SYSTEMS AND ASSOCIATED METHODS FOR WIRELESS SERVICES FOR PACKAGE TRACKING DURING DELIVERY

• US 20070228143A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2000
• 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: Bhadra, Sourav
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/376
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods that allow a user to track packages throughout the course of delivery without requiring the user to completely reenter tracking information such as an 18 character tracking number and also allow the user to use a wide variety of communication devices to track and retrack a package without requiring the user to reenter the entire tracking number.

Claims

1. A package tracking system for providing package tracking information to a user, comprising:

a network entity configured to store a tracking history file comprising a listing of one or more tracking numbers previously tracked by a user, the tracking history file not containing any tracking number that has not been previously tracked in association with the user; and

a communication device operated by the user and configured to access said network entity in order to track a package corresponding to a tracking number in the tracking history file,

wherein said network entity is further configured to verify the identity of the user or the identity of the communication device operated by the user, access the tracking history file associated with the user, and transmit the list of one or more tracking numbers of the tracking history file to the communication device, said network entity further configured to receive a selection of one of the tracking numbers of the tracking history file from the communication device and to transmit tracking information associated with the selected tracking number to the communication device.

2. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further configured to transmit a tracking number to the network entity, and wherein the network entity is configured to accept the tracking number and to store the tracking number in the tracking history file.

3. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a display configured to display a selectable list of previously tracked packages retrieved from the tracking history file.

4. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a wireless communication device.

5. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication device has a limited input functionality.

6. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the network entity is configured to transmit the tracking information associated with the selected tracking number upon receipt from the communication device of part of, but not all of, a package tracking number, where the complete package tracking number has previously been stored in the tracking history file.

7. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is further configured to transmit a user identifier and a password associated with the user to the network entity, such that the network entity verifies the identity of the user based at least in part on the user identifier and password received.

8. The package tracking system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second communication device operated by the user and configured to transmit a tracking number to the network entity, wherein the network entity is further configured to accept the tracking number transmitted by the second communication device and to store the tracking number in the tracking history file.

9. The package tracking system of claim 8, wherein the communication device lacks a standard full size keyboard and the second communication device has a standard full size keyboard.

10. The package tracking system of claim 1, wherein the network entity is further configured to create a tracking history file associated with the user.

11. A network entity for providing package tracking information from a package tracking system to a user, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a request to track a package from a communication device operated by the user;

verify the identity of the user or the identity of the communication device;

access a tracking history file associated with the user in a computer readable memory, said tracking history file comprising a listing of one or more tracking numbers previously tracked by the user, said tracking history file not containing any tracking number that has not been previously tracked in association with the user;

provide a list of packages based on the identity of the user or the communication device, each package in the list corresponding to a tracking number stored in the tracking history file;

receive a user selection of a package from the list;

retrieve tracking information based on the tracking number corresponding to the package selected; and

transmit the tracking information for the package selected.

12. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a user identifier and a password associated with the user, such that in order to verify the identity of the user or the identity of the communication device operated by the user, the application is further configured, upon execution, to verify the identity based at least in part on the user identifier and password received.

13. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to create the tracking history file.

14. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a tracking number from a communication device operated by the user; and

store the tracking number in the tracking history file.

15. The network entity of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to receive the request to track a package from a first communication device operated by the user, and to receive the tracking number from a second communication device operated by the user.

16. A computer program product for providing package tracking information from a package tracking system to a user, wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving a request to track a package from a communication device operated by a user;

a second executable portion for verifying the identity of the user or the identity of the communication device;

a third executable portion for accessing a tracking history file associated with the user, said tracking history file comprising a listing of one or more tracking numbers previously tracked by the user, said tracking history file not containing any tracking number that has not been previously tracked in association with the user;

a fourth executable portion for providing a list of packages based on the identity of the user or the communication device, each package in the list corresponding to a tracking number stored in the tracking history file;

a fifth executable portion for receiving a user selection of a package from the list;

a sixth executable portion for retrieving tracking information based on the tracking number corresponding to the package selected; and

a seventh executable portion for transmitting the tracking information for the package selected.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

an eighth executable portion for receiving a user identifier and a password associated with the user, such that the second executable portion is configured to verify the identity of the user or the identity of the communication device operated by the user based at least in part on the user identifier and password received.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

an eighth executable portion for creating the tracking history file.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise:

a ninth executable portion for receiving a tracking number from a communication device operated by the user; and

a tenth executable portion for storing the tracking number in the tracking history file.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first executable portion is configured to receive the request to track a package from a first communication device operated by the user, and the ninth executable portion is configured to receive the tracking number from a second communication device operated by the user.