System for providing early warning preemptive postal equipment replacement

• US 6,098,032 A
• Filed: 12/22/1997
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Neopost Technologies S.A. (Quadient SA)
• Original Assignee: Ascom Hasler Mailing Systems Incorporated (Quadient SA)
• Inventors: Brookner, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Cosimano, Edward R.
• Application Number:
  US08/981,659
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 377/13, 377/15, 377/16, 395/184.01, 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 702/186, 705/401, 705/410, 709/224, 714/47
• US Class Current: 702/182
• 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 17/00314 Communication within apparatus, personal computer [PC] system, or server, e.g. between printhead and central unit in a franking machine
• 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 2017/00096 via phone lines
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00169 from a franking apparatus, e.g. for verifying accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00338 Error detection or handling

Abstract

An improved system for providing early warning preemptive postal equipment replacement. Selected performance parameters of the postal equipment are monitored and compared against predetermined operational boundaries. The system is capable of providing for variability in the performance parameters, wherein these parameters may be permitted to vary over time and usage of the equipment. The monitoring gives an indication of the overall system performance. If the system performance goes outside of operational boundaries, or changes significantly over time, replacement of the equipment can then be scheduled with minimal inconvenience to the customer.

Claims

1. A system for use with postal equipment, comprising:

means for communicating with a Data Center;

processor means for monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment responsive to a communication from said Data Center;

means for summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

means for communicating said summarized performance level of the system to said Data Center.

2. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said means for communicating with a Data Center is a modem.

3. The system as described in claim 1, wherein said means for communicating with a Data Center is a global communications network.

4. A system for use with postal equipment, comprising:

means for communicating with a Data Center;

processor means for monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment responsive to a communication from said Data Center;

means for summarizing said selected system paramaters to reflect the performance level of the system;

means for communicating said summarized performance level of the system to determine if replacement of the postal equipment is warranted.

5. The system as described in claim 4, wherein said means for communicating with a Data Center is a modem.

6. The system as described in claim 4, wherein said means for communicating with a Data Center is a global communications network.

7. A system for use with postal equipment, comprising:

processor means for monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment;

means for summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

means for communicating said summarized performance level of the system to a user of the system.

8. The system as described in claim 7, wherein said means for communicating said summarized performance level of the system to a user of the system is a liquid crystal display or other technology capable of visually presenting computer derived information.

9. A system for use with postal equipment, comprising;

processor means for monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment;

means for summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

memory means for storing said summarized performance level of the system.

10. A method for use with postal equipment, comprising:

communicating with a Data Center;

monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment responsive to a communication from said Data Center;

summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

communicating said summarized performance level of the system to said Data Center;

evaluating said summarized performance level of the system to determine if replacement of the postal equipment is warranted.

11. A method for use with postal equipment, comprising:

monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment;

summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

evaluating said summarized performance level of the system to determine if replacement of the postal equipment is warranted.

12. A method for use with postal equipment, comprising:

monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment;

summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

communicating said summarized performance level of the system to a user of the system.

13. A method for use with postal equipment, comprising:

monitoring selected system parameters of said postal equipment;

summarizing said selected system parameters to reflect the performance level of the system;

storing said summarized performance level of the system.

14. The method as described in claim 13, wherein said monitoring is performed periodically.