Systems and methods for sorting mail using a name/firm database

• US 20030182017A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 09/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: OʼDonohue, Gerard, Johnson, Lori
• Granted Patent: US 7,397,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/224
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 209/90 Sorting flat-type mail

Abstract

A system (100) and method for sorting mail (112) includes a first database (106) containing addresses and zipcodes for a plurality of mail item recipients, a second database (104) containing a plurality of individual and firm names and their associated addresses, and an imaging device (114) for capturing an image of address information on a mail item (112). Based on identified elements from the captured address information image, a subsystem (110) containing an algorithm compares the elements with the first database (106) and determines if there is a match of all elements. If one or more address information elements are unmatched, the algorithm compares the elements to the second database (104), and applies a set of criteria to the address information elements matched in the second database (104) to determine if a match exists.

Claims

1. A system for sorting mail items, comprising:

a first database containing addresses and zipcodes for a plurality of mail item recipients;

a second database containing a plurality of individual and firm names and their associated addresses;

an imaging device for capturing an image of address information on the mail item; and

one or more subsystems containing an algorithm that;

compares the address information with the first database and determines if there is a match,

if the address information is unmatched, the algorithm compares the address information to the second database, and

applies a set of criteria to the address information that is compared with the second database to determine if a match exists.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second databases are combined into one database.

3. The system of claim 1, including a plurality of subsystems each containing an associated algorithm that executes the comparisons between the first and second databases.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the associated algorithm within the plurality of subsystems receive the address information and execute comparisons on the first database in parallel to determine if a match exists and, if the address image is unmatched, execute comparisons of the second database in parallel to determine if a match exists.

5. A method for sorting mail item(s) having address information comprised of a plurality of elements, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying the plurality of elements on the mail item(s);

comparing each element of the plurality of elements to a first database and identifying matched and unmatched elements, wherein if the plurality of elements match a listing in the first database, the mail item(s) is deemed deliverable; and

wherein if less than the plurality of elements match the listing in the first database, comparing a name/firm element of the address information to a second database and identifying matched and unmatched name/firm elements; and

applying an algorithm to the- matched and unmatched name/firm elements from the second database, wherein if a set of criteria of the algorithm are met, the mail item(s) is deemed deliverable.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the identifying step comprises capturing the address elements with an optical device.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the identifying step comprises manually identifying the address elements.

8. A system that produces a result data set based on an input data set, comprising:

a first database containing a first set of elements;

a second database containing a second set of elements, which includes at least one of the first set of elements;

a device for entering the input data set;

a subsystem containing an algorithm that;

(i) compares the first set of elements in the first database to the input data set and determines if all elements in the input data set are in the first database, and if all elements in the input set are in the first database, generates a result set including all the elements of the input set,

(ii) if any element of the input data set is unmatched in the first set of elements, compares the input data set to the second database, and

(iii) applies a set of criteria to the input data set to determine if a result set can be generated based upon the second database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the input data set includes an address of a mail recipient.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first database includes elements corresponding to addresses and zipcodes for a plurality of mail item recipients.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second database includes elements corresponding to a plurality of individual and firm names, and their associated addresses.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first and second databases are combined into one database.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the subsystem containing the algorithm includes a plurality of subsystems each containing an associated algorithm that executes the comparisons between the first and second databases.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the algorithms associated with the plurality of subsystems receive the input data set and execute comparisons on the first database in parallel to determine if all the elements in the input data set exist in the first database and, if any element of the input data set is unmatched, execute comparisons of the second database in parallel, based on the set of criteria, to determine if a result set can be determined.

15. A system for sorting mail item(s) with address information having a plurality of elements, the system comprising:

means for identifying the plurality of elements;

means for comparing each identified element of the plurality of elements to a first database and identifying matched and unmatched elements, wherein if the plurality of elements match a listing in the first database, the mail item(s) is deemed deliverable;

means for comparing a name/firm element of the address to a second database and identifying matched and unmatched name/firm elements;

means for applying an algorithm to said matched and unmatched name/firm elements from the second database, wherein if a set of criteria of the algorithm are met, the mail item(s) is deemed deliverable.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the identifying means comprises means for capturing the address information with an optical device.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the identifying means comprises means for manual data entry.