissioned second bank 20 to the third Bank 30 (e.g. in the United States Federal Reserve Bank or a corresponding bank in another country), which maintains the account of the mail carrier. The credit is called up by customer billing information transmitted from the data center 50 to the second bank 20 if a reloading requirement is met.

The following steps are provided for a method for paying the subsequent accreditation and reloading with a prepaid credit for an electronic franking machine which can be switched over to one of the reloading modes and which enables both types of payment:<ul id="ul0004" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>1. Data entry and switching of the franking machine (40) into a communication mode or credit request mode,</li><li>2nd Establishment of the communication link to a data center (50), plausibility check of the entered data and transmitted register values ​​in the data center and start of a credit inquiry process when a credit card number has been entered or start of a reloading process with a prepaid credit, a credit from a first bank (10 ) of the customer or transferred directly from the franking machine user to an associated first bank account at a specially commissioned second bank (20) communicatively coupled to the data center (50) and a credit is kept in the special first sub-register of the data center (50) in accordance with the prepaid amount and a special second sub-register is carried out in the data center (50) for the use of credits and the data center (50) is provided by the customer for the provision a corresponding service for the reloading or subsequent accreditation of his franking machine is commissioned in order, if necessary, to have the money transferred to the account at a third bank (30) specially commissioned by the mail carrier in a predetermined manner in order to pay for the service of the mail carrier,</li><li>3rd Contacting and sending information to the credit card institute CPC to verify the credit card status when a credit card number has been entered,</li><li>4th Receiving approval of proper credit card status in the data center or error notification,</li><li>5. Processing the reloading process or returning to step 1 to repeat the entry for the credit inquiry mode or to switch the franking machine (40) into a communication mode, the franking machine being able to be reloaded with a prepaid credit via the data center (50) as an alternative to the credit inquiry mode, if the intermediary commissioned second bank (20), which has an electronic communication link to the data center (50), Provides appropriate customer account information about the prepaid credit to the data center,</li><li>6. Transmission of listed information about successful credit inquiries to the credit card institute (60) or about the reloading with a prepaid credit to the third bank (30),</li><li>7. Money transfer between customer bank (10) and the credit card institute (60) as well</li><li>8th. Execution of transfers to the third bank (30) of the mail carrier.</li></ul>

A flowchart for the credit request according to the first variant is shown for the first six steps in FIG. 3, which are in the data center service area. The method according to the first variant is based on a service provided by the data center in connection with the specific credit card method implemented in franking machines. The complete process comprises steps 1 to 8, which can be carried out without the hardware expenditure on the franking machine side having to be increased. Rather, only a program modification is required there. A prerequisite, however, is a data center which has an electronic communication link to the credit card institute 60. The above steps 1 to 8 will be explained below:<ul id="ul0005" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>1. Data entry and switching of the franking machine into a communication or credit inquiry mode. The franking machine switches to a credit inquiry mode when the franking machine user or customer starts the credit inquiry by entering data on the keyboard of the franking machine with the following steps, which are each confirmed by actuating a special actuating means (key):<ul id="ul0006" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a) Entering the personal identification number PIN (8 digits),</li><li>b) entering the credit card number Credit Card # (16-digits),</li><li>c) Enter the expiration date (4 digits, e.g. 0797),</li><li>d) Entering / confirming the reset credit value (e.g. $ 500),</li></ul></li></ul>

If, on the other hand, only sub-steps a) and d) are carried out, but sub-steps b) and c) of step 1 are not carried out, the franking machine comes into a - in connection with a method for improving the security of franking machines under the US application - Number 08/346 909 (EP 660 269 A2) - communication mode to reload the franking machine with a credit according to the service variant shown in FIG. 1. A prerequisite is, however, a data center which has an electronic communication link to bank 20, which manages the customers' accounts for mail transport, collects the transferred amounts of money and periodically transfers these collected amounts of money for a number of customers to the third bank 30, which is an account of Postal authority or the mail carrier leads. A customer account information is transmitted from the bank 20 via the electronic communication link to the data center 50 at a suitable time (preferably in the morning). Through this electronic bank connection, the data center 50 receives up-to-date information for all customers involved about the amount of the prepaid money available on the account up to which a maximum of credit may be loaded into the franking machine 40 by remote value specification.

A credit card company will be involved if a prepaid amount of money is not to be used or is not available. The franking machine is switched over in accordance with the aforementioned input. Entering the very long credit card number<i>credit card</i> # is made using "<i>left</i>-<i>scrolling</i>"Method (writing to the left) entered. The franking machine is programmed so that after the 10 available display fields have been written in, the display shifts one position to the left so that the next digit can be entered. After the complete data -If the entry has been made, ie credit card number, credit card validity date and credit value have been successively entered and confirmed, the credit request process is started automatically.<ul id="ul0007" list-style="none"><li>2nd Establishment of a communication link to a data center, plausibility check of the entered data and transmitted register values ​​in the data center and start of the credit inquiry or start of the reloading process with a prepaid credit. Communication with the data center, for example via a MODEM connection and thus the credit inquiry process, is started after an input or actuation of a predetermined key or Key combination triggered automatically by the franking machine. The user-specific information, including information about the type of payment, is therefore sent to the data center via MODEM and further processed there in a data processing system. After a plausibility check (e.g. PIN, approval of the franking machine on the customer name, plausibility of the register values, correctness of the credit card number<i>credit card</i> # and other data, etc.), the data center either subsequently contacts the credit card institute 60 (for example in the USA the Credit Card Processing Center (CPC)) (branching path y), or the credit request is rejected and the process is rejected with a corresponding error message of the franking machine to the user or Customers are shown if the service cannot be provided (branch path e), or another service (branch path x) is provided according to the input. The credit card number <i>credit card</i> # is neither stored in the franking machine nor checked there, but is only taken into account in the transmission protocol during the communication mode. The credit card number you entered<i>credit card</i> # is transmitted to the data center and compared with the credit card number stored there. If a valid credit card number has been transmitted, you branch to step 3 after y. Otherwise, if no credit card number has been transmitted but both the transmitted PIN and the register values ​​are plausible, the process branches to x in step 5 in order to process the reset process on the basis of the system shown in FIG. 1. When receiving a new credit card or an old credit card that has become invalid, the customer only has to inform the data center before the credit request during a separate communication. The data center then saves the change accordingly in its database. If the credit card number is entered incorrectly<i>credit card</i> # the credit request is canceled with an error message from the data center (branch path e).</li><li>3rd Contacting and sending information to the credit card institute CPC to verify the credit card status. The data center contacts the credit card institute in order to request a loan (sub-step 3.1). Before the franking machine with the reload value<i>(reset credit value)</i> The following information can be exchanged via a separate communication link between the data center and the credit card institute CPC (sub-step 3.2):<ul id="ul0008" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>f) Credit Card Number Credit Card #</li><li>g) Expiration Date period of validity</li><li>h) Reset Credit Value</li><li>i) Customer name <i>customer name</i>With this information, the account status of the credit card user is to be queried on the side of the credit card institute CPC in order to serve as a further security feature. The customer name<i>customer name</i> is only stored in the data center assigned to a corresponding PIN. The customer name is not stored in the franking machine.</li><li>4th Receive approval of proper credit card status in the data center or error notification. The credit card institute CPC checks the account status of the credit card owner using corresponding, internally available check routines and answers the data center either:<ul id="ul0009" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>j) credit card status okay,</li><li>n) credit card status not okay,</li><li>m) CPC not currently available,</li><li>k) connection was interrupted,</li></ul></li></ul></li></ul>

The response to the data center usually takes 30-60 seconds. No account is maintained in the data center and no transfer of funds from the credit card institute CPC to the account managed in the data center is caused. Rather, depending on the response, either the request of the service customer, the requested new credit request continues to be temporarily stored in a special second sub-register in the data center or accumulated cached or deleted:

j) / n) credit card status okay not okay

If the credit card status is okay, the currently saved credit statement data is increased by the credit request in the TDC. The lending process is being processed. Otherwise an error message is issued ("No credit").

If the credit card institute CPC could not be reached, the branch path m) is followed, the requested credit request is deleted in the special second sub-register in the data center 50 and an error is displayed:

m) CPC not currently available

If the redial counter reaches a limit, the procedure responds with an error message ("CPC not available").

If the connection has only been interrupted, a branching path k) is first followed and branched back to step 3:

k) Connection was interrupted

If the connection is lost, the lending process is repeated.

If the redial counter reaches a limit, the process responds with an error message ("no connection").

A branching path m) is also followed, the requested credit request in the special second sub-register in the data center 50 is deleted and an error is displayed if the connection has been interrupted again and again after a predetermined number of repetitions or attempts to re-establish the connection, ie if the credit card institute CPC could not be reached. The credit card institution 60 is informed of the deletion of the credit request by the data center 50, whereupon the credit card institute 60 cancels the loan order. In the event of transaction errors, there is therefore no effect on the credit card institute 60 and data center 50.<ul id="ul0010" list-style="none"><li>5. Editing the reload process. The data center processes the response from the credit card institute CPC accordingly. There is an automatic processing of the reloading process in the data center, and if the credit card status is correct (branching path j), the credit value is entered in the specific second sub-register R1b of the data center. Otherwise (branch path x), the reload value NLW is automatically entered into the specific first sub-register R1a by the data center. Then the reload value NLW (reset debit value) or credit value (reset credit value) is added to the existing credit balance in the franking machine and also added in the data center and then the credit request is ended in accordance with the default request VGW. Otherwise, if an error was displayed (branching path n) or if the credit card institute CPC could not be reached or if the connection was interrupted and a branching path k) was initially followed and if the credit card institute CPC could not be reached after all, the requested credit request will be made deleted in the special second sub-register in the data center 50 and an error is displayed. Then, however, the franking machine user still has the option of normal reloading from the special first sub-register by setting the communication mode, as explained in step 1.</li><li>6. Submission of listed information about successful credit inquiries that have led to reloading. After a certain period of time (daily, weekly, monthly), the data center creates a list of all successful credit inquiries and communicates it to the credit card institute CPC by means of appropriate data carriers and / or via a communication link, for example MODEM or ISDN. It is provided that the data center 50, which has sent a list of valid credit inquiries to the credit card institute 60 for verification of the money transfer, is waiting for a corresponding confirmation of the transmission of the list by the credit card institute 60.</li><li>7. Money transfer between customer bank 10 and the credit card institute 60. Between the first bank 10 (customer bank) and the credit card institute CPC 60, the money transfer must be carried out, so that (in the next step 8) the money transfer between the credit card institute CPC 60 and the third bank 30 with the accounts of State Post Office or Private mail carrier or so the Gerdtransfer between credit card institute CPC 60 and the second bank 20 can be organized with the customer accounts for the mail transport in a suitable manner.</li><li>8th. Execution of transfers to the bank of the postal carrier. With the aforementioned list of credit inquiries, the credit card institute CPC 60 or the customer bank 10 is requested to send the total loan amount provided either directly to bank 30 with the accounts of the state postal authority (e.g. the Federal Reserve Bank in the USA) or the private mail carrier or to commissioned to transfer the second bank 20 (e.g. USPS Lockbox Bank in the USA).</li></ul>

FIG. 6 shows an arrangement for the credit request in the data center. At least one host computer 51 is arranged in the data center 50, which has a stored database 52 and a program 53 for the credit request, which has a coupling to at least one programmable input / output device for carrying out communication via a communication link with the franking machines and to carry out communication via a communication link with the banks or Money / credit institutions to pay for the reloading of franking machines with a credit which can be prepaid or postpaid. According to the invention, it is provided that the storage units 52 and 53 are formed in a hard disk or that a first hard disk is provided as the storage unit 52 and a second hard disk as the storage unit 53.

The arrangement for carrying out the method and for operating a data center has storage space in the abovementioned database for register entries for the provision and provision of special services in accordance with a customer order, to which a franking machine or a customer service agent (hereinafter referred to as TDC operator) accesses the entry of the customer order .

The database 52, which is preferably stored on a hard drive, and a program 53 for the credit request, which is also stored on a hard drive, form, together with the programmable input / output device 54, a first service unit which, on the one hand, has communication links 59 with the franking machines and, on the other hand, has at least one an operator terminal 55 is connected.

A second service unit consists of a second programmable input / output device 56, which on the one hand via a transmission device 501, 502 with the host search 51 and on the other hand via a transmission device 503, 57, 504 with a bank terminal (not shown) or the bank personal computer in the credit bank or credit institution is coupled.

It is contemplated that the second programmable I / O device will have access to the database 52 to contact and send information to the credit card company CPC to verify the billing status and receive approval of the proper credit card status (steps 3 and 4) and if necessary Submit listed information about successful credit requests (step 6). Alternatively, a printer can be coupled to the host computer 51 in order to print out the lists. In addition, with corresponding - not shown - recording devices of the host computer 51, alternative data carriers CD-ROM, floppy disks etc. can be written with the aforementioned data in order to store them.

The data center provides in the database 52 storage space for two special sub-registers assigned to the accounts of the franking machine user in order to make a corresponding booking. It is provided that a credit from a first bank (customer bank) or transferred by the franking machine user directly to an associated first bank account at a specially commissioned second bank or financial institution and communicatively linked to the prepaid amount, a credit is kept in the special first sub-register of the data center and, according to the invention, a special second sub-register in the data center for the booking the use of credit is carried out.

It is also provided that the first programmable input / output device has access to the database 52 so that the data center can be commissioned by the customer to provide an appropriate service for the reloading or subsequent accreditation of his franking machine, if necessary, to the account at a third bank specially commissioned by the postal carrier (carrier) or have the money transferred to the account with the bank of the regional post office in a predetermined manner in order to pay for the service of the postal carrier.

FIG. 7 shows the necessary memory areas which must be made available in the database 52 in order to enable the register or accounting to be revised for the service provided. Associated with the PIN, VGW is registered together with an order date and the desired specification request for future reloading with the reload value NLW or the desired credit value for future reloading. A reload value is only entered when the reload or reset process is carried out (step 5). A register value R1 is then updated by taking the sum of the sub-ester values ​​R1a (prepaid value) and R1b (credit). The data center stores the transmitted register data R2 for the amount used for franking, R4 and R8 for the number of frankings belonging to each franking machine, each of which can be identified by its PIN and forms a new checksum R3 = R1 + R2.

In a further second and third variant according to the invention, further storage areas (not shown in FIG. 7) are made available in the database 52 in order to enable the register or accounting to be revised for the service provided. Associated with the PIN, the name of the franking machine user, an order code together with an order date and the desired default value for future reloading, the desired default value for future reloading is registered.

A second variant, shown in FIG. 4, of a schedule for the credit inquiry is based on a cost-effective implementation by using a Quick Pro system standardized for electronic bank details with an external TDC-CPC computer. The coupling to the database 52 in the host computer 51 is established via an operator terminal of the first or the second programmable input / output device.

This method is also independent of the franking machine type, ie no new software version is necessary for the franking machine. This method is analogous to the method described in a third variant, but a customer can only have the remote value setting based on credit cards carried out depending on the TDC operator. The disadvantage that a TDC operator is involved in this remote reloading process and thus there are "human" sources of error is offset by a more cost-effective implementation and pleasant human-to-human communication.

All additional information relating to credit card users is stored in the TDC database 52 so that it can be updated. A hard disk can preferably hold the aforementioned TDC database. In a separate first communication A to the data center 50, the data of the franking machine and information about the type of payment are transmitted. The actual remote value specification is carried out in a separate second communication B to the data center 50, as has already been described in connection with a method for improving the security of postage meter machines under US application number 08/346 909 (EP 660 269 A2). The following steps take place:<ul id="ul0011" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>A1. A customer calls the TDC data center and expresses his wish to the TDC operator to load his franking machine using a credit card.</li><li>A2 The TDC operator accepts the request and the disclosure of the PIN, the credit card number and the reload amount.</li><li>A3.The TDC operator carries out a plausibility check.</li><li>A4.The TDC operator connects to a separate CPC calculator in the credit card institute. The liquidity of the credit card is checked via the separate CPC computer in the credit card institute by receiving an OK or NOT OK message from the data center via modem connection (duration approx. 20 sec).</li><li>A5.If the confirmation is positive, the TDC operator enters the requested amount in a special Credit Card Payment mask running under the TDC program, specifying the PIN, the credit card number and the loan amount. The amount is written into the customer's special second sub-register in the data center.</li></ul><ul id="ul0012" list-style="none"><li>B1 Editing the reloading process or returning to step A1 to repeat the entry for the credit inquiry mode or to switch the franking machine into a communication mode. The customer can now load the desired amount with his franking machine. The following check takes place during the loading process: If the remote value specification amount is available in the normal account, then a regular remote value specification takes place with the desired amount. Otherwise it must be checked whether the user is a credit card user. If this is the case and he is a credit card user, then check whether there is cover. Otherwise there will be an error message ("No credit").</li><li>B2.Transmission of listed information about successful credit inquiries. If a remote value specification has been processed via the customer's special second account, the so-called credit card account, the postal authority must be informed in a separate report. In addition, a data carrier is created for the credit card institute daily, weekly or monthly so that the remote value default amounts loaded can be transferred to the postal authority. The listed information about successful credit inquiries is transmitted to the credit card institute before a money transfer between the customer bank and the credit card institute and before transfers are made to the bank of the postal carrier.</li></ul>

FIG. 5 shows a schedule for the credit request according to a third variant. This third variant relates to a corresponding credit card procedure that runs fully automatically via a CPC online connection with an external CPC computer. Corresponding hardware and software means are arranged or used in the data center in order to carry out a franking machine-specific credit card method also for standard franking machines. This method is also independent of the franking machine type, ie no software adaptation measures are necessary in the franking machine. Additional information relating to credit card users is stored in a database of the data center in a database stored on a hard disk. The following steps are carried out in advance in a separate process:<ul id="ul0013" list-style="none"><li>A1 .. The service customer calls the data center (TDC) by telephone and expresses his wish to the TDC operator.    A service order can, for example, consist of loading the customer's franking machine in future only with a credit card. Another service order can consist, for example, of loading the customer's franking machine by credit card only if a first customer account, the so-called reload account, has been exhausted.</li><li>A2. The TDC operator accepts the customer's request and confirms the order. The TDC operator makes the appropriate entries in a special mask running under the TDC program so that an assignment of the order code to the PIN of the client is achieved.</li></ul>

In contrast to step 1 according to the first variant, no input for switching the franking machine into a credit inquiry mode is made during the establishment of a subsequent communication B, but only such an entry for switching the franking machine into a communication mode as is done under the US application -Number 08/346 909 (EP 660 269 A2) has been described. In this way, all services of the data center can also be made available for standard machines without a conversion action, since information about the type of payment is transmitted to the data center 50 in the previously carried out separate communication A, which remains valid until a separate communication A with the data center is carried out again. The following steps take place in the case of communication B to the data center 50:<ul id="ul0014" list-style="none"><li>B1. Input for switching the franking machine into a communication mode. The franking machine user or the service customer places the franking machine in the communication mode. It begins in step 1 by entering the PIN and entering the reload amount.</li></ul><ul id="ul0015" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a) Entering the personal identification number PIN (8 digits),</li><li>b) Entering / confirming the reset credit value (e.g. $ 500),</li></ul><ul id="ul0016" list-style="none"><li>B2. Start of the communication routine and plausibility check in the data center. By setting up the communication link, the franking machine automatically starts a routine as with a normal remote value specification for the desired reload amount in the data center.</li></ul>

A plausibility check is carried out, whereby the transmitted PIN and also the transmitted register values ​​are checked in the data center. The system determines the customer name, for example, and also determines from the entry in the special first sub-register that there is no or insufficient credit on the special first credit account and then checks whether the current customer is a credit card user . If the customer also has a credit account in addition to the credit account, the order is followed. Otherwise the communication is interrupted with an error message from the data center.

The reload request is processed in accordance with the specific service order in the data center. In a membership (not shown in FIG. 7) of further registers for the PIN, in addition to the desired default request for future reloading, an order code together with an order date and the customer name are also registered in a previous communication or transaction. If, for example, the service order consists of loading the customer's franking machine only by credit card in the future, but the special first account still has insufficient credit to fulfill the reload request, the special first account will be used again for the last time and the special second sub-register R1b in the database 52 of the data center 50 stores the missing difference, which was used as a loan from the credit card institute CPC to deliver the missing difference. In the event of later reload requests, the special second sub-register R1b in the database 52 of the data center 50 supplies the full amount corresponding to the respective reload request. The same procedure is followed if another service order consists in loading the customer's franking machine by credit card only when the first customer account, the so-called reload account, has been exhausted. In this case, only a special first account is constantly used to fulfill the reload request and, if necessary, the missing difference, which was used as a credit at the credit card institute CPC, is noted in the special second sub-register R1b for billing purposes.<ul id="ul0017" list-style="none"><li>B3.Contacting and sending information to the credit card institute CPC for verification of the billing status. In sub-step B3.1, a separate communication connection is established between the data center and the credit card institute CPC. In sub-step B3.2, the following information is exchanged via a separate online connection between the data center TDC and the credit card institute CPC:<ul id="ul0018" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>f) Credit Card Number Credit Card #</li><li>g) Expiration Date period of validity</li><li>h) Reset Credit Value</li><li>i) Customer name <i>customer name</i>The credit card institute CPC checks whether the credit card number that was stored in the data center TDC is valid.</li><li>B4.Receiving approval of proper credit card status in the data center. In step B4, the credit card institute CPC delivers an OK to the data center 50 when the liquidity of the customer, ie the validity of the credit card, has been determined (duration approx. 20 seconds). Otherwise, the credit card institute CPC returns a NOT_OK if the request has been answered negatively. The receipt of the notification in the data center is associated with a corresponding evaluation, as was already explained in step 4 according to the first variant. In step B4, the requested loan amount is automatically entered and stored in a special mask for credit card payment, stating the PAN, the credit card number and the loan amount, in the event of a positive confirmation in accordance with the TDC program.</li><li>B5. Edit the reload process or return to step 1 to repeat the entry. If the request has been answered in the affirmative, the regular remote value specification is then continued with the desired reload amount, the billing in the data center and the payment being regulated in accordance with the request already received and saved by the TDC operator during the course of communication A. In step B5, the franking machine can now load the desired amount. The following check takes place during the loading process:    If the remote value default amount is available in the normal account, then a regular remote value default is made with the desired amount.    Otherwise check whether the user is a credit card user. If this is the case and he is a credit card user, check whether there is cover. Otherwise there will be an error message ("No credit"). The credit amount is stored in the so-called credit card account, in the special second sub-register of the data center, ie in a buffer, cumulatively at least until the billing between the credit card institute CPC and the data center has been carried out analogously to the method described in step 6. For this purpose, in the database 52, in addition to a first descending register R1, a special first sub-register R1a corresponding to the special first account of the customer and a special second sub-register R1b as a second part of the descending register corresponding to the special second account of the customer are also kept . The sum of the sub-registers is equal to the remaining amount still available in the franking machine and the following equation applies:<maths id="math0002" num="(2)"><math display="block"><mrow><mtext>R1 = R1a + R1b</mtext></mrow></math><img file="EP0779601A2_D0002.tif" /></maths> The descending register value in R1 of the data center thus corresponds to the descending register value in R1 that has been stored in the franking machine until the transition to a communication or remote reloading mode. If the value is accumulated in the special second sub-register R1b, the loans are approved. A credit which is transferred to the customer's special first account in accordance with the manner shown in FIG. 1 in order to top up the remaining amount in a conventional manner is first temporarily stored in the special first sub-register R1a. A time is then reached at which both the special first sub-register value in R1a and the descending register value in R1 are increased by the value that is stored in the special second sub-register R1b. The increased value is subtracted in the special second sub-register R1b and the new value in the special second sub-register R1b is then zero and the value in R1a then corresponds to the descending register value in R1, which is also stored in the franking machine.</li><li>B6.Transmission of listed information about successful loan requests. If a remote value specification has been processed via the special second sub-register R1b assigned to the customer's credit card account, the postal authority must be informed in a separate report (step B6). In addition, a data carrier is created for the credit card institute on a daily, weekly or monthly basis so that the loaded remote value default amounts can be transferred to the postal authority. Listed information about successful credit inquiries is transmitted to the credit card institute, before a money transfer between the customer bank and the credit card institute and before transfers are made to the bank of the postal carrier.</li></ul></li></ul>

The advantages result from the rapid availability of such a system, because standard products can be used and therefore no adaptation measures are required on the franking machine side. If necessary, this service can therefore be provided for all products in use, ie all products already in the field.

The invention is not limited to the present embodiments. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable which make use of the solution shown, even in the case of fundamentally different types.