Address Validation Web Service for New Mailing Addresses

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Solution Overview

Problem

The time lag between the creation of new addresses in the USPS master addressing database and their availability for validation by the mailing community using monthly USPS validation products delays address validation, leading to inappropriate bar-coding and increased handling costs.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize a database of addresses added within the past sixty days, combined with weekly ZIP+4 and DPV verification files, to validate new addresses electronically, allowing for immediate status updates and notification to senders, thereby reducing the delay in validating new addresses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If monthly validation products are used to validate addresses, then the validation process is standardized and reliable, but there is a time lag of several weeks between new address creation and validation availability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaddress validation reliabilityVSAvoidaddress validation time lag

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the validation process into two distinct pathways: a primary pathway using monthly validation products for comprehensive and reliable validation, and a secondary pathway using a web service for rapid validation of new addresses. This segmentation allows each pathway to optimize for its specific purpose, resolving the contradiction between reliability and speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a web service as an intermediary between the address validation system and users. This intermediary provides rapid validation for new addresses by querying the USPS database directly, bridging the time gap created by the monthly product cycle while maintaining connection to the authoritative address data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If mail is bar-coded using addresses not yet validated, then mail processing continues without delay, but the mail may be inappropriately bar-coded and standardized, incurring additional handling costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemail processing speedVSAvoidadditional handling costs

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables preliminary validation of new addresses through the web service before mail is bar-coded. By validating addresses in advance using the rapid web service pathway, the system ensures addresses are correct before mail processing begins, preventing inappropriate bar-coding and avoiding subsequent re-handling costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where validation results (both from monthly products and web service) are returned to users to confirm address validity before mail is sent. This feedback loop allows senders to correct address errors before bar-coding, preventing wasted processing energy on invalid addresses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of time

If a database of addresses added within the past sixty days is used for validation, then new addresses can be validated promptly, but the system complexity increases with multiple validation files

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenew address validation timeVSAvoidvalidation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a web service as an intermediary that abstracts the complexity of multiple validation files (monthly products, new address files, DPV files) from the user. The web service handles the complexity of querying different data sources and returning unified validation results, allowing users to access rapid new address validation without directly managing the complex file system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified interface (web service) that copies or replicates the functionality of the complex monthly validation products in a more accessible format. This web service copy provides the essential validation capability with simplified access, reducing the perceived complexity for users while maintaining connection to the full validation system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS8103518B2Systems and methods for new address validation

Publication Date: 2012.01.24 US POSTAL SERVICE

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for validating an address associated with a delivery item. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method validates addresses associated with a delivery item. The method includes the steps of electronically receiving a data file from a sender, the data file comprising one or more addresses, and determining whether the addresses can be validated with a first weekly file comprising extended delivery codes and a second weekly file comprising delivery point verifications. The method may further include the steps of processing the data file using a database of addresses that are represented in neither the first weekly file nor the second weekly file, based on the determining step, updating the data file to indicate a status the addresses, and sending the updated data file back to the sender.