Methods and systems for linking an electronic address to a physical address of a customer

• US 8,209,191 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• 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: Cook, Jon L., Orbke, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Campbell, Shannon
• Application Number:
  US09/809,326
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,120 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/104.1, 705400-410, 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4012 Verifying personal identification numbers [PIN]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

An electronic account links an electronic address to a physical address of a customer. Services provided to the customer using the electronic account can be delivered to the physical address or the electronic address of the customer. If the customer requests to receive only physical mail, the link between the addresses can be used to deliver any electronic mail to the physical address of the customer.

Claims

1. A method for determining a standardized physical address of a user having an electronic account, comprising:

obtaining, using a first obtaining device, an address of the user stored in the electronic account;

sending, using a sending device, the address of the user to a static address database, the static address database using the address of the user and the standardized physical address of the user contained in a master address database to obtain a delivery point identification key from the master address database, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

receiving, using a receiving device, the delivery point identification key from the static address database, the delivery point identification key containing information uniquely identifying the standardized physical address within the master address database;

obtaining, using a second obtaining device, the standardized physical address from the master address database using the delivery point identification key; and

automatically updating, using a processing device, the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the master address database lacks an index identifying the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the static address database is a United States Postal Service static monolithic address database.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard format of the standardized physical address comprises one of “

delivery point,”

“

plus 4,”

“

5 digit,” and

“

last line”

standardization.

4. A method for determining a standardized physical address of a user having an electronic account, comprising:

obtaining, using a first obtaining device, an address of the user from the electronic account;

sending, using a sending device, the address of the user to an address database containing the standardized physical address of the user, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

receiving, using a receiving device, a delivery point identification key from the address database, wherein the delivery point identification key is identified using the address of the user and the standardized physical address and uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the address database;

obtaining, using a second obtaining device, the standardized physical address from the address database using the delivery point identification key; and

automatically updating the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the address database contains a plurality of standardized addresses corresponding to a plurality of users, the standardized addresses conforming to the standard format.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the standard format includes a street number, street name, city, state, and ZIP code.

18. The method of claim 4, wherein the standard format of the standardized physical address comprises one of “

delivery point,”

“

plus 4,”

“

5 digit,” and

“

last line”

standardization.

7. A system for determining a standardized physical address of a user having an electronic account, comprising:

a storage device containing a static address database separate from and in communication with a master address database, the master address database containing the standardized physical address of the user, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

a first obtaining device configured to obtain an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

a sending device configured to send the address of the user to the static address database, wherein the static address database uses the address of the user and the standardized physical address of the user to obtain a delivery point identification key from the master address database;

a receiving device configured to receive the delivery point identification key from the static address database, the delivery point identification key containing information uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the master address database;

a second obtaining device configured to obtain the standardized physical address of the user from the master address database using the delivery point identification key; and

a processing device configured to automatically update the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the master address database lacks an index identifying the user.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the static address database is a United States Postal Service static monolithic address database.

19. The system of claim 7, wherein the standard format of the standardized physical address comprises one of “

delivery point,”

“

plus 4,”

“

5 digit,” and

“

last line”

standardization.

10. A system for determining a standardized physical address of a user having an electronic account, comprising:

a storage device containing an address database containing the standardized physical address of the user, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

a first obtaining device configured to obtain an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

a sending device configured to send the address of the user to the address database;

a receiving device configured to receive a delivery point identification key from the address database, wherein the delivery point identification key is identified using the address of the user with the standardized physical address and uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the address database;

a second obtaining device configured to obtain the standardized physical address of the user from the address database using the delivery point identification key; and

a processing device configured to automatically update the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the address database contains a plurality of standardized addresses corresponding to a plurality of users, the standardized addresses conforming to the standard format.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the standard format includes a street number, street name, city, state, and ZIP code.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the standard format of the standardized physical address comprises one of “

delivery point,”

“

plus 4,”

“

5 digit,” and

“

last line”

standardization.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for determining a standardized physical address of a user with an electronic account, the computer-readable code comprising:

a first obtaining module configured to obtain an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

a sending module configured to send the address of the user to a static address database, the static address database using the address of the user and the standardized physical address of the user contained in a master address database to obtain a delivery point identification key from the master address database, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

a receiving module configured to receive the delivery point identification key from the static address database, the delivery point identification key containing information uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the master address database;

a second obtaining module configured to obtain the standardized physical address of the user from the master address database using the delivery point identification key; and

an updating module configured to automatically update the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for determining a standardized physical address of a user with an electronic account, the computer-readable code comprising:

a first obtaining module configured to obtain an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

a sending module configured to send the address of the user to an address database containing the standardized physical address of the user, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

a receiving module configured to receive a delivery point identification key from the address database, wherein the delivery point identification key is identified using the address of the user with the standardized physical address and uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the address database;

a second obtaining module configured to obtain the standardized physical address of the user from the address database using the delivery point identification key; and

an updating module configured to automatically update the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

15. A system for determining a standardized physical address of a user with an electronic account, comprising:

means for obtaining an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

means for sending the address of the user to a static address database, the static address database using the address of the user and the standardized physical address of the user contained in a master address database to obtain a delivery point identification key from the master address database, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

means for receiving the delivery point identification key from the static address database, the delivery point identification key containing information uniquely identifying the standardized physical address within the master address database;

means for obtaining the standardized physical address from the master address database using the delivery point identification key; and

means for automatically updating the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.

16. A system for determining a standardized physical address of a user with an electronic account, comprising:

means for obtaining an address of the user from the electronic account of the user;

means for sending the address of the user to an address database containing the standardized physical address of the user, wherein the standardized physical address conforms to a standard format;

means for receiving a delivery point identification key from the address database, wherein the delivery point identification key is identified using the address of the user with the standardized physical address and uniquely identifies the standardized physical address within the address database;

means for obtaining the standardized physical address from the address database using the delivery point identification key; and

mans for automatically updating the address of the user stored in the electronic account using the standardized physical address from the master address database.