Package pickup indicator system

• US 20070233504A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Tait
• Original Assignee: Michael Tait
• Inventors: Tait, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A package pickup indicator system is disclosed. The system includes a monitoring system and an indicator capable of being detected by a route driver for a shipping carrier in a shipping carrier vehicle. The monitoring system is in communication with at least one shipping carrier customer package tracking system and is in communication with the indicator. The monitoring system is configured to activate the indicator when a package at a place of business is ready to be picked up for shipment by the shipping carrier and is further configured to query the shipping carrier customer package tracking system about a status of the package to be shipped. The monitoring system automatically deactivates the indicator upon a response from the shipping carrier customer package system that the package to be shipped is in possession of the shipping carrier.

Claims

1. A package pickup indicator system comprising:

a monitoring system; and

an indicator capable of being detected by a route driver for a shipping carrier in a shipping carrier vehicle,

wherein the monitoring system is in communication with at least one shipping carrier customer package tracking system and is in communication with the indicator, wherein the monitoring system is configured to activate the indicator when a package at a place of business is ready to be picked up for shipment by the shipping carrier and wherein the monitoring system is further configured to query the shipping carrier customer package tracking system about a status of the package to be shipped and to automatically deactivate the indicator upon a response from the shipping carrier customer package system that the package to be shipped is in possession of the shipping carrier.

2. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is further in communication with a place of business shipping system that comprises a device configured to generate a shipping request.

3. The package pickup indicator system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring system and the place of business shipping system are a unitary system.

4. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a light.

5. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of user computers in communication with the monitoring system.

6. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is located exterior to the place of business.

7. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is capable of being detected by the shipping carrier route driver in the shipping carrier vehicle while on a carrier route and wherein the place of business is at a location removed from the carrier route.

8. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is in communication with more than one shipping carrier customer package tracking system.

9. The package pickup indicator system of claim 8, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of independently activated and deactivated lights.

10. The package pickup indicator system of claim 9, wherein each light is a different color corresponding to a different pre-determined shipping carrier.

11. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein a status of the indicator is published to at least one employee at the place of business, wherein the status indicates whether indicator is activated or deactivated.

12. The package pickup indicator system of claim 11, wherein the status of the indicator is published as an icon displayed on the screen of a user computer.

13. A method for providing information about a package to be picked up for shipment by a shipping carrier comprising:

preparing a shipping request for a package to be shipped with a shipping carrier;

identifying a tracking number associated with the package;

activating an indicator capable of being detected by a route driver of the shipping carrier in a shipping carrier vehicle;

querying a shipping carrier customer package tracking system to determine a status of the package; and

in response to determining a status of the package corresponding to the package being the possession of the shipping carrier, automatically deactivating the indicator.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising publishing one of an activated or deactivated status of the indicator to at least one employee at the place of business.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the querying includes using the tracking number associated with the package to determine the status of the package.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein activating the indicator includes activating at least one light at a location of the package to be shipped.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein activating the indicator includes activating a light associated with the shipping carrier.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the preparing a shipping request includes generating a tracking number associated with the package.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the shipping carrier with the shipping request; and

querying the shipping carrier customer package tracking system to confirm the shipping request, wherein the shipping request is provided and confirmed prior to activating the indicator.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying a tracking number comprises identifying the tracking number in a URL provided by the shipping carrier containing the tracking number.