Next generation visibility package tracking

• US 20060229895A1
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• 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: Kodger, Kenneth E. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• 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 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication

Abstract

The present invention involves systems and methods for tracking one or more shipped items that are shipped via a carrier. A set of expected occurrences are established for each item shipped. The items are then shipped and the shipment of the one or more shipped items is monitored for an occurrence of the set of expected occurrences, the occurrence of any non-expected event, and a non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences. If there is the occurrence of any non-expected event or the non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences, then such an event is made available to at least the shipper.

Claims

1. A method of tracking one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing a set of expected occurrences for each of the one or more shipped items;

shipping said one or more shipped items and monitoring the shipment of said one or more shipped items for an occurrence of the set of expected occurrences and a non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences; and

reporting the non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing the set of expected occurrences for each of the one or more shipped items includes:

establishing one or more routes for each shipped item from a shipper to destination, wherein each route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

establishing an expected date of delivery at the destination for each shipped item;

determining arrival time intervals for each intermediate point for recording the arrival of each shipped item for each intermediate point; and

determining departure time intervals for each intermediate point for recording the departure of each shipped item for each intermediate point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein monitoring the shipment of said one or more shipped items for the occurrence of the set of expected occurrences and the non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences comprises:

determining whether each of said shipped items arrives at one of the intermediate locations on that shipped items'"'"' route within the arrival time interval for that shipped item at that intermediate location; and

determining whether each of said shipped items departs one of the intermediate locations on that shipped items'"'"' route within the departure time interval for that shipped item at that intermediate location, wherein the occurrence of the set of expected occurrences occurs when the shipped item arrives or departs the intermediate location during its respective arrival time interval and departure time interval, and the non-occurrence of the set of expect occurrences occurs when the shipped item fails to arrive or depart the intermediate location during its respective arrival time interval and departure time interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein reporting the non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences comprises assigning a status to the non-occurrence of expected occurrence and making said status available over a network.

5. A method of tracking one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing a set of expected occurrences for each item shipped;

shipping said one or more shipped items and monitoring the shipment of said one or more shipped items for an occurrence of the set of expected occurrences, a non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences, and an occurrence of a non-expected event; and

if one or more of the non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences and the occurrence of a non-expected event occur, then reporting said non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences or the occurrence of a non-expected event.

6. A method of providing visibility of one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing one or more routes for each shipped item from a shipper to a destination, wherein each route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

establishing an expected date of delivery at the destination for each shipped item;

determining an arrival date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording the arrival of each shipped item for each intermediate point;

determine a departure date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording the departure of each shipped item for each intermediate point, wherein if said each shipped item arrives at one of said intermediate points during said shipped item'"'"'s associated arrival date and time interval and departs said intermediate point during said departure date and time interval then said shipped item is on schedule to be delivered to said destination on said expected date of delivery;

shipping each shipped item from the shipper to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point to the arrival date and time interval and the departure date and time interval for the shipped item at that corresponding intermediate point; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point that falls outside either the arrival date and time interval or the departure date and time interval for the shipped item at that corresponding intermediate point.

7. A method of providing visibility of one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing at least one route for each shipped item from a shipper to a destination, wherein said route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

determining an expected arrival date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording the arrival of each shipped item for each intermediate point;

shipping each shipped item from the shipper to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives at said one or more intermediate points;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives at said one or more intermediate points to the expected arrival date and time interval for each of corresponding said one or more intermediate points; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item arrives at said one or more intermediate points that falls outside the expected arrival date and time interval for each corresponding said one or more intermediate points.

8. A method of providing visibility of one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing a route for each shipped item from a shipper to a destination, wherein said route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

determining an expected departure date and time interval for each said one or more intermediate points for recording the departure of each shipped item from each said one or more intermediate points;

shipping each shipped item from the shipper to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item departs at said one or more intermediate points;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item departs at said one or more intermediate points to the expected departure date and time interval for each of corresponding said one or more intermediate points; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item departs at said one or more intermediate points that falls outside the expected departure date and time interval for each corresponding said one or more intermediate points.

9. A method of providing visibility of one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing at least one route for each shipped item from a shipper to a destination, wherein said route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

establishing an expected date of delivery at the destination for each shipped item if said shipped item is shipped via said at least one route;

determining an expected arrival date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording an arrival of each shipped item for each intermediate point, wherein recording said arrival at each intermediate point within the expected arrival date time interval indicates that the one or more shipped items are on schedule to be delivered on the expected date of delivery;

determining an expected departure date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording a departure of each shipped item for each intermediate point, wherein recording said departure at each intermediate point within the expected departure date and time interval indicates that the one or more shipped items are on schedule to be delivered on the expected date of delivery;

shipping said one or more shipped items from the shipper to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from the one or more intermediate points;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from the one or more intermediate points to the corresponding expected arrival date and time interval and the expected departure date and time interval for the corresponding one or more intermediate points; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from the one or more intermediate points that has a variance from the corresponding expected arrival date and time interval or the expected departure date and time interval for the corresponding one or more intermediate points if said variance affects the expected date of delivery.

10. A method of tracking one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing a set of expected occurrences for each item shipped;

shipping said one or more shipped items and monitoring the shipment of said one or more shipped items for an occurrence of the set of expected occurrences, a non-occurrence of any of the set of expected occurrences, and an occurrence of a first non-expected event; and

if the occurrence of the first non-expected event occurs, then establishing a second set of expected occurrences for the particular one or more shipped items involved with the non-expected event and monitoring the shipment of said particular one or more shipped items for an occurrence of the second set of expected occurrences, a non-occurrence of any of the second set of expected occurrences, and an occurrence of a second non-expected event and reporting said non-occurrence of any of the second set of expected occurrences or the occurrence of the second non-expected event.

11. A method of providing visibility of one or more shipped items, comprising:

establishing one or more routes for each shipped item from a shipper to a destination, wherein each route is comprised of one or more intermediate points;

establishing an expected date of delivery at the destination for each shipped item;

determining an expected arrival date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording the arrival of each shipped item for each intermediate point;

determine and expected departure date and time interval for each intermediate point for recording the departure of each shipped item for each intermediate point, wherein if said each shipped item arrives at one of said intermediate points during said shipped item'"'"'s associated expected arrival date and time interval and departs said intermediate point during said expected departure date and time interval then said shipped item is on schedule to be delivered to said destination on said expected date of delivery;

shipping each shipped item from the shipper to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point;

determining if said each shipped item arrives at a location not identified as one of said intermediate points, and if said shipped items arrives at said location that is not identified as one of said intermediate points, then;

establishing one or more new routes for each shipped item from said location to the destination, wherein each route is comprised of one or more new intermediate points;

establishing a new expected date of delivery at the destination for each shipped item;

determining a new expected arrival date and time interval for each new intermediate point for recording the arrival of each shipped item for each new intermediate point;

determining a new expected departure date and time interval for each new intermediate point for recording the departure of each shipped item for each new intermediate point, wherein if said each shipped item arrives at one of said new intermediate points during said shipped item'"'"'s associated new expected arrival date and time interval and departs said new intermediate point during said new expected departure date and time interval then said shipped item is on schedule to be delivered to said destination on said new expected date of delivery;

shipping each shipped item from the location to the recipient and recording the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from each new intermediate point;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from each said new intermediate point to the new expected arrival date and time interval and the new expected departure date and time interval for that corresponding new intermediate point; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from each said new intermediate point that falls outside either the new expected arrival date and time interval or the new expected departure date and time interval for that corresponding new intermediate point;

if said each shipped item arrives at said location that is identified as one of said intermediate points, then;

comparing the actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point to the arrival date and time interval and the departure date and time interval for that corresponding intermediate point; and

providing an alert for each shipped item having an actual time and date that each shipped item arrives and departs from an intermediate point that falls outside either the arrival date and time interval or the departure date and time interval for that corresponding intermediate point.

12. A system for providing enhanced visibility of shipped items shipped via a carrier, said system is comprised of:

one or more event-based tracking systems for obtaining information about shipped items;

a global tracking/data repository for receiving said information from said event-based tracking systems;

a visibility engine for providing at least a portion of said information to at least a shipper or a recipient of one or more shipped items over a network;

a package routing module that determines one or more routes for the transport of the shipped items from the shipper to the recipient via the carrier and an expected delivery date for each shipped item, wherein each route is comprised of one or more intermediate locations;

a non-occurrence exceptions module, wherein the non-occurrence exceptions module monitors the one or more routes of each shipped item in transport by the carrier and assigns a status to each shipped item based on an event occurring at said one or more intermediate locations, said non-occurrence exceptions module communicates said status to the visibility engine to provide enhanced visibility of the shipped items.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the event occurring at said one or more intermediate locations is one of the following:

one or said shipped items arrival outside a predetermined time window at one of said intermediate locations, one of said shipped items departure outside a predetermined time window at one of said intermediate locations;

or one of said shipped items arriving at a location that is not identified as one of said intermediate locations.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said package tracking module is able to determine a new route from said location that is not identified as one of said intermediate locations to said recipient and a new delivery date when said event is where one of said shipped items arrives at a location that is not identified as one of said intermediate locations.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the status indicates whether said each shipped item (a) is on schedule to be delivered to the recipient on the expected delivery date;

(b) may potentially have its delivery to the intended recipient delayed beyond the expected delivery date;

or (c) will have its delivery delayed beyond the expected delivery date.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the network for the visibility engine to provide at least a portion of said information to at least the shipper or the recipient of one or more shipped items is the Internet.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the package routing module that determines the time in transit between each intermediate location of the one or more routes for the transport of the shipped items from the shipper to the recipient in order to determine the expected delivery date for each shipped item.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more event-based tracking systems are comprised of at least one or more of a barcode scanner for scanning barcodes associated with shipped items or a RFID reader for reading RFID transponders associated with shipped items.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the global tracking/data repository for receiving said information from said event-based tracking systems is server-based.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the global tracking/data repository for receiving said information from said event-based tracking systems is mainframe-computer based.