Providing a corrected delivery address

• US 20040177305A1
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• 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: Wilson, James D., Payne, David J., Snapp, Robert F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,391,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/746
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Providing a corrected delivery address comprises receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion. Next providing a corrected delivery address comprises providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element. Then providing a corrected delivery address comprises receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element and providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

Claims

1. A method for providing corrected data, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion;

providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element;

receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element; and

providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first data elements respectively correspond to a plurality of items configured to be delivered in an item delivery system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are machine readable.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are optically scanable.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items using at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of items 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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion identifies a sender of an item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portion identifies a recipient address of an item.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data element identifies a corrected recipient address of an item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of receiving the plurality of first data elements, providing the second data element, receiving the indication, and providing, in response to the indication, the link further comprises utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of receiving the plurality of first data elements, providing the second data element, receiving the indication, and providing, in response to the indication, the link further comprises communicating over a network.

13. A system for providing corrected data, the system comprising:

a component receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion;

a component providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element;

a component receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element; and

a component providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of first data elements respectively correspond to a plurality of items configured to be delivered in an item delivery system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are machine readable.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are optically scanable.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items using at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of items 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.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first portion identifies a sender of an item.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the second portion identifies a recipient address of an item.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the second data element identifies a corrected recipient address of an item.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the component for receiving the plurality of first data elements, the component for providing the second data element, the component for receiving the indication, and the component for providing, in response to the indication, the link are further configured for utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the component for receiving the plurality of first data elements, the component for providing the second data element, the component for receiving the indication, and the component for providing, in response to the indication, the link are further configured for communicating over a network.

25. A computer-readable medium on which is stored a set of instructions for providing corrected data, which when executed perform stages comprising:

receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion;

providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element;

receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element; and

providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the plurality of first data elements respectively correspond to a plurality of items configured to be delivered in an item delivery system.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are machine readable.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are optically scanable.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items using at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the plurality of items 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.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the first portion identifies a sender of an item.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second portion identifies a recipient address of an item.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second data element identifies a corrected recipient address of an item.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of receiving the plurality of first data elements, providing the second data element, receiving the indication, and providing, in response to the indication, the link further comprises utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein at least one of receiving the plurality of first data elements, providing the second data element, receiving the indication, and providing, in response to the indication, the link further comprises communicating over a network.

37. A system for providing corrected data, the system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of first data elements, each of the plurality of first data elements comprising a first portion and a second portion;

means for providing a second data element, the second data element corresponding to one of the plurality of first data elements and comprising a corrected version of the second portion of the corresponding first data element;

means for receiving an indication that none of the second portions of the plurality of first data elements match the second data element; and

means for providing, in response to the indication, a link associating the second data element with the first data element corresponding to the second data element.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the plurality of first data elements respectively correspond to a plurality of items configured to be delivered in an item delivery system.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are machine readable.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items and are optically scanable.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of first data elements are respectively indicated on the exterior of the plurality of items using at least one of a bar code and a PLANET code.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the item delivery system comprises the United States Postal Service.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein the plurality of items 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.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein the first portion identifies a sender of an item.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the second portion identifies a recipient address of an item.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the second data element identifies a corrected recipient address of an item.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the means for receiving the plurality of first data elements, the means for providing the second data element, the means for receiving the indication, and the means for providing, in response to the indication, the link are further configured for utilizing at least one of regular mail, e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

48. The system of claim 37, wherein at least one of the means for receiving the plurality of first data elements, the means for providing the second data element, the means for receiving the indication, and the means for providing, in response to the indication, the link are further configured for communicating over a network.