Methods and systems for tracking mail pieces based on hash values

A system comprising a computing device associated with a mail service for tracking a mail piece to be carried and delivered by the mail service, the computing device comprising:

• a non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon;
• and
• at least one processor operatively coupled to the non-transitory memory, and configured to read the instructions to:
• obtain an image of the mail piece,
• generate a hash value of the image of the mail piece by applying a hash function to the image of the mail piece,
• determine a match between the hash value and one of a plurality of stored hash values, wherein each of the plurality of stored hash values is generated by applying the hash function to a respective image of a corresponding other mail piece using an application on a user device of a corresponding user,
• identify, based on a result of the determining the match, a user associated with mailing of the mail piece,
• apply an identity (ID) tag on the mail piece,
• track, based on the identity (ID) tag, the mail piece to determine its delivery status information, and
• provide the delivery status information of the mail piece to a mobile device the user.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for tracking a mail piece to be carried and delivered by a mail service, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device associated with the mail service to perform operations comprising:

• obtaining an image of the mail piece;
• generating a hash value of the image of the mail piece by applying a hash function to the image of the mail piece;
• determining a match between the hash value and one of a plurality of stored hash values, wherein each of the plurality of stored hash values is generated by applying the hash function to a respective image of a corresponding other mail piece using an application on a user device of a corresponding user;
• identifying, based on a result of the determining the match, a user associated with mailing of the mail piece;
• applying an identity (ID) tag on the mail piece;
• tracking, based on the identity (ID) tag, the mail piece to determine its delivery status information;
• and
• providing the delivery status information of the mail piece to a mobile device of the user.