System and method of electronic and physical mail categorization and targeted delivery

Abstract

Embodiments include systems and methods of a service that allows hard copy and electronic media customers to proactively specify, across a broad range of categories, the hard copy mail and/or electronic media mail that they would or would not like to receive. Embodiments include methods and systems configured to allow customers of delivery services to customize the flow of physical items such as hard copy or other letters or parcels, for delivery or electronic media mail from mailers based on highly specific customer-designated criteria. The delivery service acts as a trusted third party to serve as the intermediary between the recipient of the items and mailers to provide privacy and manage a repository for a customer-selected criteria database. In addition, one embodiment provides verification and/or identification that mail being sent meets the customer's designated criteria.

1 . A method of processing items to be delivered, the method comprising:
 receiving data indicative of addressing information from a source associated with the item to be delivered;   generating a hash value based on the received data;   searching for the hash value in a database stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database associates at least one hash value indicative of character data with a delivery address associated with the character data;   identifying a delivery address for the item based on the searching; and   applying indicia of the delivery address to the item.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the hash value comprises generating a cryptographic hash. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the cryptographic hash comprises calculating a SHA-1 value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving data indicative of addressing information from a source associated with the item to be delivered comprises receiving the data from an optical reader. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein receiving the data from an optical reader comprises receiving the data from an optical character recognition device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying indicia of the delivery address to the item comprises applying a mailing label to the item, wherein the mailing label has displayed thereon indicia of the delivery address of the item. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery address comprises one of a mailing address or a physical address. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the addressing information comprises data other than a name of an intended recipient of the item and other than geographic indicia. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the addressing information comprises arbitrary character data defined by the intended recipient of the item. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the addressing information comprises a virtual address defined by the intended recipient of the item. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the database further comprises data indicative of delivery preferences associated with at least one category and the hash value. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining a category associated with the item;   accessing delivery preferences for the hash value from the database; and   providing the item for delivery based on the delivery preferences.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the delivery preferences include requesting physical delivery. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the delivery preferences include requesting electronic delivery 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein mail is converted to electronic format prior to electronic delivery. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a piece of mail is converted to electronic format through scanning. 
     
     
         17 . A system for processing items to be delivered, the system comprising:
 a computer readable medium configured to store a database that associates at least one hash value indicative of character data with a delivery address associated with the character data;   at least one processor configured to:
 receive data indicative of addressing information from the item to be delivered; 
 generate a hash value based on the received data; 
 search for the hash value in the database; 
 identify a delivery address for the item based on the searching; and 
 provide indicia of the delivery address associated with the item, the delivery address to be applied to the item for delivery. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the hash value by generating a cryptographic hash. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to generate the hash value by calculating a SHA-1 value. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to receive data indicative of addressing information for the item to be delivered by receiving the data from an optical reader that images a surface of the item. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is configured to receive data indicative of addressing information by receiving the data from an optical character recognition device. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to provide data for printing a mailing label to be applied to the item, and wherein the mailing label has displayed thereon indicia of the delivery address associated with the item. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the delivery address comprises one of a mailing address or a physical address. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the addressing information comprises data other than a name of an intended recipient of the item and other than geographic indicia. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the addressing information comprises arbitrary character data previously received from the intended recipient of the item. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the addressing information comprises a virtual address previously received from the intended recipient of the item. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the database further comprises data indicative of delivery preferences associated with at least one category and the hash value. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a category associated with the item;   access delivery preferences associated with the hash value from the database; and   provide delivery instructions for the item based on the delivery preferences.   
     
     
         29 . A system for processing items to be delivered, the system comprising:
 a computer readable medium in communication with a database that associates at least one hash value indicative of address information with delivery preferences associated with the address information;   at least one processor configured to:
 receive data indicative of addressing information from a surface associated with an item to be delivered; 
 generate a hash value based the received data; 
 search for the hash value in a database stored on a computer readable medium; 
 identify delivery preference information for the item based on the searching; and 
 provide delivery instructions for the item based on the identified delivery preference information. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 determine a category associated with the item;   provide delivery instructions for the item based on the delivery preferences and the category.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the delivery preference information comprises geographically related delivery preference information. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the delivery preference information comprises geographically related delivery preference information. 
     
     
         33 . A method of processing items to be delivered, the method comprising:
 receiving from a user a list of data indicative of addressing information;   receiving at least one user criteria for filtering the list;   generating a hash value based on the received data;   searching for the hash value in a database stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said database associates at least one hash value indicative of character data with a delivery address associated with the character data;   accessing delivery preferences for the hash value from the database;   filtering the list based on the user criteria;   identifying a delivery address for the item based on the searching; and   providing to the user, a revised list of data indicative of addressing information wherein the revised list is based on at least the filtering.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the hashing is provided by the user. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the filtering is based on geographic location. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the revised list of data indicative of addressing information is comprised of virtual addresses. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising incorporating user-generated code into the hash value. 
     
     
         38 . A method of setting user-defined preferences for receiving communications, the method comprising:
 receiving data indicative of delivery preferences from a user associated with a delivery address;   associating the data indicative of delivery preferences with the delivery address;   generating a representation of the data in a form such that the represented data is unidentifiable to an unauthorized party;   storing the representation of the data in a preferences database; and   evaluating at least a portion of the preferences that the user has defined and processing the communication in accordance with the user-defined preferences.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the communications include one or more of a letter, a parcel, an email, and a package. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein generating a representation of the data comprises generating an encoded value based on at least the delivery preferences and the associated delivery address. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein generating the encoded value comprises generating a cryptographic hash. 
     
     
         42 . A system for defining user preferences for items to be received, the system comprising:
 a computer readable medium configured to store a database that associates at least one customer-defined delivery preference for each delivery address;   at least one processor configured to:
 receive data indicative of delivery preferences; 
 receive data indicative of an address associated with the delivery preferences; 
 generate a representation of the data in a form such that the represented data is unidentifiable to an unauthorized party; 
 store the representation of the data in a preferences database stored on a computer readable medium; and. 
 evaluate at least a portion of the preferences that the user has defined and processing the communication in accordance with the user-defined preferences. 
   
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate an encoded value based on at least the delivery preferences and the associated delivery address. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the encoded value comprises a cryptographic hash.