Methods and systems for linking an electronic address to a physical address of a customer using a delivery point identification key

• US 8,731,953 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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 S
• Application Number:
  US12/071,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20080221913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,276 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/400
• 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
• 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 computer-implemented method for determining a standardized physical address of a user for an electronic account of the user, comprising:

obtaining a partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

obtaining, using a processor, a delivery point identification key, the delivery point identification key used to uniquely identify at least a standardized physical address, the standardized physical address at least partially matching the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

storing the delivery point identification key in the electronic account of the user;

using the stored delivery point identification key to retrieve the standardized physical address corresponding to the delivery point identification key from an address database; and

automatically updating the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user with the standardized physical address from the address database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the address database is a United States Postal Service master address database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining further comprises:

obtaining the delivery point identification key from an address matching engine that submits the stored address as a query to the address database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the address matching engine is a United States Postal Service address matching engine.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving updated standardized physical address information from the address database using the delivery point identification key.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the address database is a master address database.

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

a processor;

a memory storing instructions to direct the processor to perform the operations of;

obtaining a partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

obtaining a delivery point identification key, the delivery point identification key used to uniquely identify at least a standardized physical address, the standardized physical address at least partially matching the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

storing the delivery point identification key in the electronic account of the user; and

using the stored delivery point identification key to retrieve the standardized physical address corresponding to the delivery point identification key from an address database; and

automatically updating the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user with the standardized physical address from the address database.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the address database is a United States Postal Service master address database.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the obtaining operation further comprises:

obtaining the delivery point identification key from an address matching engine that submits the stored address as a query to the address database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the address matching engine is a United States Postal Service address matching engine.

10. The system of claim 6, the operations further comprising:

retrieving updated standardized physical address information from the address database using the delivery point identification key.

20. The system of claim 6, wherein the address database is a master address database.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

store a partial address and a delivery point identification key in the electronic account of the user;

obtain a delivery point identification key, the delivery point identification key used to uniquely identify at least a standardized physical address, the standardized physical address at least partially matching the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

use the stored delivery point identification key to retrieve the standardized physical address corresponding to the delivery point; and

update the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user with the standardized physical address from the address database.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the obtaining module is further configured to obtain the delivery point identification key from an address matching engine.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the obtaining module is further configured to:

use the address stored in the electronic account of the user to obtain the delivery point identification key from the address matching engine.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the address database is a master address database.

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

means for obtaining a partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

means for obtaining a delivery point identification key, the delivery point identification key used to uniquely identify at least a standardized physical address, the standardized physical address at least partially matching the partial address stored in the electronic account of the user;

means for storing the delivery point identification key in the electronic account of the user;

means for using the stored delivery point identification key to retrieve the standardized physical address corresponding to the delivery point identification key from an address database; and

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

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for obtaining further comprises:

means for obtaining the delivery point identification key from an address matching engine that submits an address as a query to the address database.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for obtaining further comprises:

means for using the address stored in the electronic account of the user to obtain the delivery point identification key from the address matching engine.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the address database is a master address database.