Processing of undeliverable as addressed mail

A machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

• sorting mail that comprises a multiple pass mail sort operation., wherein the multiple pass mail sort operation for a mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed comprises,
• performing a first pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein performing the first pass comprises capturing data to identify a feature of the mail piece;
• generating a first fingerprint for the mail piece between performing the first pass and performing a second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation, the first fingerprint being derived from the feature of the mail piece that is identified during the first pass;
• and
• performing the second pass of the multiple pass mail sort operation, wherein performing the second pass comprises,
• capturing data to identify the feature of the mail piece;
• generating a second fingerprint for the mail piece, the second fingerprint being derived from the feature of the mail piece that is identified during the second pass;
• comparing the second fingerprint generated during the second pass with the first fingerprint generated during the first pass to uniquely identify the mail piece;
• determining a final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed based on the comparing of the second fingerprint to the first fingerprint, wherein the first fingerprint is used to uniquely identify the mail piece during the determining of the final disposition, wherein determining the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed is independent of use of a bar code by the multiple pass mail sort operation for identification for final disposition of the mail piece.

An apparatus comprising:

• a mail sorter configured to receive mail and to execute a first pass and a second pass to sort the mail, wherein as part of the first pass the mail sorter is configured to capture data to identify a feature of a mail piece in response to a determination that the mail piece is a candidate undeliverable as addressed;
• and
• an undeliverable as addressed module is configured to generate a first fingerprint for the mail piece between the first pass and the second pass, wherein the first fingerprint is derived from the feature of the mail piece that is identified in the first pass;
• wherein as part of the second pass the mail sorter is configured to
• capture data to identify the feature of the mail piece;
• generate a second fingerprint for the mail piece, the second fingerprint being derived from the feature of the mail piece that is identified during the second pass;
• compare the second fingerprint generated during the second pass with the first fingerprint generated during the first pass to uniquely identify the mail piece;
• and
• determine a final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed based on the comparison of the second fingerprint to the first fingerprint, wherein the first fingerprint is used to uniquely identify the mail piece during the determining of the final disposition, wherein determining the final disposition of the mail piece that is undeliverable as addressed is independent of use of a bar code by the multiple pass mail sort operation for identification for final disposition of the mail piece.