Systems and methods for application programming interfaces for shipping services

• US 20040083233A1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Willoughby, Stuart
• Application Number:
  US10/344,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083233A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• 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

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing shipping services information over a network by providing instructions to a first server from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server over the network. The first server receives a request by a client for the shipping services information at the second server. The second server provides the requested shipping services information to the client through the first server.

Claims

1. A method for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

providing instructions to a first server from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server over the network;

receiving a request from a client for the shipping services information at the second server through the first server; and

providing the requested shipping services information from the second server to the client through the first server.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping services information is provided in a format to produce a label.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the label includes forwarding information thereon.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the forwarding information includes at least one of addressing information, barcode information, return authorization number and an indication of pre-paid postage.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping service information includes shipping rates information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping service information includes at least one of tracking information and confirmation information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipping service information includes standard address formats information.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the instructions may operate on any of a plurality of types of operating systems which reside on the first server.

7. The method of claim I wherein the shipping service information includes at least one of service standards and commitment standards information for a shipment option.

10. A method for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

providing instructions to a first server over the network from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server;

receiving a request from the first server over the network to the second server for the shipping services information;

retrieving the requested shipping services information; and

sending the retrieved shipping services information from the second server to the first server over the network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the request is generated by the first server based on one or more of the instructions provided by the second server.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of retrieving comprises retrieving the requested shipping services information from one or more databases.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the shipping services information is provided in a format to produce a courtesy reply label.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the shipping services information is provided in a format to produce a merchandise return label.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the shipping services information is provided in a format to produce a delivery confirmation barcode label.

16. A system for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

means for providing instructions to a first server from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server over a network;

means for receiving a request from a client for the shipping services information at the second server through the first server; and

means for providing the requested shipping services information from the second server to the client through the first server.

17. A system for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

means for providing instructions to a first server over a network from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server;

means for receiving a request from the first server over the network to the second server for the shipping services information;

means for retrieving the requested shipping services information; and

means for sending the retrieved shipping services information from the second server to the first server over the network.

18. A system for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

a module for providing instructions to a first server from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server over a network;

a module for receiving a request from a client for the shipping services information at the second server through the first server; and

a module for providing the requested shipping services information from the second server to the client through the first server.

19. A system for providing shipping services information over a network, comprising:

a module for providing instructions to a first server over a network from a second server which permits the first server to access the shipping services information residing on the second server;

a module for receiving a request from the first server over the network to the second server for the shipping services information;

a module for retrieving the requested shipping services information; and

a module for sending the retrieved shipping services information from the second server to the first server over the network.