Inbound and outbound shipment notification methods and systems

• US 20030097287A1
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• 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: Purrington, Elizabeth, Franz, Daniel, Wimby, Eugene B. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to systems and methods to provide a user with visibility to packages that are inbound to and outbound from the user. A preferred embodiment describes a subscription system that allows the user to determine the frequency and format of package visibility information, and various tools are disclosed to automate and customize the presentation of package visibility information to the user.

Claims

1. A package tracking system that provides visibility for inbound packages, comprising:

a carrier database that stores package information about one or more packages that are in transit in a carrier system;

a visibility engine in communication with said carrier database, said visibility engine configured to review said package information and to identify a package that is inbound to a location identifier associated with a user; and

a user computer in communication with said visibility engine via a network, said user computer configured to receive shipping information associated with said inbound package.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said package information stored in said carrier base includes package level detail for said packages.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said visibility engine is configured to identify said inbound packages via said location identifier in said package level detail.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to initiate a request for inbound package tracking through said package visibility engine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to request that said visibility engine send said shipping information in a specified format.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to request that said visibility engine send said shipping information in at least one of an XML format, a comma-separated value format and a flat file format.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to specify a frequency for receiving said shipping information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to receive at least one of an inbound notification service and an inbound and delivery notification service.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said package visibility engine is further configured to calculate a forecasted delivery date for said inbound package.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to receive a forecasted delivery date for said inbound package.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said package visibility engine is further configured to send to said user computer at least one of a package ship date, scheduled day of delivery, exception update, and a rescheduled date of delivery.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said user computer is further configured to receive at least one of a package ship date, scheduled day of delivery, exception update, and a rescheduled date of delivery.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to capture and send to said user computer at least one of delivery date, delivery time, signature, COD amount, reference numbers, and full delivery address.

14. A method of package tracking that allows a user to receive information about packages that are inbound to said user, said method comprising the steps of:

creating an inbound subscription for said user, wherein said inbound subscription specifies at least one location identifier that is associated with said user, and wherein further said inbound subscription specifies a format and a frequency for receiving inbound package tracking data;

capturing shipping data of packages that are in transit in a carrier system;

identifying packages that are inbound to said user by comparing said at least one location identifier against said captured shipping data;

collecting inbound package tracking data for said identified packages; and

transmitting said inbound package tracking data to said user in accordance with said inbound subscription.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each of said at least one location identifier is associated with a unique receiving location.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said format specified by said inbound subscription includes at least one of an XML file, a comma-separated value file and a flat file.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said inbound subscription further specifies that said inbound package tracking data includes at least one of a ship date, a scheduled day of delivery, an exception update and a rescheduled day of delivery.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said inbound subscription specifies that said inbound package tracking data includes a ship date, a scheduled day of delivery and an exception update.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said inbound subscription specifies that said inbound package tracking data further includes at least one of a delivery date and time, a signature, a COD amount, a reference number and a full delivery address.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of transmitting said inbound package tracking data occurs according to said frequency specified by said inbound subscription.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said inbound package tracking data is transmitted in said format specified by said inbound subscription.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of charging said user a fee for said inbound subscription.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said fee is based on a quantity of said packages tracked.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein said inbound subscription is associated with a carrier account.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of identifying package that are inbound to said user comprises comparing said at least one location identifier and said carrier account against said captured shipping data.

26. A package tracking system that provides visibility for packages that are outbound from a user, said system comprising:

a carrier database that stores package information about one or more packages that are in transit in a carrier system;

a visibility engine in communication with said carrier database, said visibility engine configured to review said package information and to identify a package that is outbound from said user; and

a user computer in communication with said visibility engine via a network, said user computer configured to receive shipping information associated with said outbound package.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said user computer is further configured to initiate a request for outbound package tracking through said package visibility engine.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein said user computer is further configured to request that said visibility engine send said shipping information in a specified format.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein said user computer is further configured to request that said visibility engine send said shipping information in at least one of an XML format, a comma-separated value format and a flat file format.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein said user computer is further configured to specify a frequency for receiving said shipping information.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide at least one of an outbound notification service, a delivery notification service and an exception notification service.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide significant supply chain updates through delivery with ship date, exception and delivery detail.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide delivery details and manifest information, including ship date, date and time of delivery, reference number, full delivery address, and COD amount collected.

34. The system of claim 26, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide information about packages shipped that do not make a scheduled day of delivery.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide exception status updates and forecasts for rescheduled dates of delivery.

36. A method of package tracking that allows a user to receive information about packages that are outbound from said user, said method comprising the steps of:

creating an outbound subscription for said user, wherein said outbound subscription specifies an account identifier and one or more parameters about transmitting outbound package tracking data;

capturing shipping data of packages that are in transit in a carrier system;

identifying packages that are outbound from said user by comparing said account identifier against said captured shipping data;

collecting inbound package tracking data for said identified packages; and

transmitting said outbound package tracking data to said user in accordance with said one or more parameters.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein specifying one or more parameters about transmitting outbound package tracking data comprises specifying a frequency at which said outbound package tracking data will be transmitted.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein specifying one or more parameters about transmitting outbound package tracking data comprises specifying a date and time when said outbound package tracking data will be transmitted.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein specifying one or more parameters about transmitting outbound package tracking data comprises specifying a file format for said transmission of said outbound package tracking data.

40. A package tracking system that allows a user to receive information about packages that are inbound and outbound from said user, said system comprising:

a carrier database that stores shipping information for packages that are in transit in a carrier system;

a visibility engine in communication with said carrier database;

a user computer in communication with said visibility engine;

wherein said visibility engine is configured to create an inbound subscription for a user, wherein said inbound subscription specifies at least one location identifier that is associated with said user, and wherein said visibility engine is configured to identify packages that are inbound to said user by comparing said at least one location identifier against said shipping information; and

wherein said visibility engine is further configured to create an outbound subscription for a user, wherein said outbound subscription specifies an account identifier associated with said user, and wherein said visibility engine is configured to identify packages that are outbound from said user by comparing said account identifier against said shipping information.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide package information for packages inbound to and packages outbound from said user with a frequency specified in said inbound or said outbound subscriptions.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein said visibility engine is further configured to provide package information for packages inbound to and packages outbound from said user in a format specified in said inbound or said outbound subscriptions.

43. The system of claim 40, further comprising an online file download tool to automate the retrieval of package information.

44. The system of claim 40, further comprising an automated access and file download application residing on said user computer, wherein said application is configured to generate an XML request according to at least one user-defined parameter and to retrieve and store package information in a location and format specified by said inbound or outbound subscription.

45. The system of claim 40, further comprising a proactive notification tool that provides said user with the ability to request proactive notification of an event in the progress of said package through said carrier system.