Systems and Methods for Package Sortation and Delivery Using Radio Frequency Identification Technology

• US 20060273167A1
• Filed: 08/17/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• 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: Anderson, Duane, Peters, Robert, Baldassari, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,306,147 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/10 Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection ofthe destination methods or arrangements for reading and recognising printed or written characters or geometric figures G06V30/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A disclosed method comprises scanning a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag on a package to generate scanned data, and generating a handling instruction for the package based on the scanned data. The handling instruction can be executed to route the package to a tip position within a hub facility for directing the package to the next location along its route, and/or to pre-load the package in a vehicle for delivery to the package'"'"'s final destination. Related systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for performing a pre-load operation, the system comprising:

a dispatch planning system configured to generate a dispatch plan;

a flexible data capture system configured to obtain information about packages to be pre-loaded, the flexible data capture system including an RFID interrogator configured to read an RFID tag associated with a package to generate scanned data; and

that are printed from the altered pre-load handling instruction will be flagged to indicate to the pre-loaders and assign a handling instruction for routing the package to its destination.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a printer configured to print a label that contains the handling instruction, the label applied to a respective one of the packages for use in routing the package to its destination.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

an address management system configured to validate address information from the dispatch plan and the packages.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scanned data comprises an RFID identifier and the flexible data capture system uses the RFID identifier as an index into a package information system to obtain information about the package.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scanned data comprises an RFID identifier and the flexible data capture system uses the RFID identifier as an index into a package information system to obtain a destination address and service level for the package, and the pre-load assist system is configured to match the package destination address and service level to the dispatch plan to assign the handling instruction.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pre-load assist system is further configured to monitor the assignment of work to a load and generate a load manifest for the load.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

an enhanced delivery information acquisition device (DIAD) download system configured to transfer the load manifest to a DIAD unit.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a server executing a package notification application to receive the load manifest, estimate the time at which each unit of work will be completed and notify a shipper and/or consignee of the work and time estimate.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the package notification application is configured to compare the load manifest against the dispatch plan to determine the sequence in which the work associated with the load will be performed;

and the package notification application is also configured to use work measurement information to estimate the time at which the work assigned to a load will be performed; and

the package notification application is further configured to notify at least one of a shipper and a consignee of the estimate of time when the work will be performed.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the package notification application is additionally configured to aggregate packages bound for a consignee, and send a single notification to the consignee with information including an estimated delivery time for each of the aggregated inbound packages.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the package notification application is additionally configured to aggregate packages bound for a consignee, and send a single notification to the consignee with information including estimated work for each of the aggregated inbound packages.

12. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the package notification application is additionally configured to aggregate packages sent by a single shipper, and send a single notification to the shipper with data indicating an estimated delivery time for each of the aggregated packages.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pre-load assist system is further configured to accept a request for scheduled dispatch plans from a dispatch management system;

and the pre-load assist system is also configured to connect with a dispatch plan database and receive the scheduled dispatch plans from the dispatch plan database, and the pre-load assist system is further configured to pass the scheduled dispatch plans on to the dispatch management system; and

the dispatch management system is configured to select a dispatch plan that will be used for the pre-load operation.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a dispatch management system is configured that are printed from the altered pre-load handling instruction will be flagged to indicate to the pre-loaders dispatch management system;

the pre-load assist system is further configured to retrieve the selected dispatch plan from the dispatch plan database and prepare the selected dispatch plan for real-time access; and

an address management system is configured to validate address information from the selected dispatch plan.

15. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pre-load assist system is further configured to send the package destination address to an address management system to validate the package destination address;

and the pre-load assist system is also configured to generate package handling instructions based on the package destination address and the dispatch plan; and

the pre-load assist system is further configured to send the package handling instructions to the flexible data capture system; and

the flexible data capture system is further configured to print a pre-load assist label (PAL) that is affixed to the package.

16. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a dispatch management system configured to monitor progress of the pre-load operation.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the dispatch management system is further configured to display the maximum units of work that should be allocated to the workload, and pre-load progress results to a display screen in real-time.

18. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the display is color-coded to indicate which, if any, workloads need adjustment or may need adjustment.

19. A system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the dispatch management system is further configured to alter the dispatch plan to relieve a workload that has been allocated more than the maximum number of units of work.

20. A system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the dispatch management system is further configured to monitor different measures for units of work.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the measure for units of work is the number of pick up or delivery stops.

22. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the measure for units of work is the number of packages added to the workload.