Patent ID: 7716659

Claim:
A method for controlling transfer of files in a network of mail production inserter machines for processing printed mail, the network of mail production inserter machines including a plurality of inserter machines located at a plurality of inserter sites, and a command center at a command site remote from the inserter sites, the method comprising: storing mail production inserter data at the plurality of inserter sites, wherein the mail production inserter data includes data pertaining to individual printed mail items; storing software updates distribution to the remote inserter sites; defining a file transfer transaction using a command center computer interface, the step of defining the file transfer transaction further including: selecting one or more of the plurality of mail production inserter machines for the file transfer transaction; identifying inserter data from the selected one or more mail production inserter machines to transfer to the command center; identifying software updates to transfer from the command center to the one or more selected production inserter machines; identifying a time for the file transfer transaction; identifying a sequence for inserter data transfer and software update portions of the file transfer transaction; and executing the defined file transfer transaction.