User:Usaddress/sandbox

Address Correction is one segment of an Address Hygiene service which refers to the process specifically geared toward making corrections or ‘fixing’ a provided address to be closer to the USPS CASS standard. The process of Address Correction in postal data can often be confused with other address hygiene services like Address Standardization, Address Update such as National Change of Address, or Address Data Append services such as skip tracing. One of the easiest methods for determining an address correction service versus other services is the preserving of the address number data. Address correction services will never modify, change or update the address number as that it alters the location of the address rather than correcting an address to ensure delivery or data matching against another data set.

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
Many of the most common forms of address correction are provided either directly or indirectly from the Post Office in the form of USPS CASS, AEC, and AEC II. These services originate using pattern based matching and element based dictionaries as the primary technology behind the systems. There have been advances in address correction using “fuzzy logic”, allowing a greater probability of correction enhancements to more complex accuracy technology through the utilization of “genetic programming” or genetic algorithms by 3rd party address correction providers.

Pattern-based matching

Element correction https://www.usps.com/business/address-quality-services.htm

Genetic algorithms http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_algorithm

Genetic programming http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_programming

Address Correction Services
USPS CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) is licensed to a small group of businesses that have met USPS postal guidelines for service and are able to resell the service as unique products to those requiring postal standardization for a fixed fee. Address data is normally processed via onsite software via either a non-exclusive use license, or SaaS (software as a service), and returned within a few hours. More information can be found here. USPS AEC (Address Element Correction) was later developed directly by the Post Office to further correct issues in addresses such as zip code, city and minor spelling errors in address data. AEC is an automated system in which users must subscribe directly with the Post Office. To use the system, users submit their address data via a COA file format to a secure USPS site for processing. Data is normally returned and awaiting retrieval by the client via a secure web page within 24 hours. Service fees are based on a per-record basis. “AEC can correct element deficiencies such as nonstandard abbreviations, misspellings, improperly ordered elements, incorrectly joined elements, missing elements, and address lines containing data other than the actual address. After making these resolutions, AEC runs the data back through CASS Certified™ address-matching software. The new data lines up with the ZIP+4 Product, resulting in a standardized, correct address. “–USPS USPS AEC II is a final stage process in which data that has been processed via the AEC service qualifies for an actual postal representative from a delivery office to investigate an address and attempt to manually determine its destination. If a correction can be determined, the data is corrected and sent back to the client. Due to the nature of this address correction service, processing times are increased along with the benefit of human accuracy. Service fees are based on a per-record basis. EXAMPLES of TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES USPS CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) Input of: 123 seseme dr odyssey mich 48007	Corrected Output: 123 E SESAME ST ODYSSEY MI 48007-1234 USPS AEC (Address Element Correction) Input of: 123 saseme dr odyse mich 48007	Corrected Output: 123 E SESAME ST ODYSSEY MI 48007-1234 USPS AEC II Input of: 123 saysme dr oddesem mich 48007	Corrected Output: 123 E SESAME ST ODYSSEY MI 48007-1234 Genetic Programming Input of: 123 saysmeh dr ahdesee mich 48123	Corrected Output: 123 E SESAME ST ODYSSEY MI 48007-1234

In tiered service structures, Address Correction and detection often comes before Address Standardization. The integration of Address Correction and USPS Address Standardization into an Address Hygiene process is used to boost data accuracy, assist in meeting required postal standards for bulk mail discounts and postal standards, lowering physical return mail and increasing de-duping and other address dependent service matches such as phone append or skip tracing.