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

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.

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.

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.