System and Method for Delivery Transporter Tracking and Recipient Notification

• US 20130103606A1
• Filed: 10/24/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TRAK IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Packtrak LLC
• Inventors: Holliday, William Neil
• Application Number:
  US13/659,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In a computer implemented method of delivery tracking, a tracking identifier corresponding to a planned delivery of an item is received. The tracking identifier is validated based on a manifest associated with a transporter. A signal representing a location of the planned delivery of the item is sent to a mobile device of a planned recipient of the item. The location of the planned delivery of the item is displayed on a map at the mobile device based on the signal. A status and a location of the transporter are sent to the mobile device of the planned recipient. The location of the transporter is displayed on the map based on a status determination that the transporter is en route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a tracking identifier corresponding to a planned delivery of an item;

validating the tracking identifier based on a manifest associated with a transporter;

sending, to a mobile device of a planned recipient of the item, a first signal representing a location of the planned delivery of the item;

displaying, on a map at the mobile device of the planned recipient, the location of the planned delivery of the item, based on said signal;

sending, to the mobile device of the planned recipient, a status and a location of the transporter; and

displaying, on the map, the location of the transporter, based on a status determination that the transporter is en route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the transporter is one of en route, on a break, and off duty.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending, to the mobile device of the planned recipient, a transporter status notification message indicating that the transporter is not en route.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transporter status notification message includes an indication of a next availability time of the transporter.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery; and

displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, a proximity notification message indicating that the calculated distance is less than a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after a missed delivery attempt, sending a missed delivery message to the mobile device of the planned recipient.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining the status and the location of the transporter after the missed delivery attempt; and

based on a status determination after the missed delivery attempt that the transporter is en route, displaying, on the map, the location of the transporter, wherein the location of the transporter after the missed delivery attempt is different than the location of the transporter displayed before the missed delivery.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating, at a first time, a first distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery;

displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, a first indication that the first distance is less than a first value and greater than a second value;

calculating, at a second time, a second distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery; and

displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, a second indication that the second distance is less than the second value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first indication and second indication are displayed in different colors.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating, at a first time, a first distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery;

displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, a first indication that the first distance is less than a first value and greater than a second value;

calculating, at a second time, a second distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery; and

displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, a second indication that the second distance is less than the second value and greater than a third value.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on a status determination that the transporter is not en route, sending a transporter status notification message to the mobile device of the planned recipient.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, on the map, a location of the planned recipient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the location of the planned recipient is different than the location of the planned delivery.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said first signal includes address data identifying an address associated with the tracking identifier in the manifest.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising geocoding an address associated with the tracking identifier in the manifest, to provide geocoded address data, wherein said first signal includes said geocoded address data.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at a mobile device of the transporter, an input specifying a duration of an upcoming break for the transporter; and

updating, at a database of a server, the status of the transporter based on the received input.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, at the mobile device of the planned recipient, an indication of a position of the item in a delivery queue of the transporter.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling the display of the location of the transporter on the map at the mobile device of the planned recipient when a predetermined condition is satisfied,

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from the group consisting of reception of a second signal corresponding to a request from the server to disable the display of the location of the transporter, reception of a third signal corresponding to a request from the transporter to disable the display of the location of the transporter, reception of a fourth signal corresponding to insufficient wireless network accessibility for a mobile device of the transporter, and reception of a fifth signal corresponding to presence of the transporter within or near a predetermined geofence.

20. A system comprising:

a server and a first mobile device, each of the server and first mobile device including a computer processor, a radio transceiver, and a computer readable storage medium, the first mobile device further including a display;

wherein the computer readable storage medium of the server includes computer-executable instructions stored tangibly thereon, said instructions configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operations of;

causing the transceiver of the server to receive, from the first mobile device, a tracking identifier corresponding to a planned delivery of an item,

validating the tracking identifier based on a manifest associated with a transporter,

causing the transceiver of the server to send, to the first mobile device, a signal representing a location of the planned delivery of the item, and

causing the transceiver of the server to send, to the first mobile device, a status and a location of the transporter;

wherein the computer readable storage medium of the first mobile device includes computer-executable instructions stored tangibly thereon, said instructions configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the first mobile device to perform the operations of;

causing the transceiver of the first mobile device to receive the tracking identifier from a user of the first mobile device,

causing the transceiver of the first mobile device to send the tracking identifier to the server,

displaying, on a map on the display of the first mobile device, the location of the planned delivery of the item, based on the signal received from the server, and

displaying, on the map, the location of the transporter.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the server are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operation of calculating a distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery;

wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the first mobile device are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the first mobile device to perform the operation of displaying, at the display of the mobile device, an electronic proximity notification message indicating that the distance is less than a predetermined threshold.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the first mobile device are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the first mobile device to perform the operations of:

calculating a distance between the location of the transporter and the location of the planned delivery; and

displaying, at the display of the mobile device, an electronic proximity notification message indicating that the calculated distance is less than a predetermined threshold.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the server are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operation of causing the transceiver of the server to send, after a missed delivery attempt, a missed delivery message to the first mobile device.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the server are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operation of causing the transceiver of the server to send a transporter status notification message to the first mobile device based on a status determination that the transporter is not en route.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the first mobile device are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the first mobile device to perform the operation of displaying, on the map, a location of the user of the first mobile device.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein said signal includes address data identifying an address associated with the tracking identifier in the manifest;

wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the first mobile device are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the first mobile device to perform the operation of geocoding the address data, wherein the location of the planned delivery of the item is displayed on the map based on the geocoded address data.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the server are further configured to;

when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operation of geocoding an address associated with the tracking identifier in the manifest, to provide geocoded address data, wherein said signal includes said geocoded address data.

28. The system of claim 20, further comprising a second mobile device including a computer processor, a radio transceiver, a computer readable storage medium, and a display;

wherein the computer readable storage medium of the second mobile device includes computer-executable instructions stored tangibly thereon, said instructions configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the second mobile device to perform the operations of;

receiving, from the transporter, an input specifying a duration of an upcoming break for the transporter; and

causing the processor of the second mobile device to send said input to the server;

wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the server are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the server to perform the operation of updating, at a database of the server, the status of the transporter based on said input received from the second mobile device.

29. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions stored on the storage medium of the second mobile device are further configured to, when executed, cause the processor of the second mobile device to perform the operation of sending, to the server, location information specifying the location of the transporter.

30. The system of claim 20, further comprising a tracking device including:

a receiver configured to receive a positioning signal;

a computer processor configured to determine a location of the tracking device based on the received positioning signal; and

a transmitter configured to transmit to the server a tracking signal representing the location of the tracking device;

wherein the tracking device is located within a package comprising the item or is coupled to said package.