Method and apparatus for retrieving data representing a postal address from a plurality of postal addresses
First Claim
1. A method for retrieving a desired postal address, the method comprising:
- a) receiving input data having one or more input terms for finding the desired postal address from a first database including data representing a plurality of postal addresses, each postal address being formed of one or more postal address elements;
b) searching a dictionary for entries in the dictionary corresponding to one or more of the input terms, each entry in the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the postal address elements of the first database; and
c) outputting data representing a postal address, if any, represented in the first database that has postal address elements that correspond with each of the entries of the dictionary that correspond to one or more of the input terms.
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Abstract
A method for retrieving a desired postal address from a plurality of postal addresses. The invention can feature receiving input data having input terms for finding the desired postal address from a first database of postal addresses where each postal address is formed of a plurality of postal address elements, searching a dictionary for entries in the dictionary corresponding to the input terms, determining that each entry in the dictionary that corresponds to the input terms corresponds to postal address elements of one or more postal addresses in the first database, and outputting data representing the desired postal address. The desired postal address is found in the first database if an address in that database has postal address elements that correspond with each of the entries of the dictionary that corresponds to one or more of the input terms.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for retrieving a desired postal address, the method comprising:
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a) receiving input data having one or more input terms for finding the desired postal address from a first database including data representing a plurality of postal addresses, each postal address being formed of one or more postal address elements;
b) searching a dictionary for entries in the dictionary corresponding to one or more of the input terms, each entry in the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the postal address elements of the first database; and
c) outputting data representing a postal address, if any, represented in the first database that has postal address elements that correspond with each of the entries of the dictionary that correspond to one or more of the input terms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for retrieving a desired postal address, the apparatus comprising:
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a memory storing a program;
a first database including data representing a plurality of postal addresses, each postal address being formed of one or more postal address elements;
a dictionary of entries, each entry in the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the postal address elements of the first database;
a processor in communication with the memory;
in which the processor is directed by the program to;
receive input data having one or more input terms for finding the desired postal address from the first database;
search the dictionary for entries in the dictionary corresponding to one or more of the input terms; and
output data representing a postal address, if any, represented in the first database that has postal address elements that correspond with each of the entries of the dictionary that correspond to one or more of the input terms.
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19. A method for retrieving a desired postal address, the method comprising:
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a) receiving input data having one or more input terms for finding the desired postal address from a first database including a plurality of postal addresses, each postal address being formed of one or more postal address elements;
b) searching a dictionary for entries in the dictionary corresponding to the one or more of the input terms, each entry in the dictionary corresponding to at least one of the postal address elements of the first database;
c) matching each entry in the dictionary that corresponds to one or more of the input terms with one or more postal address elements of one or more postal addresses in the first database;
d) determining that a particular postal address in the first database has postal address elements that match with each of the entries of the dictionary that corresponds to one or more of the input terms; and
e) outputting data representing the particular postal address. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification