Processing Shipment Status Events

• US 20100324959A1
• Filed: 06/18/2009
• Published: 12/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wenneman, M. Christopher, Seifert, Michael Thomas, Pew, Benjamin Elliott, Templeton, William P., Lucas, Jacob Frank, Kjelstrup, Jacob A., Bundy, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US12/486,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20100324959A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for processing shipment status events. An instance of a first event is obtained from a carrier. The instance of the first event is associated with a shipment in transit with the carrier, and the first event is associated with a set of first events used by the carrier to describe shipment status. The instance of the first event is mapped to an instance of a second event. The second event is associated with a set of second events, each describing a shipment status and being normalized with respect to sets of first events associated with multiple carriers. At least one action based at least in part on the instance of the second event is implemented.

Claims

1. A method, comprising the steps of:

obtaining, in at least one server, an instance of at least one first event from a first one of a plurality of carriers, the instance of the at least one first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the first one of the carriers, the at least one first event being associated with a first one of a plurality of sets of first events used by at least one of the carriers to describe shipment status, the first one of the sets of first events being associated with the one of the carriers;

mapping, in the at least one server, the instance of the at least one first event to an instance of a second event, the second event being associated with a set of second events, each of the second events describing a shipment status and being normalized with respect to the sets of first events associated with the carriers;

obtaining, in the at least one server, an instance of a subsequent first event from a second one of the carriers, the instance of the subsequent first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the second one of the carriers, the subsequent first event differing from the at least one first event and being associated with a second one of the sets of first events;

mapping, in the at least one server, the instance of the subsequent first event to a subsequent instance of the second event; and

implementing, in the at least one server, at least one action based at least in part on the subsequent instance of the second event and order data associated with the shipment in transit with the second one of the carriers.

2. A method, comprising the steps of:

obtaining, in at least one server, an instance of at least one first event from one of a plurality of carriers, the instance of the at least one first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the one of the carriers, the at least one first event being associated with one of a plurality of sets of first events used by at least one of the carriers to describe shipment status, the one of the sets of first events being associated with the one of the carriers;

mapping, in the at least one server, the instance of the at least one first event to an instance of a second event, the second event being associated with a set of second events, each of the second events describing a shipment status and being normalized with respect to the sets of first events associated with the carriers; and

implementing, in the at least one server, at least one action based at least in part on the instance of the second event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one first event comprises at least two first events.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least two first events are obtained in a predefined chronological order.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one action is based at least in part on order data associated with the shipment.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the one of the sets of first events comprises a first one of the sets of first events, and the method further comprising the steps of:

obtaining, in the at least one server, an instance of a subsequent first event from a second one of the carriers, the instance of the subsequent first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the second one of the carriers, the subsequent first event differing from the at least one first event and being associated with a second one of the sets of first events;

mapping, in the at least one server, the instance of the subsequent first event to a subsequent instance of the second event; and

implementing, in the at least one server, another at least one action based at least in part on the subsequent instance of the second event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one action is based at least in part on order data associated with the shipment in transit with the second one of the carriers.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one action is based at least in part on contents of the shipment.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one action comprises the step of generating a map that displays a current location of the shipment.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one action comprises the step of automatically providing a concession to a customer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the concession comprises at least one of the following:

a refund, a refund of a shipping charge associated with the shipment, a waiver of a shipping charge associated with other pending shipments, a gift certificate, or a reshipment of at least one item.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one action comprises the step of sending a notification to a customer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one action further comprises the steps of:

obtaining input data from the customer in response to the notification; and

implementing another at least one action based at least in part on the input data.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification describes a plurality of second events.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the notification provides instructions regarding how to complete delivery of the shipment.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein the second event relates to an incorrect delivery address and the at least one action comprises the step of obtaining a corrected delivery address from a customer.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one action comprises the step of adjusting an expected delivery time.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the second event relates to damage of the shipment.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the second event relates to loss of the shipment.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the second event relates to delay of the shipment.

21. The method of claim 5, wherein the order data comprises items contained within the shipment and a cost of the items.

22. A system, comprising:

at least one server; and

a shipment event processing application executable in the at least one server, the shipment event processing application comprising;

logic that obtains an instance of at least one first event from one of a plurality of carriers, the instance of the at least one first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the one of the carriers, the at least one first event being associated with one of a plurality of sets of first events used by at least one of the carriers to describe shipment status, the one of the sets of first events being associated with the one of the carriers;

logic that maps the instance of the at least one first event to an instance of a second event, the second event being associated with a set of second events, each of the second events describing a shipment status and being normalized with respect to the sets of first events associated with the carriers; and

logic that implements at least one action based at least in part on the instance of the second event.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one action is based at least in part on order data associated with the shipment.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the one of the sets of first events comprises a first one of the sets of first events, and the shipment event processing application further comprises:

logic that obtains an instance of a subsequent first event from a second one of the carriers, the instance of the subsequent first event being associated with a shipment in transit with the second one of the carriers, the subsequent first event differing from the at least one first event and being associated with a second one of the sets of first events;

logic that maps the instance of the subsequent first event to a subsequent instance of the second event; and

logic that implements another at least one action based at least in part on the subsequent instance of the second event.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one action comprises:

logic that sends a notification to a customer;

logic that obtains input data from the customer in response to the notification; and

logic that implements another at least one action based at least in part on the input data.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one action is based at least in part on contents of the shipment.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one action comprises logic that automatically provides a concession to a customer.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the order data comprises items contained within the shipment and a cost of the items.