Mobile apparatus, method and system for delivery management

• US 20050216553A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2004
• 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: Kelly, George R., Mallonee, Cynthia F.
• Application Number:
  US10/955,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20050216553A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A mobile apparatus, system and method for delivery management are provided. The delivery management system comprises a web based server comprising an application server and a database server, a mobile delivery management tool, and a wireless communication device for connecting the mobile delivery management tool and the web based server. Also provided is a method for managing delivery of a package using the apparatus and system of the present invention. Data related to the package to be delivered may be received using the mobile delivery management tool, which then processes the received data to determine an appropriate delivery action to be taken. The delivery action may be, for example, the selection of a delivery route, a scheduled delivery time, or a loading order.

Claims

1. A system for delivery management, comprising:

a web based server comprising an application server and a database server;

a mobile delivery management tool; and

a wireless communication device for connecting the mobile delivery management tool and the web based server.

2. The system of claim 1, further including at least one work station for accessing the web based server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile delivery management tool comprises a memory for providing sufficient processing power and a storage for maximizing application performance.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server includes at least one of package delivery information, delivery vehicle information, and delivery personnel information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the package delivery information includes at least one of package identification number, package weight, package delivery class, package origination, package destination, scheduled departure time, and scheduled arrival time.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the delivery vehicle information includes at least one of vehicle identification number, load capacity, load density, vehicle type, delivery route information, vehicle frequency information, and load contents.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the delivery personnel information includes at least one of vehicle driver identification, package handler identification, authorized user identification, and work station user identification.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server provides scheduled departure and arrival times of a package upon communication with the mobile delivery management tool.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server provides route and trip information for a package upon communication with the mobile delivery management tool.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server provides trailer capacity and load density upon communication with the mobile delivery management tool.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server provides package loading order for a delivery vehicle upon communication with the mobile delivery management tool.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based server updates old versions of software applications with current versions upon communication with the mobile delivery management tool.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile delivery management tool further comprises a barcode scanner for providing an interface for entering data into the database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the scanner is a hand-held scanner.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the scanner includes a magnet for attachment to a magnetic surface.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein electronic service provider forms can be generated and submitted to the web based server using the mobile delivery management tool.

17. A method for managing delivery of a package, comprising:

providing a system for delivery management, comprising;

a web based server comprising an application server and a database server;

a mobile delivery management tool; and

a wireless communication device for connecting the mobile delivery management tool and the web based server;

collecting data related to a package to be delivered using the mobile delivery management tool; and

communicating the data to the web based server.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of receiving data related to the package to be delivered using the mobile delivery management tool.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile delivery management tool processes the received data to determines a delivery action to be taken.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the action is the selection of a delivery route.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the action is the selection of a scheduled delivery time.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the action is the selection of a loading order.