Claims
- 1. A postal security device comprising:
- (a) means for determining if a new key pair should be generated in response to a predetermined criterion;
- (b) means for generating a new key pair;
- (c) non-volatile memory for storing said new key pair;
- (d) means for requesting a certificate of authentication for a portion of said new key pair from a Certification Authority;
- (e) means for receiving a certificate of authentication for said portion of said new key pair from said Certification Authority;
- (f) means for updating said postal security device such that said new key pair will be henceforth used by said postal security device.
- 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criterion is a manual input.
- 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the key pair is a public/private key pair.
- 4. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in an ascending register contained within said postal security device.
- 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in a descending register contained within said postal security device.
- 6. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in the number of times said postal security device has operated.
- 7. The device of claim 1, wherein said predetermined criterion is a change in the usage pattern of said postal security device.
- 8. A method for use with a postal security device, comprising:
- (a) determining if a new key pair should be generated in response to a predetermined criterion;
- (b) generating a new key pair;
- (c) storing said new key pair in non-volatile memory;
- (d) requesting a certificate of authentication for a portion of said new key pair from a Certification Authority;
- (e) receiving a certificate of authentication for said portion of said new key pair from said Certification Authority;
- (f) updating said postal security device such that said new key pair will be henceforth used by said postal security device.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criterion is a manual input.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in an ascending register contained within said postal security device.
- 11. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in a descending register contained within said postal security device.
- 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criterion is a preselected change in the number of time said postal security device has operated.
- 13. The method of claim 8, wherein said predetermined criterion is a change in the usage pattern of said postal security device.
- 14. The method of claim 8 wherein the key pair is a public/private key pair.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority from pending U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/031,305 filed on Nov. 19, 1996, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
US Referenced Citations (8)