Second site control of article transport processing
First Claim
1. A method for processing an article being transported at a first location by a user located at a second location, said first location being isolated from said first location, said method comprising:
- obtaining characteristics descriptive of said article at said first location;
displaying said characteristics to said user at said second location;
enabling said user to provide article disposal input information at said second location;
transmitting said article disposal input information from said second site to said first site; and
disposing of said article at said first site in accordance with said article disposal input information provided by said user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and methodology for sorting and/or distributing items and articles being shipped to a receiving party through private and/or commercial delivery systems. Various characteristics of an article being shipped are obtained and assembled in a database. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article are acquired at a first site and the processing and desired disposition of the article is determined at a second site which is physically separate from the first site. The descriptive characteristics of the article being shipped are displayed at the second site and are sufficient to identify the article to a processing individual located at the second site. The processing individual is then enabled to indicate a desired disposal of the article from the second site without being exposed to the physical article located at the first site. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article may include one or more images of the article along with various other descriptive physical characteristics of the article such as the size and weight of the article. In one example, the processing individual is enabled to authorize the opening of an article in which case, descriptive characteristics of the contents of the article are acquired at the first site and displayed to the processing individual at the second site for use in determining an appropriate disposition of the article.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for processing an article being transported at a first location by a user located at a second location, said first location being isolated from said first location, said method comprising:
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obtaining characteristics descriptive of said article at said first location; displaying said characteristics to said user at said second location; enabling said user to provide article disposal input information at said second location; transmitting said article disposal input information from said second site to said first site; and disposing of said article at said first site in accordance with said article disposal input information provided by said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computing system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable coded indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective for processing an article being transported at a first location by a user located at a second location, said first location being isolated from said first location, said program signals being selectively operable to accomplish the steps of:
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obtaining characteristics descriptive of said article at said first location; displaying said characteristics to said user at said second location; enabling said user to provide article disposal input information at said second location; transmitting said article disposal input information from said second site to said first site; and disposing of said article at said first site in accordance with said article disposal input information provided by said user.
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20. A computing device for communicating with an article handling system for processing an article being transported at a first site, said computing device being selectively operable by a user at a second site, said second site being isolated from said first site, said computing device comprising:
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a system bus; a CPU device connected to said system bus; a memory device connected to said system bus; an input device connected to said system bus, said input device being arranged to enable user input to said computing system; a user display device connected to said system bus; and coupling means arranged to couple said computing device at said second location to said article handling system at said first site, said computing device being selectively operable for receiving information descriptive of characteristics of said article, and displaying said characteristics on a user input screen on said display device at said second site, said user input screen including means for enabling user input of disposal information on said input device, said computing device being selectively operable for initiating a transmission of said disposal information to said article handling system to effect a disposal of said article in accordance with said disposal information.
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Specification