In-Transit Shipment Re-Direction Service for Reduced Shipping Latencies
First Claim
1. An in-transit package re-directing shipment management system comprising:
- a carrier interface to shipping hubs that scan packages for tracking identifiers that are sent over a communications network to the carrier interface, the shipping hubs sorting and routing packages over transportation links based on shipment information obtained over the communications network through the carrier interface in response to the tracking identifiers;
a shipment instruction interface that receives an initial destination address;
a schedule generator that generates for a package a redirection schedule having a redirection date for providing a redirect address for the package before the package is routed through an intermediate hub along a route to the initial destination address;
a shipping database for storing tracking identifiers and destination addresses;
new package module that writes the initial destination address and a tracking identifier for the package to the shipping database;
wherein the shipping hubs comprise a remote hub that routes the package over a transport link in response to initial shipping information read from the shipping database when the remote hub scans the tracking identifier from the package;
wherein the shipping hubs further comprise an intermediate hub after the transport link;
a redirection interface that receives the redirect address for the package before the package arrives at the intermediate hub;
an update destination module, coupled to the redirection interface, that writes the redirect address to the shipping database;
wherein the intermediate hub redirects the package toward the redirect address rather than toward the initial destination address, whereby the package is redirected toward the redirect address after the transport link.
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Abstract
A shipping redirection interface allows a seller to change the destination address while a package is in-transit. The seller orders a product from a low-cost overseas factory, inputs the seller'"'"'s address as an initial destination and begins shipment on a slow container ship. A schedule generator calculates an optimistic estimate of the package'"'"'s arrival at the intermediate hub that redirects the package so the seller can plan when to redirect. While the product is slowly crossing an ocean on the ship, the seller may sell the product to a buyer such as through an online auction. The seller enters the buyer'"'"'s address as the new destination address and redirects the product at the intermediate hub after the product is unloaded from the ship. The delay from sale to the buyer until the buyer receives the product is reduced without warehousing the product. Unsold products are delivered to the seller.
162 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An in-transit package re-directing shipment management system comprising:
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a carrier interface to shipping hubs that scan packages for tracking identifiers that are sent over a communications network to the carrier interface, the shipping hubs sorting and routing packages over transportation links based on shipment information obtained over the communications network through the carrier interface in response to the tracking identifiers;
a shipment instruction interface that receives an initial destination address;
a schedule generator that generates for a package a redirection schedule having a redirection date for providing a redirect address for the package before the package is routed through an intermediate hub along a route to the initial destination address;
a shipping database for storing tracking identifiers and destination addresses;
new package module that writes the initial destination address and a tracking identifier for the package to the shipping database;
wherein the shipping hubs comprise a remote hub that routes the package over a transport link in response to initial shipping information read from the shipping database when the remote hub scans the tracking identifier from the package;
wherein the shipping hubs further comprise an intermediate hub after the transport link;
a redirection interface that receives the redirect address for the package before the package arrives at the intermediate hub;
an update destination module, coupled to the redirection interface, that writes the redirect address to the shipping database;
wherein the intermediate hub redirects the package toward the redirect address rather than toward the initial destination address, whereby the package is redirected toward the redirect address after the transport link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computerized method for re-directing a package in-transit comprising:
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storing a tracking identifier and an initial destination address for a package in a shipping database;
attaching an indicator of the tracking identifier to the package;
generating a redirection schedule that indicates when to provide redirection instructions;
routing the package toward the initial destination address over transportation links;
reading the indicator attached to the package and receiving information for the package from the shipping database to make routing decisions for a next transportation link at hubs;
updating tracking information for the package in the shipping database when the indicator attached to the package is read at a hub;
while the package is in transit, receiving a redirect address and storing the redirect address in the shipping database as a destination address for the package; and
routing the package toward the redirect address over transportation links rather than routing the package toward the initial destination address after the redirect address is stored in the shipping database;
whereby the package is redirected while in transit. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-program product comprising:
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a computer-usable medium having computer-executable program code means embodied therein for redirecting packages in-transit, the computer-executable program code means in the computer-program product comprising;
carrier network connection means for transmitting and receiving messages from remote shipping hubs, the messages including tracking identifiers scanned from packages passing through a shipping hub, and shipment information for the packages;
shipping database means for storing package records, a package record for a package comprising a tracking identifier and an initial destination address for the package;
initial route modeling means for generating an initial route from a shipping point of origin of the package to the initial destination address, the initial route passing through an intermediate hub;
schedule generator means for generating a redirection schedule, the redirection schedule indicating when to provide redirection instructions to permit redirection at the intermediate hub;
wherein the remote shipping hubs route the package toward the initial destination address over transportation links by scanning the package identifier and receiving shipment information for the package;
redirect means for receiving a redirect address and for storing the redirect address in the shipping database means as a destination address for the package; and
wherein the remote shipping hubs route the package toward the redirect address over transportation links by scanning the package identifier and receiving shipment information for the package, rather than routing the package toward the initial destination address after the redirect address is stored in the shipping database means;
whereby the package is redirected toward the redirect address. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for shipping and re-directing a package while in-transit comprising:
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initiating shipment of a package by providing an initial destination address for the package to a shipment system that stores the initial destination address in a shipping database;
providing the package to a shipper that routes the package to the initial destination address;
wherein the package is provided to the shipper and the initial destination address is provided before a redirect address is available;
while the package is in transit to the initial destination address, providing the redirect address to the shipment system, the shipment system storing the redirect address in the shipping database as a new destination address for the package;
wherein the shipper routes the package toward the redirect address over transportation links rather than routes the package toward the initial destination address after the redirect address is stored in the shipping database;
further comprising a method for selling a product contained in the package by;
initiating shipment of the package before the product is sold to a buyer;
while the package is in transit, selling the product to a buyer;
after selling the product to the buyer, entering a buyer'"'"'s address as the redirect address and storing the buyer'"'"'s address as the redirect address in the shipping database as the new destination address for the package; and
delivering the package to the buyer at the buyer'"'"'s address, whereby the product in the package is sold to the buyer while the package is in transit and the package is redirected to the buyer'"'"'s address while in transit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification