Delivery operations information system with managed service points and street management feature and methods of use

• US 20060213817A1
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• Status: Active 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: Scott, Gale R., Fisher, Charles V.
• Application Number:
  US11/207,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20060213817A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/584
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.

Claims

1. A method for managing delivery of articles comprising:

providing a set of scannable barcode labels corresponding to unique addressable locations on a delivery route;

providing a database of recorded time entries, each entry corresponding to a scanning event of a barcode label; and

tracking a movement of a carrier by analyzing a series of recorded time entries for the delivery route.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a data collection device for scanning the barcode labels.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a report based on the series of time entries.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of modifying the delivery route based on the report.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of modifying comprises altering a step-by-step travel pattern of the route.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of modifying a carrier'"'"'s work schedule based on the report.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of modifying comprises adjusting the carrier'"'"'s start or end time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the barcode labels can only be generated from an authorized user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a new barcode label can only be requested by an authorized user.

10. A system for managing delivery of articles comprising:

a set of scannable barcode labels corresponding to unique addressable locations on a delivery route;

a database of recorded time entries, each entry corresponding to a scanning event of a barcode label; and

a component for tracking a movement of a carrier by analyzing a series of recorded time entries for the delivery route.

11. The system of claim 10, further being configured to receive data from a data collection device for scanning the barcode labels.

12. The system of claim 11, furthering being configured to generate a report based on the series of time entries.

13. The system of claim 12, furthering being configured to modify the delivery route based on the report.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the modification comprises altering a step-by-step travel pattern of the route.

15. The system of claim 12, furthering being configured to modify a carrier'"'"'s work schedule based on the report.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the modification comprises adjusting the carrier'"'"'s start or end time.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the barcode labels can only be generated from an authorized user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein a new barcode label can only be requested by an authorized user.