ENHANCED PAYMENTS FOR SHIPPING

• US 20110307357A1
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• 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: Parameswaran, Sathiyan, Besserer, Bruce, Costides, Nicholas, Hilbush, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,032,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/30
• 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 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for initiating shipment of and payment for shipping a parcel. For example, in one embodiment, a customer/user can receive a message on a user device from a carrier that includes an authorization code for shipping a parcel. After the customer/user ships the parcel, the carrier can charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider associated with the user device. In another embodiment, the customer/user can interact with a kiosk to ship the parcel. In this embodiment, the carrier can also charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider.

Claims

1. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more processors, a first message transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel;

in response to receiving the first message, identifying an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;

determining, via the one or more processors, whether the account is valid;

in response to a determination that the account is valid, generating and transmitting a second message to the user device, wherein the second message comprises an authorization code;

receiving shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier'"'"'s transportation and logistics network, wherein the shipping information comprises a tracking identifier and the authorization code;

in response to receiving the shipping information, determining whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on the authorization code;

in response to a determination that the parcel is approved for shipment, storing at least a portion of the shipment information in association with the tracking identifier, the authorization code, and the account identifier;

electronically determining shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

electronically charging the shipping charges to the account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (1) the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters and (2) the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

3. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more processors, a first message transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel;

in response to receiving the first message, identifying an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;

determining, via the one or more processors, whether the account is valid;

in response to a determination that the account is valid, generating and transmitting a second message to the user device, wherein the second message comprises an authorization code;

receiving shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier'"'"'s transportation and logistics network, wherein the shipping information comprises a tracking identifier and the authorization code; and

electronically charging shipping charges to the account.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

in response to receiving the shipping information, determining whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on the authorization code;

in response to a determination that the parcel is approved for shipment, storing at least a portion of the shipment information in association with the tracking identifier, the authorization code, and the account identifier; and

electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a class of service of the parcel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a weight of the parcel.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the account is selected from the group consisting of an account for wireless services and an account for a charge card.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the first message comprises the tracking identifier associated with the parcel.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the shipment information is generated from a scan of a label affixed to the parcel.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.

13. A computer program product for shipping a parcel, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a first message transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel;

an executable portion configured to, in response to receiving the first message, identify an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the account is valid;

an executable portion configured to in response to a determination that the account is valid, generate and transmit a second message to the user device, wherein the second message comprises an authorization code;

an executable portion configured to receive shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier'"'"'s transportation and logistics network, wherein the shipping information comprises a tracking identifier and the authorization code;

an executable portion configured to, in response to receiving the shipping information, determine whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on the authorization code;

an executable portion configured to, in response to a determination that the parcel is approved for shipment, store at least a portion of the shipment information in association with the tracking identifier, the authorization code, and the account identifier;

an executable portion configured to determine shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

an executable portion configured to charge the shipping charges to the account.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein (1) the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters and (2) the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

15. A computer program product for shipping a parcel, the computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a first message transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel;

an executable portion configured to, in response to receiving the first message, identify an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the account is valid;

an executable portion configured to, in response to a determination that the account is valid, generate and transmit a second message to the user device, wherein the second message comprises an authorization code;

an executable portion configured to receive shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier'"'"'s transportation and logistics network, wherein the shipping information comprises a tracking identifier and the authorization code; and

an executable portion configured to charge shipping charges to the account.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to, in response to receiving the shipping information, determine whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on the authorization code;

an executable portion configured to, in response to a determination that the parcel is approved for shipment, store at least a portion of the shipment information in association with the tracking identifier, the authorization code, and the account identifier; and

an executable portion configured to determine the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the executable portion configured to determine the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel is further configured to automatically determine a class of service of the parcel.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the executable portion configured to determine the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel is further configured to automatically determine a weight of the parcel.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the account is selected from the group consisting of an account for wireless services and an account for a charge card.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first message comprises the tracking identifier associated with the parcel.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the shipment information is generated from a scan of a label affixed to the parcel.

24. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.