Postage Request Routing via Inter-Server PSD Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional online postage dispensing systems require multiple postal security devices (PSDs) dedicated to each customer, leading to system inefficiencies and increased costs due to the need for multiple servers and pre-funded accounts, especially for low-volume mailers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where each server can communicate with others to determine which PSD is coupled to each customer, allowing requests to be routed to the appropriate server, even if the initial server does not have the customer's PSD, thus enabling a single PSD to serve multiple servers and reducing the need for multiple PSDs and funds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple PSDs are dedicated to each customer across multiple servers, then customer postage requests can be processed reliably, but system complexity and costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Each server is equipped with multiple PSDs that can serve different customers, making the PSDs universal resources rather than dedicated to single customers. This allows any server to process postage requests for any customer whose PSD is assigned to it, eliminating the need for dedicated PSD-server mappings and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple dedicated PSDs into shared PSD resources that are accessible across multiple servers. By combining previously separate customer-specific PSD installations into a shared pool, the system reduces the total number of PSDs needed while maintaining processing reliability through inter-server communication and coordination.
2Productivity
If multiple PSDs are installed for each customer across multiple servers, then postage processing capacity is increased, but the number of required PSDs and funds increases
Solution Approach 1:
PSDs are configured to serve multiple customers across different servers rather than being dedicated to single customers. Each PSD can be dynamically assigned to process requests from different customers based on workload distribution, increasing processing capacity without proportionally increasing the number of PSDs or funds required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic PSD assignment where PSDs can be flexibly allocated to different customers and servers based on current processing needs. This dynamic allocation allows the same PSD resources to handle varying customer workloads at different times, maximizing resource utilization and reducing the total quantity of PSDs needed.
3Reliability
If a PSD is dedicated to a single customer, then security and accountability are maintained, but additional PSDs must be added for each new customer or server
Solution Approach 1:
PSDs are designed to maintain security and accountability features while being capable of serving multiple customers. The system implements universal PSDs that can be securely assigned to different customers through software configuration and authentication mechanisms, allowing new customers to be added without physical PSD installation while maintaining security standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic customer-PSD mapping that allows PSD assignments to be changed programmatically. When new customers are added or servers are expanded, the system dynamically reassigns PSDs to appropriate customers through centralized management, maintaining security and accountability without requiring physical reconfiguration or additional hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods that allow only a single PSD to be used for a customer regardless of the number of servers in the system are provided. This is accomplished by allowing each server to communicate with the other servers in the system, such that each server can determine which customer PSDs are coupled to each of the other servers. As requests are routed to a first server by the load balancer, if the first server does not have the specific customer's PSD installed, it can determine which server has that customer's PSD and forward the request to that second server. Once the request has been processed by the second server, the response is sent back to the first server that received the request for return to the customer.