Method and system for selecting a procedure for shipping

• US 20040193555A1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chew, Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/395,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193555A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include a method for selecting a procedure for shipping a product, comprising: creating a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery; receiving a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and selecting from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code. Embodiments of the invention include a system for selecting a procedure for shipping a product, comprising: a storage device configured to store a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery; a receiving device configured to receive a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and a processor coupled to the storage device and to the receiving device and configure to select from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a procedure for shipping a product, the method comprising comprising:

creating a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery;

receiving a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and

selecting from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

identifying, prior to selecting from the set, which delivery procedures from the set have the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination code comprises a postal zip code.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said destination code comprises a postal zip code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions to;

store a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery;

receive a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and

select from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein said instructions additionally comprise instructions to:

identify, prior to selecting from the set, which delivery procedures from the set have the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein said destination code comprises a postal zip code.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein said destination code comprises a postal zip code.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 9 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

17. A system for selecting a procedure for shipping a product, the system comprising:

a storage device configured to store a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery;

a receiving device configured to receive a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and

a processor coupled to the storage device and to the receiving device and configure to select from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said destination code comprises a postal zip code.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said product-destination code comprises a product-destination postal zip code.

20. A system for selecting a procedure for shipping a product, the system comprising:

means for storing a set of delivery procedures with each delivery procedure having a destination code, a delivery time, and a cost of delivery;

means for receiving a purchase order having a requested delivery time for a purchased product and a product-destination code for the purchased product; and

means for selecting from the set a delivery procedure having the lowest cost of delivery and the same delivery time and the same destination code as the requested delivery time and product-destination code.