Client-server system, method and computer product for managing database driven insertion (DDI) and mail piece tracking (MPT) data

• US 6,119,051 A
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company
• Inventors: Mackelprang, Mark G., Anderson, Ralph R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valenza, Jospeh E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/183,811
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 700/220, 700/221, 700/223, 700/224, 700/226, 395/200.33, 270/58.31, 270/52.19, 209/584, 209/583, 209/900, 209/939
• US Class Current: 700/221
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00467 Transporting mailpieces postal sorting B07C
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00661 Sensing or measuring mailpieces weighing G01G19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00419 Software organization, e.g. separation into objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00491 Mail/envelope/insert handling system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00677 Keeping track of mailpieces inside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00717 Reading barcodes

Abstract

A client/server architecture for database driven insertion and mail piece tracking system, method, and computer program product is disclosed. A database is populated with database driven insertion data comprising instructions for handling mailpiece material. A server manages the database by responding to requests for mail processing instructions from clients and storing mailpiece data received from clients. A scanning device reads key code marked mailpiece material in which the key code corresponds to a database location containing instructions for handling mailpiece material. A client processor receives the key code from the scanning device, and transmits a request to the server for accessing the database location containing the instructions for handling mailpiece material. The server retrieves the instructions for handling mailpiece material, and transmits the instructions to the client. The client causes the performance of a mail processing task in accordance with the instructions, gathers mailpiece tracking data as the mailpiece material is processed, and forwards mailpiece tracking data to the server. The database information is accessible to report writing and generating software applications which cull data pertaining to a given mail processing job into a desired format.

Claims

1. A system for managing abase mailpiece processing comprising:

(a) a server computer including a database comprising a plurality of records including instruction sets for handling individual mailpieces;

(b) at least one reader for reading key code marked mailpieces each key code corresponding to one instruction set of the instruction sets in the database; and

(c) a client computer, responsive to the reader, for requesting the instruction set for handling a mailpiece corresponding to a key code on the mailpiece as the key code is read and causing performance of at least one mail processing task in accordance with the instruction set, the client computer immediately updating the record in the server computer database corresponding to the mailpiece being processed as the at least one mail processing task is performed to indicate the status of the mailpiece and track the mailpiece in real time.

2. The system of claim 1 comprising a supervisor computer coupled to the server computer for generating at least one report concerning the performance of at least one mail processing task.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the supervisor computer requests mailpiece tracking data from the server computer and generates at least one report concerning the tracking of at least one mailpiece.

4. The system of claim 3 in which the at least one report is a postal manifest report.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the database comprises stored instructions about each mailpiece and wherein the instructions are modifiable at any time prior to performance of a mail processing task utilizing the instructions.

6. A system for managing database driven insertion and mailpiece tracking data comprising:

(a) a server populating a database with data comprising a plurality of records including instruction sets for handling individual mailpieces;

a reader for reading, from a mailpiece, a key code corresponding to a database location containing an instruction set for handling the mailpiece;

(c) a client, responsive to the reader, for requesting the instruction set for handling the mailpiece from the server, such that the server receives the request from the client, accesses the instruction set for handling the mailpiece and forwards the instruction set to the client;

(d) a mail processing device coupled to the client for performing at least one mail processing task on the mailpiece in accordance with the instruction set; and

(e) means, responsive to the mail processing device, for immediately updating a record in the database corresponding to the mailpiece being processed.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising means for generating at least one report concerning the performance of at least one mail processing task.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising means for generating at least one report concerning the tracking of at least one mailpiece.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the at least one report is a postal manifest report.

10. The system of claim 6 in which said database may be populated with new data anytime prior to performance of a mail processing task utilizing said data.

11. A method for managing database driven insertion and mailpiece tracking data comprising:

(a) populating a database with data comprising a plurality of records including instruction sets for handling individual mailpieces;

(b) reading, from a mailpiece, a key code corresponding to an instruction set for handling the mailpiece;

requesting the instruction set for handling the mailpiece from the database;

(d) at a server;

(i) receiving requests from one or more clients for instruction sets for handling individual mailpieces and, in response, accessing the requested instruction set for handling the mailpiece from the database; and

(ii) forwarding the requested instruction set to the one or more clients; and

(e) at a client;

(i) receiving the requested instruction set for handling the mailpiece from the server;

(ii) performing at least one mail processing task in accordance with the requested instruction set;

(iii) gathering mailpiece tracking data as the mailpiece is processed during said at least one mail processing task; and

(iv) immediately updating a record in the database corresponding to the mailpiece being processed.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating at least one report concerning the performance of at least one mail processing task.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising generating at least one report concerning the tracking of at least one mailpiece.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the at least one report is a postal manifest report.

15. The method of claim 11 comprising modifying the instructions in the database immediately before accessing the database to retrieve the instructions.

16. A client/server system for managing mail processing and mailpiece tracking data, the system comprising:

(a) a database server computer comprising a central repository for mail processing data including instruction sets for processing individual mailpieces and mailpiece tracking data for tracking the individual mail pieces;

(b) a machine client computer for requesting one of the instruction sets for processing an individual mailpiece from the database server computer based on account information read from a mailpiece and for transmitting updates to the database server computer in real-time as the mailpiece is processed;

(c) a supervisory computer for communicating with the database server computer and the machine client computer to allow users to determine status and location information relating to mailpieces being processed; and

(d) a network for linking the database server computer, the machine client computer, and the supervisory computer.

17. The client/server system of claim 16 wherein after processing of the account has been completed, the supervisory computer generates a manifest indicative of the processing of the account.

18. The client/server system of claim 16 comprising a mainframe computer coupled to the network for sending mail processing data to the database server computer.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the database server computer is adapted to display a scanned image of the mailpiece being processed.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the database server computer is adapted to allow late binding of the account information from the mailpiece to one of the instruction sets.