Method and apparatus for resolving an un-coded address

• US 20040133443A1
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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: Payne, David J., Wilson, James D., Snapp, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US10/665,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133443A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00443 Verification of mailpieces, e.g. by checking databases
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00451 Address hygiene, i.e. checking and correcting addresses to be printed on mail pieces using address databases

Abstract

Resolving an un-coded address may comprise saving a resolved address. The address may be resolved by at least one of a plurality of address resolution processes. The resolved address may include a correct address record and an incorrect address record. Next, resolving an un-coded address may comprise receiving a first unresolved address and then determining if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record of the resolved address. Then resolving an un-coded address may comprise providing the correct address record if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record.

Claims

1. A method for resolving an un-coded address, comprising:

saving a resolved address, the address being resolved by at least one of a plurality of address resolution processes, the resolved address including a correct address record and an incorrect address record;

receiving a first unresolved address;

determining if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record of the resolved address; and

outputting the correct address record if the first address matches the incorrect address record.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising processing the first address if the first address does not match the incorrect address record.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein processing the first address if the first address does not match the incorrect address record comprises using at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address corresponds to an item being processed for delivery in an item delivery system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the item comprises at least one of a mailpiece, a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package, a United States Postal Service Express Mail Package, a United States Postal Service Global Express Mail Package, and a United States Postal Service Global Express Guarantee Package.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes sending an item including the incorrect address record, the item configured to be delivered in an item delivery system, to an element of the item delivery system that delivers in an area defined by a United States Postal Service ZIP code included in the incorrect address record wherein a delivery system operator at least one of verifies, validates, and supplies missing or incorrect information to be included in the correct address record.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes entering the incorrect address record into a database to obtain a correct United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code to be included in the correct address record.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes modifying individual address components of the incorrect address record to obtain a valid match to a database entry.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of receiving and providing further comprises utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of receiving and providing further comprises communicating over a network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first unresolved address includes an incorrect United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code.

13. A system for resolving an un-coded address, comprising:

a component for saving a resolved address, the address being resolved by at least one of a plurality of address resolution processes, the resolved address including a correct address record and an incorrect address record;

a component for receiving a first unresolved address;

a component for determining if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record of the resolved address; and

a component for providing the correct address record if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record.

14. The system of claim 13, comprising a component for processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the component for processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record is further configured for using at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first unresolved address corresponds to an item being processed for delivery in an item delivery system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the item comprises at least one of a mailpiece, a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package, a United States Postal Service Express Mail Package, a United States Postal Service Global Express Mail Package, and a United States Postal Service Global Express Guarantee Package.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes sending an item including the incorrect address record, the item configured to be delivered in an item delivery system, to an element of the item delivery system that delivers in an area defined by a United States Postal Service ZIP code included in the incorrect address record wherein a delivery system operator at least one of verifies, validates, and supplies missing or incorrect information to be included in the correct address record.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes entering the incorrect address record into a database to obtain a correct United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code to be included in the correct address record.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes modifying individual address components of the incorrect address record to obtain a valid match to a database entry.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the component for receiving and the component for providing are further configured for utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the component for receiving and the component for providing are further configured for communicating over a network.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the first unresolved address includes an incorrect United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code.

25. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a set of instructions for resolving an un-coded address, which when executed perform stages comprising:

saving a resolved address, the address being resolved by at least one of a plurality of address resolution processes, the resolved address including a correct address record and an incorrect address record;

receiving a first unresolved address;

determining if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record of the resolved address; and

outputting the correct address record if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, comprising processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record comprises using at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first unresolved address corresponds to an item being processed for delivery in an item delivery system.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the item comprises at least one of a mailpiece, a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package, a United States Postal Service Express Mail Package, a United States Postal Service Global Express Mail Package, and a United States Postal Service Global Express Guarantee Package.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes sending an item including the incorrect address record, the item configured to be delivered in an item delivery system, to an element of the item delivery system that delivers in an area defined by a United States Postal Service ZIP code included in the incorrect address record wherein a delivery system operator at least one of verifies, validates, and supplies missing or incorrect information to be included in the correct address record.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes entering the incorrect address record into a database to obtain a correct United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code to be included in the correct address record.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes modifying individual address components of the incorrect address record to a valid match to a database entry.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of receiving and providing further comprises utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of receiving and providing further comprises communicating over a network.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first unresolved address includes an incorrect United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code.

37. A system for resolving an un-coded address, comprising:

means for saving a resolved address, the address being resolved by at least one of a plurality of address resolution processes, the resolved address including a correct address record and an incorrect address record;

means for receiving a first unresolved address;

means for determining if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record of the resolved address; and

means for outputting the correct address record if the first unresolved address matches the incorrect address record.

38. The system of claim 37, comprising means for processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the means for processing the first unresolved address if the first unresolved address does not match the incorrect address record is further configured for using at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the first unresolved address corresponds to an item being processed for delivery in an item delivery system.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the item comprises at least one of a mailpiece, a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package, a United States Postal Service Express Mail Package, a United States Postal Service Global Express Mail Package, and a United States Postal Service Global Express Guarantee Package.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes sending an item including the incorrect address record, the item configured to be delivered in an item delivery system, to an element of the item delivery system that delivers in an area defined by a United States Postal Service ZIP code included in the incorrect address record wherein a delivery system operator at least one of verifies, validates, and supplies missing or incorrect information to be included in the correct address record.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes entering the incorrect address record into a database to obtain a correct United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code to be included in the correct address record.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the plurality of address resolution processes includes modifying individual address components of the incorrect address record to obtain a valid match to a database entry.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the means for receiving and the means for providing are further configured for utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the means for receiving and the means for providing are further configured for communicating over a network.

48. The system of claim 37, wherein the first unresolved address includes an incorrect United States Postal Service ZIP+4 code.