System and method for automated address directory updating

1. A method for automated address directory updating performed by a plurality of hardware systems, comprising:

receiving a parcel having a destination address;

determining address information from the destination address, the address information including a digitized address and an address image;

determining if a previous address entry proposal, corresponding to the address information and having a counter, exists in a database;

if the previous address entry proposal does not exist, then storing the address information in a new address entry proposal and initializing a counter for the new address entry proposal;

if the previous address entry proposal does exist, then incrementing the counter for the previous address entry proposal;

when the counter has reached a threshold, then

adding the address information and an address image to the first addressing database;

updating a wide-area address management system to include the address information; and

propagating the address information to a plurality of local addressing databases,

wherein only one address image corresponding to a destination database is stored in the address entry proposal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the previous address entry proposal does exist, then also discarding the address information.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a better-quality address image from the address image determined from the destination address and a stored address image corresponding to the destination address, and storing the better-quality address image in the address entry proposal.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining a better-quality address image is performed according to at least one of the clarity, contrast, and OCR reliability of the address images.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a United States Postal Service change-of-address record sorter formats the address information.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining address information from the destination address is performed by a United States Postal Service mail scanning system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master addressing database is implemented in a United States Postal Service address management system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the address information to the first addressing database includes first receiving a user verification of the address information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein adding the address information to wide-area address management system includes first receiving a user verification of the address information and discarding the address entry proposal.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the address information includes an updated address that is automatically propagated to the plurality of local addressing databases after the counter reaches the threshold.

11. A system for automated address directory updating, comprising a plurality of hardware systems configured to act together to perform the steps of:

receiving a parcel having a destination address;

determining address information from the destination address, the address information including a digitized address and an address image;

determining if a previous address entry proposal, corresponding to the address information and having a counter, exists in a database;

if the previous address entry proposal does not exist, then storing the address information in a new address entry proposal and initializing a counter for the new address entry proposal;

if the previous address entry proposal does exist, then incrementing the counter for the previous address entry proposal;

when the counter has reached a threshold, then

adding the address information and an address image to the first addressing database;

updating a wide-area address management system to include the address information; and

propagating the address information to a plurality of local addressing databases,

wherein only one address image corresponding to a destination database is stored in the address entry proposal.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein if the previous address entry proposal does exist, then also discarding the address information.

13. The system of claim 11 , the hardware systems further configured to act together to perform the steps of determining a better-quality address image from the address image determined from the destination address and a stored address image corresponding to the destination address, and storing the better-quality address image in the address entry proposal.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein determining a better-quality address image is performed according to at least one of the clarity, contrast, and OCR reliability of the address images.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein a United States Postal Service change-of-address record sorter formats the address information.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein determining address information from the destination address is performed by a United States Postal Service mail scanning system.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the master addressing database is implemented in a United States Postal Service address management system.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein adding the address information to the first addressing database includes first receiving a user verification of the address information.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein adding the address information to wide-area address management system includes first receiving a user verification of the address information and discarding the address entry proposal.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the address information includes an updated address that is automatically propagated to the plurality of local addressing databases after the counter reaches the threshold.