System and method for managing postal accounting data using transient data collectors
View Patent ↗Methods and systems using a single centralized database to manage postal accounting data are provided. The central database may interface with remote postal meters by way of one or more transient data collectors, which cache data from associated meters and transmit the data to the central database. The data collectors also validate postage accounts to the associated meters. The use of local transient data collectors allows for a single centralized database to be used without requiring data replication among databases local to each computer that manages postal meters.
1. A method of communicating between a postal meter and a remote application server, comprising:
removing stored data from a transient data collector cache, the cache being stored in a computer-readable medium in a computer system in communication with a postal meter and a remote application server;
validating an account in use at the postal meter with the remote application server;
requesting a current postage balance for the account from the application server;
receiving a budget amount for the account from the application server;
opening a persistent connection to the application server from the transient data collector;
receiving transaction data at the transient data collector from the postal meter; and
providing the transaction data to the application server from the transient data collector.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing is responsive to receiving, by the transient data collector, a message indicating successful receipt of the plurality of franking transactions at the remote application server.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of providing the transaction data to the application server comprises sending a first batch of franking transactions to the remote application server via a first transaction thread, the method further comprising:
in response to completion of processing a second batch of franking transactions while the first transaction thread is active, initiating a second transaction thread; and
sending the second batch of franking transactions to the remote application server via the second transaction thread.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps of sending the first batch of franking transactions and the sending the second batch of franking transactions are performed concurrently.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transaction thread corresponds to a first postal meter and the second transaction thread corresponds to a second postal meter.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a response indicating that the account is valid from the remote application server within about 10 ms of requesting confirmation that the account is valid.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a response indicating that the account is valid from the remote application server within not more than about 30 ms of requesting confirmation that the account is valid.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the remote application server stores authoritative postage balance information for the account.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of receiving confirmation from the remote application server that a current postage balance for the account is successfully updated based upon the transaction data provided to the remote application server.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the confirmation is received over the persistent connection.