Virtual Mailbox Alias Routing for Private Address Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional address change methods are inadequate for individuals who frequently relocate or desire privacy, as they often require updating multiple parties and pose security risks due to sharing physical addresses.
Innovation Solution
A virtual personal mailbox system that allows users to create an alias, enabling mail and parcels to be sent to a virtual address which is resolved to a real-time physical address through a server computing device, ensuring privacy and ease of address updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user shares their physical address with multiple parties, then mail delivery can be accomplished, but privacy security deteriorates due to exposure of real address
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual mailbox address as an intermediary between the sender and the user's real physical address. The virtual address serves as a mediator that receives mail and forwards it to the actual location, thereby protecting the user's privacy while ensuring reliable delivery. The system resolves the virtual address to the physical address only when necessary for delivery, without exposing the real address to senders.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a user frequently changes their physical address, then they can live in multiple locations, but the complexity of updating address information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the user's physical address - the virtual mailbox address. This virtual address can be updated independently of the real physical address. When a user moves, they only need to update the mapping between the virtual address and the new physical address in the system, rather than notifying all senders of the change. This significantly reduces the complexity of address updates while maintaining location flexibility.
3Ease of operation
If a user provides their real physical address to recipients, then direct delivery is achieved, but the risk of cyberstalking increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtual mailbox address acts as a protective intermediary layer between senders and the user's real location. Senders interact only with the virtual address, which appears simple and easy to use for delivery purposes. The system securely resolves this virtual address to the physical address only at the point of delivery, preventing senders from obtaining or misusing the real address information, thereby reducing cyberstalking risk while maintaining delivery simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a memory storing computer-readable instructions, and at least one processor to execute the instructions to receive an alias for a user, the alias representing a particular person, transmit a request to a server computing device, the request comprising a representation of the alias, query at least one database using the representation of the alias to determine a realtime physical address for the particular person, receive a response from the server computing device, the response comprising an encrypted representation of the realtime physical address for the particular person, and decrypt the realtime physical address for the particular person by the server computing device and send at least one object to the realtime physical address for the particular person.