Concepts for electronic door hangers

• US 10,192,190 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gillen, Robert J., Gubler, Kenneth Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Molnar, Hunter A
• Application Number:
  US14/548,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20150142691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 705330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/145 Payments according to the detected use or quantity
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided. In one embodiment, a connection between an electronic door hanger and a customer computing entity can be established at a customer'"'"'s location. With a connection established, information about an attempted (e.g., successful/unsuccessful) pick-up or delivery can be automatically provided to the customer computing entity.

Claims

1. An electronic door hanger comprising:

a first portion defining an integrated opening, wherein the integrated opening is sized and shaped to hang on or around an object;

a second portion positioned adjacent to and integrally formed with the first portion; and

at least one processor and at least one memory including program code located within either the first portion or the second portion, wherein the at least one memory and the program code are configured, with the at least one processor, to at least;

(1) receive (a) information regarding a delivery of an item for a user, (b) an electronic destination address of the user, and (c) notification preferences of the user, the information, the electronic destination address, and the notification preferences provided by a carrier computing entity,

(2) store (a) the information, (b) the electronic destination address, and (c) the notification preferences,

(3) automatically establish a short-range wireless connection with a user computing entity associated with the user; and

(4) responsive to automatically establishing the short-range wireless connection with the user computing entity, automatically provide a notification to the electronic destination address regarding the delivery of the item, the notification provided based at least in part on the notification preferences.

2. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein (1) the second portion comprises one or more display areas, and (2) the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause display of the notification.

3. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein the second portion comprises one or more display areas.

4. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein the electronic door hanger is made of one or more plastics.

5. The electronic door hanger of claim 4, wherein the one or more plastics are selected from the group consisting of:

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Plastic Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), and Polystyrene (PS).

6. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein the integrated opening is circular in shape.

7. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein object is selected from the group consisting of a door knob, a door lock, a door lever, other door hardware, a post, a fence, a mailbox, and a light.

8. The electronic door hanger of claim 1, wherein the second portion is rectangular in shape.