Systems and Methods for Providing Personalized Delivery Services
First Claim
1. A method for providing delivery instructions to a parcel delivery carrier by a consignee comprising the steps of:
- transmitting, via one or more processors, an electronic notification to the consignee indicating a scheduled delivery of a parcel to the consignee by the parcel delivery carrier, wherein the electronic notification includes a package tracking identifier associated with the parcel;
generating an electronic image of a delivery authorization form (DAF);
generating a DAF identifier associated with the electronic image of the DAF;
associating the DAF identifier with the package tracking identifier in a package level detail (PLD) database operated by the parcel delivery carrier;
transmitting, via the one or more processors, the electronic image of the DAF to the consignee, wherein the electronic image of the DAF (a) is capable of being printed and (b) includes indicia information indicating the package tracking identifier;
receiving a delivery instruction associated with the electronic image of the DAF from the consignee;
receiving an electronic signature from the consignee to create a signed DAF;
transmitting the signed DAF to the parcel delivery carrier;
updating a parcel record associated with the parcel in the PLD database to indicate the DAF has been signed; and
electronically, via the one or more processors, communicating the delivery instruction along with the package tracking identifier to a portable computing device used by a delivery person of the parcel delivery carrier prior to an initial delivery attempt of the parcel.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for providing delivery instructions to a parcel delivery carrier by a consignee comprising the steps of:
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transmitting, via one or more processors, an electronic notification to the consignee indicating a scheduled delivery of a parcel to the consignee by the parcel delivery carrier, wherein the electronic notification includes a package tracking identifier associated with the parcel; generating an electronic image of a delivery authorization form (DAF); generating a DAF identifier associated with the electronic image of the DAF; associating the DAF identifier with the package tracking identifier in a package level detail (PLD) database operated by the parcel delivery carrier; transmitting, via the one or more processors, the electronic image of the DAF to the consignee, wherein the electronic image of the DAF (a) is capable of being printed and (b) includes indicia information indicating the package tracking identifier; receiving a delivery instruction associated with the electronic image of the DAF from the consignee; receiving an electronic signature from the consignee to create a signed DAF; transmitting the signed DAF to the parcel delivery carrier; updating a parcel record associated with the parcel in the PLD database to indicate the DAF has been signed; and electronically, via the one or more processors, communicating the delivery instruction along with the package tracking identifier to a portable computing device used by a delivery person of the parcel delivery carrier prior to an initial delivery attempt of the parcel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of providing delivery instructions to a carrier comprising:
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transmitting, via one or more processors, a package tracking number to a consignor associated with a parcel shipped to a consignee; receiving at a web server a tracking request from the consignee, said tracking request including the package tracking number; transmitting, via the one or more processors, a query to a package level detail (PLD) database using the tracking number to retrieve a package level detail (PLD) record associated with the parcel; in response to receiving the tracking request, causing display of a delivery status of the package indicating that the package has not been delivered; causing display of a plurality of delivery options pertaining to the delivery of the package; receiving input from the consignee (a) selecting one of the plurality of delivery options comprising a delivery instruction for the delivery of the parcel and (b) authorizing delivery of the parcel; transmitting, via the one or more processors, to the PLD database the package tracking number along with an indication of the delivery options comprising a delivery instruction for the delivery of the parcel; storing an indication of receiving the electronic indication in the PLD database associated with the PLD record; and transmitting the delivery instruction from the PLD database to a portable computing device on the day of the delivery of the parcel, wherein the portable computing device is used by a delivery person delivering the parcel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for providing information pertaining to delivery of a parcel, comprising:
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a web site server comprising one or more processors and one or more memory storage devices, the web site server configured to; receive a request from a consignee, the request indicating a package tracking identifier for the parcel scheduled to be delivered to the consignee, initiate a query to retrieve information regarding the parcel identified by the package tracking identifier, generate an electronic image of a delivery authorization form (DAF) which is transmitted to the consignee in response to the request, receive a delivery instruction after the transmission of the DAF wherein the delivery instruction pertains to the delivery of the parcel, and receive an electronic signature from the consignee authorizing the delivery of the parcel, the web site server configured to communicate the delivery instruction; a package level detail (PLD) database comprising delivery records including a PLD record associated with the package tracking identifier, the PLD database configured to; receive the query from the web site server and transmit in response to the query at least a subset of the PLD record to the web site server, and associate a DAF identifier with the delivery record; and a portable computing device used by delivery personnel in conjunction with the delivery of the parcel comprising one or more processors and one or more memory storage areas, the portable computing device configured to; receive at least a portion of the delivery record transmitted from the PLD database, receive the delivery instruction regarding delivery of the parcel, and cause display of said delivery instruction to the delivery personnel at the time of delivering the parcel. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification