RETURN ADDRESS DESTINATION DISCRIMINATION TECHNOLOGY

• US 20100324724A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RAF Software Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RAF Technology, Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Elmenhurst, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,527,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2301/0066 Check for destination address in a database or list
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00483 Batch processing of mailpieces

Abstract

Methods, software and apparatus (FIG. 5) disclosed to maintain and update an association database (650) that enables relating updated address information to affected mailpieces (FIG. 7), and providing the benefits of that information to mailers, especially business or corporate mailers (600, 630, 632), and in the case of co-mingled mail, enabling a pre-sort house (610) to provide the updated information to their customers, or to update mailing lists maintained by or for their customers.

Claims

1. A method for online processing of mail pieces, comprising the steps of:

receiving a mailpiece into an automated processing machine;

capturing an image of at least a front side of the mailpiece;

storing the captured image in the form of a digital data file;

transmitting the image data file to a recognition software component;

reading addressee name, a destination address and a sender address from the captured image of the mailpiece;

determining a routing code corresponding to the destination address;

querying a move update (COA) database for a matching record based on the destination address and addressee name;

providing an association database for storage of digital database records;

if a matching record is found in the move update (COA) database, obtaining from the matching database record new routing information comprising an updated destination address;

determining a new routing code corresponding to the updated destination address; and

if the move update (COA) database returns new routing information, storing the addressee name, original destination address, updated destination address, and sender address data in association with one another in the association database;

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

if no match is found for the mail piece in the move update (COA) database, automatically affixing the routing code to the mail piece before the mail piece exits the automated processing machine; and

if a match is found for the mail piece in the move update (COA) database, automatically affixing the new routing code to the mail piece before the mail piece exits the automated processing machine.

3. The method of claim 1 including communicating the stored, associated data to a mailer associated with the sender address to support updating the sender'"'"'s mailing list address data.

4. The method of claim 1 including:

converting both the destination address and the sender address into canonical form;

returning the canonical destination address, the canonical sender address, and the routing code from the recognition software component to a transport software component of the processing machine;

and wherein querying the move update database includes querying based on the canonical form of the destination address together with the addressee name.

5. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

accessing the association database to retrieve records associated with a selected mailer; and

exporting updated address information from the retrieved records to the selected mailer.

6. The method of claim 1 and further wherein the association database stores, associated together, data elements comprising a mailer name, mailer address, recipient name, old destination address, and new destination address.

7. The method of claim 6 and further wherein the association database is maintained by an association database access software component communicatively coupled to a transport software component of the automated processing machine.

8. The method of claim 6 and further wherein the association database access software component resides on an automated mail sorter machine.

9. A computer-readable, non-transitory storage medium in which mail piece association data structures are recorded, the data structures arranged to impart a logical relationship that associates together at least the following data elements:

a mailer address data element,

a recipient name data element,

an old destination address data element, and

a new destination address data element; and

further

wherein the said data elements are associated with a common mail piece.

10. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 wherein the old destination address data element is stored in a canonical form.

11. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 wherein the data structure related to a mail piece further includes a mailer name data element.

12. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 wherein the data structure related to a mail piece further includes a sender data element, wherein the mailer aggregates multiple mail pieces into a batch for the sender.

13. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 wherein the new destination address data element includes a new destination code for routing a mail piece.

14. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9 wherein the stored data is accessible to a pre-sort house for updating mailing list data.

15. A mail processing system comprising:

a computer controller to control mail processing, the controller including a transport software component for processing mail pieces;

a mechanized track arranged for transporting mail pieces through the system under control of the transport software component;

an image capture device positioned along the track and coupled to the transport software component and arranged to capture an image of a mail piece engaged along the track;

a memory for storing a digital image file containing the captured image of the mail piece;

a recognition software component having access to an address directory and coupled to receive the stored digital image file, for parsing and recognizing name and address data;

wherein the image capture device and the recognition software are arranged to determine both a return address and a destination address of the mail piece;

and wherein the recognition software component also determines an addressee name;

an association database coupled to the transport software component, for storing address update information applicable to the mail piece; and

further wherein the association database is configured to store the address update information in association with the return address of the mail piece.

16. The mail processing system of claim 15 wherein the recognition software component is arranged to implement one or more of the following criteria for determining a return address in the stored image of the mail piece:

address structure different from the destination address structure;

point size smaller than the destination address point size;

proximity to a graphic logo;

location on the mail piece; and

reference to an input file that contains a list of candidate senders'"'"' return addresses.

17. The mail processing system of claim 15 wherein the recognition software component is arranged to implement one or more of the following criteria for determining a destination address in the stored image of the mail piece:

address structure including three or more lines;

address structure including a keyline as part of the address;

address structure including a barcode; and

a location on mail piece below or to the right of the return address.

18. The mail processing system of claim 15 wherein:

the recognition software component is configured for reading both a destination address and a sender address from the captured image of the mailpiece within a predetermined time selected to avoid re-running the mailpiece through the automated sorting operation; and

the system further includes an inline printer or sprayer arranged to

automatically affix the routing code to the mail piece before the mail piece exits the automated processing machine if no match is found for the mail piece in the move update (COA) database;

or

automatically affix the new routing code to the mail piece before the mail piece exits the automated processing machine if a match is found for the mail piece in the move update (COA) database.

19. The mail processing system of claim 15 wherein the system is coupled to a change of address database to acquire the address update information automatically.

20. The mail processing system of claim 15 wherein the recognition software component is configured for reading both the destination address and the sender address from the captured image of the mailpiece substantially concurrently.