Method and system for run time directories for address services on a mail processing system

• US 8,326,898 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2009
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DMT Solutions Global Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bell & Howell LLC (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Woolston, Mark, Conard, Walter S., Grady, William A., Bowers, Brian, Wojdyla, Richard, Van Ermen, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Wilson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Jessica N
• Application Number:
  US12/466,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20090287742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 707/707, 707/752, 707/821, 707/661, 707/828
• US Class Current: 707/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

The present application generally relates to address data maintenance services using a mail processing system. The present application discloses techniques and equipment to update address information and usage of mail processing equipment to print delivery point barcodes that represent the current and accurate address information available for the addressee. The present application also provides a new approach for storing and searching address and name run time directories as part of a mail processing system using address reader technology.

Claims

1. An address correction method for a plurality of mail pieces processed on a mail processing system, the method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving a customer mailing list containing name and address data from a customer via a network interface at a service provider, the name and address data including a plurality of names and associated addresses;

(b) creating, by way of a processor, an address run time directory using the received name and address data associated with the customer, the address run time directory created in a format accessible by an optical reading device;

(c) reading an address from a first mail piece by the optical reading device;

(d) by way of the optical reading device, accessing at speeds compatible with mail processing speeds of the mail processing system, the address run time directory, the address run time directory including a plurality of customers addresses;

(e) matching the read address of the first mail piece with an associated customer address;

(f) based upon a predetermined condition, printing a delivery point barcode corresponding to an updated address on the first mail piece;

(g) reading an address from a second mail piece by the optical reading device;

(h) attempting to match the read address of the second mail piece with a customer address;

(i) based upon a predetermined condition, printing a barcode associated with the customer address on the second mail piece when a match is found;

(j) accessing a national directory when no match was found with respect to the second mail piece;

(k) finding whether the read address is correct or not by using the national directory; and

(l) printing a barcode for a correct address on the second mail piece based on the national directory finding.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further comprises:

determining whether a flag indicates suppression of the address;

in response to the determination, outputting a signal indicating that the first mail piece is rejected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further includes:

determining whether a flag indicates that an updated address for the address exists.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) further includes:

determining whether a flag indicates a move with respect to the address.

5. An address correction method for a plurality of mail pieces processed on a mail processing system, the method comprising steps of:

(a) receiving name data in a customer mailing list from a customer, via a network interface, at a service provider;

(b) creating a run time name directory using the customer name data, the run time name directory created in a format accessible by an optical reading device;

(c) reading a name from a first mail piece by the optical reading device;

(d) by way of the optical reading device, accessing at speeds compatible with mail processing speeds of the mail processing system, the run time name directory, the run time name directory including a plurality of customer names;

(e) matching the read name of the first mail piece with an associated customer name;

(f) based upon a predetermined condition, printing a barcode corresponding to an updated address on the first mail piece;

(g) reading a name from a second mail piece by the optical reading device;

(h) matching the read name of the second mail piece with an associated customer address;

(i) based upon a predetermined condition, printing a barcode associated with the customer address on the second mail pieceand

(j) when a flag indicates that a human readable address is to be printed on the first mail piece, printing a human readable address corresponding to the barcode,

wherein the mail processing system is selected from a mail sorter or inserter.

6. The address correction method according to claim 5, wherein the flag associated with the first mail piece indicates a duplicate address condition.

7. The address correction method according to claim 6, further comprising steps of:

referencing a record to a corresponding new address entry in the address run time directory.

8. An address correction system for mail pieces processed on a document processing system, the system comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving name and address data from either an electronic file provided by a customer or created from images of names and addresses printed on mail pieces and processed by a processor associated with the document processing system;

an address memory storing unit for storing an address run time directory and a name run time directory, the address run time directory including correct addresses, the address and name run time directory stored in a format accessible by an optical reading device associated with an address resolution system that operates at run time speeds compatible with the document processing system;

the address resolution system for locating a correct address for a mail piece, the address resolution system is configured to obtain a correct address from the address run time directory, compare the address obtained by the optical reading device with the correct address and in response to the comparison, instruct a printing device to print corrected address information relating to the address on the mail piece, wherein;

the printing device configured for printing corrected address information, relating to the corrected address on a postal authority clear zone on the mail piece,

the address run time directory contains an address run time directory record including a correct address as address data, and the name run time directory contains a name run time directory record including a name as name data, the name corresponding to the correct address, wherein;

the address to be printed as the corrected address information is selected based on one or more flags,

the address resolution system is further configured to determine whether the one or more flags indicates suppression of the address, and

in response to the determination, output a signal to reject the mail piece.

9. The address correction system of claim 8, wherein the address resolution system is further configured to determine whether the flag indicates that an updated address for the address exists, and

in response to the determination, obtain the updated address and instruct the printing device to print the corrected address information for the updated address on the mail piece.

10. The address correction system of claim 8, wherein the address resolution system is further configured to determine whether the flag indicates moving with respect to the address, and

in response to the determination, instruct the printing device to print the corrected address information of the address on the mail piece.

11. The address correction system of claim 8, wherein the address resolution system is further configured to determine whether the flag indicates moving with respect to the address,

in response to the determination, accessing the name run time directory for determining whether the name is included in the name run time directory, and

in response to the determination, instructing the printing device to print the corrected address information for the address on the mail piece.

12. The address correction system of claim 8, wherein

the address resolution system is further configured to determine whether the flag indicates moving with respect to the address,

in response to the determination, accessing the name run time directory for determining whether the name is included in the name run time directory, and

in response to the determination, obtaining an updated address for the name from the address run time directory, and

instructing the printing device to print the corrected address information for the updated address on the mail piece.

13. The address correction system of claim 8, wherein, when the flag indicates that a human readable address is printed on the mail piece, the address resolution system is configured to instruct the printing device to print a human readable address corresponding to the corrected address information.