Remote monitoring and software distribution system for servicing inserter systems

• US 20030101446A1
• Filed: 10/23/2002
• Published: 05/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Winkelman, John H., Sagi, Surya R., McManus, Deborah R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method for controlling transfer of files in a network of inserters at a plurality of sites from a remote command center. The method retrieving inserter data stored at the plurality of inserter sites and storing the data at the command center. The command center further uploading software updates to the plurality of inserters in accordance with a predefined upload/download scheme. The upload/download scheme defined at the command center via a graphical interface. The upload/download scheme identifying one or more of the plurality of inserters for the file transfer transaction, identifying inserter data from the selected one or more inserters to upload to the command center, identifying software updates to download from the command center to the one or more selected inserters, identifying a time for the file transfer transaction, identifying a sequence for the upload and download portions of the transfer transaction; and executing the defined file transfer transaction.

Claims

1. A method for controlling transfer of files in a network of inserters, the network of inserters including a plurality of inserters located at a plurality of inserter sites, and a command center at a command site remote from the inserter sites, the method comprising:

storing inserter data at the plurality of inserter sites;

storing software updates;

defining a file transfer transaction using a command center computer interface, the step of defining the file transfer transaction further including,

selecting one or more of the plurality of inserters for the file transfer transaction,

identifying inserter data from the selected one or more inserters to download to the command center,

identifying software updates to upload to the one or more selected inserters,

identifying a time for the file transfer transaction,

identifying a sequence for the upload and download portions of the transfer transaction; and

executing the defined file transfer transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of defining the file transfer transaction further includes identifying a process to be executed at the one or more inserters prior to the download of data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of defining the file transfer transaction further includes identifying a process to be executed at the one or more inserters after the upload of update software.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of defining the file transfer transaction further includes identifying a notification method for providing notice of the status of the file transfer transaction and the method further includes the step of implementing the notification method upon execution of the file transfer transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying the sequence for the upload and download portions of the transfer transaction further includes the step of identifying whether proceeding to a next step in the sequence may proceed before a first step of the sequence is complete on all inserters affected by the file transfer transaction.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of defining the file transfer transaction using the command center computer interface further includes accessing the command site from a remote terminal via the Internet.

7. A system for remote monitoring and control of a network of inserters, the network of inserters including a plurality of inserters located at a plurality of inserter sites, the system comprising:

a command center remote from the plurality of inserter sites, the command center including;

a storage device for storing software updates to be supplied to the plurality of inserters,

an application server providing a file transfer creation interface to create a definition of a file transfer transaction, the definition being stored in a database, the definition including identification of one or more of the plurality of inserters for the file transfer transaction, inserter data from the selected one or more inserters to download to the command center, software updates to upload from the command center to the one or more selected inserters, a time for the file transfer transaction, and a sequence for the upload and download portions of the transfer transaction; and

a first network server communicating the file transfer transaction definition to the one or more remote inserter sites;

the remote inserter sites each including;

an inserter running in accordance with inserter software, the inserter further generating inserter data corresponding to performance of the inserter,

a data concentrator controlling the file transfer transaction in accordance with the file transfer definition at the one or more remote inserter sites; and

a second network server communicating with the first network server; and

wherein software updates are uploaded to the inserter from the command center and inserter data is downloaded from the inserter site to the command center in accordance with the definition of the file transfer transaction.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the definition of the file transfer transaction further includes identifying a process to be executed at the inserter prior to the download of inserter data to the command center, and the inserter executing the process in accordance with the definition.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the definition of the file transfer transaction further includes identifying a process to be executed at the inserter after the upload of update software from the command center, the inserter executing the process in accordance with the definition.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the command center further includes a notification handler for sending notifications to users providing notice of the status of the file transfer transaction, and wherein the definition of the file transfer transaction includes identification of a notification method for providing notice of the status of the file transfer transaction and the notification handler implements the notification method upon execution of the file transfer transaction.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the definition of the file transfer transaction further includes identification of whether proceeding to a next event in the sequence may proceed before a first event of the sequence is complete on all inserters affected by the file transfer transaction.