Method and system for address information distribution

• US 20040093222A1
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korber Supply Chain LLC
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: OʼMartin, Alan E., Sipe, Wayne, Mampe, John J., Allen, Gary, Kiani, Shahrom, Bruce, Ben F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A process according to the invention takes daily address information and uses it to update the United States Postal Service (USPS) NCOA database, creating a new database that is current daily. The new database will assist businesses in making corrections to address information prior to printing address labels and delivering the items to a mail or parcel service provider. This process will enable the collection of address change information at near real time, validate the change information, and distribute this new database to licensed users on a daily or more frequent basis.

Claims

1. A method for distributing change of address information more current than a master postal change of address database, comprising:

(a) obtaining information concerning changes of address from sources other than the master change of address database, which information is more recent than address changes reflected in the master database;

(b) compiling such recent address change information into a computer-searchable enhanced change of address database; and

(c) distributing information from the enhanced database to one or more customers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the master postal change of address database is updated on a weekly basis, further comprising updating the enhanced database with daily change of address data due for inclusion in the master database before the master database is updated to include such daily data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the enhanced database with local change of address information forwarded to the enhanced database by customers.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the enhanced database with local change of address information forwarded to the enhanced database by customers, which information is combined with the daily change of address data due for inclusion in the master database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises creating an address change lookup table, and allowing access to the lookup table to the customer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) further comprises:

receiving a mailing list from the subscriber;

preparing a revised version of the mailing list using data corresponding to addresses on the subscriber'"'"'s mailing list from the enhanced database; and

sending the revised mailing list to the subscriber.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the master database is the USPS NCOA database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the sources other than the master change of address database including one or more of an address alias database, a name alias database, a temporary moves database, credit card company change of address records, theft of identity records, police hot lists, death records, real estate records, records of federal agencies other than the postal service, state government databases, electronic address lists on the Internet, and electronic telephone listings on the Internet.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises encrypting information to be distributed from the enhanced database to a customer, and decrypting the information upon receipt by the customer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises providing customers with selective access to information from the enhanced database.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) further comprises creating copies of the enhanced database on a plurality of customer servers.

12. A system for distributing change of address information more current than a master postal change of address database, comprising:

means for electronically obtaining information concerning changes of address from sources other than the master database, which information is more recent than address changes reflected in the master database;

a computer-searchable enhanced change of address database containing such recent address change information;

means for compiling such recent address change information in order to create updated versions of the computer-searchable enhanced change of address database; and

means for distributing information from the enhanced database to one or more customers.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a copy of the master database and means for searching both the enhanced database and master database in response to a customer request.