EP0285997A1 - Electronic postage meter with a large number of auxiliary counters - Google Patents

Abstract

The franking machine comprises auxiliary counters designated by their title (name) and stored in alphabetic order in a counter space of a working memory on battery stand-by. Each counter consists of a service zone, a title zone, a date zone, a cash running total zone (cash counter) and an envelope running total zone (envelope counter). The search for a counter is carried out by a scan of the names. A counter is generated by composition of the name and storage in the counter space: search for the location of the new counter and shift of all the following counters from this location. A counter is eliminated by shifting by one number all the counters following the counter to be eliminated, starting with the one following it. …<IMAGE>…

Description

The invention relates to the operation of an electronic franking machine comprising auxiliary counters and in particular a large number of auxiliary counters.

Generally a franking machine is equipped with a counter which accumulates the total value of the frankings carried out since the putting into service of the machine, and of some additional counters to help the user to better manage his expenses of franking, for example for distribute the said postage expenses among several budget items. These additional meters, made available to the user, make it possible to accumulate, within a given period of time, the number and / or the total value of postage made. To manage these additional counters, the user must be able to name it for each counter taken individually, turn it on, off, zero, and view it.

This is done by the keyboard of the franking machine, by equipping it with additional keys or by authorizing simultaneous action on two or three keys on the keyboard; this way of operating is only possible for a very small number of additional meters two or three for example. For a larger number of additional counters it is necessary either to multiply the number of additional keys, or to generalize the technique of double or triple presses, but in this case a lexicon accompanying the machine becomes necessary and the user must refer to it each time that he wishes to select one of the additional counters.

If you want to be able to stop, zero, or request each additional counter individually, you must provide additional keys, so that the keyboard becomes heavy, inconvenient, confusing for the user, and requiring to this one some training time.

French patent application 87 02 667 Operating system of an electronic franking machine, filed on February 28, 1987, describes a franking machine equipped with several auxiliary counters, for example about twenty, and a keyboard comprising a key menu, in addition to the numeric keys. Such a machine allows on the one hand carrying out normal franking operations and on the other hand carrying out specific operations using the menu key, in particular selecting an auxiliary counter and switching it on and off, or resetting it. Each auxiliary counter is a double counter, that is to say it comprises a cash counter which totals the values of the postage made during a given period of time, and a fold counter totaling the number of envelopes or of stamped labels during said period of time. Each auxiliary counter is designated by a number which corresponds to the space occupied by this counter in a reserved memory space, in a memory, for example a working memory, for all of the auxiliary counters, said memory being backed up by a battery.

The user must therefore either memorize the meaning of each counter or maintain an identification list in order to identify each counter number.

For some counters the user can memorize the signaling of each counter, but even for about twenty counters he will most often have recourse to an identification list, and such a list becomes practically necessary when the number of counters exceeds twenty and reached a few tens.

The consultation of such an identification list and its updating according to the creations and deletions of the counters lead to loss of time and are causes of risks of errors.

The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow the selection of a counter without having to use an identification list.

The subject of the invention is a franking machine, comprising a keyboard equipped with ten numeric keys, a validation key, a cancellation key, a star key, a menu key and two scroll keys, one arrow up, the other arrow down, an alphanumeric type display, a clock / calendar, a microprocessor, a program memory, a text memory, a working memory backed up by a battery, and an audible alarm linked by a bus, the working memory containing, in a Counter space, auxiliary counters each consisting of bytes of working memory and having a cash counter and a mail counter themselves constituted by bytes, a first set of messages for normal franking operations and a second set of messages for particular operations being stored in the text memory, the program memory containing programs relating to each message of the first and second set of messages, the second set of messages being accessible by the menu key, pressing on said menu key causes a first message. Beginning of the menu with numbered options, each number corresponding to a numeric key on the keyboard, one of the options allowing access to the auxiliary counters, characterized in that the auxiliary counters are identified by a name and that they are stored in alphabetical order, one after the other, in the counter space of the working memory.

• - la figure 1 est un schéma synoptique d'une partie d'un circuit électronique d'une machine à affranchir électronique à laquelle s'appli­que l'invention,
• - la figure 2 représente un clavier et un afficheur d'une machine à affranchir électronique,
• - La figure 3 représente une partie du contenu d'une mémoire de travail de la machine à affranchir de la figure 1,
• - La figure 4 représente un espace compteur auxiliaire d'un espace Compteurs réservé dans une mémoire aux compteurs auxiliaires de l'inven­tion,
• - La figure 5 est un organigramme d'un programme d'un message MP21 "Recherche d'un compteur",
• - Les figures 6A et 6B représentent un organigramme d'un sous-­programme SPMP21 du programme du message MP21,
• - La figure 7 est un organigramme d'un programme d'un message MP25 création d'un compteur,
• - Les figures 8A et 8B représentent un organigramme d'un sous-­ programme SPMP25 du programme du message MP25.

The invention will be better understood from the following description of an exemplary embodiment illustrated by the appended figures in which:

• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of part of an electronic circuit of an electronic franking machine to which the invention applies,
• FIG. 2 represents a keyboard and a display of an electronic franking machine,
• FIG. 3 represents part of the content of a working memory of the franking machine of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 represents an auxiliary counter space of a Counter space reserved in a memory for the auxiliary counters of the invention,
• FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of a program of a message MP21 "Search for a counter",
• FIGS. 6A and 6B represent a flow diagram of a subroutine SPMP21 of the program of the message MP21,
• FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a program of an MP25 message creating a counter,
• - Figures 8A and 8B show a flow diagram of a sub- SPMP25 program of the MP25 message program.

- Figure 1 is a block diagram of part of an electronic circuit of an electronic machine to which the invention applies. The franking machine is of the type described in French patent application 87 02667, already cited; it includes a keyboard 1, a display 2, a calendar clock 3, a microprocessor 4, a program memory 5, a text memory 6, which is a ROM type ROM, a working memory 7 of RAM type, an alarm sound 8, connected by a bus B. The display is for example an alphanumeric display having a display capacity of L lines of N characters each, for example 2 lines of 16 characters. The text memory 6 contains a first set of messages for normal franking operators and a second set of messages for particular operations accessible by a menu key M on the keyboard.

FIG. 2 represents a keyboard display assembly equipping the machine; keyboard 1 has 10 numeric keys, a menu key M, a CANCEL cancellation key, a star key *, a VALID validation key and two scroll keys, one arrow up, the other arrow down, i.e. 16 keys total.

In this machine, the messages are displayed on display 2; for this the program memory 5 contains as many programs as there are messages, each program being relative to a message. The messages are divided into screens each having a number L of lines of N characters equal to the number L of lines of N characters that the display can visualize. An alphanumeric display allows you to view all the characters appearing in the ASCII code, also known as CCITT code No. 5. Each screen of a message is transferred, by the program relating to said message, from the text memory 6 to a memory space of the working memory 7, this space being called display image IA and having NL bytes, each byte being assigned to a character of a line. The display is carried out using a display program which is a specific program, contained in the program memory 5, which runs automatically every 100 milliseconds.

This specific program is used to take the information from the bytes of the display image IA and transfer them to display 2 for viewing.

FIG. 3 represents a part of the content of the working memory 7, this part comprising:
- two bytes ITC0 and ITC1 for a temporary ITC keyboard image,
- two bytes IC0 and IC1 for a keyboard image IC.

In these four bytes, the numbers, letters and signs are those of the 16 keys on the keyboard, M denoting the menu, V confirming and Canceling, each key corresponding to 1 bit of the bytes.
thirty-two bytes IA0 to IA31 for the display image IA, the bytes IA0 to IA15 being reserved for the first line EiL1 of a screen Ei, the bytes IA16 to IA31 being reserved for the second line EiL2 of the screen Ei, this of course in the case of a display of two lines of sixteen characters,
- six bytes IHC0 to ICH5 for a clock, calendar image; the IHC0 byte is reserved for the year from 0 to 99; the IHC1 byte is reserved for the months 1 to 12; the IHC2 byte is reserved for the day from 1 to 31; the IHC3 byte is reserved for the hour, from 0 to 23; the IHC4 byte is reserved per minute, from 0 to 59; the IHC5 byte is reserved for the second from 0 to 59,
- three bytes CAS0 to through CAS2 for a CAS audible alarm command, the byte CAS0 being reserved for the number of beeps to be emitted, the byte CAS1 being reserved for the time of emission of a beep, and the byte CAS2 being reserved for the time of silence (between two beeps),
- two timer bytes TE0 and TE1, the TE0 byte being reserved for the screen timer, that is to say the display time of a screen, each screen being displayed for a time which depends on its importance; the TE1 byte is a new time delay byte used during the execution of the messages relating to the auxiliary counters of the invention, and its role will be specified during the presentation of the messages.

A specific keyboard acquisition program, which runs automatically every 20 milliseconds, is used to take the state of the keys on the keyboard and store them in the temporary ITC keyboard image; if this state does not change for at least 50 milliseconds, the image temporary keyboard is transferred to the keyboard image IC.

A specific date and time acquisition program, which runs automatically every 100 milliseconds, is used to take the content of six counters constituting the calendar clock (year, month, day, hour, minute and second) and transfer it to the IHC clock / calendar image.

A specific audible alarm control program, which runs automatically every 20 millseconds, is used to take the information contained in the three bytes of the CAS audible alarm control image and to transfer it to the audible alarm. 8 of the machine. These bytes are loaded by each program relating to a message, the audible alarm consisting of audible beeps. After each beep emitted, the first byte CAS0 is decremented by one.

A specific timer program, which runs automatically every 20 milliseconds, is used for the timers. It consists of doing -1 in the timer byte TE0 if the content of this byte is not zero, then starting again on the timer byte TE1.

The second and third bytes of the audible alarm control CAS and the delay bytes TE0 and TE1 are loaded by a number; this number multiplied by the cycle time of the specific program gives the desired time; for example for a screen delay of 1 second, the number 50 is loaded into the TE0 delay byte.

The working memory, backed up by a battery, also contains the auxiliary counters in a reserved memory space, hereinafter referred to as the Counter space. In French patent application 87 02667, already cited, there are about twenty of these counters, each counter being designated by its number.

The invention relates in particular to a large number of auxiliary counters, several tens for example, each counter being designated no longer by its number, but by its name, the counters being arranged, in the Counters area, in alphabetical order of their title ( name) which consists of alphanumeric characters.

FIG. 4 represents the occupation, in the Counter space, of a auxiliary counter Ci of the invention. In Figure 4 we see the presence of five information zones:
- a service area, Z1, of 4 bytes, the use of which will be specified below,
- a zone entitled, Z2, 10 bytes reserved for storing the name, each byte containing a character part of the columns 3, 4 and 5 of the ASCII code (CCITT ^No. 5); the characters in these columns have a code between the hexadecimal values 30 and 5A which include: the 10 digits, 0 to 9, the signs; greater than, equal, less than, question mark, a round, and the 26 letters of the alphabet,
- a 5 byte date and time zone for resetting the auxiliary counter, Z3. The information in this area is binary coded, and the 5 bytes contain, in order
year, 0 to 99 (AA)
the month, from 1 to 12 (MM)
during the day, from 1 to 31 (DD)
the hour, from 0 to 23 (HH)
per minute, from 0 to 59 (mm)
- an area for accumulating postage values, Z4, of 4 bytes. This area is a cash counter with a maximum capacity of 42,949,672.96 francs; it corresponds to a 32-bit binary counter,
- an area for accumulating the number of frankings, Z5, of 3 bytes. This zone is a fold counter with a maximum capacity of 16,777,215 folds; it corresponds to a 24-bit counter.

In total, each auxiliary counter, which and a double counter, occupies a memory space of 26 bytes, in the example described above; one could obviously have a zone of title Z2 of less than 10 bytes, or even of 16 bytes to use the display capacity of a line of the display in the case of a line with 16 characters. The number of bytes in area Z2 is defined by the manufacturer of the franking machine; the number of 10 bytes is therefore a value taken by way of example, this value appearing sufficient to allow a counter to be identified by its title.

The Counter space, in working memory, necessary for 200 auxiliary counters is 26 x 200 = 5200 bytes. If the working memory used has a capacity of 8,192 bytes, in this case 2,992 bytes remain for the other information necessary for the operation of the machine: temporary keyboard image, keyboard image, display image, clock / calendar image, control of alarm, timers, etc.

The bytes of an auxiliary counter Ci are identified by Cio, Ci1, ... Ci 25. The bytes Ci0 to Ci 3 are those of the service area Z1, the bytes Ci4 to Ci13 are those of the title area Z2, the bytes Ci14 to Ci18 are those of the date and time zone of reset Z3, the bytes Ci 19 to Ci 22 are those of the cash counter zone Z4, and the bytes Ci 23 to Ci 25 are those of the Z5 fold counter area.

The reset of an auxiliary counter Ci is carried out by loading 0 in the 7 bytes Ci 19 to Ci 25.

At each reset the date and time of this reset are recorded in the 5 bytes Ci 14 to Ci 18; this is obtained by transferring the first five bytes of the clock / calendar image into bytes Ci 14 to Ci 18 of the auxiliary counter Ci. The date and time recorded make it possible to specify the duration of operation of the auxiliary counter; the time separating two resets defines the periodicity of the counter, this periodicity being determined by the user according to his needs.

In the counter area, the auxiliary counters are arranged in alphabetical order by their titles.

This Counter space is designed to contain, for example, Q = 200 auxiliary counters marked C1, C2, ... CQ; if only n counters have been assigned (n less than Q) then the first service byte of zone Z1 of the following counter, C (n + 1), contains the character ETX (03 in hexadecimal); the presence of this character (end of text in the ASCII table) translates the end of all n counters.

We will now describe the way for the user to access the auxiliary meters.

The execution of programs relating to the various messages concerning the auxiliary counters which will be mentioned later, requires, as already mentioned, the presence, in the working memory, of another time delay byte TE1 whose role will be specified during the presentation of messages.

As in the French patent application 8 702 667 already cited, access to the auxiliary counters is done by the menu key M on the keyboard; pressing this key brings up a message MP0, Start of the Menu. This message is the first of the second set of messages, and includes numbered options accessible via the keyboard, and in particular an option

2- Auxiliary meters

The operator selects this option by pressing the numeric key 2 indicated in this screen, which will allow him to access the following messages, specific to the invention since the counters are designated by their title:
MP 20 Search or Create a counter
MP 21 Search for a counter
MP 22 Counter consultation
MP 23 Confirmation of the selected state of a counter
MP 25 Composition of the name (of a counter).

The auxiliary counters being, according to the invention, designated by their title and no longer by their number, pressing the key 2 when viewing the message MP0 brings up the message MP 20.

Message MP 20 Search or creation of a counter.

    - Si dans l'espace Compteurs aucun compteur n'est affecté, n = 0 ; alors le premier octet de l'espace compteurs contient le caractère ETX et la proposition,
    1 - Rechercher, de la deuxième ligne de l'écran 1 n'apparait pas ; la touche 1 du clavier est inactive.
    - Si l'espace Compteurs est plein, tous les compteurs ayant été affectés on a n = Q, il est impossible d'affecter un nouveau compteur et la proposition, 2 - Créer, de la première ligne de l'écran 2 n'apparaît pas ; la touche 2 du clavier est inactive.
    - Si le nombre n de compteurs affectés est inférieur au nombre Q de compteurs que peut contenir l'espace Compteurs, un appui sur la touche 1 fait apparaître le message MP21 Recherche d'un compteur, et un appui sur la touche 2 fait apparaître le message MP25 Composition du nom (d'un compteur).This message consists of the following three screens:

- If in the Counter area no counter is assigned, n = 0; then the first byte of the counter space contains the character ETX and the proposition,
1 - Search, from the second line of screen 1 does not appear; key 1 on the keyboard is inactive.
- If the Counter space is full, all the counters having been assigned on an = Q, it is impossible to assign a new counter and the proposal, 2 - Create, from the first line of screen 2 does not appear ; key 2 on the keyboard is inactive.
- If the number n of counters assigned is less than the number Q of counters that the Counter space can contain, pressing the key 1 brings up the message MP21 Search for a counter, and pressing the key 2 brings up the message MP25 Composition of the name (of a counter).

Message MP 21 - Search for a counter

This message consists of the following four screens:

Screens 1 to 4 are displayed for 3, 1, 1, 1 seconds respectively.

The number of the counter appearing on screen 1 corresponds to the rank occupied by counter in the Counter space; three characters are assigned to the number of a counter. This number, for the same counter title, may vary depending on the creations and deletions. Thus, if the DURAND counter bears the number 22 at a given instant, it will have the number 23 following the creation of the DUPONT counter which precedes, in alphabetical order, the DURAND counter, the DUPONT counter then having number 22.

In line 2 of screen 1, the name of the counter appears; it consists of the ten characters of the title of the counter which are contained in the Title area, Z2, of said counter (in the hypothesis of a title area of 10 bytes).

When the message MP 21 appears for the first time, following the message MP 20, the counter proposed in screen 1 is the first of the n counters in the Counter space, the number displayed is therefore number 1.

Pressing the cancel key on the keyboard while the screens for message MP 21 are displayed returns to message MP 20.
- When in screen 1 the counter number is number 1, the proposition "2 - The Previous", from the first line of screen 3 does not appear and the key 2 has no action.
- When the counter number is the last of the n counters, and that n is less than Q, the first service byte of the counter n + 1, not yet assigned, contains the indication ETX; then the proposition "1 - The next one", from the second line of screen 2, does not appear, and the key 1 is inactive.

A short press on the 1 key increments the counter number in screen 1 by 1 and brings up the name of the next counter. Following this action, the message MP 21 is reset and the screen 1 appears for 3 seconds. A series of brief actions on key 1, succeeding each other at a rate of less than 3 seconds, permanently displays screen 1 with successive scrolling of the numbers and names of the counters, at the rate of pressing of key 1.

If the operator keeps the key 1 pressed for more than a second, he triggers the accelerated advance, obtained by the program relating to the message MP 21 which then simulates short, increasingly rapid presses of the key 1. At the end the title of the next counter appears one second, then the next one appears after 0.9 seconds, then the next one appears after 0.8 seconds, and so on, up to 0.3 seconds. From 0.3 seconds, the program only presents one title out of two for 0.3 seconds, then one title out of three for 0.3 seconds, then one title out of four, and so on. In this way if the Q counters in the Counter space have been assigned and if Q = 200, all of the Q counters are scanned in less than 11 seconds.

When the last counter is reached, or exceeded, an audible beep is emitted by the audible alarm equipping the franking machine.

Key 2 has the same function as key 1, but exploration of the Counter space is done in reverse.

Pressing key 3 brings up the message MP 22 Counter consultation.

The text of the message MP 21, like all the messages, is stored in the text memory 6 of the franking machine. The text of the MP 21 message occupies 4 x 32 = 128 bytes of the text memory.

The programs relating to the messages MP 21 to MP 23 use a memory space "Search" of seven bytes, from the working memory 7, these successive bytes being arranged starting from the symbolic address Search 0 which is that of the first byte.

These bytes, designated below by R0, R1, ... R6 contain:
R0 = n, number of existing counters,
R1 = m, number of the counter displayed,
R2, R3 = AC, current address of the first byte of the counter displayed
R4 = MT, acceleration delay memory,
R5 = INC, increment in the number of meters to step over in the acceleration function,
R6 = PHAT, phase of the keys.

When passing from the message MP 20 to the message MP 21, an initialization program determines the number n of counters present in the counter space, n being less than or equal to Q which is the maximum number of counters that the space can contain Counters. The initialization program stores this number n in byte R0, then loads the number m = 1 in byte R1 and the address AC of the first byte of the first counter in bytes R2 and R3.

The proper running of the program relating to the MP 21 message requires the presence of a SPMP 21 sub-program of this program, to check the flow of the screen timeout and manage the output conditions (action on keys 1, 2 , 3 and cancellation).

This subroutine will be described after the program relating to the message MP 21 which comprises the following five actions, represented by the flow diagram of FIG. 5:

-Actions 1:

Transfer the first 32 bytes of the message MP 21 (screen 1) from the text memory into the display image IA of the working memory, from the address IA0, which is that of the first byte of this display image. The first 32 bytes of the MP 21 message correspond to a 2-line display of 16 characters, taken as an example.
Take m, number of the counter, in R1 and put it away, after processing (change to decimal then to ASCII code), in the display image IA at addresses IA12, I13 and IA14 (three digits maximum).
Transfer the 10 bytes Cm 4 to Cm 13 of the title of the counter m in the display image from address IA19; the starting address is obtained by making, in R2 and R3, AC + 4, the transfer relating to the 10 bytes from AC + 4 to AC + 13.
Load the screen timeout at 3 seconds (load 150 in the TE0 screen timeout byte),
Run the SPMP 21 subroutine.

- Action 2:

Load the text of screen 2 into the display image IA, from IA0 to IA31, If m = n, the last counter is being viewed; then load 16 consecutive space signs in the display image from IA 16, to erase the second line of the screen 2 "1 - The next one",
Load the TE0 screen timing byte at 1 second (50 in this byte).
Run the SPMP 21 subroutine.

- Action 3:

Transfer the text from screen 3 of the text memory into the display image IA of the working memory, from IA0 to IA31, If m = 1, the first counter in the Counter space is displayed; then load 16 consecutive space signs (20 in hexadecimal) in the display image, from IA0 to IA15, to delete the proposition "2 - The Previous" in the first line of screen 3.
Load the TE0 screen time delay byte to 1 second (50 in this byte).
Run the SPMP 21 subroutine.

- Action 4:

Load the text of screen 4 in the display image from IA0 to IA31.
Load the TE0 screen time delay byte to 1 second (50 in this byte).
Run the SPMP 21 subroutine.

- Action 5:

Repeat action 1 (loopback).

The SPMP 21 subroutine shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, carries out the following actions, designated by SP1, SP2, ... etc.

SP1 action:

If keys 1 and 2 are not pressed, the corresponding bits in the keyboard image IC have the value 1, set PHAT = 0, i.e. load 0 into R6, then go to action SP2.

If one of the keys 1 or 2 is pressed, the corresponding bit in the keyboard image has the value 0; if m different from n if key 1 is pressed or if m different from 1 if key 2 is pressed and if
PHAT = o take action SP 10
PHAT = 1 go to action SP 11
PHAT = 2 go to action SP 12

SP2 action:

If key 3 is pressed, the corresponding bit in the keyboard image has the value 0, go to message MP 22; this is the end of the MP 21 program.

Otherwise go to action SP3.

SP3 action:

If the cancel key is pressed, the corresponding bit in the keyboard image has the value 0, go to message MP 20; end of the MP 21 program,
Otherwise go to action SP4.

SP4 action:

If the menu key M is pressed, go to the message MP0 Start of the menu; otherwise go to action SP5.

SP5 action:

If the screen delay has elapsed, the content of the TE0 delay byte has the value 0, go to the next action of the MP 21 program.

Otherwise repeat the action SP1.

SP10 action:

This action is the initialization phase for pressing keys 1 or 2 (see SP1).
Load 1 second (50) into R4 which is the memory byte of the acceleration delay (MT).
Load 0 into R5 (INC = 0) which is the byte reserved for incrementing the number of counters to step over in the acceleration function.
Load 1 in byte R6 (PHAT = 1).
Go to action SP13 (present the new counter).

Action SP11:

This action is the phase of decrease of the display time of the names of the counters (see SP1).

If the scroll delay has not elapsed (content of the delay byte TE1 other than zero) return to action SP1.

If the scrolling time has elapsed (content of byte TE1 = 0), decrease the scrolling time in the scrolling time memory by 0.1 seconds, i.e. make -5 the content of the byte R4, then give the value zero (INC = 0) to the increment of the number of counters to step over, that is to say write 0 in byte R5.

If the scrolling time is equal to 0.3 seconds in the memory of the scrolling time (content of byte R4 = 15) then go to phase 2, i.e. write 2 in byte R6 (PHAT = 2).

Go to action SP13 (present the new counter).

Action SP12

Waiting for the scroll time to elapse (see SP1).

If the scroll time has not elapsed (content of time delay TE1 non-zero), return to action SP1.

If the scroll delay has elapsed (content of the delay byte TE1 = 0), go to action SP13.

Action SP 13: selection of the next or previous counter.

Add +1 to the content of the R5 byte (INC, number of meters to step over).

If key 1 is pressed go to action SP14 (next counter), otherwise go to action SP15 (previous counter).

Action SP14: Next counter.

If m + INC is greater than n, m being the number of the counter displayed (content of byte R1) INC being the number of counters to step over (content of byte R5) and n being the number of existing counters (content byte R0), then:
Read byte R0 and write its content n in byte R1, then write 0 in byte R5 (INC = 0).
Write C10 + 26 (n - 1) in bytes R2 and R3 to obtain the address AC of the first byte of the last counter, C10 being the address of the first byte of the first counter in the "Counters" space,
Load 1 in the byte CAS0 of the audible alarm control CAS, for 1 audible beep,
Load 25 into the byte CAS1 of the CAS audible alarm command, for a duration of 0.5 seconds of the beep sound (there is no silence, since there is only one beep) .
Take action SP16.

If m + INC is not greater than n, write m + INC in byte R1 (take the contents of bytes R1 and R5, add them up and write the result in byte R1), then do AC + 26 times INC and write the result in bytes R2 and R3 (take the INC content of byte R5, multiply it by 26 = number of bytes of a counter, and add the result to the content of bytes R2 and R3),
Take action SP16.

Action SP15: Previous counter.

If m - INC is less than 1 (content of byte R1 minus the content of byte R5 less than 1), then:
Write 1 in R1 (m = 1), which amounts to pointing the first counter,
Write 0 in R5 (INC = 0), which cancels the increment,
Write C10 in R2 and R3 (AC = C10) which gives the address of the first byte of the first counter,
Load 1 in the CAS0 byte of the CAS audible alarm command (1 beep),
Load 25 into the byte CAS1 of the audible alarm command, for a duration of 0.5 seconds.
Take action SP16.
If m - INC is not less than 1, then:
Write m - INC in byte R1,
Do AC -26 times INC and write the result in bytes R2 and R3.
Take action SP16.

SP16 action:

Transfer the content of byte R4, which is the MT byte of memory for the title scrolling delay, in timer TE1,
Return to action 1 of message MP21.

Message MP22 Consultation of a counter.

This message appears following an action on the key 3 when viewing the message MP21.

The message MP22 includes the following eight screens:

Screens 1 to 8 are displayed for 2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2 seconds, respectively.

In screen 1, the counter number, line 1, and its title (name), line 2, are those that were displayed in screen 1 of the message MP21 when the operator chose option "3 - The to consult". The counter number is contained in byte R1, and its title is contained in the 10 bytes Ci4 to Ci13 of the zone Z2 of the counter, the starting address AC + 4 of Ci4 in the Counter space being given by the content, AC, of R2 and R3, to which we add 4. This is identical to what is indicated in action 1 of the message MP21.

The date and time, line 2 of screen 2, are those of the last reset, and are contained in the 5 bytes of zone Z3 of the counter, from address AC + 14, AC being given by the content of R2 and R3 to which 14 is added.

For screen 3, the text of line 1 is completed with "stopped" if the content of the first byte of the counter, of address AC, is the letter A, and it is supplemented by "on" if the content of this first byte is the letter M; the AC address is given by R2 and R3.

The two pieces of information on screen 4 are extracted from the zone Z4 of the counter on line 1, and from the zone Z5 of the counter for line 2. The zone Z4 for the accumulation of species consists of 4 bytes of AC addresses + 19 to AC + 22, and the zone Z5 for the accumulation of bends consists of 3 bytes of addresses AC + 23 to AC + 25.
If m = n, the proposition "1 - The next one" of screen 5 does not appear; it is replaced, in the display image, from IA 16 to IA 31 by space signs.
If m = 1, the proposition "2 - The previous one" of screen 6 does not appear not ; it is replaced, in the display image, from IA0 to IA15 by space signs.

If the cumulative cash, zone Z4 of the counter, and the cumulative number of folds, zone Z5 of the counter, are at zero, the proposition "3 - Reset, from screen 6 does not appear; it is replaced, in bytes IA16 to IA31 of the display image, with space symbols.

Propositions 4 and 5 of screen 7 are mutually exclusive; only the inverse proposition of the state of the counter displayed appears. Thus, if the meter is running, the first service byte, zone Z1 of the meter, contains the letter M, the proposition "4 - Stop it" appears, but not the proposition "5 - Start it"; Conversely, if the displayed counter is stopped, the first service byte contains the letter A, the proposition "4 - Stop it" does not appear, but the proposition "5 - The Start" appears.

If the cancel key is pressed, return to message MP21.

If the operator presses the key 1, the program of the message MP22 does: + 1 in R1, we therefore have m + 1, and + 26 in R2 and R3, we therefore have AC + 26, provided of course that m is less than n, otherwise no change.

If the operator presses the key 2, and if m is different from 1, then the program makes - 1 in R1, so we have m - 1, and -26 in R2 and R3 which gives AC - 26.

If the operator presses one of the keys 3, 4, 5, or 6, an MP23 message; Confirmation of the selected state appears.

Message MP23 Confirmation of the selected state

This message consists of the following 3 screens:

The text of the second line of screen 1 is:
a reset (key 3)
a stop (key 4)
starting (key 5)
deletion (key 6)

The text of the second line of screen 2 consists of the title of the counter, which is the same as that which appeared on the second line of screen 1 of the message MP22 when the operator pressed one of the keys 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Confirmation of the previously selected state, displayed on line 2 of screen 1, is obtained by simultaneously pressing the validation, VALID, and star, * keys, which brings back to message MP22, with execution of the order , that is, the selected state.

Pressing the cancel key also returns to the message MP22, but without executing the order.

If zeroing is confirmed, the seven bytes of zones Z4, cumulative species, and Z5, cumulative number of folds, are zeroed (these are address bytes AC + 19 to AC + 25) , then the content of the first 5 bytes IHC0 to IHC4 of the clock / calendar image is transferred into the five bytes of zone Z3, from addresses AC + 14 to AC + 18.

If the stop request is confirmed, the letter A (code 41 in hexadecimal) is loaded in the first service byte of the counter, with address AC. From this moment the counter no longer accumulates cash or folds.

If the Start request is confirmed, the letter M (code 4D in hexadecimal) is loaded in place of the letter A in the first service byte of the counter which then accumulates cash and folds.

If the operator confirms the deletion of the counter whose name was displayed in screen 1, the following program runs:
Read the otect of address AC + 26 and write it to the address AC; the byte of address AC + 26 is the first service byte of the following counter,
Read the byte of address AC + 27 and write it to the address AC + 1, and so on by increasing each time the read address and the write address, until the transfer of the last byte of the last counter, that is to say when the read address has become equal to C10 + 26n-1, the address C10 being that of the first byte of the Counter space in the working memory, the write address then being equal to C10 + 26 (n-1) -1. To cancel the last counter which appears twice after its transfer, we write the character ETX at the address C10 + 26 (n-1) then we do-1 in Ro since after deletion the number of counters is n- 1. In the message MP22, the counter number is unchanged, it is the same as before the deletion, but the name of the counter has been replaced by that of the counter that followed it in the Counter space.

Message MP25 Composition of the name (of a counter)

This message appears when when viewing the MP20 message the operator presses the key 2, and all the counters in the Counter space are not used.

The creation of a counter consists of composing its title, then the name being validated, to find the place it must occupy in the Counter space.

For example if the Counter space contains the DUPONT and DURAND counters, and a DUPUIS counter is created, this must be stored between the DUPONT and DURAND counters, to observe the alphabetical order. This is obtained by shifting all the counters located after the DUPONT counter by one position (this operation is identical to deleting, but performed in reverse) and inserting the DUPUIS counter. Of course, you can only create a new counter if n is less than Q.

The search for the place of the new counter whose name has just been composed, the shifting of the counters and the loading of the bytes of the new counter are carried out using a storage program which takes place when the name has been composed .

To perform the shift, when the name of the new counter is dialed, the first counter to be shifted must be searched for; for this the storage program uses the well-known method of dichotomous research. Once this first counter to shift found the last byte of the last counter n used, with address C10 + 26n-1 in the Counter space, is read and written at the address C10 + 26 (n + 1) -1 which is that of the last byte of counter n + 1 , and so on by doing -1 in the read and write addresses until the read address is equal to the AC address of the first byte of the first counter to be shifted, which ends the shift of counters. This offset being effected, the 26 bytes of the new counter are inserted, in the counter which has just been released, in the following order, this counter having the number m:
The first byte of this counter m, of address AC = C10 + 26 (m-1), contains the letter A, the counter being stopped,
the next three bytes are zero,
the name of the counter is written in the following 10 bytes, zone Z2, at the rate of one character per byte; if the name has less than 10 characters, unused bytes are loaded with the space sign (20 in hexadecimal code),
the date and time of the clock / calendar, i.e. the content of bytes IHC0 to IHC4, of the clock / calendar image, are transferred in the 5 bytes of zone Z3, of addresses AC + 14 to AC + 18,
the next seven bytes, zones Z4 and Z5, of addresses AC + 19 to AC + 25, are set to zero (cash counter and mail counter).

The display times of screens 1 to 5 are 3, 1, 1, 1, 1 seconds respectively.

The name of a counter can have a maximum of 10 characters, since it has been assumed that the counter title area Z2 has 10 bytes (one per character).

In screen 1 these characters are symbolized by the letter X followed by 9 spaces (letter e); each time screen 1 is displayed, in place of the letter X, scroll successively:
the 10 digits 0 to 9
the signs ; <=>? @
the letters A, B, C, ... Z (in capital letters).

The frame rate is 1 character every 0.8 seconds. when the letter Z appears, the next character is the number 0, so the sequence of admissible characters is completed, and the appearance of the number 0 causes the emission of a beep to signal to the operator the start of a character scrolling cycle.

A fleeting action on key 1 immediately brings up the next character; following this action the message MP25 is reset, the scrolling of characters is suspended, and screen 1 is displayed for 3 seconds. A series of brief actions on key 1, succeeding each other at a rate of less than 3 seconds, brings up screen 1 permanently with characters scrolling in the same position on the display, at the operator's rhythm.

If the operator keeps key 1 pressed for more than a second, scrolling resumes increasing in speed, until the maximum rate of 0.3 seconds per character is reached.

Key 2 has the same function as key 1, but causes the characters to scroll in reverse order.

Pressing key 3 validates the displayed character and initiates the scrolling of characters to the position immediately to the right of the validated character. If the validated character is the tenth of the name, the scrolling does not appear on the next position, this one being off screen.

The key 4 allows to return to the previous position with erasure of the position which has just been left.

Key 5 is used by the operator to indicate to the franking machine the end of the composition of the name.

The procedure for storing the new meter among the meters existing ones is then engaged, this procedure starting, as indicated above, by the search for the first counter to shift.

While the message MP25 is displayed, pressing the cancel key returns the message MP20, the procedure for creating a new counter being aborted.

The implementation of the program relating to the message MP25 uses a "Title" zone of 15 bytes of the working memory whose symbolic addresses are INT0 to INT14. We find in order, at the different addresses:
INT0 to INT9: Ten bytes assigned to the name of the counter being created,
INT 10: reserve byte,
INT 11: position in the name of the character being created,
INT 12: memory of the scroll delay,
INT 13: key phase
INT 14: automatic scrolling authorized or not.

The MP25 message program performs actions, some of which use a SPMP25 subroutine from the MP25 message program.

The flowchart of the program relating to the message MP25 is shown in FIG. 7, and the flowchart of the sub-program SPMP25 is shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

The program relating to the MP25 message includes the following actions:

Action 1: Initialization of the composition of the name.

Write the code for the space sign (20 in hexadecimal) at the addresses INT1 to INT9,
Write zero at the address INT11, to compose the first character,
Take action 2

Action 2: Initialization of character scrolling

Write the number 0 (30 in hexadecimal) in the INTj byte whose address is given by the contents of INT11, and trigger a beep (write 1 in the CAS0 byte and 25 in the CAS1 byte of the audible alarm control).
Initialize the acceleration delay memory to 0.8 seconds, by writing 40 to the address INT 12.
Initialize the character scrolling delay by writing 40 in the delay byte TE1 of the working memory.
Allow automatic scrolling, by writing 1 to the address INT14.
Take action 3.

Action 3: Display of screen 1.

Transfer the first 32 bytes of the message MP25 from the text memory to the display image IA (bytes IA0 to IA31).
Transfer the name being dialed, address bytes INT0 to INT9, in the display image from IA22 to IA31.
Load the TE0 screen time delay byte at 3 seconds by writing 150 in this byte.
Run the SPMP25 subroutine.

Action 4: Display of screen 2

Transfer the following 32 bytes, screen 2 of the text memory, to the display image IA.
Allow automatic scrolling by writing 1 to the address INT14.
Load the screen timer byte, TE0, to 1 second by writing 50 in this byte.
Run the SPMP25 subroutine.

Action 5: Display of the screen 3.

Same as action 4, but with the 32 bytes of screen 3.

Action 6: Display of the screen 4.

Same as action 4, but with the 32 bytes of screen 4.

Action 7: Display of the screen 5.

Same as action 4, but with the 32 bytes of screen 5.

Action 8: Loopback

Repeat action 3.
The SPMP25 subroutine is used to check the flow of the screen delay, TE0 byte, and to manage the actions on keys 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and cancellation; it follows the following actions, designated by SP1, SP2, ...:

Action SP1: Acceleration of scrolling

If keys 1 and 2 are not pressed, write 0 to the address INT13 (key phase = o), then go to action SP2.
If one of the keys 1 or 2 is pressed, the corresponding bit in the keyboard image has the value o, block the automatic scrolling by writing o to the address INT 14 then:
If the content of the address byte INT13 = o, go to action SP10.
If the content of the address byte INT13 = 1, go to action SP11.
If the content of the byte and address INT13 = 2, go to action SP12.

Action SP2: Validate the character and start scrolling on the following character:

If key 3 is pressed, the corresponding bit in the IC keyboard image has the value o, wait for the operator to release it, i.e. the value of the corresponding bit in the IC keyboard image changes to 1, then:
if the content of the address byte INT11 is less than 10, add 1 to this content and return to action 2 of the program, otherwise, return to action 2, without modifying the content of the byte of INT11 address.
If key 3 is not pressed go to action SP3.

Action SP3: Cancel the character and return to the previous character.

If key 4 is pressed, wait for the operator to release it, i.e. the value of the corresponding bit changes to 1 in the keyboard image IC, then:
Write "space" (20 in hexadecimal) in the INTj byte of the titled area whose address is given by the content of the address byte INT11, (INj is one of the bytes INT0 to INT9),
if the content of INT11 is different from 0, then subtract 1 from this content and go to action 2 of the program,
if the content of INT11 = 0, go directly to action 2.
If key 4 is not pressed, go to action SP4.

Action SP4: End of name.

If key 5 is pressed, the name is dialed. At the end of the MP25 message program, go to the counter PR storage program in the Counter space.
If key 5 is not pressed, go to action SP5.

Action SP5: Cancellation

If the Cancel key is pressed, return to the message MP20, it is the abandonment of the creation of a counter; end of program for message MP25.
If the cancel key is not pressed and if the menu key is pressed return to the message MP0.
If the menu key is not pressed go to action SP6.

Action SP6: While the screen 1 is displayed, change the character every 0.8 seconds.

If automatic scrolling is not authorized, (content of address byte INT14 equal to 0), go to action SP7
If automatic scrolling is authorized (INT14 = 1) and if the scrolling delay has elapsed, (content of the TE1 timing byte equal to 0) and if the character displayed is Z (content of the INTj byte whose address is given by the content of the address byte INT11; INTj is one of the bytes INT0 to INT9) then write 0 in place of Z and trigger a beep (write 1 in CAS0 and 25 in CAS1) to announce the start of a new character presentation cycle, or if the character displayed is different from Z do + 1 in INTj; then:
Transfer the name on the screen (read bytes INT0 to INT9 and write them in the display image from IA22 to IA31),
Reset the scroll delay by writing 40 in the delay byte TE1
Take action SP7.
If automatic scrolling is authorized (INT14 = 1) and if the scrolling time has not elapsed (TE1 content different from 0) go to action SP7.

SP7 action:

If the screen delay has elapsed (content of TE0 = 0) go to the next screen of the message MP25, otherwise repeat the action SP1.

Action SP10: Initialization of pressing keys 1 and 2.

Load the byte INT12, memory of the scroll delay, at 0.8 seconds, i.e. write 40 in this byte,
Go to phase 1, i.e. write 1 in the byte and INT13,
Take action SP13.

Action SP11: Decrease in the display time of a character.

If the scrolling time has not elapsed (TE1 content different from zero) then return to action SP1,
If the scrolling delay has elapsed (content of TE1 = 0) decrease the acceleration delay by 0.1 seconds, i.e. subtract 5 from INT12, then,
If the scroll delay memory is equal to 0.3 seconds (content of INT12 = 15), go to phase 2, i.e. write 2 in the byte INT13, and go to action SP13 , otherwise go directly to action SP13.

Action SP12: Waiting for the scrolling time to elapse.

If the scrolling time has not elapsed (content of TE1 other than 0), return to action SP1,
If the scrolling time has elapsed (content of TE1 = 0), go to action SP13.

SP13 action:

If key 1 is pressed, go to action SP14 (next character), otherwise go to action SP15 (previous character).

Action SP14:

If the content of the INTj byte, whose address is given by the content of INT11, is equal to letter Z (5A in hexadecimal), load the number 0 in this INTj byte and trigger a beep by loading the byte CAS0 to 1 and byte CAS1 to 25 in the audible alarm control CAS and go to action SP16; otherwise add 1 to the content of the INTj byte and go to action SP16.

Action SP15:

If the content of the INTj byte, the address of which is given by the content of INT11 is equal to the digit 0 (30 in hexadecimal), replace this digit with the letter Z (5A in hexadecimal) and trigger a beep when loading byte CAS0 to 1 and byte CAS1 to 25 and go to action SP16;
otherwise decrease the content of the INTj byte by 1 and go to action SP16.

Action SP16: Visualization of the new character.

Transfer the content of the INT12 byte, memory of the acceleration delay, to the TE1 delay byte,
Return to action 3 of the MP25 message program.

During franking, several auxiliary counters can be running simultaneously; at the limit, all the counters in the Counters area can be running. In this case, following postage, the value of the stamp which has just been issued must be added to each of the cash counters (zone Z4 of each auxiliary counter) and the number of folds of each fold counter (zone Z5 of each auxiliary counter), must be increased by one unit. This operation can be relatively long, and while it is being carried out, it is necessary to prohibit the production of the next franking, which reduces the performance of the franking machine.

To remedy this drawback, the procedure chosen consists in realigning the auxiliary meters in operation, no longer after each franking, but at privileged times. The time separating two privileged moments constitutes the realignment period.

The method consists in accumulating the total of postage in a counter "Consumption period" of 4 bytes in the working memory, and to add 1, after each postage, in a counter of "Period folds" and 3 bytes in the working memory . At each realignment, a realignment program examines the first byte Cio of each auxiliary counter. If the content of this byte is the letter A (stop) the program goes to the next auxiliary counter.

If the content of this byte is M (on) then the program adds the content of the counter "Period consumption" to the content of the cash counter of the auxiliary counter, and it adds the content of the counter "Period folds" to the fold counter of this same auxiliary counter, then the realignment program examines the next auxiliary counter. When the last auxiliary counter in operation is realigned, the program resets the "Period consumption" and "Period folds" counters.
The realignments are carried out:
When switching on the franking machine; these are the accumulations of postage which took place before the power cut,
When the message MP20 "Search or create a counter" appears.
At the appearance of the message MP22 consultation of a counter, following a confirmation of a request to shutdown (message MP23).

An auxiliary counter can have one or more sub-counters (notion of total and subtotal).

A counter becomes under counter if its title is that of an auxiliary counter to which we add the @ sign (a circle) followed, possibly, by a text, numbers or letters. Example, the operator creates a first "Store" counter, then a second "Store @ 1" counter; this second counter is a sub-counter of the first.

To distinguish the counters from the sub-counters, the second service byte, Ci1, of each counter is used, this byte contains the letter C for a counter (absence of @ in its title) and the letter S for a sub-counter (presence of the @ sign in its title).

The operation of a counter and its sub-counters is linked to each other:

A sub-counter can be deleted independently of the other sub-counters of the same counter, but the deletion of a counter automatically deletes all the sub-counters which are attached to it.

Likewise, each sub-counter of a counter can be zeroed independently of the others, but resetting a counter automatically causes all of its sub-counters to be reset to zero.

Switching on or off a counter automatically switches on or off the sub-meters attached to it.

A sub-counter cannot be switched on or off independently of the counter to which it is attached.

The realization of this function is obtained during the display of the message MP22.

If the counter displayed is a sub-counter, the proposals corresponding to screen 7 of the message MP22 do not appear (start or stop).

Figures 5, 6A, 6B, 7, 8A and 8B are flow charts, as indicated above.

In FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A, 8B the numbers 1, 2, ..., the letters, A, M, V which appear in the diamonds designate the numeric keys, cancel (A), menu (M), validation (V). In these figures, as well as in FIG. 5, at the outlet of the diamonds the number 1 means yes, and the number 0 means no.

In the figures the reference DEB means start of the program, or of the sub-program.

In FIGS. 5 and 7, the references AI, AII, etc. denote the actions of the corresponding program.

In FIGS. 6A, 6B, 8A and 8B, the references SP1, SP2, ..., designate the actions of the subroutine corresponding to these figures.

In FIG. 8A, the reference PR, action SP4, means program for storing the counter in the Counter space.

Claims (21)

1 / Franking machine comprising a keyboard (1), equipped with ten numeric keys, a validation key (VALID), a cancellation key (CANCEL), a star key (*) a menu key ( M) and two scroll keys, one arrow up, the other arrow down, a display (2) of the alphanumeric type, a clock / calendar (3), a microprocessor (4) a program memory (5 ), a text memory (6), a working memory (7) backed up by a battery, and an audible alarm (8) connected by a bus (B), the working memory containing, in a Counter space, counters auxiliaries each consisting of bytes from working memory and having a cash counter and a mail counter themselves constituted by bytes, a first set of messages for normal franking operations and a second set of messages for particular operations being stored in the text memory, the program memory containing relative programs for each message of the first and second set of messages, the second set of messages being accessible by the menu key, pressing said menu key causing a first message to appear (MP0) Beginning of the menu comprising numbered options, each number corresponding to a numeric key on the keyboard, one of the options allowing access to the auxiliary counters, characterized in that the auxiliary counters are identified by a name and that they are arranged in alphabetical order, one after the other, in the Counters area of the working memory. 2 / franking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each auxiliary meter comprises, at the head, a service zone (Z1) then a title zone (Z2) each consisting of bytes, as the name of the meter is made up of alphanumeric characters each character being contained in a byte of the title zone which comprises a number of bytes at most equal to a number N of characters that can be viewed on a line of the display (2). 3 / franking machine according to claim 2, characterized in that when in the Counter space having a capacity of Q counters only n counters are used, n being less than Q, the first unused counter comprises in a first byte of his area of service a specific character to indicate the end of the n counters used. 4 / franking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the choice of the option allowing access to the auxiliary counters brings up a message (MP20) Search or creation of a counter, comprising an option search for a counter and an option creation of a counter, each option being numbered and accessible by a numeric key on the keyboard. 5 / franking machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the choice of the option search for a counter brings up a message (MP21) search for a counter which simultaneously delivers to the display, for a time of display specified by said message, the number and title of the first counter in the Counter space, that a short action on a first key on the keyboard specified said message increments the number of the counter displayed by one and brings up the title of the next counter, that a short action on a second key specified by said message decreases by one the number of the counter displayed and brings up the title of the next counter, and that a short action on a third key specified by said message brings up a message (MP22) consultation of a counter with the number and the title of the counter being displayed during the action on said third key. 6 / franking machine according to claim 5, characterized in that a prolonged action on said first key commands an accelerated scrolling of the numbers and titles of the counters in alphabetical order, and that a prolonged action on said second command key accelerated scrolling of numbers and titles of counters in reverse order to alphabetical order. 7 / franking machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the accelerated scrolling is obtained first of all by decreasing from one counter to another the display time of the number and of the title of a counter, then, at constant display time, by stepping from one display to another, an increasing number of counters. 8 / franking machine according to one of claims 5, 6 and 7, characterized in that in the scrolling in the alphabetical direction direct the appearance of the name of the last counter used in the Counters area causes the scrolling to stop and an audible beep to be emitted by the audible alarm, and that when scrolling in reverse of alphabetical order, the appearance of the first counter in the Counter space causes the scrolling to stop and a beep to sound. 9 / Franking machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the choice of the option creation of a counter brings up a message (MP25) Composition of the name, only after composition of the name and validation of the said compound name is sought the place which it must occupy in the alphabetical order of the existing counters by comparison of the said name with those of the existing counters, and that the said place being found one shifts by a number all the auxiliary counters from the said place, and that one inserts the new counter in said place thus freed. 10 / franking machine according to claim 9, characterized in that to compose a name is scrolled successively and automatically, at a regular rate, on a position of the display, characters from a list of accepted characters to appear in a name of a counter, that a character displayed is validated by action on a first key specified by said message, that the validated character appears permanently on the display, and that the scrolling of characters is initialized on a position located immediately to the right of the validated character. 11 / Franking machine according to claim 10, characterized in that a brief action on a second key on the keyboard specified by the message Composition of the name brings up the following character, and that a brief action on a third key specified by said message shows the preceding character. 12 / franking machine according to claim 11, characterized in that a prolonged action on said second key controls an accelerated scrolling of the characters according to a direction of succession and that a prolonged action on said third key controls an accelerated scrolling of the characters according to a reverse sense of succession of the above, said second and third keys commanding an increasingly rapid scrolling of the characters from the regular rate to a maximum rate. 13 / Franking machine according to one of claims 10, 11 and 12, characterized in that during the display of a character on any position of the display, except the leftmost position, an action on a fourth key specified by said message Composition of a name commands an interruption of the scrolling of the characters, the erasure of the character being viewed and of the character of the position located immediately to the left and initiates the scrolling of the characters in said position at left. 14 / Franking machine according to one of claims 10, 11 and 12, characterized in that the appearance of the last character in the list of characters, in a direction of direct scrolling of characters is followed by the first character of said list, that the appearance of the first character in the said list in a reverse direction of scrolling of the characters is followed by the last character in the list, and that an audible beep is emitted by the audible alarm when the appearance of the first character from the list. 15 / Franking machine according to claim 4, characterized in that in the message (MP20) Search or creation of a counter, the search for a counter option is deleted when in the Counter space no counter has has been created, and the option to create a counter is deleted when the Counter space does not have a free counter. 16 / Franking machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the message (MP22) consultation of a counter includes a digital option deletion of a counter, that when viewing a number and the name of a counter an action on the key corresponding to the number of the option brings up a message (MP23) confirmation of the selected state, that a validation of said confirmation message orders a successive shift of a number of counters which follow the deleted counter starting with the counter immediately following the deleted counter to store it in place of said deleted counter. 17 / Franking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cash and fold counters of each auxiliary counter in the running state are realigned when the machine is powered up and at each consultation of an auxiliary counter. 18 / franking machine according to claim 1, characterized in that among the auxiliary counters at least one auxiliary counter comprises at least one sub-counter, that each sub-counter is a counter in the Counter space and has the same name as the auxiliary counter and that a specific character is added to said name to distinguish it from the counter. 19 / franking machine according to claim 18, characterized in that each sub-counter of an auxiliary counter is automatically put into the state, on, off, reset, of the auxiliary counter at the same time as the latter . 20 / franking machine according to claim 18, characterized in that each sub-counter of an auxiliary counter is automatically deleted when said auxiliary counter is deleted. 21 / franking machine according to claim 18, characterized in that a sub-counter is reset independently of its counter.

Images