Systems and methods for providing a digital image and disposition of a delivered good

• US 20060136236A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• 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: Horton, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/330
• 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining the disposition of a shipped good, such as a car, damaged during transit. After the damage is detected, a digital image of the is obtained. The image is uploaded to a server typically along with the vehicle identification number and/or other identification data. The server determines the appropriate individual(s) to be contacted, and generates a notification message, typically including the URL of a web site where further information can be obtained. The appropriate individual (“user”) logs onto the server to view the digital images and provides input regarding the disposition of the good. The user may direct the damaged car to a repair shop, a dealer, or another destination. Alternatively, the user may indicate delivery of the car as originally planned. The server may notify other systems of the disposition as well. Other embodiments apply to the disposition of delivered packages.

Claims

1. A system for storing an image data associated with a good delivered by a carrier comprising:

a first interface capable of receiving the image data from a digital imaging device wherein the image data depicts the good during delivery of the good by the carrier, the first interface further receiving a good identification number and a date data wherein the date data is associated with generation of the image data, the first interface capable of receiving an image retrieval request including the good identification number;

a database receiving the image data, good identification number, and the date data, the database capable of storing the image data, wherein the image data is associated with at least one of the date data and the good identification number, the database capable of retrieving the image data based upon receiving an image retrieval request including the good identification number; and

a processor capable of receiving the image retrieval request from the first interface, the processor further capable of retrieving the image data from the database using the good identification number and transmitting the image data to the first interface in response to the image retrieval request.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is capable of generating a notification message to a user after the image data has been stored in the database, the notification message incorporating the good identification number, the notification message further addressed to au email address associated with the user.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the notification message contains a web-site address of a web page to which the user can send the image retrieval request.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the good identification number is a package tracking number.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the database further stores geographical positioning system (GPS) location data associated with the image data, wherein the GPS location data is associated with a location of where the image data was obtained.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the good identification number is a vehicle identification number.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the database stores the digital image data in a JPEG format.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is farther adapted to receive from the interface a user response regarding the disposition of the good, the processor storing in response thereto an indication in the database regarding the handling of the good.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further adapted to receive image retrieval request from the user using a HTML-based message.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the database is further adapted to provide a plurality of image data in response to the image retrieval request.

11. A method for providing the disposition of a good delivered by a carrier comprising:

receiving at a server digital image data of the good wherein the digital image data of the good is provided by the carrier delivering the good;

receiving at the server identification data associated with the good;

storing the digital image data in association with the identification data in a database operatively connected to the server;

retrieving notification data associated with the identification data wherein the notification data comprises an address of a user;

using the address to generate a notification message to the user;

receiving an electronic request at the server transmitted from the user over a communication network requesting the digital image data of the good;

transmitting at least a portion of the digital image data from the server to the user;

receiving an electronic message at the server transmitted by the user after transmitting at least a portion of the digital image data wherein the electronic message provides an indication from the user regarding the disposition of the delivery of the good; and

storing the indication from the user in the database in association with the identification data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein tie identification data associated with the good comprises a vehicle identification number.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the notification message generated to the user is in the form of an email message comprising an address for a web site.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of:

receiving at a server a digital image data associated with the good comprises receiving at a server the digital image data along with a date data and a GPS location data.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps:

receiving first identification and first authorization information from the user; and

determining the first identification and first authorization information respectively match a second identification data and a second authorization information.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein presenting at least a portion of the digital image data on a web site to the user comprises transmitting a JPEG data file over the Internet to a client browser executing on a personal computer operated by the user.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the

the indication from the user comprises an instruction regarding redirecting shipment of the good.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of:

transmitting the indication provided by the user from the server to a shipping resource scheduling system.

19. The system of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

using a portable computing device having an integrated digital camera for producing the digital image data, the portable computer device capable of wirelessly transmitting the digital image.

20. A method of providing information regarding the disposition of an item delivered by a carrier comprising:

delivering the item to a delivery location;

obtaining a digital image of the item at the delivery location using a digital camera;

transmitting the digital image to a server over a first communications network along with an item identification number, wherein the digital image is associated with both the item identification number and a date data;

storing the digital image in the server along with the item identification number and the date wherein the digital image is indexed by the item identification number;

receiving a request at the server originating from a user over a second communication network, the request including the item identification number;

retrieving the digital image from a memory in the server; and

transmitting the digital image from the server over the communication network to a receiving processor along with the date data, wherein the digital image is displayed to a user by the receiving processor.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein transmitting the digital image data from the server further comprises transmitting location data in the form of GPS location coordinates representing the location where the digital image was obtained.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the geographical positioning system (GPS) location coordinates and the date data are transmitted with the digital image to the server.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

determining an electronic address associated with the item identification number;

formulating an electronic message incorporating the digital image and text addressed to the electronic address; and

sending the electronic message to the electronic address after the digital image is received in the server.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the electronic message is an email message that includes a web-site address associated with the server.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at the server a response to the electronic message sent by the user, the response indicating information pertaining to the delivery of the item; and

generating a second electronic message addressed to a portable computing device used by a delivery person delivering the item, wherein the second electronic message is displayed on the portable computing device to the delivery person.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the information impacting delivery of the item includes an address to forward delivery of the item.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the item is a package.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the item identification number is a packaging tracking number.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the item identification number is a vehicle identification number.

30. The method of claim 20 wherein the delivery location is an address of a consignee of the delivered item.