Alternate delivery location methods and systems

• US 20040133446A1
• Filed: 10/28/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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: Button, Kevin, Michel, David, Bailey, Jerome, Tyler, Pam, Myrick, Bob, Duff, Jennifer, Rankin, Ken, Wang, Liyan
• Application Number:
  US10/696,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133446A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems disclosed herein are used to deliver a package or product to an alternate delivery location (ADL) for pick up by a customer or authorized retriever. The customer can register to receive delivery of a package or product with an ADL solution provider before delivery of the product, or may do so when purchasing the product. Alternatively, a product or package can be shipped from sender to an ADL for pick up by a person, outside of the context of purchasing a product. The methods and systems also offer the capability to track transported packages or products.

Claims

1. (New) A method comprising:

registering a customer to receive a product at an alternative delivery location (ADL) other than the customer'"'"'s home or business address before purchase of the product by the customer; and

shipping the product purchased by the customer to the ADL for pickup by the customer after purchase of the product by the customer.

2. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the registering of the customer is performed by the customer accessing a website of an ADL service provider via the Internet using a web browser.

3. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the customer registers by selecting the ADL most convenient to the customer from among a list of ADLs.

4. (New) A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the ADL selected by the customer is stored by a computer system and retrieved from the computer system for use in shipping the product to the customer upon notification to the computer system by a vendor that the customer has purchased the product.

5. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the registering is performed by a customer ordering the product via a vendor website which notifies a carrier that the product is ready to be shipped from the vendor to the buyer.

6. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the customer purchases the product using a mail order catalog.

7. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the registering involves providing identification of at least one retriever authorized by the customer to pick up the product at the ADL, the method further comprising:

verifying at the ADL that the retriever is authorized to receive the product.

8. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

notifying the customer that the product is available for pickup at the ADL.

9. (New) A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the registering involves the customer providing an indication of a preferred media for receiving notification that the product has arrived at the ADL, the preferred notification media comprising at least one of telephone, email, pager, and the notifying is performed using the customer'"'"'s preferred media.

10. (New) A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) notifies the customer of arrival of the product at the ADL.

11. (New) A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the ADL staff notifies the customer that the product is available for pick up at the ADL.

12. (New) A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the vendor notifies the customer when the product is available for pick up at the ADL.

13. (New) A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

accessing an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) to determine the status of the product in shipment from a vendor of the product to the customer.

14. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising:

providing the customer with an authorization number that the customer can use to access the ATS to determine status of the product during transit from the vendor to the ADL.

15. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the accessing is performed by ADL staff to determine the status of packages sent to, held by, and bound for the ADL.

16. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the ATS is used by ADL staff to log the date of arrival of the package at the ADL and to track how long the package has been held by the ADL.

17. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the ATS is accessed by the ADL staff using an ADL computer system to record the identity of a retriever of the product.

18. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the customer provides an address of the ADL location as the address for shipping the product in purchasing the product from a vendor.

19. (New) A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the registering involves the customer downloading a web browser enhancement tool that automatically populates the form fields of a web page to provide the ADL address for upload to a vendor computer system via the Internet to purchase the product.

20. (New) A method comprising:

offering at a vendor website to deliver a product purchased by a customer to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than the customer'"'"'s home or business address.

21. (New) A method as claimed in claim 20 the method further comprising:

receiving at the vendor website an indication that the customer desires to have the product shipped to an ADL; and

shipping the product purchased by the customer to the ADL for pickup by the customer.

22. (New) A method as claimed in claim 21 the method further comprising:

receiving customer contact information from the customer during purchase of the product at the vendor website; and

notifying the customer that the product is available for pickup at the ADL using the contact information.

23. (New) A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the contact information is received by the vendor'"'"'s computer system during purchase of the product by the customer, the method further comprising:

transmitting the contact information from the vendor to a carrier; and

transmitting the contact information from the carrier to the ADL for use by ADL staff in notifying the customer.

24. (New) A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising:

receiving data indicating the customer'"'"'s preferred media for receiving notification that the product has arrived at the ADL, the preferred notification media comprising at least one of telephone, email, and pager, the notifying performed using the customer'"'"'s preferred media.

25. (New) A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising:

receiving identification data identifying at least one retriever authorized by the customer to pick up the product at the ADL;

providing the identification data to the ADL service provider; and

verifying the identity of the retriever at the ADL using the identification data.

26. (New) A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising:

holding the product at the ADL for a specified holding period;

providing the product to the customer if the customer picks up the package from the ADL during the holding period; and

shipping the product from the ADL back to the vendor if the customer does not pick up the product during the holding period.

27. (New) A method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising:

accessing an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) to determine the status of the product in shipment from the vendor of the product to the ADL for delivery to the customer.

28. (New) A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the ATS can be accessed by a customer via the Internet using a computer.

29. (New) A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the ATS can be accessed by ADL staff to determine the status of packages sent to, held by, and bound for the ADL.

30. (New) A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the ATS can be used by ADL staff to log the date of arrival of the package at the ADL and track how long the package has been held by the ADL.

31. (New) A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the ATS can be accessed by the ADL staff using an ADL computer system to record the identity of a retriever of the product.

32. (New) A method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the customer uses the address of the ADL as the address for shipping the product in the process of purchasing the product from the vendor via the vendor'"'"'s website.

33. (New) A method comprising:

offering with a mail order catalog service to deliver a product purchased by a customer to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than the customer'"'"'s home or business address.

34. (New) A method comprising:

offering at a carrier website to deliver a product to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than a person'"'"'s home or business address.

35. (New) A method comprising:

offering at a retail store to deliver a product to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than a person'"'"'s home or business address.

36. (New) A method comprising:

attempting to deliver a package to a customer via delivery to the customer'"'"'s home or business;

leaving a message at the customer'"'"'s home or business advising the customer to contact the carrier to specify whether the customer desires to receive direct delivery of the package from the carrier or accept delivery of the package at an alternate delivery location (ADL) identified in the message to pick up the package;

delivering the package to the ADL for pick up by the customer if the customer contacts the carrier to indicate that the customer desires to receive the package at the ADL; and

redelivering the package to the customer'"'"'s home or business if the customer indicates the customer desires to receive the package at the customer'"'"'s home or business.

37. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the message includes a telephone number that can be used by the customer to contact the carrier to indicate whether the package is to be delivered to the ADL or to the customer'"'"'s home or business address.

38. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the message includes an Internet address that can be used by the customer to point a browser to the carrier'"'"'s website to indicate whether the package should be delivered to the ADL for pickup by the customer or redelivered to the customer'"'"'s home or business.

39. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 further comprising:

if the customer selects delivery at the ADL,

holding the product at the ADL for a specified holding period;

providing the product to the customer if the customer picks up the package from the ADL during the holding period; and

shipping the product from the ADL back to the vendor if the customer does not pick up the product during the holding period.

40. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 further comprising:

accessing an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) to determine the status of the product in shipment by the carrier from the vendor of the product to the ADL for delivery to the customer.

41. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the ATS can be accessed by a customer via the Internet using a computer.

42. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the ATS can be accessed by ADL staff to determine the status of packages sent to, held by, and bound for the ADL.

43. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the ATS can be used by ADL staff to log the date of arrival of the package at the ADL and track how long the package has been held by the ADL.

44. (New) A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein the ATS can be accessed and used by the ADL staff using an ADL computer system to record the identity of a retriever of the product.

45. (New) A method comprising:

shipping a package containing the product from a sender to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than a recipient'"'"'s home or business address for delivery to the recipient, the shipping not related to purchase of the product.

46. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the sender registers with an ADL solution provider to have the package shipped to the ADL.

47. (New) A method as claimed in claim 46 wherein the sender registers using a computer to access a website of the ADL solution provider.

48. (New) A method as claimed in claim 46 wherein the sender selects the ADL from a list of ADLs for delivery of the package.

49. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the sender provides notification data to the ADL solution provider for use in notifying the recipient that the package is available for pick up at the ADL.

50. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the sender notification data is provided to the recipient using at least one of telephone, email, and Internet media.

51. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the recipient registers to pick up the package from an ADL solution provider at the ADL.

52. (New) A method as claimed in claim 51 wherein the recipient registers using a computer to access a website of the ADL solution provider.

53. (New) A method as claimed in claim 52 wherein the recipient selects the ADL from a list of ADLs for delivery of the package.

54. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the recipient provides notification data to the ADL solution provider for use in notifying the recipient that the package is available for pick up at the ADL.

55. (New) A method as claimed in claim 54 wherein the recipient specifies preferred notification media including at least one of telephone, email, and Internet.

56. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the recipient provides identification data indicating the identity of a retriever authorized by the recipient to receive the package, the method further comprising:

verifying the identification of the retriever at the ADL before providing the package to the recipient.

57. (New) A method as claimed in claim 56 further comprising:

recording the name of the recipient picking up the package at the ADL.

58. (New) A method as claimed in claim 45 further comprising:

providing the product to the recipient if the recipient picks up the package from the ADL during the holding period; and

shipping the product from the ADL back to the vendor if the recipient does not pick up the product during the holding period.

59. (New) A method as claimed in claim 58 further comprising:

accessing an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) to determine the status of the product in shipment by the carrier from the sender to the ADL for delivery to the recipient.

60. (New) A method as claimed in claim 59 wherein the ATS can be accessed by a recipient via the Internet using a computer.

61. (New) A method as claimed in claim 59 wherein the ATS can be accessed by ADL staff to determine the status of packages sent to, held by, and bound for the ADL.

62. (New) A method as claimed in claim 59 wherein the ATS can be used by ADL staff to log the date of arrival of the package at the ADL and track how long the package has been held by the ADL.

63. (New) A method as claimed in claim 59 wherein the ATS can be accessed and used by the ADL staff using an ADL computer system to record the identity of a retriever of the product.

64. (New) A method for completing a shipment, comprising:

accepting a package at a designated delivery location;

receiving authorized package retriever data;

holding the package at the designated delivery location;

confirming a package retriever meets authorized identification requirements for the package; and

transferring the package to retriever if the requirements are met.

65. (New) The method of claim 64 further comprising:

notifying the package retriever of the receipt of the package at the designated delivery location.

66. (New) The method of claim 64 further comprising:

returning the package to a sender if the requirements are not met or the package retriever fails to claim, or rejects, the package.

67. (New) A method for requesting shipment services comprising the steps of:

providing address data for an alternate delivery location other than a person'"'"'s home or business address for delivery of a package; and

providing authorized package retriever data identifying a person to whom the package should be surrendered at the delivery location.

68. (New) A method comprising:

recording at least a package identifier and authorized retriever information including at least one of a retriever identity, retriever contact information, and required retriever identification type.

69. (New) A method comprising:

allowing a shipper to view information corresponding to all packages sent to package holding locations by that shipper;

allowing a carrier to view all packages carried to package holding locations regardless of shipper, and information corresponding to such packages; and

allowing a package holding location to view all packages sent to or bound for said package holding location and information corresponding to such packages.

70. (New) A method for obtaining an item utilizing a computer network, comprising:

registering user preferences for delivery of items to a holding location;

providing the preferences to a seller of an item upon purchase by the user;

providing identification of the user or an authorized retriever to the holding location;

providing access to item status information to the user, the holding location, the seller, and/or a carrier;

notifying the user or the authorized retriever of arrival of the item at the holding location; and

authorizing release of the item based on presentation of matching credentials by the user or the authorized retriever.

71. (New) A system for use by at least one customer to purchase a product via a network, the system comprising:

a vendor computer system providing a vendor website for access by the customer via the network to purchase a product and select an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than the customer'"'"'s home or business to which to send the product for pick up by the customer.

72. (New) A system as claimed in claim 71 further comprising:

at least one customer computer connected to communicate with the vendor computer system via the network, the computer executing a browser to permit the customer to purchase the product via the network using the vendor website.

73. (New) A system as claimed in claim 71 further comprising:

an ADL tracking system (ATS) connected to communicate with the vendor computer system via the network, and receiving a signal from the vendor computer system via the network indicating that the customer has purchased a product, the ATS tracking the product from the vendor to the ADL.

74. (New) A system as claimed in claim 73 wherein the ATS further tracks the time of holding the package at the ADL for pick up by the customer.

75. (New) A system as claimed in claim 73 wherein the ATS further tracks the return of the product from the customer to the vendor if the customer does not pick up the product.

76. (New) A system as claimed in claim 73 wherein the ATS receives and stores identification data identifying a retriever authorized by the customer to pick up the product at the ADL on behalf of the customer, and staff at the ADL uses the identification data to verify the identity of the retriever picking up the product at the ADL.

77. (New) A system as claimed in claim 73 wherein the ATS receives and stores notification data for notifying the customer that the product is available for pick up at the ADL.

78. (New) A system as claimed in claim 73 wherein the notification data indicates the customer'"'"'s preferred media for receiving notification of the availability of the product for pick up at the ADL, the preferred media including at least one of telephone, email, and pager.

79. (New) A system interacting with a vendor computer system via a network, the vendor computer system used by a customer to purchase a product, the system comprising:

an alternate delivery location tracking system (ATS) connected to communicate with the vendor computer system via the network, and receiving a signal from the vendor computer system via the network indicating that the customer has purchased the product, the ATS tracking the product in shipment from the vendor to an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than a customer'"'"'s home or business for delivery of the product to the customer.

80. (New) A system as claimed in claim 79 wherein the ATS further tracks the time of holding the product at the ADL for pick up by the customer.

81. (New) A system as claimed in claim 79 wherein the ATS further tracks the return of the product from the customer to the vendor if the customer does not pick up the product.

82. (New) A system as claimed in claim 79 wherein the ATS receives and stores identification data identifying a retriever authorized by the customer to pick up the product at the ADL on behalf of the customer, and staff at the ADL uses the identification data to verify the identity of the retriever picking up the product at the ADL.

83. (New) A system as claimed in claim 79 wherein the ATS receives and stores notification data for notifying the customer that the product is available for pick up at the ADL.

84. (New) A system as claimed in claim 83 wherein the notification data indicates the customer'"'"'s preferred media for receiving notification of the availability of the product for pick up at the ADL, the preferred media including at least one of telephone, email, and pager.

85. (New) A system as claimed in claim 79 further comprising:

a vendor computer system providing a vendor website for access by the customer via the network to purchase a product and select an alternate delivery location (ADL) other than the customer'"'"'s home or business to which to send the product for pick up by the customer.

86. (New) A system as claimed in claim 85 further comprising:

at least one customer computer connected to communicate with the vendor computer system via the network, the computer executing a browser to permit the customer to purchase the product via the network using the vendor website.