Systems and methods of re-routing parcels intended for delivery to attended delivery/pickup locations

• US 10,402,775 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• 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: Lievens, Daniel, Dethier, Vincent, Pirenne, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Vetter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tungate, Scott M
• Application Number:
  US14/200,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20140279663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

Systems and methods for re-routing parcels being delivered to attended delivery/pickup locations that have no capacity and/or ability to take delivery of the parcels. In various embodiments, in response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location doesn'"'"'t have sufficient capacity and/or ability to accept delivery of the parcel, the system is configured to: (1) re-route the parcel to a different location; or (2) hold the parcel for later delivery. In some embodiments, the system is configured to determine an appropriate response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location cannot accept delivery of the parcel substantially automatically. In other embodiments, the system is configured to provide the parcel recipient with one or more re-routing options.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method comprising:

(a) receiving, by a logistics system comprising a logistics server in operable communication with a logistics network, one or more parcel handling preferences from a user for delivery of parcels that require re-routing from an attended delivery/pickup location;

(b) receiving, by the logistics system, an indication that one or more parcels are scheduled for delivery from a first location to a first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein said user is an intended recipient of said one or more parcels and said first attended delivery/pickup location comprises a location other than the user'"'"'s home or place of business;

(c) determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels based at least in part on;

(i) a determined storage volume available at said first attended delivery/pickup location;

(ii) an average retrieval time for parcels delivered to said first attended delivery/pickup location;

(iii) one or more dimensions of said one or more parcels; and

(iv) an average size of parcels stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein determining whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels comprises ensuring that there will be enough physical space at said first attended delivery/pickup location to accommodate said one or more parcels at an estimated time of delivery of said one or more parcels by;

storing data associated with a volume of storage space within said first attended delivery/pickup location;

determining a total storage volume available at said first attended delivery/pickup location based on the volume of storage space data;

receiving one or more dimensions of one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location;

determining a total parcel volume of said one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location using said received one or more dimensions;

determining how quickly an average customer of said first attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location; and

calculating, by the logistics system, an available capacity estimate for the first attended delivery location, where the calculating comprises determining whether said first attended delivery location will have enough physical space to accommodate said one or more parcels at said estimated time of delivery based on said determined total storage volume at said first attended delivery/pickup location, said total parcel volume of said one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location, and how quickly an average customer of said attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein the logistics system compares the total storage volume with the total parcel volume at a given time;

(d) automatically re-routing by the logistics system, at least partially in response to receiving a determination that said first attended delivery/pickup location does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, said one or more parcels based at least in part on said one or more parcel handling preferences;

(e) at least partially in response to said re-routing, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to a second location, wherein delivery to the second location comprises;

receiving, by the logistics system, location data for said one or more parcels based at least partially on a machine-readable indicator associated with said one or more parcels; and

automatically verifying, by the logistics system, said one or more parcels have been delivered to the second location based at least on the rerouting and the location data; and

(f) automatically notifying said user of said re-routing at a user device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said first attended delivery/pickup location; and

said second location is a second attended delivery/pickup location.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to a residence associated with said user; and

said second location is said residence.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to a residence associated with said user;

said re-routing comprises;

determining a location of said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user; and

determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining that said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to delay delivery to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

said second location is said first location.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference for one or more attended delivery/pickup location other than said first attended delivery/pickup location;

each of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations includes a respective ranking received from said user; and

said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions to perform a method comprising;

determining, by the logistics system, which of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations have a highest ranking of said respective rankings; and

at least partially in response to determining which of said one or more attended deliver/pickup locations have said highest ranking, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said highest ranked of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions to perform a method comprising:

determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said highest ranked of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining said highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

determining, by the logistics system, which of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations have a second highest ranking of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations; and

facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said second highest ranked of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second location is said first location.

9. A computer system comprising:

at least one computer processor, wherein said at least one computer processor is configured for;

(A) receiving, by a logistics system comprising a logistics server in operable communication with a logistics network, an indication that one or more parcels are scheduled for delivery from a first location to a first attended delivery/pickup location, said one or more parcels having an intended recipient;

(B) determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels to ensure that there will be enough physical space at said first attended delivery/pickup location to accommodate said one or more parcels at an estimated time of delivery of said one or more parcels, comprising;

receiving one or more first dimensions of one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location;

determining a current total volume of parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location using said one or more first dimensions;

determining a total volume of storage space at said first attended delivery/pickup location;

determining how quickly an average customer of said first attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location;

determining one or more second dimensions of said one or more parcels scheduled for delivery from said first location to said first attended delivery/pickup location; and

calculating, by the logistics system, an available capacity estimate for the first attended delivery location, the calculating comprising determining whether said first attended delivery/pickup location have capacity to accept delivery at said estimated time of delivery based on said determined current total volume of parcels, said total volume of storage space at said first attended delivery/pickup location, how quickly said average customer of said first attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location and said one or more second dimensions of said one or more parcels by;

automatically estimating, by the logistics system, a future volume of parcels stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location at said estimated time of delivery based on said determined current total volume of parcels and how quickly said average customer of said first attended delivery/pick-up location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location; and

comparing said estimated future volume of parcels with said total volume of storage space and said one or more second dimensions of said one or more parcels to determine whether there will be enough physical space at said first attended delivery/pickup location to accommodate said one or more parcels at said estimated time of delivery,

(C) at last partially in response to determining that said first attended delivery/pickup location does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

automatically notifying said intended recipient of said lack of capacity; and

providing, to said intended recipient, a selection of one or more rerouting options, wherein said one or more re-rerouting options are selected from the group consisting of;

(1) re-routing said one or more parcels to a second attended delivery/pickup location;

(2) delaying a delivery of said one or more parcels to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has said capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

(3) re-routing said one or more parcels to an address associated with said intended recipient;

(D) at least partially in response to providing said selection of said one or more re-routing options, receiving a selection of one of said one or more re-routing options from said intended recipient; and

(E) automatically re-routing, by the logistics system, said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options, wherein the re-routing comprises receiving location data for the one or more parcels, and automatically verifying the re-routing based at least in part on the selected re-routing option and the location data.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises re-routing said one or more parcels to a second attended delivery/pickup location; and

re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options comprises facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said second attended delivery/pickup location.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the logistics system is further configured for determining a suitable second attended delivery/pickup location.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein

said determining said suitable second attended delivery/pickup location comprises determining said suitable second attended delivery/pickup location based at least in part on one or more preferences provided by said intended recipient.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein

said one or more preferences include a preference for said second attended delivery location to be located within a particular distance of a residence associated with said intended recipient.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein

said one or more preferences include a preference for said second attended delivery location to be located within a particular distance of an office associated with said intended recipient.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises delaying said delivery of said one or more parcels to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options comprises facilitating said delivery of said one or more parcels to said first attended delivery/pickup location once said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises re-routing said one or more parcels to said address associated with said intended recipient; and

said address associated with said intended recipient is a residential address of said intended recipient.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a parcel recipient, one or more parcel handling preferences for delivery of parcels that are re-routed from an attended delivery/pickup location due to lack of capacity of said attended delivery/pickup location;

determining, by a logistics system comprising a logistics server in operable communication with a logistics network, whether a particular attended delivery/pickup location to which a parcel is being directed has an ability to accept said parcel, the determining based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, wherein said determining comprises;

determining a current volume of parcels stored at said particular attended delivery/pickup location;

determining a total volume of storage space at said particular attended delivery/pickup location;

determining one or more dimensions of said parcel; and

determining whether said particular attended delivery/pickup location has said ability to accept said parcel based on said determined current volume of parcels, said total volume of storage space at said particular attended delivery/pickup location, and said one or more dimensions of said parcel;

in response to determining that said particular attended delivery/pickup location does not have said ability, adjusting, by the logistics system the delivery of said parcel, wherein said adjusting is based on said one or more parcel handling preferences and is selected from a group consisting of;

(a) causing, by the logistics system, a redirection of said parcel to an alternate attended delivery/pickup location;

(b) causing, by the logistics system, a delay of delivery of said parcel to said attended delivery/pickup location to a later time;

(c) causing, by the logistics system, delivery of said parcel to an address associated with a parcel recipient,

wherein the adjusting comprises receiving, by the logistics system, location data for the one or more parcels, and automatically verifying the adjustment based on the parcel handling preferences and the location data; and

facilitating the delivery of the parcel based on the adjusting.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said adjustment is based at least in part on one or more preferences received from said parcel recipient.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said alternate attended delivery/pickup location is selected based at least in part on a factor selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a distance of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location from said attended delivery/pickup location;

(b) an estimated current capacity of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location to accept deliveries;

(c) an estimated future capacity of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location to accept deliveries; and

(d) a preference provided by said parcel recipient.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said determining whether said particular attended delivery/pickup location to which said parcel is being directed has said ability to accept said parcel comprises determining said ability based at least in part on:

operating hours associated with said particular attended delivery/pickup location; and

an estimated delivery time of said parcel at said particular attended delivery/pickup location.