Systems and associated methods for wireless services for package tracking during delivery

• US 20020052794A1
• Filed: 09/24/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• 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: Bhadra, Sourav
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/22
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods that allow a user to track packages throughout the course of delivery without requiring the user to completely reenter tracking information such as an 18 character tracking number and also allow the user to use a wide variety of communication devices to track and retrack a package without requiring the user to reenter the entire tracking number.

Claims

1. A method for tracking packages, comprising:

allowing a user to enter into a tracking system at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device;

associating the at least one tracking number with the user; and

allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the user to reenter into the tracking system the at least one tracking number.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating the at least one tracking number with the user comprises associating the at least one tracking number with a user ID.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of associating the at least one tracking number with the user comprises associating the at least one tracking number with the first communication device and the second communication device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device comprises a computer keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a wireless device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a wireless application protocol based device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a web enabled handheld device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a handheld markup language based device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a hyper-text markup language based Internet device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a one-way short message service device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a two-way short message service device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number comprises allowing a customer to enter at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device wherein the first communication device is a web markup language based device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the second communication device comprises a different type of communication device from the first communication device.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device comprises a computer keyboard.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a wireless device.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a wireless application protocol based device.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a web enabled handheld device.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a handheld markup language based device.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a hypertext markup language based Internet device.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a one-way short message service device.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a two-way short message service device.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device comprises allowing the customer to track the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the customer to reenter the at least one tracking number wherein the second communication device is a web markup language based device.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using a communication device comprises allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using a wireless communication device without requiring the user to enter the at least one tracking number.

23. A method for tracking packages, comprising:

allowing a user to enter into a tracking system at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a communication device;

associating the at least one tracking number with the user; and

allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using the communication device without requiring the user to reenter into the tracking system the at least one tracking number.

24. A method for tracking packages, comprising:

associating at least one tracking number with a user; and

allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using a communication device without requiring the user to enter the at least one tracking number.

26. A method for tracking packages, comprising:

associating at least one tracking number with a user; and

allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using more than one communication device without requiring the user to enter the at least one tracking number into a tracking system.

27. A system enabling users to track packages, comprising:

a processor;

a storage device in communication with the processor via a system bus; and

a memory connected to the processor, the memory including an operating system for storing a program to control the operation of the processor,

wherein the processor is operative to;

allow a user to enter into a tracking system at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device;

associate the at least one tracking number with the user; and

allow the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using one of the first communication device and a second communication device without requiring the user to reenter into the tracking system the at least one tracking number.

28. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with processing instructions for implementing a method for tracking packages, said processing instructions directing a computer to perform the steps of:

allowing a user to enter into a tracking system at least one tracking number for tracking packages using a first communication device;

associating the at least one tracking number with the user; and

allowing the user to track packages associated with the at least one tracking number using a second communication device without requiring the user to reenter into the tracking system the at least one tracking number.