Residential delivery indicator
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsJohn F. Gullo, James D. Wilson, Robert F. Snapp, David J. Payne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides methods, apparatus, and systems for classifying addresses. An address is evaluated based upon a postal code or standardized postal code, such as a U.S. Postal Service ZIP+4 code, serving the address. If the address cannot be classified based on the standardized postal code, the address is classified based on additional information, such as a U.S. Postal Service delivery point code. A mailer may then determine whether the address is a business or residential (or non-business) address. Furthermore, a mailer may predict when surcharges may apply and compare the rates of various carriers.
Claims41
A method for providing a classification of an address, comprising:
- determining a standardized postal code and a delivery point code for the address;
- searching a first table based on the standardized postal code;
- providing a first classification for the address, when the standardized postal code is found within the first table;
- searching a second table based on the delivery point, when the standardized postal code is not found within the first table;
- and
- providing the first classification for the address, when the delivery point code is found within the second table.
An apparatus for providing a classification of an address, comprising:
- means for determining a standardized postal code and a delivery point code for the address;
- means for searching a first table based on the standardized postal code;
- means for providing a first classification for the address, when the standardized postal code is found within the first table;
- means for searching a second table based on the delivery point, when the standardized postal code is not found within the first table;
- and
- means for providing the first classification for the address, when the delivery point code is found within the second table.
A method for providing a classification of an address, comprising:
- determining a standardized postal code for the address;
- searching a table based on the standardized postal code;
- and
- providing the classification for the address, when the standardized postal code is found within the table.
An apparatus for providing a classification of an address, comprising:
- means for determining a standardized postal code for the address;
- means for searching a table based on the standardized postal code;
- and
- means for providing the classification for the address, when the standardized postal code is found within the table.
A method for determining a carrier to deliver a piece of mail, comprising:
- receiving address information indicating a destination for the piece of mail;
- determining a classification for the destination based on the address information;
- and
- selecting at least one or a plurality carriers, to deliver the piece of mail based on the classification for the destination.
An apparatus for determining a carrier to deliver a piece of mail, comprising:
- means for receiving address information indicating a destination for the piece of mail;
- means for determining a classification for the destination based on the address information;
- means for selecting at least one of a plurality of carriers, to deliver the piece of mail based on the classification for the destination.
A method for classifying a piece of mail, comprising:
- receiving address information indicating a destination for a piece of mail;
- determining a first parameter based on the address information;
- identifying a second parameter based on the first parameter;
- and
- determining a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second parameters.
22 The method of claim 21, wherein determining a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second parameters comprises:
- searching a table based on the standardized postal code for the destination;
- providing a result indicating whether the standardized postal code for the destination was found based on the search of the table;
- and
- determining the classification for the destination based on the result.
The method of claim 22, wherein determining a classification for the destination based on the result comprises:
- searching at least one additional table based on the result and the delivery point code for the destination;
- providing an additional result indicating whether the delivery point code for the destination was found based on the search of the at least one additional table;
- and
- determining the classification for the destination based on the additional result.
An apparatus for classifying a piece of mail, comprising:
- means for receiving address information indicating a destination for a piece of mail;
- means for determining a first parameter based on the address information;
- means for identifying a second parameter based on the first parameter;
- and
- means for determining a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second parameters.
A method, comprising:
- receiving address information indicating a destination for a piece of mail;
- determining a first parameter based on the address information;
- determining a second parameter based on the first parameter and the address information;
- and
- determining a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second parameters.
An apparatus, comprising:
- means for receiving address information indicating a destination for a piece of mail;
- means for determining a first parameter based on the address information;
- means for determining a second parameter based on the first parameter and the address information;
- and
- means for determining a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second parameters.
The system of claim 33, further comprising:
- a storage that stores the first and second tables;
- and
- a network the couples the storage and the processor.
A system, comprising:
- an input that receives address information indicating a destination of a piece of mail;
- a first table that stores information relating to a first number identifying an area of the destination for the piece of mail;
- a second table that stores information relating to a second number identifying the destination for the piece of mail;
- and
- a processor that determines a classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on at least one of the first and second numbers.
The system of claim 34, wherein the first table includes information based on a standardized postal code for the destination for the piece of mail.
A computer readable, comprising:
- a plurality of information indicating standardized postal codes assigned to areas that consist of addresses classified as a business;
- program code for determining a standardized postal code for a destination for a piece of mail, and determining the classification for the destination for the piece of mail based on the determined standardized postal code and the plurality of information indicating standardized postal codes.
A computer readable medium, comprising:
- a first table that includes a plurality of entries indicating standardized postal codes assigned to areas that consist of addresses classified as a business;
- a second table that includes a plurality of entries indicating delivery point codes for addresses classified as a business;
- program code for determining a standardized postal code and a delivery point code for a destination of a piece of mail, and determining a classification of the destination for the piece of mail based on the first table, the second table, the determined standardized postal code for the destination, and the determined delivery point code for the destination.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.