Dynamic adjustment of delivery location based on user location

• US 10,643,171 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2014
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Erb, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/339,109
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

A user places an order on a merchant website associated with a merchant system via a user computing device. The user selects an option for delivery to the user computing device location within a delivery area during a delivery time window and authorizes a delivery system to log the location of the user computing device during and/or a period of time before the delivery time window. When the delivery time window arrives, the delivery system provides a delivery route to a delivery agent computing device. When the delivery agent arrives at the user computing device'"'"'s location, the user receives an alert that the delivery agent has arrived and receives a package from the delivery agent. If the user does not remain within the delivery area, the user may cancel the order and the delivery, may reschedule the delivery, and/or may accept delivery of the order to a fixed shipping address.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to dynamically adjust delivery locations based on locations of user computing devices, comprising:

by one or more computing devices associated with a delivery system;

receiving an order comprising one or more products for delivery and a shipping address associated with the delivery;

determining a delivery area based on the shipping address, wherein the delivery area comprises a physical area in which the one or more products may be delivered, and wherein the one or more products are scheduled to be delivered directly to a current location of a user computing device associated with the order;

transmitting the delivery area and one or more delivery time windows, each of the delivery time windows comprising a range of time during which the one or more products may be delivered;

receiving, from a merchant computing system, a user confirmation of the delivery area and a user selection of a delivery time window;

at a time at which the delivery time window begins and until delivery, continuously logging the current location of the user computing device and a current location of a delivery agent computing device associated with delivery of the order;

determining, based on the continuously logged current location of the user computing device, that the user computing device is within the delivery area;

determining a route between the location of the delivery agent computing device and the current location of the user computing device and an estimated time of delivery, wherein the route is based on the continuously logged current locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmitting to the delivery agent computing device the route;

transmitting to the user computing device an alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a specific area before delivery, wherein the specific area is based on the current location of the user computing device at the time the alert is sent;

determining, at a time after transmitting the alert advising the user not to leave the specific area before delivery, a subsequent current location of the user computing device outside of the specific area yet within the delivery area;

determining a subsequent route between the location of the delivery agent computing device and the subsequent current location of the user computing device and a subsequent estimated time of delivery, wherein the subsequent route is based on the continuously logged current locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmitting to the delivery agent computing device the subsequent route;

transmitting to the user computing device a subsequent alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a subsequent specific area before delivery, wherein the subsequent specific area is based on the subsequent current location of the user computing device at the time the subsequent alert is sent; and

receiving, from the delivery agent computing device, a confirmation of delivery of the one or more products to the user at the subsequent current location of the user computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user solicits the order, provides the shipping address, confirms the delivery area, and selects the delivery time window via interaction between a merchant website and the user computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery area is a bounded geographical area and is represented to the user in the form of a map.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing devices are associated with the merchant computing system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at a predefined time before the delivery time window begins, transmitting to the user computing device data comprising an alert that the delivery time window is approaching;

continuously logging the current location of the user computing device;

determining that the current location of the user computing device is outside of the delivery area; and

transmitting to the user computing device data comprising an alert that the user is outside of the delivery area and must return to within the delivery area to receive delivery.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at the time between the start of the delivery time window until the delivery, determining, based on the continuously logged current location of the user computing device, that the user computing device is outside of the delivery area;

transmitting to the user computing device one or more of an option to reschedule the delivery, an option to accept delivery at the shipping address provided by the user, or an option to cancel the delivery;

receiving from the user computing device a user selection of one of the transmitted options; and

performing, in response to receiving the user selection of the one of the transmitted options, an appropriate action in accordance with the user selection.

7. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to dynamically adjust delivery locations based on locations of user computing devices, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions to;

receive, from a merchant computing system, an order comprising one or more products for delivery;

determine a delivery area, wherein the delivery area comprises a physical area in which the one or more products may be delivered, and wherein the one or more products are scheduled to be delivered directly to a current location of a user computing device associated with the order;

at a time at which a delivery time window begins and until delivery, continuously log the current location of the user computing device and a current location of a delivery agent computing device associated with the delivery of the order;

determine, based on the continuously logged current location of the user computing device, that the user computing device is within the delivery area;

determine a route between the current location of the delivery agent computing device and the current location of the user computing device and an estimated time of delivery, wherein the route is based on the continuously logged current locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmit, to the delivery agent computing device, the route;

transmit, to the user computing device, an alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a specific area before delivery, wherein the specific area is based on the current location of the user computing device at the time the alert is sent;

determine, at a time after transmitting the alert advising the user not to leave the specific area before delivery, a subsequent current location of the user computing device outside of the specific area yet within the delivery area;

determine a subsequent route between the location of the delivery agent computing device and the subsequent current location of the user computing device and a subsequent estimated time of delivery, wherein the subsequent route is based on the continuously logged current locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmit, to the delivery agent computing device, the subsequent route, wherein a delivery agent associated with the delivery agent computing device approaches the user via the subsequent route with the one or more products;

transmit, to the user computing device, a subsequent alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a subsequent specific area before delivery, wherein the subsequent specific area is based on the subsequent current location of the user computing device at the time the subsequent alert is sent; and

receive, from the delivery agent computing device, a confirmation of delivery of the one or more products to the user at the subsequent current location of the user computing device.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instructions to:

transmit, to the merchant computing system, the delivery area and one or more delivery time windows, each of the delivery time windows comprising a range of time during which one or more products may be delivered; and

receive, from the merchant computing system, a user confirmation of the delivery area and a user selection of a delivery time window.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the user solicits the order, confirms the delivery area, and selects the delivery time window via interaction between a merchant website and the user computing device.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the delivery area is a bounded geographical area or any physical location that is less than or equal to a predefined distance from a predefined fixed physical point.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer is associated with the merchant computing system.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising instructions to:

at a predefined time before the delivery time window begins, transmit, to the user computing device, data comprising an alert that the delivery time window is approaching;

continuously log the current location of the user computing device;

determine that the user computing device location is outside of the delivery area; and

transmit, to the user computing device, data comprising an alert that the user is outside of the delivery area and must return to within the delivery area to receive delivery.

13. A system to dynamically adjust delivery locations based on locations of user computing devices, comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive, from a merchant system, an order comprising one or more products for delivery;

determine a delivery area, wherein the delivery area comprises a physical area in which the one or more products may be delivered, and wherein the one or more products are scheduled to be delivered directly to a current location of a user computing device associated with the order;

at a time at which a delivery time window begins and until delivery, continuously log the current location of the user computing device and a current location of a delivery agent computing device associated with the delivery of the order;

determine, based on the continuously logged current location of the user computing device, that the user computing device is within the delivery area;

determine a route between the current location of the delivery agent computing device and the current location of the user computing device and an estimated time of delivery, wherein the route is based on the continuously logged locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmit, to the delivery agent computing device, the route;

transmit, to the user computing device, an alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a specific area before delivery, wherein the specific area is based on the current location of the user computing device at the time the alert is sent;

determine, at a time after transmitting the alert advising the user not to leave the specific area before delivery, a subsequent current location of the user computing device that is outside of the specific area yet within the delivery area;

determine a subsequent route between the current location of the delivery agent computing device and the subsequent current location of the user computing device and a subsequent estimated time of delivery, wherein the subsequent route is based on the continuously logged current locations of the delivery agent computing device and the user computing device;

transmit, to the delivery agent computing device, the subsequent route;

transmit, to the user computing device, a subsequent alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a subsequent specific area before delivery, wherein the subsequent specific area is based on the subsequent current location of the user computing device at the time the subsequent alert is sent; and

receive, from the delivery agent computing device, a confirmation of the delivery of the one or more products to the user at the subsequent current location of the user computing device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-readable program instructions stored in the storage medium to cause the system to transmit, to the user computing device, an alert comprising the estimated time of delivery and advising the user not to leave a specific area before delivery, wherein the specific area is based on the location of the user computing device at the time the alert is sent.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to execute computer-readable program instructions stored in the storage medium to cause the system to:

transmit, to the merchant system, the delivery area and one or more delivery time windows, each of the delivery time windows comprising a range of time during which the one or more products may be delivered; and

receive, from the merchant system, a user confirmation of the delivery area and a user selection of a delivery time window.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the delivery area is a bounded geographical area or any physical location that is less than or equal to a predefined distance from a predefined fixed physical point.