Re: postage without licking or sticking -- just clicking.

Carl A. Wescott (eyethink@cse.ucsc.edu)
Sat, 11 Apr 1998 00:05:28 -0700

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        Mark A. Herschberg wrote:
> http://www.cnn.com/TECH/science/9804/10/t_t/smart.stamp/index.html
> (http://www.estamp.com/)
> [...] Anyone
> know what type of encryption it uses, or anything about the hardware?

        (1) I had heard about the postage stamp that could be printed
        directly on the envelope by any graphics printer on a PC. That
        was several months ago and, at the time, I had the impression
        that the "cash" was stored in some form of digital purse on the
        hard drive of the PC.

There are actually at least two types of systems for doing this being considered
by the USPS right now. The currently beta-tested E-Stamp product cited above
is a relatively new consideration.

The USPS also has a program called IBIP which involves Indicia printed on
envelopes (a sort of 2-dimensional bar code, digitally signed), in which
the 'cash' is stored within SMD/PSD (Secure Metering Device/
Postal Systems Device) peripherals.

See the RSA '98 proceedings for some high-level info about IBIP.

--Carl

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