Method and system for postal service mail delivery via electronic mail

• US 7,693,942 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David S. Nale
• Original Assignee: David S. Nale
• Inventors: Nale, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong; Lan-Dai T
• Application Number:
  US10/241,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20030074411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,765 Days
• Field of Search: 709/246, 709/201, 709/223, 709/206, 709/203, 709/202, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00127 Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0081 Image reader H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence

Abstract

A system and method for processing mail includes receiving a mail item, the mail item having recipient address information and one or more pages enclosed in the mail item, and scanning the mail item including the recipient address information and the enclosed one or more pages into an image file. A subscriber is identified from the recipient address information in the image file. An e-mail message is transmitted to the identified subscriber, the e-mail message indicating the reception of the mail item.

Claims

1. A method for processing mail, comprising:

receiving a mail item, wherein the mail item is a postal item having recipient information and one or more pages enclosed in the mail item;

scanning the mail item including the recipient information and the enclosed one or more pages into an image file, the image file including image data of the recipient information and image data of the enclosed one or more pages;

identifying a recipient from the recipient information in the image file,

wherein identifying the recipient from the recipient information comprises;

converting the image of the recipient information into text;

matching the text of the converted image to profile information associated with a recipient, wherein the profile information associated with the recipient is stored in a database that comprises profile information for a plurality of recipients;

calculating a confidence level of a match between the text of the converted image and the profile information associated with the recipient;

comparing the calculated confidence level of the match to a threshold; and

identifying a recipient for image file based on the outcome of the comparison of the calculated confidence level of the match to the threshold, and making the image file available to the identified recipient by at least one of transmitting an e-mail message, based on an e-mail address in the profile information, to the identified recipient, or storing the image file in a database accessible to the identified recipient, wherein the image file is not made available to the identified recipient if the image file does not comply with one or more recipient preferences.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the e-mail message includes a link to the image file.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein identifying the recipient from the recipient information further comprises applying optical character recognition to the recipient information.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prompting an operator to check the image file if the calculated confidence level is below the threshold.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing the one or more recipient preferences in a database; and

determining how to process the image file based on the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient include an image file format, a size of the image, an indication of whether to include the image file in the transmitted e-mail or to include a link to the image file stored in the database in the transmitted e-mail, an image quality;

and the e-mail address.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient information includes a caller box number and a recipient box number.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the caller box number is associated with a plurality of recipients and a particular post office location, and the recipient box number is unique to each recipient of the associated caller box number, such that each combination of caller box number and recipient box number is unique.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mail item comprises an envelope.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising scanning the a return address on the mail item.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the e-mail message includes an image of the recipient and return address.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

converting the entire image file into text;

determining if the text includes one or more keywords; and

identifying the mail item as a predetermined type of document based on the determination.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising routing the e-mail message in accordance with the identified type of document.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the recipient information includes at least a recipient name and a recipient address.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting an advertisement into the e-mail message.

16. A system for processing mail, comprising:

a scanner configured to scan a mail item including recipient information and one or more pages into an image file, the image file including image data of the recipient information and image data of the one or more pages, wherein the mail item is a postal item;

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a plurality of instructions executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions configured to;

receive the image file from the scanner;

identify a recipient from the recipient address information in the image file, wherein the plurality of instructions for identifying the recipient comprise instructions to;

convert the image of the recipient information into text;

match the text of the converted image to profile information associated with a recipient, wherein the profile information associated with the recipient is stored in a database that comprises profile information for a plurality of recipients;

compare the calculated confidence level of the match to a threshold; and

calculate a confidence level of a match between the text of the converted image and the profile information associated with the recipient; and

identify a recipient for the image file based on the outcome of the comparison of the calculated confidence level of the match to the threshold, and

make the image file available to the identified recipient by at least one of transmitting an e-mail message, based on an e-mail address in the profile information, to the identified recipient, or storing the image file in a database accessible to the identified recipient, wherein the image file is not made available to the identified recipient if the image file does not comply with one or more recipient preferences.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the e-mail message includes a link to the image file stored in the database.

18. A system according to claim 16, the memory further comprising an instruction configured to apply optical character recognition to the recipient information.

19. A system according to claim 16, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

prompt an operator to check the image file if the calculated confidence level is below the threshold.

20. A system according to claim 16, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

store the one or more recipient preferences in a database; and

determine how to process the image file based on the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient include an image file format, a size of the image, an indication of whether to include the image file in the transmitted e-mail or to include a link to the image file stored in the database in the transmitted e-mail, an image quality, and the e-mail address.

22. A system according to claim 16, wherein the recipient information includes a caller box number and a recipient box number.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the caller box number is associated with a plurality of recipients and a particular post office location, and the recipient box number is unique to each recipient of the associated caller box number, such that each combination of caller box number and recipient box number is unique.

24. A system according to claim 16, wherein the mail item comprises an envelope.

25. A system according to claim 16, wherein the scanner is further configured to scan a return address on the mail item.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the e-mail message includes an image of the recipient and return address.

27. A system according to claim 16, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

convert the entire image file into text;

determine if the text includes one or more keywords; and

identify the mail item as a predetermined type of document based on the determination.

28. A system according to claim 27, the memory further comprising an instruction configured to route the e-mail message in accordance with the identified type of document.

29. A system according to claim 16, wherein the recipient information includes at least a recipient name and a recipient address.

30. A system according to claim 16, the memory further comprising an instruction configured to insert an advertisement into the e-mail message.

31. A method for systematically processing mail a plurality of mail items, comprising:

receiving the plurality of mail items addressed to a plurality of recipients, each mail item having recipient information and one or more pages enclosed in the mail item, wherein the mail item are postal items;

scanning the plurality of mail items into image files, each image file including image data of the recipient information and image data of the enclosed one or more pages that correspond to the recipient information and the one or more enclosed pages of a single mail item;

for each image file, identifying a recipient from the image data of the recipient information in the image file;

wherein, for each image file, identifying a recipient comprises;

converting the image data of the recipient information into text by using optical character recognition;

matching the text of the converted image to profile information associated with a recipient, wherein the profile information associated with the recipient is stored in a database that comprises profile information for a plurality of recipients;

calculating a confidence level of a match between the text of the converted image and the profile information associated with the recipient;

comparing the calculated confidence level of the match to a threshold; and

identifying a recipient for the image file based on the outcome of the comparison of the calculated confidence level of the match to the threshold, and

making the image files available to the identified recipients of the image files, wherein, for each image file, the image file is not made available to the identified recipient if the image file does not comply with one or more recipient preferences;

wherein, for each image file, making the image files available further comprises at least one of transmitting an e-mail message, based on an e-mail address obtained from the profile information, to the identified recipient of that image file, or storing the image file in a database accessible to the identified recipient of that image file.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the email message includes a link to the images file stored in the database.

33. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

prompting an operator to check the image file if the confidence level is below the threshold.

34. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

storing the one or more recipient preferences in a database for the identified recipient; and

determining how to process the image file based on the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient include an image file format, a size of the image file, an indication of whether to include the image file in the transmitted e-mail or to include a link to the image file stored in the database in the transmitted e-mail, an image quality, and the e-mail address.

36. A method according to claim 31, wherein the recipient information includes a caller box number and a recipient box number.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein the caller box number is associated with a plurality of recipients and a particular post office location, and the recipient box number is unique to each recipient of the associated caller box number, such that each combination of caller box number and recipient box number is unique.

38. A method according to claim 31, wherein each mail item comprises an envelope.

39. A method according to claim 31, further comprising scanning a return address on the mail item.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the e-mail message includes an image of the the recipient and return address.

41. A method according to claim 31, further comprising:

converting the entire image file into text;

determining if the text includes one or more keywords; and

identifying the mail item as a predetermined type of document based on the determination.

42. A method according to claim 41, further comprising routing the e-mail message in accordance with the identified type of document.

43. A method according to claim 31, wherein the recipient information includes at least a recipient name and a recipient address.

44. A method according to claim 31, further comprising inserting an advertisement into the e-mail message.

45. A system for systematically processing a plurality of mail items, comprising:

a scanner configured to scan the plurality of mail items addressed to a plurality of recipients into image files, each image file including image data of the recipient information and image data of one or more pages, wherein the mail item is a postal mail item;

a processor; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a plurality of instructions executed by the processor, the plurality of instructions configured to;

receive the image files from the scanner;

for each image file, identify a recipient from the image data of the recipient information in the image file, wherein the plurality of instructions for identifying the recipient comprises instructions to;

for each image file, convert the image data of the recipient information into text using optical character recognition;

for each image file, match the text of the converted image to profile information associated with a recipient, wherein the profile information associated with the recipient is stored in a database that comprises profile information for a plurality of recipients;

for each image file, calculate a confidence level of a match between the text of the converted image and the profile information associated with the recipient; and

for each image file, compare the calculated confidence level of the match to a threshold; and

for each image file, identify a recipient for each image file based outcome of the comparison of the calculated confidence level of the match to the threshold, and

make the image files available to the identified recipients of the image files, wherein, for each image file, the image file is not made available to the identified recipient if the image file does not comply with one or more recipient preferences;

wherein, for each image file, making the image files available further comprises at least one of transmitting an e-mail message, based on an e-mail address in the profile information, to the identified recipient of that image file, or storing the image file in a database accessible to the identified recipient of that image file.

46. A system according to claim 45, wherein the e-mail message includes a link to the image file stored in the database.

47. A system according to claim 45, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

prompt an operator to check the image file if the confidence level is below the threshold.

48. A system according to claim 45, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

store the one or more recipient preferences in a database; and

determine how to process each image file based on the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient.

49. A system according to claim 48, wherein the one or more recipient preferences of the identified recipient include an image file format, a size of the image file, an indication of whether to include the image file in the transmitted e-mail or to include a link to the image file stored in the database in the transmitted e-mail, an image quality, and the e-mail address.

50. A system according to claim 45, wherein the recipient information includes a caller box number and a recipient box number.

51. A system according to claim 50, wherein the caller box number is associated with a plurality of recipients and a particular post office location, and the recipient box number is unique to each recipient of the associated caller box number, such that each combination of caller box number and recipient box number is unique.

52. A system according to claim 45, wherein each mail item comprises an envelope.

53. A system according to claim 45, wherein the scanner is further configured to scan a return address on each mail item.

54. A system according to claim 53, wherein the c-mail message includes an image of the the recipient and return address.

55. A system according to claim 45, the memory further comprising instructions configured to:

convert the entire image file into text;

determine if the text includes one or more keywords; and

identify the mail item as a predetermined type of document based on the determination.

56. A system according to claim 55, the memory further comprising an instruction configured to route the e-mail message in accordance with the identified type of document.

57. A system according to claim 45, wherein the recipient information includes at least a recipient name and a recipient address.

58. A system according to claim 45, wherein the e-mail message includes an advertisement.