System and method for redirecting mail

• US 8,818,914 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• 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: Andrew, Emily
• Primary Examiner(s): Erb, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US13/584,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20130304662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 705/401
• US Class Current: 705/401
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

A method for temporarily redirecting a customer'"'"'s mail from a current mailing address to a temporary mailing address, includes: receiving a request to temporarily redirect the customer'"'"'s mail; determining a first date to begin mail redirection and a second date to cancel mail redirection; redirecting a first type of mail to a temporary mailing address; instructing a delivery service provider to provide a package to the customer after the customer arrives at the temporary mailing address; instructing the delivery service provider to hold a second type of mail for a time period calculated based on the request; receiving a notification that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address; and informing at least one contact specified by the customer that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address.

Claims

1. A method for temporarily redirecting a customer'"'"'s mail from a current mailing address to a temporary mailing address, the method comprising:

receiving, by a mail redirect computer system, a request to temporarily redirect the customer'"'"'s mail, wherein the request specifies a user profile, a first type of mail to redirect, a second type of mail, the temporary mailing address, how to redirect the first type of mail, an arrival date, and a departure date, the arrival date being the date the customer will arrive at the temporary mailing address and the departure date being the date the customer will depart from the temporary mailing address;

determining, by the mail redirect computer system, a first date to begin mail redirection based on the arrival date and a number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address, and determining a second date to cancel mail redirection based on the departure date and the number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address;

redirecting, by the mail redirect computer system, the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address according to the request and the first date and the second date;

instructing, by the mail redirect computer system, a delivery service provider to provide, based on the user profile, a package to the customer after the customer arrives at the temporary mailing address, wherein the package includes coupons for services or goods, selected based on the user profile, and a confirmation that the first type of mail will be redirected to the temporary mailing address;

instructing, by the mail redirect computer system, the delivery service provider to hold the second type of mail for a time period calculated based on the request;

receiving, by the mail redirect computer system from a remote computer system at the temporary mailing address, a notification that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address; and

informing, by the mail redirect computer system, at least one contact specified by the customer that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first type of mail to redirect consists of at least one of:

all mail, bills, or periodicals.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the request specifies that the first type of mail is to be redirected using an expedited mailing process.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

creating, by the mail redirect computer system, an electric trust account funded by the customer to cover a cost to redirect the first type of mail, wherein the estimated cost is based on how, how often, and where the first type of mail is redirected; and

electronically debiting, by the mail redirect computer system, the electric trust account an amount to cover a cost of the redirecting.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

informing at least one mail source of the request to redirect the first type of mail from the mail source to the temporary mailing address.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an email address of the contact from the customer through the request.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the temporary mailing address is a hotel and the notification is received when the customer checks in at the hotel.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein informing at least one contact of the customer'"'"'s arrival comprises:

emailing the at least one contact based on at least one email address that is received.

9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

informing the at least one contact of the customer'"'"'s contact information.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing information on the contents of a post office box to the customer, wherein the first type of mail is redirected to the post office box.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein information on the contents of the post office box comprises a number of mail pieces in the post office box.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the package is provided based on profile information that is received from the customer.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the package includes at least one map of a location that is related to the customers interests and near the temporary mailing address, and is based on the profile information.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

canceling the redirecting a predetermined amount of time before the customer departs from the temporary mailing address; and

holding the first type of mail until the customer arrives at the current mailing address.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the first type of mail and the second type of mail are delivered on demand when the customer arrives at the current mailing address.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for controlling a mail redirect computer system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request to temporarily redirect a customer'"'"'s mail, wherein the request specifies a user profile, a first type of mail to redirect, a second type of mail, the temporary mailing address, an arrival date the customer will arrive at the temporary mailing address, and a departure date the customer will depart from the temporary mailing address; and

determining a first date to begin mail redirection based on the arrival date and a number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address, and determining a second date to cancel mail redirection based on the departure date and the number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address;

redirecting the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address according to the request and the first date and the second date;

instructing a delivery service provider to provide, based on the user profile, a package to the customer after the customer arrives at the temporary mailing address, wherein the package includes coupons for services or goods, selected based on the user profile, and a confirmation that the first type of mail will be redirected to the temporary mailing address;

instructing the delivery service provider to hold the second type of mail for a time period calculated based on the request;

receiving, from a remote computer system at the temporary mailing address, a notification that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address; and

informing at least one contact specified by the customer that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, the method further comprising:

creating, by the mail redirect computer system, an electric trust account funded by the customer to cover a cost to redirect the first type of mail, wherein the estimated cost is based on how, how often, and where the first type of mail is redirected; and

electronically debiting, by the mail redirect computer system, the electric trust account an amount to cover a cost of the redirecting.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, the method further comprising:

informing at least one mail source of the request to redirect the first type of mail from the mail source to the temporary mailing address.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, the method further comprising:

providing information on the contents of a post office box to the customer, wherein the first type of mail is redirected to the post office box.

20. A mail redirect system for temporarily redirecting a customer'"'"'s mail from a current mailing address to a temporary mailing address, the system comprising:

a processor disposed within the mail redirect system; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive a request to temporarily redirect the customer'"'"'s mail, wherein the request specifies a user profile, a first type of mail to redirect, a second type of mail, the temporary mailing address, how to redirect the first type of mail, an arrival date, and a departure date, the arrival date being the date the customer will arrive at the temporary mailing address and the departure date being the date the customer will depart from the temporary mailing address;

determine a first date to begin redirection of the first type of mail based on the arrival date and a number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address;

determine a second date to cancel redirection of the first type of mail based on the departure date and the number of days in advance required to redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address;

redirect the first type of mail to the temporary mailing address according to the request and the first date and the second date;

instruct a delivery service provider to provide, based on the user profile, a package to the customer after the customer arrives at the temporary mailing address, wherein the package includes coupons for services or goods, selected based on the user profile, and a confirmation that the first type of mail will be redirected to the temporary mailing address;

instruct the delivery service provider to hold the second type of mail for a time period calculated based on the request;

receive, from a remote computer system at the temporary mailing address, a notification that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address; and

inform at least one contact specified by the customer that the customer has arrived at the temporary mailing address.