EP1067482A1 - Printed image - Google Patents

Abstract

The print image consists of several elements associated with different security stages. The image data of an element can represent alphanumeric or abstract characters or an image element consists of image point matrix displayed in rows and columns. Independent claims are also included for a franking machine, for a memory medium for image data and for an image data record representing text, graphics and/or graphics with text.

Description

It is known to use a franking machine to produce a printed image consisting of several Elements or parts to print on a piece of mail. There is such a printed image for example regularly from a postage stamp image, a date stamp image and an advertising image as shown in FIG. 8.

A method for generating a print image, which is from a franking machine is printed on a carrier (mail piece), for example from EP 0 762 334 or EP 0 789 333. From these publications it is known that for printing a print image which consists of several partial images Microprocessor of the franking machine accesses several pixel files, whereby in each pixel file the pixels are summarized, which are a picture element or define a text element (partial image) of the printed image. Every pixel file is an identification code is also assigned, under which the associated drawing file (Picture element or text element) can be found. The microprocessor also takes up a control file that contains multiple drawing file files, each drawing file data contain that define a partial image of the printed image. The microprocessor is working the drawing files of the print image to be printed and used during processing of the sub-image files, the sub-image data for generating the print image from the Pixel data of at least one designated by the respective reference code Pixel file.

In known franking machines, it is desirable that certain functions the franking machine only after authorization with a card or input a password can be performed. There are also safety regulations which prohibit certain parts of the printed image, for example the Post value and / or the date stamp, individually designed. Is too the location of the date and / or postage stamp on a piece of mail fixed and should not be changed individually.

This also occurs in the manufacture of franking machines and their setting Problem on that depending on the location different regulations on the print layout are to be considered. For example, the postal regulations in the U.S.A. different than in Germany. It is possible to have a manufacturer To program the franking machine with certain specifications and data, however For safety reasons, this should only be done centrally by the manufacturer done, but not in the other dealer levels. Such a central Data entry contradicts the individual adjustment of the franking machine to different customers in different countries. This is how every customer becomes want to print your own advertising message, even if it is also prevented must be that an advertising imprint is already in the form of a postage stamp (Rodney Rogers Scenario), so that the advertising imprint is wrong is already considered to be a postmark alone. Therefore and also because it is too Prevent immoral information (pornography) from being made in the postmark field , it is desirable that the operator of the franking machine only limited possible changes can be made, so that each regulations and safety regulations in a country are complied with become.

It is also known to print or partial image data using a chip card into the franking machine. This data from the chip cards is stored in one Memory of the franking machine transferred, so that the microprocessor can compile drawing file data required for printing.

Since the franking machine is usually not anticipated in the manufacture of the franking machine can determine which user will use the franking machine in which way and this information about the user of the franking machine is only available in the last Sales levels are available, it should be considered in view of the existing problems of regulations and levels of security desirable that the individual Setting a franking machine on site, i.e. in the country of the franking machine user or can be done on its premises so the individual design quickly and inexpensively, possibly also in Connection with the advertising agency of the franking machine operator carried out can be.

The disadvantage of previous chip card systems is that the manufacturer Adaptation of the franking machine only a little flexibility is possible or if the setting of the print image data in the last stages of sales or is carried out at an authorized dealer, there is a risk of misuse and the misadjustment of the most important print image data. Then it is also necessary the sales side of a very sound education and technical training for data entry, which is not feasible for cost reasons alone.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the disadvantages described, so that an image, in particular a printed image, can be generated which has a maximum security and maximum possible flexibility for individual adaptation guaranteed.

This object is achieved with the invention according to claim 1. Advantageous further training are described in the further claims.

The invention is based on the finding that an image, in particular that the franking machine print image to be printed consists of several elements and that the elements are assigned different security levels. The deleting or changing picture elements is therefore only possible if the Input / change of new image data, the ones required for the image elements Security levels are met or proof is provided.

Is the template (authorization) of the required security level when entering drawing files / changing drawing files not proven, the desired new entry or change did not take place.

If, for example, an image element that has a certain security level, for example Security level 4, is assigned by another picture element is to be replaced, this is only possible if the Franking machine, for example by a chip card, security level 4 (or higher) can be entered or verified.

Through a hierarchical structure of security levels, it is possible once for to provide the necessary flexibility when setting the franking machines and on the other hand to exclude the possibility of unwanted manipulation. Through a system in which (sensitive) picture elements are only deleted, re-entered or can be changed, even if proof of fulfillment of the correspondingly assigned security level, it also enables that Image elements with a lower security level, such as advertising texts, are the first entered, changed or released shortly before commissioning the franking machine can be.

Fig. 1

einen Ablaufplan für die Autorisierung;

Fig. 2

eine Tabelle mit der Zuordnung von Sicherheitsstufen für bestimmte Autorisierungen;

Fig. 3

die Darstellung eines Bildes bestehend aus mehreren Segmenten, die unterschiedliche Sicherheitsstufen aufweisen;

Fig. 4

einen Ablaufplan zum Erzeugen von Chipkarten mit kompletten Druckbilddaten;

Fig. 5

einen Ablaufplan zum Laden von gesamten Druckbilddaten;

Fig. 6

einen Ablauf plan zum Nachladen von Chipkarten mit Druckbildteilen;

Fig. 7

einen Ablaufplan zur Änderung von Druckbilddaten; und

Fig. 8

ein Druckbild, bestehend aus einem Poststempelbild, Datumstempelbild und einem Werbebild (Stand der Technik).

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. In the drawing:

Fig. 1

a schedule for authorization;

Fig. 2

a table with the assignment of security levels for certain authorizations;

Fig. 3

the representation of an image consisting of several segments which have different security levels;

Fig. 4

a flowchart for generating chip cards with complete print image data;

Fig. 5

a flowchart for loading entire print image data;

Fig. 6

a flow chart for reloading chip cards with printed image parts;

Fig. 7

a flowchart for changing print image data; and

Fig. 8

a printed image, consisting of a postmark image, date stamp image and an advertising image (prior art).

Figure 1 shows the flow chart for an authorization process. Here is of it assumed that the user of a franking machine inserted a chip card into a corresponding one The chip card reader of the franking machine inserts a picture or elements load, change or save an image in a memory of the franking machine to delete.

After pressing the "SETUP" key or after pressing the S4 "TABLES" key RELOAD "the display" Input your authorizing card "(" Enter your authorization card "). After entering the Authorization card, for example user card, is the one saved on the card "Security Level" stored in a memory of the franking machine. Then there is a dialogue between the franking machine and the chip card a, in the course of which print image data of the entire print image or only of Elements of the printed image can be exchanged if the authorization is sufficient given is. After the dialog has ended, the authorization is deleted and there is a step back into the main program.

An example is described below in which five for the franking machine Authorization levels are provided. As already described, an authorization carried out by entering a chip card in the franking machine. FIG. 2 shows the assignment of the different security levels in a table, starting from 0 (lowest security level) to 4 (highest security level) certain groups of people or different operating personnel.

Security level 0 does not require authorization and is a chip card for "everyone" who are used by a user of the franking machine can.

Security level 1 is assigned to a user card (user card, chip card) is intended for the normal user of the franking machine.

Security level 2 is the security level of a "Master Card", which is for the Surveillance personnel of the franking machine is intended.

Security level 3 stands for a "dealer card" and is the dealer and reserved for the technical staff of the franking machine dealer.

Security level 4 authorizes the manufacturer and is only for persons of the Assigned to the manufacturer or the manufacturer's technical staff. While Security levels 3 and 4 therefore only for a group of people from the manufacturer or is intended by the manufacturer's distributors, are the security levels 0, 1 and 2 intended for groups of people who use the franking machine want (should).

The main purpose of the different levels of security is that of operation the franking machine ensures that print image data of the franking machine, which are stored in the storage device of the franking machine are only in a very specific way and only by authorized ones People can be entered, deleted and / or changed.

It is assumed that the entire image or printed image is shown in Fig. 3 - which can be generated by the franking machine from different Elements, parts or segments, where an element, part or segment of an image can represent text, graphics or mixed text / graphics. Each Print image element (segment) optionally has two security levels in its data structure, where security level (a) is a necessary level for loading from the Is a chip card, and security level (b) is a necessary level for (manual) Change of a print image element is.

The franking machine checks before loading a picture element from the chip card or the franking device, whether the authorization of the chip card is a larger one or has the same level as the security level (a) of the printed image element. Security level 5 here means that no one separate this element data can change.

Before the change or change of picture elements is allowed, the checks Franking machine, whether the authorization of the user or that entered by the user Card is greater than or equal to security level (b) of the print image element. Security level 5 also means that nobody has this segment data or can change or replace this segment.

In this way it is possible for an operator to use a Master Card (Security Level 2) the date and place stamp image - see Figure 3 - with a chip card and an operator with a dealer card could change the date / place stamp image could also change manually.

The security levels of printed image elements can be described as follows become.

Security level 0 is not authorized by any special card and for picture element segments With security level 0 (A or B) the data can be saved at any time to be changed by everyone.

Authorization for security level 1 (a or b) is carried out with a user card, updated by means of the elements in the print image data by a normal user or by the specialist staff of the franking machine (master) or by a dealer or his technical staff who use the chip card use for authorization.

The authorization for security level 2 takes place by means of a master card the elements of the printed images by the specialist operating personnel for the franking machine, by the dealer or his technical staff using the Master Card can be loaded or updated. For example can hereby copy advertising texts (security level A) or the date / place stamp (town circle; security level A) can be loaded / changed. Here, the Master card the franking machine with the data for an advertising message and the Date / place stamp loaded from a chip card, this chip card by a cliché workstation is created and this cliché workstation from the manufacturer the franking machine or an authorized dealer.

Authorization for security level 3 is carried out using the dealer card. This is the update of print image element data by the technical Dealer staff possible using the Dealer Card. Means With the dealer card it is possible to print image data for endorsement (security level A) as well as for the date / place stamp (security level B). The dealer's technical staff can use the dealer card fonts and Load endorsement text from a chip card into the franking machine Data from a manufacturer's Cliché workstation or an authorized one Dealer are generated. This data is stored in a print image data memory loaded on the franking machine. The technical staff of the dealer is through the Dealer Card also able to provide text information of the date / location stamp image (but not the fonts hereof) to change manually, which is why the security level for the date / place stamp of (B).

Security level 4 is authorized by the manufacturer card (FP Card), using the Image elements used by the manufacturer's technical staff the manufacturer card can be changed / set. This can be used, for example Dates (month, year, day, century, date etc.) of the Date stamp image can be loaded. The manufacturer's technical staff is able to use the manufacturer's card to set the fonts for the date of the date stamp image to load from a chip card (second chip card). This chip card is from a Cliché workstation from the manufacturer and the data is loaded read into a print image data memory.

Security level 5 is provided by the manufacturer's R + D (Research and Development) card authorized. This card is used to load and change print image elements possible with the highest security level. If using the card with security level 5 image elements can be read in, this is only possible when all (other) print image data are read in again.

As already shown, the idea of the different security levels is based on that a security level is a picture element in the print image data memory of the franking machine assigned or connected to it. In this way it is possible the security levels also with a function such as "First-time initialization of the print image data "(initialization of print image data). It is therefore possible to provide different security structures for each country, without having to change the entire program flow.

The various functions of the individual chip cards are explained in more detail below explained. As already shown, there are the cards with the saved one Security level and on the other hand cards that also contain print image data. If So certain print image data are read into the franking machine or changed or should be deleted, this can only be done using the respective Authorization cards (user card, master card etc.) are issued. Entering a Printed image card in a corresponding chip card reading device of the franking machine is therefore not sufficient, it also requires the corresponding input Authorization card.

The cards (storage media) that contain the print image data are conventional type AT42C256 and contain an EEPROM with a capacity of 32 kByte. These cards do not have a processor, but there is a specific one in them Code number saved and also the (physical) chip card type is saved. The print image data chip card can be machine independent, i.e. is in it a machine number (of the franking machine) is not saved. However, it is Machine number saved, so it is with the machine with this machine number erasable. However, the map stores data for the first and last validity and if several chip cards for entering a print image a corresponding number is assigned to each chip card. Using a print image data card, several image elements with a corresponding one MAC (Message Authentication Code) saved and read into a franking machine. The print image data are stored together with security level data on the card. Farther is stored on the chip card whether the print image segments to be loaded after a successful loading process should be deleted from the chip card. This allows certain print image segments to be loaded into the machine only once can be.

The user card is usually of the type AT 24C256 (manufacturer: ATMEL) and also has an EEPROM with a capacity of 32 kbytes. This map has no processor, it contains a specific code number from the manufacturer saved as well as the chip card type or the chip card category. Besides, is the machine number of the franking machine to be operated is saved in the user card and is also a corresponding operator identification (user number) saved. The card also shows data for the first and last approval and the card also has its own self-identifying card number on. With the User Card it is also possible to send a certain number (e.g. save a maximum of three) of picture elements with a corresponding MAC and to load into the franking machine.

The master card is of the type SLE 4442 (manufacturer Siemens) and has an EEPROM with a capacity of 256 bytes. Here is a certain area (for example 32 bytes) and the master card has a PIN of, for example 3 bytes. The card is also not equipped with a processor. The specific manufacturer's code number, the chip card type as well as the chip card category are stored in a protected area of the chip card. Same thing also applies to the machine number of the franking machine to be operated as well for the user number. The data for the first and last are also saved Approval of the card and a corresponding one for the identification of the card Card number.

The dealer card or the manufacturer card have a similar structure to that Master Card, however, differ in that they do not contain the machine number the franking machine to be programmed are stored. The dealers The card and manufacturer card (FP Card) are therefore machine-independent.

The manufacturer card and the dealer card can be generated by the manufacturer himself become. The Master Card can be made using the Dealer Card and the User Card using the Master Card. You can see here that for the generation of an authorization card always the card with the (Next) higher authorization can be used or is necessary.

The print image data can be stored on the memory card in a compressed or saved in an uncompressed data format. Will the print image data stored compressed, the memory space on the print image data card or user card can be used better. With a small amount of data However, it is also advantageous for the image element not to compress the data the chip card and save it directly from there into the memory of the franking machine read in, which has the advantage that the programming of both Chip card as well as reading the memory is possible very quickly.

Figure 4 shows the flow diagram for generating chip cards with complete Print image data. Figure 5 shows a flow diagram for loading the entire Print image data. FIG. 6 shows the flow diagram for the reloading of printed image parts (Picture elements) or the exchange of printed image segments.

FIG. 7 shows the flowchart for changing print image data in the franking machine. In addition to querying the respective segment numbers, this also includes the security level is checked and it is also checked whether the authorization through the respective card (User Card, Master Card, Dealer Card etc.) big enough is. If this is the case, the print image data can be stored in the franking machine become.

Claims (15)

Image, in particular printed image, consisting of several elements that are different Security levels are assigned. The image of claim 1, wherein the image data of an element is alphanumeric or represent abstract characters or a picture element from one in rows and Columns indicated pixel matrix exists. Franking device for printing an image, consisting of several image elements, to which different security levels are assigned, the Device has a storage device in which the pixel data and / or informational data about the position of an element within the image and the security level data associated with a picture element are stored. Franking device according to claim 3, wherein the security levels that the Image elements are assigned, are hierarchical and have a change and / or deletion of image data of an element is possible if the franking device an authorization input is supplied that is at least the security level corresponds to that which is assigned to the picture element concerned. Franking device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the authorization input by connecting a first storage medium in which a security level date is stored, sent to the franking device and in which Storage medium the picture element data together with the data of the assigned Security level are stored, the picture element data in the second storage medium are saved. Franking device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the franking device has an image data memory which can be coupled to the first and / or second storage medium for entering, changing and / or deleting image data, and in that image element data are stored in the storage device of the franking device together with a date of the assigned security level. Franking device according to one of the preceding claims, with another device for authorization of those who enter, change and / or image data want to delete, using a memory card that has the first storage medium, a hierarchical structure of several security levels is provided is, so that an input, change and / or deletion of image data for all those picture elements are possible whose security level is equal or lower than the security level entered by the authorization. Storage medium, in particular for a franking device according to one of the preceding claims,
wherein image data of a picture element is stored in the storage medium together with the data of the assigned security level, that the same or different security levels are assigned to several picture elements which are stored in the storage medium. Storage medium according to claim 8,
which a franking device is provided for entering, changing and deleting image data and that the data identifying the franking device and / or a user ID are possibly stored in the storage medium. Storage medium according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that a date for the first validity of the storage medium and / or a date for the expiry of the validity of the storage medium and / or a card identification information is stored in the storage medium. Storage medium according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the storage medium is optionally protected by a PIN (personal identification number). Storage medium according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the memory with the lowest security level has a data storage area which is significantly larger than the memory with the highest security level. Storage medium according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that an identifier is stored in the storage medium, which ensures that the marked image element in the storage medium is deleted after the loading process. Image data record for an image, in particular a printed image, consisting of several Elements, with each image element having a security level within the data set is assigned and different picture elements depending on the priority if necessary different security levels are assigned. Image data set according to claim 14, wherein the data of a text element represent a text, a graphic and / or a graphic together with text.

Images