Systems and methods for parcel delivery to alternate delivery locations

• US 10,445,682 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• 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: Tibbs, Andy, Slayton, John, Shroff, Sumeet, Grubb, Chris, Touch, Linda, Estes, Mark, Usherwood, Robbyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Vetter, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tungate, Scott M
• Application Number:
  US14/170,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20140222711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A system, in various embodiments, is configured to redirect undeliverable parcels to alternate delivery locations. The parcels may be undeliverable due to an unavailability of an intended recipient of the parcels to sign for the parcels or otherwise take delivery of the parcels at the delivery address. The system may be configured to determine a suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on: one or more parcel recipient preferences, one or more parcel shipper preferences, a location of the delivery address, etc. The system may be further configured to notify the parcel recipient of a redirection of the parcel to the alternate delivery address.

Claims

1. A method for redirecting undeliverable parcels to an alternate delivery location utilizing a logistics server, a server associated with one or more potential alternate delivery locations, a database, a wireless computing device, a delivery vehicle, a scanning device, and at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving, at said logistics server, from said wireless computing device, an indication that delivery of one or more parcels is not possible at a primary delivery location during a first delivery attempt of said one or more parcels to said primary delivery location;

based on receiving the indication, determining, via a processor at the logistics sever, that the one or more parcels are suitable for redirection to an alternate delivery location based on a predetermined weight and a predetermined size, wherein the one or more parcels are prevented from redirection if a weight and size of the one or more parcels exceed the predetermined weight and the predetermined size;

at least partially in response to determining the one or more parcels are suitable for redirection, retrieving, via the processor from said database, preferred alternate delivery location information associated with said primary delivery location, said preferred alternate delivery location information comprising information selected from a group consisting of;

i. one or more parcel recipient alternate delivery preferences; and

ii. one or more parcel shipper alternate delivery preferences;

at least partially in response to determining the one or more parcels is suitable for redirection, identifying, via the processor, one or more proximate alternate delivery locations that are within a threshold distance of delivery route of said delivery vehicle;

determining, via the processor of the logistics server, the one or more potential alternate delivery locations based at least in part on said preferred alternate delivery location information and said one or more proximate alternate delivery locations;

after determining the one or more potential alternate delivery locations, requesting, from the server associated with each of the one or more potential alternate delivery locations, availability information for said one or more potential alternate delivery locations, the availability information comprising available physical space;

determining, via the processor at the logistics server, a suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on said one or more potential alternate delivery locations and said availability information, wherein determining said suitable alternate delivery location based on said availability information comprises ensuring there is enough physical space at said suitable alternate delivery location to accept said one or more parcels; and

based on said determining the suitable alternate delivery location, delivering, via the delivery vehicle, the one or more parcels to said suitable alternate delivery location, wherein delivery of said one or more parcels comprises;

delaying a delivery of the one or more parcels while the one or more parcels are located at a distribution center along a shipment route;

determining, via the processor, whether a predetermined number of parcels have been scheduled for delivery to the suitable alternate delivery location;

based on determining the predetermined number of parcels have been scheduled for delivery, delivering said one or more parcels and the predetermined number of parcels to said suitable alternate delivery location via the delivery vehicle;

confirming delivery of said one or more parcels at said suitable alternate delivery location by scanning, via the scanning device, of an indicia associated with at least one of the one or more parcels and the suitable alternate delivery location; and

notifying a parcel recipient that said one or more parcels have been delivered to said suitable alternate delivery location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said at least one processor is further configured for receiving, from an intended recipient of said one or more parcels, said one or more parcel recipient alternate delivery preferences; and

said preferred alternate delivery location information comprises said one or more parcel recipient alternate delivery preferences.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said one or more parcel recipient alternate delivery preferences comprise;

a first preferred alternate delivery location and;

a second preferred alternate delivery location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

determining said suitable alternate delivery location comprises determining an availability of said first preferred alternate delivery location to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

said at least one processor is further configured for;

at least partially in response to determining that said first preferred alternate delivery location has said availability, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said first preferred alternate delivery location; and

notifying said intended recipient of said delivery of said one or more parcels to said first preferred alternate delivery location.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said at least one processor is further configured for:

at least partially in response to determining that said first preferred alternate delivery location does not have said availability to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, determining whether said second preferred alternate delivery location has availability to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

at least partially in response to determining that said second preferred alternate delivery location has said availability to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said second preferred alternate delivery location; and

notifying said intended recipient of said delivery of said one or more parcels to said second preferred alternate delivery location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said at least one processor is further configured for:

at least partially in response to determining that said second preferred alternate delivery location does not have said availability to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, automatically determining said suitable alternate delivery location, said suitable alternate delivery location being a location other than said first preferred alternate delivery location or said second preferred alternate delivery location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said preferred alternate delivery location information comprises said one or more parcel shipper alternate delivery preferences;

said one or more parcel shipper alternate delivery preferences comprise a preference to not deliver said one or more parcels to a particular alternate delivery location;

facilitating said delivery of the one or more parcels from said primary delivery location to said suitable alternate delivery location comprises facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to a temporary holding location; and

said at least one processor is further configured for facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels from said temporary holding location to said primary delivery location.

8. A method of directing parcels to alternate delivery locations, comprising:

receiving at a logistics server from a mobile computing device an indication that delivery of a parcel is not possible at a primary delivery location following a first delivery attempt of said parcel to said primary delivery location of a parcel recipient;

based on receiving the indication, determining, via a processor, that the parcel is suitable for redirection based on a predetermined size and a predetermined weight, wherein the parcel is prevented from redirection if a weight and a size of the parcel exceeds the predetermined weight and the predetermined size;

determining, by the processor, a current location of a delivery driver by determining a location of said mobile computing device;

based on determining the parcel is suitable for redirection, receiving alternate delivery location information associated with said primary delivery location, said alternate delivery location information comprising one or more potential alternate delivery locations within a particular distance of (i) said primary delivery location;

(ii) the current location of said delivery driver; and

(iii) a delivery route of said delivery driver, such that said one or more of potential alternate delivery locations comprise one or more alternate delivery locations to which said delivery driver could deliver said parcel;

based on receiving the indication, determining, by the processor, based at least in part on said alternate delivery location information, an appropriate alternate delivery location;

after determining the appropriate alternate delivery location, requesting, from a server associated with the appropriate alternate delivery location, availability information for the appropriate alternate delivery location, the availability information comprising available physical space; and

delivering the parcel to the appropriate alternate delivery location through the use of a delivery vehicle comprising;

delaying a delivery of the parcel while the parcel is located at a distribution center along a shipment route;

determining whether a predetermined number of parcels have been scheduled for delivery to the appropriate alternate delivery location; and

based on the predetermined number of parcels being satisfied, modifying the delivery route of the delivery vehicle to include delivery of the parcel and the predetermined number of parcels to the appropriate alternate delivery location.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein said alternate delivery location information comprises locations of one or more potential alternate delivery locations within the particular distance of said primary delivery location.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein said alternate delivery location information comprises a capacity of alternate delivery locations to accept redirected parcels.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein said alternate delivery location information comprises alternate delivery location preferences of the parcel recipient.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein said alternate delivery location information comprises alternate delivery location preferences of a shipper of said parcel.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising automatically reserving space at said appropriate alternate delivery location, by the processor, for said parcel.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein said determining said appropriate alternate delivery location is further based at least in part on the size of said parcel, the weight of said parcel, or the size and the weight of said parcel.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising restricting one or more potential alternate delivery locations for delivering the parcel based on a population density of an area associated with said primary delivery location.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for:

receiving, at a logistics server, via a mobile computing device, an indication of an attempted delivery where the delivery of a parcel to a primary delivery location is not possible where the said step of receiving is executed after a delivery driver is unable to perform said delivery of said parcel to said primary delivery location of an intended recipient;

at least partially in response to receiving said indication;

determining that the parcel is suitable for redirection to an alternate delivery location based on a predetermined size and a predetermined weight, wherein the parcel is prevented from redirection if a weight and a size of the one or more parcels exceed the predetermined weight and the predetermined size;

determining a current location of said delivery driver by determining a location of said mobile computing device;

determining a plurality of potential alternate delivery locations for said parcel, said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations comprising a plurality of potential alternate delivery locations that are each within a particular distance of (i) said current location of said delivery driver; and

(ii) a delivery route of said delivery driver;

at least partially in response to determining said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations;

notifying the intended recipient that said delivery was not possible at said primary delivery location;

providing said intended recipient with a listing of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations and a designated time period during which said intended recipient may select a particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations in order to have said parcel delivered to the particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations;

enabling said intended recipient to select said particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations during said designated time period;

determining whether said intended recipient has selected said particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations during said designated time period;

at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has selected said particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations during said designated time period, facilitating delivery of said parcel to said particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations;

at least partially in response to determining that said intended recipient has not selected said particular one of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations during said designated time period;

(i) determining which of said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations are most proximate to the delivery route of said delivery driver and (ii) selecting a suitable alternate delivery location from said plurality of potential alternate delivery locations that are most proximate to said delivery route;

initiating a delivery of said parcel to said suitable alternate delivery location through the use of a delivery vehicle, wherein initiating the delivery of the parcel comprises;

delaying a delivery of the parcel while the parcel is located at a distribution center along a shipment route;

determining whether a predetermined number of parcels have been scheduled for delivery to the suitable alternate delivery location;

based on the predetermined number of parcels being satisfied, rerouting the delivery route of the delivery vehicle to deliver the parcel and the predetermined number of parcels to the suitable alternate delivery location.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein:

said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for;

at least partially in response to receiving said indication that said delivery of said parcel is not available, providing a selection of one or more alternate delivery locations to said intended recipient;

receiving a selection of said one or more alternate delivery locations from said intended recipient; and

at least partially in response to receiving said selection, facilitating delivery of said parcel to said selected alternate delivery location.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining said suitable alternate delivery location comprises determining said suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on a population density of an area associated with said primary delivery location.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining said suitable alternate delivery location comprises determining said suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on one or more delivery preferences associated with a shipper of said parcel.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, further wherein facilitating delivery of said parcel to said suitable alternate delivery location comprises confirming that said parcel has been delivered to said suitable alternate delivery location by:

receiving a scan of an indicia physically associated with and located at said suitable alternate delivery location from said delivery driver via said mobile computing device when said delivery driver deposits said parcel at said suitable alternate delivery location; and

updating tracking information for said parcel to associate said parcel with said suitable alternate delivery location.