Pitney Bowes Inc.

Terri A Carroll

Jacques E Hasbani

Kenneth Karbowski

Edward M Rauh

Glen A Boucher

Glenn Boucher

Angela M Njo

David A Ellis

Stephen C Nunnally

Richard J Krouch

Kennett Karbowski

John R Mattioli, Jr

A tracking system and method uses a multi-threaded controller to automatically and periodically generate tracking objects that are presented to carrier tracking websites. The tracking objects are retrieved from input queues that receive tracking requests from a scheduler. The carrier tracking website updates the status of package delivery which in turn updates the data in the shipping system server with respect to tracking information. This updated information can be used to automatically generate E-mail notification of package delivery as well as for updated purposes. An instant track component allows a user to obtain prioritized tracking information from the associated carrier tracking website.

Method and system for multi-carrier package tracking

The invention is a method and system of updating a set of data objects within a Data Access System (DAS). The method begins by initiating a communication link between a client and a host data processing system. Once a communications link is established, a set of object tables is uploaded from the client data processing system to the host. The object tables are read at the host; and, a determination is made as to which data objects in the set of object tables are to be updated. It is also determined which data objects in the set of object tables is to be simply maintained. A new set of object tables is then constructed at the host data processing system and transmitted to the client data processing system. Upon receipt of the new file tables, the client system performs the task of verifying accurate receipt of the new set of object tables prior to restarting the client data processing system. The verification step includes saving at the host, a first data map of the new set of object tables as a record of which objects were transmitted. The new set of object tables is then received and saved within a memory of the client data processing system before retransmitting the new set of object tables as a second data map back to the host from the client. The second data map is then compared with the first data map to form a comparison, and if the first data map and the second data map do not match, then the verification is nulled.

Method and system for changing rating data via internet or modem in a carrier management system

A carrier management module in a carrier management system with a first application and a second application is configured to broker carrier rating requests from the second application to the first application through an event interface. The carrier, management module also loads carrier rate modules, programmed to rate items for carriers, so that both applications can call rating routines in the carrier rate modules to rate an item for the associated carrier. Specifically, the carrier management module accesses a system registry of supported carriers to determine whether to dispatch an event to the first application to rate an item for a carrier not supported by the carrier rate module.

Event interface for a carrier manager system

The invention is a method and system for sending a print indicia command to a postage meter from a browser under control of a carrier management application in a data processing system which comprises a client node in communication with a provider server. The method begins with a system user logging onto a carrier manager application web site, through a web browser. The user requests that the web site download a set of programs from the web site to the client node while utilizing JAVA script functionality resident in the provider web pages. The script functionality further comprises a set of instructions for performing one or more activities. The programs are installable on a PC located at the client node and are for establishing control of the postage meter. Downloading of the programs further comprises installing and configuring an automation server and a postage meter driver at the client node. The postage meter is configured by identifying a set of characteristics of the postage meter; and, downloading the postage meter driver from the web site to the postage meter in accordance with the set of characteristics. Once the postage meter is configured, the system user logs onto the application:and enters a set of parameters representative of a an item to be shipped. The application identifies a carrier and a print indicia signal is sent to the postage meter, through the web browser, representative of the transaction cost.

Method and system for communicating with a postage meter through a web-browser in a postal or shipping system

The invention is a method and system for inputting the weight of a parcel into a web-based shipping application of a data processing system. The data processing system comprises a web site for a provider server and a client node in communication with the provider server. The web site further comprises web pages and script functionality for linking with a scale driver resident in a weighing scale located at the client node. The weighing scale comprises a scale server resident ultimately at the client node, but callable by the client node under control of the script functionality for allowing the script at the client node to link with the weighing scale by utilizing the scale driver. The method begins with the calling of the web site, from the client node, by utilizing a communications link which includes a browser for accessing the web site. The client node requests that a scale activation routine be activated. The routine includes the use of script to call an Active-X automation server, which is downloaded, together with an appropriate scale driver, from the web site to the client node. The system user then logs onto the shipping application and inputs a set of shipping parameters into the application. The parcel is weighed on a weighing scale under control of the scale driver. The shipping application requests the weight from the scale server by way of the script call and then enters the weight, through the browser into the shipping application.

Method and system for inputting a weight to a browser in an internet-based shipping system

A software system is selectively installed from a source into a target system according to a profile. The software system comprises a plurality of components. Only selected components are needed by the target system. A profile of the target system is created when the target system is defined; the profile defines the components needed by the target system. To configure the target system, an installation process installs in the target system only components from the source that are defined in the profile for the target system. The source may be a storage medium or a separate installation system.

Installing software based on a profile

The present invention is directed to a platform independent rate data structure for representing a rate chart for a carrier manager system and a method of calculating a rate using the platform independent rate data structure and carrier rate calculation software of the carrier manager system. The rate data structure represents the rate chart, and comprises a header and a data area. The header contains information which describes the content of the rate data structure. The data area may comprise a collection of expressions and a collection of subtables. The expressions are mathematical formulas representing rates. The subtables are formats representing rate chart data. A rate chart may be represented by a combination of subtables and/or expressions in a rate data structure. The amount of space required to represent the rate chart is reduced by the rate data structure representation of the present invention. The rate data structure representation is also platform independent.

Platform independent rate data and method of calculating a rate for a carrier manager using platform independent rate data

A management librarian for shipping carriers is configured to access a registry containing carrier identifiers corresponding to the carriers and module identifier corresponding to carrier rate modules. The carrier rate modules contain item rating instructions arranged to rate the item for a respective carrier from among the carriers. The carrier management librarian is also configured to load into the executable space of a client application a selected carrier rate module corresponding to the selected carrier based on module identifiers accessed in the registry. An entry point for the item rating instructions is identified, based on an associated module identifier corresponding to the selected carrier.

Method and system of implementing a carrier manager librarian

A carrier rate module contains item rating instructions for rating an item for a carrier and self-registration instructions for storing registration information in a registry about the carrier rate module. The self-registration instructions are stored at an entry point with a predefined name so that a standard registration program can invoke the self-registration instructions through the entry point. The registration information stored in the registry includes a carrier identifier for the carrier in a one-to-one association with a module identifier. The module identifier indicates how to load the carrier rate module, so that a carrier manager librarian can identify an entry point of the item rating instructions based on the registration information stored in the registry.

Method and system of implementing a carrier manager registry

The invention is a method and system of loading a data object representative of carrier data and possible command structures, which can be identified by both name and date fields characteristics, into a Data Access System of a carrier management system. The method begins with receiving a request for an object and then determining whether or not the object resides in a first data table which is indicative of a plurality of characteristics of the object. If the object is not resident in the first data table, then the system assigns an initial time stamp and a permanence value to the object. Additionally, the method and system must determine the memory space, in the Data Access System, required for storing the object. De-referenced objects are removed from the memory until space is available that is greater than or equal to the memory requirement of the object. After memory is allocated to the object, the object is then loaded into the memory for use within the carrier management system. A directory table is then established for the object. The directory table includes: an object name; a set of associated data; and, an object table data pointer. The associated data includes an effective date; an expiration date; and, the modification status of the file.

Method and system for accessing carrier data

The present invention relates to a method and a system for enabling an authorized user of the system to automatically apply customized rating adjustments to transaction charges. To this end, a structure is employed for supplying to a central processor information identifying criteria for rating and for customized rating adjustments. The central processor compares data entered through an input device with information stored in memory. The central processor, after correlating the identifying information with the entered input data, generates a base rate and a modified rate (which incorporates a customized rating adjustment) for a particular transaction and user. The calculated charges are made available for output to the user.

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Milford, CT, United States of America

Terri A Carroll