Methods and systems for forwarding an item

• US 20050251285A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America), Telogy Networks, Inc. (Texas Instruments, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Boyce, John H., Payne, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,716 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/226
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Systems and methods for forwarding an item in a delivery system may comprise scanning a first address label on an item to produce scan data and converting the scan data into first address data. Furthermore, systems and methods for forwarding the item may comprise determining if an alternative address exists in a change of address database, the alternative address corresponding to the captured first address data. Moreover, systems and methods for forwarding the item may comprise forwarding the item to a location corresponding to the alternative address if it was determined that the alternative address exists in the change of address database.

Claims

1. A method for forwarding an item, comprising:

scanning a first address label on an item to produce scan data;

converting the scan data into first address data;

determining whether an alternative address exists in a change of address database, the alternative address corresponding to the captured first address data; and

forwarding the item to a location corresponding to the alternative address based on a determination that the alternative address exists in the change of address database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address data comprises location information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address data comprises location information and name information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

transmitting a notice to a sender of the item, the notice indicating the alternative address; and

receiving an indication that the sender of the item wants the item forwarded to the location corresponding to the alternative address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

receiving a fee from the sender of the item for forwarding the item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

re-labeling the item with a second address label corresponding to the alternative address.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

printing the alternative address onto an existing address label corresponding to the captured first address data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a sender of the item with a list of one or more items sent by the sender that have been forwarded and alternate addresses corresponding to locations to which the items have been forwarded.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs prior to an attempted delivery to a location corresponding to the first address data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs based on a determination that the item is undeliverable to a location corresponding to the first address data.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing item identification information from the item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the item identification information comprises a barcode.

13. A system for forwarding an item, comprising:

means for scanning a first address label on an item to produce scan data;

means for converting the scan data into first address data;

means for determining whether an alternative address exists in a change of address database, the alternative address corresponding to the captured first address data; and

means for forwarding the item to a location corresponding to the alternative address based on a determination that the alternative address exists in the change of address database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first address data comprises location information.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the first address data comprises location information and name information.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

means for transmitting a notice to a sender of the item, the notice indicating the alternative address; and

means for receiving an indication that the sender of the item wants the item forwarded to the location corresponding to the alternative address.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the means for forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

means for receiving a fee from the sender of the item for forwarding the item.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

means for re-labeling the item with a second address label corresponding to the alternative address.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

means for printing the alternative address onto an existing address label corresponding to the captured first address data.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for providing a sender of the item with a list of one or more items sent by the sender that have been forwarded and alternate addresses corresponding to locations to which the items have been forwarded.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for capturing item identification information from the item.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the item identification information comprises a barcode.

23. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method for forwarding an item, the method comprising:

converting scan data produced from a first address label on an item into first address data;

determining whether an alternative address exists in a change of address database, the alternative address corresponding to the captured first address data; and

forwarding the item to a location corresponding to the alternative address based on a determination that the alternative address exists in the change of address database.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first address data comprises location information.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the first address data comprises location information and name information.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

transmitting a notice to a sender of the item, the notice indicating the alternative address; and

receiving an indication that the sender of the item wants the item forwarded to the location corresponding to the alternative address.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

receiving a fee from the sender of the item for forwarding the item.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

re-labeling the item with a second address label corresponding to the alternative address.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

printing the alternative address onto an existing address label corresponding to the captured first address data.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising:

providing a sender of the item with a list of one or more items sent by the sender that have been forwarded and alternate addresses corresponding to locations to which the items have been forwarded.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs prior to an attempted delivery to a location corresponding to the first address data.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs based on a determination that the item is undeliverable to a location corresponding to the first address data.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein item identification information is captured from the item.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the item identification information comprises a barcode.

35. An apparatus for forwarding an item, comprising:

a memory having a program that;

converts scan data produced from a first address label on an item into first address data;

determines whether an alternative address exists in a change of address database, the alternative address corresponding to the captured first address data; and

forwards the item to a location corresponding to the alternative address based on a determination that the alternative address exists in the change of address database; and

a processor that runs the program.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the first address data comprises location information.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the first address data comprises location information and name information.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

transmitting a notice to a sender of the item, the notice indicating the alternative address; and

receiving an indication that the sender of the item wants the item forwarded to the location corresponding to the alternative address.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

receiving a fee from the sender of the item for forwarding the item.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

re-labeling the item with a second address label corresponding to the alternative address.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein forwarding the item to the location corresponding to the alternative address comprises:

printing the alternative address onto an existing address label corresponding to the captured first address data.

42. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein a sender of the item is provided with a list of one or more items sent by the sender that have been forwarded and alternate addresses corresponding to locations to which the items have been forwarded.

43. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs prior to an attempted delivery to a location corresponding to the first address data.

44. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein determining whether an alternative address exists occurs based on a determination that the item is undeliverable to a location corresponding to the first address data.

45. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein item identification information is captured from the item.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the item identification information comprises a barcode.