METHOD FOR MANAGING PACKAGE DELIVERY

• US 20090326971A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Secchi, Marco, Pichetti, Luigi, Piccinini, Sandro
• Application Number:
  US12/164,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20090326971A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method for managing package delivery may include receiving a plurality of packages. Each package may include a bar code or RFID tag associating the package with personal profile information. A delivery route plan may be generated based on the personal profile information. The estimated delivery time may be transmitted to the recipient in advance of the delivery. An electronic reply communication including a location of the recipient may be received from a notified recipient either confirming the delivery or proposing an alternate delivery time or location. The delivery route plan may be recalculated based on the retrieved personal profile information, the alternate delivery time or location if proposed by the recipient, and/or the current location of the recipient to identify alternate delivery time and location options. A confirmation selecting one of the alternate delivery time and location options or reconfirming the delivery may be received from the recipient.

Claims

1. A method for managing package delivery comprising:

receiving a plurality of packages directed to a plurality of recipients, wherein each package includes a bar code or RFID tag associating the package with personal profile information related to a recipient of each package, wherein the personal profile information includes a preferred delivery time, an advance pre-delivery notification time, an address and a contact number;

interrogating bar codes or RFID tags using a microprocessor device to retrieve the personal profile information associated with the plurality of packages;

generating a delivery route plan based on the retrieved personal profile information, wherein packages having earlier preferred delivery times are given preference in the generation of the delivery route plan;

determining an estimated delivery time for a package using a global positioning system location device and traffic information;

transmitting the estimated delivery time to notify a recipient when a package will be delivered, wherein the estimated delivery time is electronically transmitted to the recipient in advance of the delivery based on the recipient'"'"'s advance pre-delivery notification time;

receiving an electronic reply communication from a notified recipient either confirming the delivery, proposing an alternate delivery time or proposing an alternate delivery location, the electronic reply communication including a current location of the notified recipient;

recalculating the delivery route plan based on the retrieved personal profile information, the alternate delivery time or location if proposed by the recipient, and the current location of the notified recipient to identify alternate delivery time and location options;

transmitting the alternate delivery time and location options to the notified recipient;

receiving a confirmation selecting one of the alternate delivery time and location options or reconfirming the delivery from the recipient; and

transmitting an electronic communication to the notified recipient either accepting or rejecting the selection by the recipient.