Systems and methods for delivering items having encoded delivery points

A system for delivering items to a delivery point, the system comprising:

• a profile database storing a plurality of profiles comprising identified physical address delivery points;
• a sender interface configured to receive a request for internal control values for anonymously addressing each of a plurality of items to be distributed to a plurality of unspecified recipients, the request including recipient criteria, wherein the request does not specify individual recipients or delivery points;
• and
• at least one computer processor programmed, based on instructions stored in a memory, to:
• assign, in the profile database, a unique internal control value to each profile of the plurality of profiles having identified physical address delivery points, wherein each unique internal control value has a character length equal to a character length of delivery point information printed on a physical distribution item and wherein each unique internal control value comprises a prefix code shared by multiple internal control values and a unique portion unique to the unique internal control value;
• identify, in the profile database, profiles having assigned unique internal control values;
• identify, in the profile database, profiles meeting the received recipient criteria;
• generate a list of the assigned internal control values corresponding to the profiles identified as meeting the received recipient criteria and having assigned internal control values;
• provide, via the sender interface, wherein the assigned internal control values included in the list are anonymized;
• and
• receive the plurality of items, each item having printed thereon one of the assigned internal control values of the generated list, wherein the assigned internal control value is printed on the item in place of a physical address delivery point for the item;
• and
• item processing equipment configured to scan each item of the plurality of items, wherein the at least one computer processor is further programmed to:
• identify, in the profile database, the physical address delivery point corresponding to the internal control value printed on each scanned item;
• route the item according to the identified physical address delivery point;
• and
• deliver the item to the identified physical address delivery point.

A non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when performed by a hardware controller, cause a system comprising the hardware controller to:

• assign, in a profile database, a unique internal control value to each profile of a plurality of profiles having identified physical address delivery points, wherein each unique internal control value has a character length equal to a character length of delivery point information printed on a physical distribution item, wherein each unique internal control value comprises a prefix code shared by multiple internal control values and a unique portion unique to the unique internal control value;
• receive, via a sender interface, a request for internal control values for anonymously addressing each of a plurality of items to be distributed to a plurality of unspecified recipients, the request including recipient criteria, wherein the request does not specify individual recipients or delivery points;
• identify, in the profile database, profiles having assigned unique internal control values;
• identify, in the profile database, profiles meeting the received recipient criteria;
• generating a list of the assigned internal control values corresponding to the profiles identified as meeting the received recipient criteria and having assigned internal control values;
• provide via the sender interface, the generated list of assigned internal control values, wherein the assigned internal control values included in the list are anonymized;
• receive the plurality of items, each item having printed thereon one of the assigned internal control values of the generated list, wherein the assigned internal control value is printed on the item in place of a physical address delivery point for the item;
• and
• for each of the plurality of items:
• scan, by item processing equipment, the item to read the internal control value printed on the item;
• identify, in the profile database, the physical address delivery point corresponding to the internal control value printed on the item;
• route, by the item processing equipment, the item according to the identified physical address delivery point;
• and
• deliver the item to the identified physical address delivery point.