Address matching

• US 20040015493A1
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• 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: Aldstadt, Harry W, Garner, Michael C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24558 Binary matching operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2468 Fuzzy queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system for providing, address matching consistent with the invention includes comparing the address against a plurality of address records in a database, wherein the database comprises at least one of the following: a delivery point database (505) and an enhanced delivery point database (705). In addition, the method and system include providing, output data indicating, whether the address has been matched to at least one of the plurality of address records in the database.

Claims

1. A method for matching an address, comprising:

comparing the address against a plurality of address records in a database, wherein the database comprises at least one of a delivery point database and an enhanced delivery point database; and

providing output data indicating whether the address has been matched to at least one of the plurality of address records in the data base.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of address records in the delivery point database comprise correct addresses for a corresponding plurality of delivery points.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of address records in the enhanced delivery point database comprise correct addresses for a corresponding plurality of delivery points, each of the plurality of address records including a delivery point identification key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the delivery point identification key comprises a delivery point key, a record type, and at least one a base record flag and an alternate record flag.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the delivery point key indicates the time the delivery point identification key was created and the delivery point key includes a sequence number corresponding to the sequence within the time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the delivery point key indicates the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second the delivery point identification key was created, and the delivery point key includes a sequence number corresponding to the sequence within the second that the delivery point identification key was created.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the record type indicates that the address is one a street address, a rural route box, a post office box, general delivery, a high rise, and a firm.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the base record flag indicates that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point does not exist in the enhanced delivery point database.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the alternate record flag indicates that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point exists in the enhanced delivery point database.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the output data includes a verification of the validity of the address.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the output data includes a correction of the address.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the output data includes a completion of the address.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the database to a delivery system user.

14. A system for matching an address, comprising:

a component for comparing the address against a plurality of address records in a database, wherein the database comprises at least one of a delivery point database and an enhanced delivery point database; and

a component for providing output data indicating whether the address has been matched to at least one of the plurality of address records in the data base.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of address records in the delivery point database comprise correct addresses for a corresponding plurality of delivery points.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of address records in the enhanced delivery point database comprise correct addresses for a corresponding plurality of delivery points, the plurality of address records including delivery point identification keys.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the delivery point identification key comprises a delivery point key, a record type and at least one of a base record flag and a alternate record flag.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the delivery point key indicates the time the delivery point identification key was created and the delivery point key includes a sequence number corresponding to the sequence within the time.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the delivery point key indicates the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second the delivery point identification key was created, and the delivery point key includes a sequence number corresponding to the sequence within the second that the delivery point identification key was created.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the record type indicates that the address is one of a street address, a rural route box, a post office box, general delivery, a high rise, and a firm.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the base record flag indicates that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point does not exist in the enhanced delivery point database.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the alternate record flag indicates that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point exists in the enhanced delivery point database.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the output data verifies the validity of the address.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the output data corrects the address.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the output data completes the address.

26. The system of claim 14, further comprising a component for providing the database to a delivery system user.

27. A method for matching an address, comprising:

providing a database to a delivery system user, the database comprising a plurality of address records, the address records comprising at least a correct address for a delivery point and a delivery point identification key, the delivery point identification key comprising;

a delivery point key indicating the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second the delivery point identification key was created, the delivery point key further includes a sequence number corresponding to the sequence within the second that the delivery point identification key was created,

a record type indicating that the address is one of a street address, a rural route box, a post office box, general delivery, a high rise, and a firm, and

at least one of a base record flag and a alternate record flag, the base record flag indicating that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point does not exist in the database, and the alternate record flag indicating that an alternative address record corresponding to the delivery point exists in the database;

comparing the address against the plurality of address records in the database; and

providing output data indicating whether the address has been matched to at least one of the plurality of address records in the database, wherein if the address has been matched, the output data indicates at least one of a validity of the address, a corrected address, and a completed address.