Systems and Methods for Providing Personalized Delivery Services

• US 20080004995A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• 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: Shroff, Sumeet Pradeep, Rizzo, Joe, Klingenberg, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,131 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing personalized delivery services by a carrier providing a package delivery service. Typically, the consignee indicates a delivery preference to be applied to delivery of a package, such as indicating a specific location where the package is to be left upon delivery, if the consignee is not present to accept the package. In one embodiment, the consignee may be notified by the carrier of the scheduled delivery of the package, and may be linked to the carrier'"'"'s web site to indicate a delivery preference. Alternatively, the delivery preference may be indicated by the consignee proactively accessing the web site. After conveying a delivery preference, the carrier'"'"'s systems communicate the delivery preference at the appropriate time to a portable computing device which informs the delivery personnel of the consignee'"'"'s delivery preference. Other embodiments allow the consignor to indicate delivery preferences.

Claims

1. A system for communicating a message pertaining to a delivery or pickup of a package conveyed by a carrier, comprising:

a package level detail database storing at least one package level detail record, said at least one package level detail record comprising shipping-related information corresponding to said package;

a second database storing at least one package-independent record, said package-independent record comprising information associated with a first address, said information pertaining to either delivery or pickup instructions for a carrier delivery person;

a portable computing device for receiving said message, said portable computing device used by said carrier delivery person responsible for said delivery or pickup of said package, wherein said portable computing device has a display capable of displaying said message in a text form to said carrier delivery person; and

a processor in communication with said package level detail database, said second database, and said portable computing device, wherein said processor is configured to;

determine a second address comprising either a consignor address or a consignee address of said package from said package level detail record,

use said second address to retrieve said package-independent record, wherein said second address corresponds to said first address, and

communicate said message comprising said package-independent record to said portable computing device wherein the communication of said message occurs on the same day as either the delivery or the pickup of the package by said carrier delivery person.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one package-independent record comprises package-independent data provided by the carrier, said package-independent data comprising information associated with a specific location of the delivery or the pickup of the package at said first address.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one package-independent record comprises package-independent data provided by a consignee, wherein said first address is a consignee address.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said package-independent data comprises personalized delivery preferences as to a particular location of placement of said package at said consignee address.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further configured to:

receive a route plan for a delivery route, said route plan comprising a plurality of delivery addresses;

determine a plurality of packages to be delivered along said delivery route by retrieving a plurality of package level detail records associated with said plurality of delivery addresses;

match said plurality of delivery addresses with a plurality of first addresses stored in said second database;

retrieve a corresponding package-independent record for each of said plurality of delivery addresses; and

communicate said message further comprising a package level detail record for each corresponding package-independent record.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable computing device is configured to display said message on said portable computing device prior to said delivery or pickup of said package.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said message is a procedure oriented message to said carrier delivery person indicating a procedure to be followed for said delivery or pickup of said package.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said message is a text message and said portable computing device requires acknowledgment input from said carrier delivery person before additional information can be displayed on said portable computing device.

9. A method of communicating a message regarding a delivery or pickup of a package to a portable computing device comprising the steps of:

receiving data at a computing system comprising a database, the data comprising at least a first address and instructions for handling said package;

storing said data as package-independent data in said database;

identifying a second address comprising either a consignee address or a consignor address, said second address associated with said package conveyed by a carrier;

using said second address to retrieve said package-independent data, wherein said first address corresponds to said second address;

communicating said package-independent data in said message to said portable computing device; and

displaying said message in text form on said portable computing device, said message conveying said instructions for handling said package to a carrier delivery person carrying said portable computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of receiving data comprises receiving data originating from said carrier, said data comprising information associated with a specific location of delivery of said package at a second address comprising a consignee address.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of receiving data comprises receiving data originating from a consignee associated with the package.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data received from said consignee comprises delivery instructions associated with the delivery of the package.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

requiring an acknowledgement input from said carrier delivery person, said step occurring after said step of displaying said message on said portable computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:

upon receiving said acknowledgement input from said carrier delivery person, providing said carrier delivery person with said instructions for handling said package.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of displaying said message occurs prior to delivery of said package.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of communicating said package-independent data in said message occurs prior to a commencement of a pickup or delivery route, said pickup or delivery route including at least a stop associated with said second address.

17. A method for communicating a message to a portable computing device regarding a pickup or delivery of at least one package comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of package-independent records in a database, wherein each package-independent record is associated with a respective first address, and further wherein each package-independent record comprises package-independent data;

receiving a route plan representing a route, said route plan comprising a plurality of second addresses corresponding to a plurality of pickup or delivery addresses associated with packages to be picked up or delivered along said route;

retrieving from said database a corresponding package-independent record for each of said second addresses;

communicating each of said package-independent records and said respective first addresses to said portable computing device in said message at a commencement of said route; and

displaying said message on said portable computing device prior to said commencement of said route.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

displaying a second message on said portable computing device prior to a delivery or pickup at a second address, said second message comprising package-independent data of said package-independent record corresponding to said second address.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of displaying said second message on said portable computing device comprises:

displaying said second message in text form on said portable computing device, said message conveying instructions for handling said package to a carrier delivery person carrying said portable computing device; and

requiring an acknowledgement input from said carrier delivery person.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said package-independent data is received from a plurality of consignees, and wherein said package-independent data comprises personalized delivery preferences for each of said plurality of consignees.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said package-independent data is received from a plurality of carrier delivery personnel, and wherein said package-independent data comprises information associated with a specific location of the delivery or the pickup of a package at said first address.