Methods and systems for providing an alternative delivery point code

• US 8,370,165 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• 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: Snapp, Robert F., Garner, Michael C., Wilson, James D., Payne, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Akiba
• Application Number:
  US10/820,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/404, 705/405, 705/410, 705/1.1, 705/7.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing an alternative delivery point code may comprise receiving delivery data corresponding to a delivery point. Furthermore, the systems and methods may include determining if the delivery data includes a secondary element. Moreover, the systems and methods may include creating the alternative delivery point code based upon the secondary element if the delivery data includes the secondary element. The secondary element may comprise a descriptor or a secondary number associated with the delivery point. If the delivery data does not include the secondary element, a normal delivery point code may be created.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing an alternative delivery point code, the method comprising:

receiving delivery data corresponding to a delivery point;

determining, via a processor, whether to create a normal delivery code or the alternative delivery point code based on whether a plurality of possible delivery locations exist at the delivery point, wherein a plurality of possible delivery locations are shown to exist at the delivery point when the delivery data includes a secondary element that specifies a particular location at the delivery point;

creating, via the processor, the normal delivery point code when the delivery data does not include the secondary element, wherein the normal delivery point code is used to sequence delivery to a location among different delivery locations;

creating, via the processor, the alternative delivery point code when the delivery data includes the secondary element, wherein the alternate delivery point code contains the same number of digits as the normal delivery point code, wherein the alternate delivery code distinguishes the particular location at the delivery point from the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, wherein the alternate delivery point code is used to sequence delivery to the particular location at the delivery point from among the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, and wherein the creating comprises;

calculating, based on the secondary element, one of a random number or a pseudo-random number and setting at least one digit of the alternative delivery point code to the calculated number, wherein creating the random number comprises calculating a value S and determining a remainder corresponding to the value S divided by a random prime number; and

when the secondary element contains alphanumeric data, converting the alphanumeric data to numeric data; and

affixing the alternate delivery point code onto a mail item for use in sequencing delivery of the mail item, including sequencing between the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secondary element comprises at least one of a fractional number, a trailing alpha, a descriptor, and a secondary number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a normal delivery point code based upon the delivery data if the delivery data does not include the secondary element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the normal delivery point code comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the random number further comprises initializing an alphanumeric field with blanks and a numeric field with zeros, the three element alphanumeric field comprising a first alphanumeric element, a second alphanumeric element, and a third alphanumeric element, and the three element numeric field comprising a first numeric element, a second numeric element, and a third numeric element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein creating the random number further comprises storing data associated with the secondary element in one of the three element alphanumeric field and the three element numeric field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a the value S is calculated able by the following equation:

S=((27²)*(10³)*(the first alphanumeric element))+((27¹)*(10³)*(the second alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10³)*(the third alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10²)*(the first numeric element))+((27°

*(10¹)*(the second numeric element))+((27°

*)(10°

*(the third numeric element)).

8. The method of claim 7, wherein creating the random number further comprises calculating a value R as the random number, the value R characterizeable by the following equation:

R=(the remainder*2)+(a normal deliver point code associated with the delivery point)+1.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the random prime number is 47.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the normal delivery point code associated with the delivery point comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative delivery point code is numeric.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternative delivery point code comprises one of two digits and two alphanumeric characters.

22. The system of claim 5, wherein the normal delivery point code associated with the delivery point comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

13. A system for providing an alternative delivery point code, the system comprising:

a memory storage for maintaining a database; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive delivery data corresponding to a delivery point;

determine whether to create a normal delivery code or the alternative delivery point code based on whether a plurality of possible delivery locations exist at the delivery point, wherein a plurality of possible delivery locations are shown to exist at the delivery point when the delivery data includes a secondary element that specifies a particular location at the delivery point;

create the normal delivery point if the delivery data does not include the secondary element, wherein the normal delivery point code is used to sequence delivery to a location among a plurality of locations; and

create the alternative delivery point code if the delivery data includes the secondary element, wherein the alternate delivery point code contains the same number of digits as the normal delivery point code, wherein the alternate delivery code distinguishes the particular location from the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, wherein the alternate delivery point code is used to sequence delivery to the particular location at the delivery point from among the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, and wherein the creating comprises calculating, based upon the secondary element, one of a random number or a pseudo-random number and setting at least one digit of the alternative delivery point code to the calculated number, wherein the calculating further includes converting first numeric data in the secondary element to different numeric data, wherein creating the random number comprises calculating a value S and determining a remainder corresponding to the value S divided by a random prime number; and

a machine that affixes the alternate delivery point code onto a mail item for use in a sequenced delivery, including sequencing between the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the secondary element comprises at least one of a fractional number, a trailing alpha, a descriptor, and a secondary number.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further configured to create a normal delivery point code based upon the delivery data if the delivery data does not include the secondary element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the normal delivery point code comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing unit being configured to create the random number further comprises the processing unit being configured to initialize a three element alphanumeric field with blanks and a three element numeric field with zeros, the three element alphanumeric field comprising a first alphanumeric element, a second alphanumeric element, and a third alphanumeric element, and the three element numeric field comprising a first numeric element, a second numeric element, and a third numeric element.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit being configured to create the random number further stores data associated with the secondary element in one of the three element alphanumeric field and the three element numeric field.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the value S is characterizeable by the following equation:

S=((27²)*(10³)*(the first alphanumeric element))+((27¹)*(10³)*(the second alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10³)*(the third alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10²)*(the first numeric element))+((27°

*(10¹)*(the second numeric element))+((27°

*)(10°

*(the third numeric element)).

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing unit being configured to create the random number further calculates a value R as the random number, the value R characterizeable by the following equation:

R=(the remainder*2)+(a normal deliver point code associated with the delivery point)+1.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the random prime number is 47.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the alternative delivery point code is numeric.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the alternative delivery point code comprises one of two digits and two alphanumeric characters.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a set of instructions which when executed perform a method providing an alternative delivery point code, the method comprising:

receiving delivery data corresponding to a delivery point;

determining whether to create a normal delivery code or the alternative delivery point code based on whether a plurality of possible delivery locations exist at the delivery point, wherein a plurality of possible delivery locations are shown to exist at the delivery point when the delivery data includes a secondary element that specifies a particular location at the delivery point;

creating the normal delivery point code when the delivery data does not include the secondary element, wherein the normal delivery point code is used to sequence delivery to a location among a plurality of locations; and

creating the alternative delivery point code if the delivery data includes the secondary element, wherein the alternate delivery point code contains the same number of digits as the normal delivery point code, wherein the alternate delivery code distinguishes the particular location at the delivery point from the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, wherein the alternate delivery point code is affixed onto a mail item and used to sequence delivery to the particular location at the delivery point from among the plurality of possible delivery locations at the delivery point, and wherein the creating comprises calculating, based upon the secondary element, one of a random number or a pseudo-random number and setting at least one digit of the alternative delivery point code to the calculated number, wherein the calculating further includes converting first numeric data in the secondary element into different numeric data wherein creating the random number comprises calculating a value S and determining a remainder corresponding to the value S divided by a random prime number.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the secondary element comprises at least one of a fractional number, a trailing alpha, a descriptors, and a secondary number.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising creating a normal delivery point code based upon the delivery data if the delivery data does not include the secondary element.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the normal delivery point code comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein creating the random number further comprises initializing a three element alphanumeric field with blanks and a three element numeric field with zeros, the three element alphanumeric field comprising a first alphanumeric element, a second alphanumeric element, and a third alphanumeric element, and the three element numeric field comprising a first numeric element, a second numeric element, and a third numeric element.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein creating the random number further comprises storing data associated with the secondary element in one of the three element alphanumeric field and the three element numeric field.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the value S is characterizeable by the following equation:

S=((27²)*(10³)*(the first alphanumeric element))+((27¹)*(10³)*(the second alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10³)*(the third alphanumeric element))+((27°

*(10²)*(the first numeric element))+((27°

*(10¹)*(the second numeric element))+((27°

*)(10°

*(the third numeric element)).

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein creating the random number further comprises calculating a value R as the random number, the value R characterizeable by the following equation:

R=(the remainder*2)+(a normal deliver point code associated with the delivery point)+1.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the random prime number is 47.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the normal delivery point code associated with the delivery point comprises the two right-most digits in a primary address number of the delivery point.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the alternative delivery point code is numeric.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the alternative delivery point code comprises one of two digits and two alphanumeric characters.