Distribution mailing system having a control database for storing mail handling categories common to the databases of selected mailer stations

• US 5,077,694 A
• Filed: 12/16/1988
• Issued: 12/31/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Sansone, Ronald P., Wall, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US07/285,486
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 364/464.02, 364/464.03, 364/466, 364/200, 364/900
• US Class Current: 705/406
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 1/00 Measures preceding sorting according to destination
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/0008 Communication details outside or between apparatus coin-freed apparatus for franking per se G07F17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00362 Calculation or computing within apparatus, e.g. calculation of postage value
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00427 Special accounting procedures, e.g. storing special information
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00725 Reading symbols, e.g. OCR
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A communication system for processing information for distribution, including: a central data station, a plurality of user stations, a communication link interconnecting the central station with each of the user data stations, the central station including having capability, for periodically and cyclically accessing each of selected ones of the user stations, means for accessing the data base at each of the accessed user stations, and for dividing the data base into a plurality of categories, a data base storage area for storing each of the categories the central data station has capability for augmenting each of the categories from each accessed user data base for accessing each of the categories in accordance with an authorized user station request, and for transmitting the accessed category to the requesting user.

Claims

1. A mailing system for processing information relevant to mail handling for distribution to mailers, comprising:

(A) a computerized central data station;

(B) a plurality of mailer stations each having a computer controllable database;

(C) a communication link interconnecting said computerized central data station with each of said mailer stations;

said computerized central data station including

(a) means for accessing each of selected ones of said mailer stations;

(b) means for dividing said database at each of said accessed mailer stations into a plurality of mail handling categories common to the databases of the selected mailer stations;

(c) a database storage area at the computerized central data station for storing each of said mail handling categories;

(d) means for augmenting each of said mail handling categories with mail handling data received from each mailer station database;

(e) means for accessing each of said mail handling categories in accordance with a mailer station request;

(f) means for transmitting information from said accessed mail handling category as requested by a requesting mailer station to said requested mailer station in order for the requesting mailer station to handle its mail in more efficient and economical manner.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said categories are based on operating information accumulated at each mailer station and unique to its business.

3. A central data station as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for accessing includes means for polling said user stations via said communication link.

4. A central data station as claimed in claim 3, wherein said user data base includes confidential information, and said central data station includes means for preventing transmittal of confidential information to a requesting user.

5. A method of enhancing the efficiency and economy of individual mailers located at a separate mailer stations comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a computerized central data station with a database and providing at each of said mailer stations a computerized database;

(b) establishing a communication link interconnecting said central data station and each of said mailer stations and allowing said central data station to access each of a selected computerized database of said mailer stations;

(c) dividing said computerized databases into a plurality of mail handling data categories common to selected mailer stations;

(d) periodically polling selected ones of said mailer stations for accessing said computerized database at each of said accessed mailer stations;

(e) placing the accessed data from said computerized database into a respective common database storage area at said central data station for each of said mail handling data categories in order to augment each of said mail handling data categories with mail handling data from each of said accessed mailer database;

(f) upon a mailer request, accessing each of said augmented mail handling data categories in the storage area in accordance with said mailer'"'"'s request; and

(g) transmitting augmented mail handling data from said accessed mail handling data category to said requesting mailer, said augmented mail handling data containing information obtained from multiple mailers.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the step of securing segments of each user station data base to inhibit access thereof by other users.

7. The method of claim 5, further including the step of analyzing a data category of said central data base for deriving statistical data employable by the user for said category.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said system is a postal delivery and certification system, and wherein each user station includes postal application, including the step of accounting for postage, storing said account in said data base, and including same in said communication of said data base to said central station.