Determining alternative delivery destinations

• US 10,733,563 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• 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: Sager, Jeffrey Carl, Gensburg, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walsh, Emmett K.
• Application Number:
  US14/640,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20150262125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 705338
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2301/005 Redirection or forwarding of mail pieces
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for determining alternative delivery destinations. For example, in various embodiments, a method may be provided comprising receiving shipping information/data for an item indicating the item to be delivered to an original consignee by a carrier and comprising at least a default delivery location, determining whether the original consignee has indicated a first priority alternative consignee among one or more alternative consignees, and in an instance in which a determination is made that the original consignee has indicated the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees, delivering the item to the first priority alternative consignee.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an item to an alternative final delivery destination the method comprising:

receiving the item at a facility within a delivery network;

receiving, via a data transmission computer network, shipping information/data for the item, the shipping information/data, input at a client device, indicating the item to be delivered to an original consignee by a first delivery vehicle and comprising at least a default delivery location;

determining that the original consignee is one participant among a plurality of participants in an alternative consignee delivery network, each participant being an alternative delivery location to (i) act as a selectable alternative consignee at a respective final delivery destination for one or more of the plurality of participants and (ii) select, via a respective client device, an alternative consignee from among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network;

upon determination that the original consignee is among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, determining that the original consignee has not indicated a first priority alternative consignee among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, wherein the first priority alternative consignee is associated with a respective alternative delivery location;

in response to determining that the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee, automatically tracking, before the original consignee has selected the first priority alternative consignee, a mobile device associated with the original consignee, wherein the tracking includes detecting, via a Global Position System (GPS) location determining device, a first set of geocode coordinates of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the first set of geocode coordinates, determine that the respective alternative delivery location is within a threshold distance of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the original consignee not indicating the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees and the respective alternative delivery location being within the threshold distance of the mobile device, delivering, based on receiving operation telematics indicating a GPS location of a second delivery vehicle, the item to the second delivery vehicle that is scheduled to deliver one or more other items to the first priority alternative consignee among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network at the respective alternative delivery location as a final delivery location instead of the default delivery location.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, subsequent to the reception of the shipping information/data for the item, whether the original consignee has elected to enable shipments to be delivered to at least one alternative consignee; and

in an instance in which the original consignee has not elected to enable the shipments to be delivered to the at least one alternative consignee, providing a user interface configured to notify the original consignee of the item and allow one of registration or a single-time selection of the first priority alternative consignee.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in an instance in which the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee or other candidate alternative consignee provide cost advantages over the first priority alternative consignee, receiving a current GPS location of the original consignee; and

providing one or more candidate alternative consignees based on the current GPS location of the original consignee.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item;

in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, delivering the item to the first priority alternative consignee;

in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is not available to receive the item, determining a second priority alternative consignee;

determining whether the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item; and

in an instance in which the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, delivering the item to the second priority alternative consignee.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

providing, via the data transmission computer network, to the client device, notification that the item was delivered, the notification comprising information/data indicative of which of the one or more alternative consignees to which the item was delivered; and

providing, via the data transmission computer network, to the client device, a user interface configured to receive confirmation.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the data transmission computer network, to the client device, a user interface configured to enable the original consignee to indicate that the item should be delivered to the default delivery location.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing, via the data transmission computer network, to the client device, a user interface configured to enable the original consignee to register as one of the one or more alternative consignees, enabling other original consignees to select the original consignee as one of their alternative consignees.

8. A system for delivering an item to an alternative final delivery destination, the system comprising:

a carrier system, comprising one or more processors, that operates to;

receive, over a wired or wireless protocol computer network and via input at a user interface of a client device, shipping information for the item, the item located at a facility within a delivery network, the shipping information indicating the item to be delivered to an original consignee by a first delivery vehicle and comprising at least a default delivery location;

determine whether the original consignee is one participant among a plurality of participants in an alternative consignee delivery network, each participant being able to (i) act as a selectable alternative consignee at a respective final delivery destination for one or more of the plurality of participants and (ii) select, via an indication on one or more respective user interfaces of one or more respective client devices, an alternative consignee from among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network;

upon determination that the original consignee is among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, determine, based at least in part on whether a selection was made to the user interface of the client device, whether the original consignee has indicated a first priority alternative consignee among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, wherein the first priority alternative consignee is associated with a respective alternative delivery location;

in an instance in which a determination is made that the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees, automatically track, before the original consignee has selected the first priority alternative consignee, a mobile device associated with the original consignee, wherein the tracking includes detecting, via a Global Position System (GPS) location determining component, a first set of geocode coordinates of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the first set of geocode coordinates, determine that the respective alternative delivery location is within a threshold distance of the mobile device; and

based at least in part on the original consignee not indicating the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees and the respective alternative delivery location being within the threshold distance of the mobile device, directing the delivery of the item, based on receiving operation telematics indicating a GPS location of a second delivery vehicle, to the second delivery vehicle that is scheduled to deliver one or more other items to the first priority alternative consignee among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network at the respective alternative delivery location as a final delivery location instead of the default delivery location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

determine, subsequent to the reception of the shipping information for the item, whether the original consignee has elected to enable shipments to be delivered to at least one alternative consignee; and

in an instance in which the original consignee has not elected to enable the shipments to be delivered to the at least one alternative consignee, provide another user interface configured to notify the original consignee of the item and allow one of registration or a single-time selection of the first priority alternative consignee.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

in an instance in which the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee or other candidate alternative consignee provide cost advantages over the first priority alternative consignee, receive a current GPS location of the original consignee; and

provide one or more candidate alternative consignees based on the current GPS location of the original consignee.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

determine whether the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item;

in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, deliver the item to the first priority alternative consignee;

in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is not available to receive the item, determine a second priority alternative consignee;

determine whether the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item; and

in an instance in which the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, deliver the item to the second priority alternative consignee.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

provide, over the wired or wireless protocol computer network, to the client device, a notification that the item was delivered, the notification comprising information indicative of which of the one or more alternative consignees to which the item was delivered; and

provide, over the wired or wireless protocol computer network, to the client device, a user interface element of the user interface configured to receive confirmation.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

provide, over a wired or wireless protocol computer network, to the client device, a user interface element of the user interface configured to enable the original consignee to indicate that the item should be delivered to the default delivery location.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier system further operates to:

provide, over the wired or wireless protocol computer network, to the client device, a user interface element of the user interface configured to enable the original consignee to register as one of the one or more alternative consignees, enabling other original consignees to select the original consignee as one of their alternative consignees.

15. A system for delivering an item to an alternative final delivery destination, the system comprising:

a computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising;

an executable portion configured to receive, over a computer network, shipping information for the item, the item located at a facility within a delivery network, the shipping information, input at a client device, indicating the item to be delivered to an original consignee by a first delivery vehicle and comprising at least a default delivery location;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the original consignee is one participant among a plurality of participants in an alternative consignee delivery network, each participant being able to (i) act as a selectable alternative consignee at a respective final delivery destination for one or more of the plurality of participants and (ii) select, via a respective client device, an alternative consignee from among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network; and

an executable portion configured to, upon determination that the original consignee is among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, determine whether the original consignee has indicated a first priority alternative consignee among the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network, wherein the first priority alternative consignee is associated with a respective alternative delivery location;

in an instance in which a determination is made that the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees, an executable portion configured to automatically track a mobile device associated with the original consignee, wherein the tracking includes detecting, via a Global Positioning System (GPS) location determining component, a first set of geocode coordinates of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the first set of geocode coordinates, an executable portion configured to determine that the respective alternative delivery location is within a threshold distance of the mobile device;

based at least in part on the original consignee not indicating the first priority alternative consignee among the one or more alternative consignees and the respective alternative delivery location being within the threshold distance of the mobile device, an executable portion configured to direct the delivery of the item, based on receiving operation telematics indicating a GPS location of a second delivery vehicle, to the second delivery vehicle that is scheduled to deliver one or more other items from the facility to at least one of the plurality of participants in the alternative consignee delivery network at the respective alternative delivery location as final delivery location instead of the default delivery location.

16. The system of claim 15 the computer program product further comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine, subsequent to the reception of the shipping information for the item, whether the original consignee has elected to enable shipments to be delivered to at least one alternative consignee; and

an executable portion configured to, in an instance in which the original consignee has not elected to enable the shipments to be delivered to the at least one alternative consignee, provide a user interface configured to notify the original consignee of the item and allow one of registration or a single-time selection of the first priority alternative consignee.

17. The system of claim 15 the computer program product further comprising:

an executable portion configured to, in an instance in which the original consignee has not indicated the first priority alternative consignee or other candidate alternative consignee provide cost advantages over the first priority alternative consignee, receive a current GPS location of the original consignee; and

an executable portion configured to provide one or more candidate alternative consignees based on the current GPS location of the original consignee.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to determine whether the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item;

the delivery network that further operates to, in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, deliver the item to the first priority alternative consignee;

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to, in an instance in which the first priority alternative consignee is not available to receive the item, determine a second priority alternative consignee;

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to determine whether the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item; and

the delivery network that further operates to, in an instance in which the second priority alternative consignee is available to receive the item, deliver the item to the second priority alternative consignee.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to provide to the client device, notification that the item was delivered, the notification comprising information indicative of which of the one or more alternative consignees to which the item was delivered; and

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to provide to the client device, a user interface configured to receive confirmation.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to provide, over the computer network, to the client device, a user interface configured to enable the original consignee to indicate that the item should be delivered to the default delivery location.

21. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

the computer program product comprising an executable portion configured to provide, over the computer network, to the client device, a user interface configured to enable the original consignee to register as one of the one or more alternative consignees, enabling other original consignees to select the original consignee as one of their alternative consignees.