Importance

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Abstract

A system and method of evidencing postage payment includes selecting a postal origin in a meter accounting unit, selecting a requested postal value to be printed on a mailpiece, deducting the requested postal value from a total postal value stored as a general account for the meter accounting unit, adding the requested postal value to a sub-account corresponding to the selected postal origin for the meter accounting unit, and printing the requested postal value and the selected postal origin on the mailpiece. A digital token is generated as evidence of the requested postal value to be printed on the mailpiece. The digital token, which is also printed on the mailpiece, is encrypted information including the requested postal value and the selected postal origin. The accounting unit includes a first processor, secure accounting process, value storage and a digital signature generator. The value storage includes total postal value information and an origin postal value for each of a plurality of postal origins, wherein the PSD is authorized to dispense evidence of postage payment for each of the postal origins. The accounting unit performs accounting for each postage evidencing transaction, debiting the total postal value and incrementing one of the origin of postal values corresponding to the postage evidencing transaction.

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First Claim