AUTOMATED PACKAGE TRACKING

• US 20140149308A1
• Filed: 11/27/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Ming, Erin Christine
• Application Number:
  US13/686,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149308A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A system and method are provided herein for tracking packages on a client device. A plurality of messages accessible on the client device may be monitored for information. When certain information, such as shipping and/or status information, is detected within a message of the plurality of messages, such information may be extracted from the message or automatically obtained. A notification may be generated based on the extracted and/or obtained information. The notification may be configured according to user preferences and displayed on the client device.

Claims

1. A method for tracking packages, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of messages accessible on a client device;

detecting information corresponding to a package within a message of the plurality of messages;

automatically extracting the information corresponding to the package from the message; and

generating a notification based on the extracted information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically extracting the information corresponding to the package comprises:

automatically extracting shipment information corresponding to the package from the message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the shipment information includes at least one of a merchant name, a tracking number, a name of a package carrier, an order number, an estimated shipment date, and a shipment date.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether status information corresponding to the package is included in the message;

automatically extracting the status information corresponding to the package when the status information is included in the message; and

automatically obtaining the status information corresponding to the package using the extracted shipment information when the status information is not included in the message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the status information includes at least one of a delivery time, an estimated delivery time, a delivery status, a geographic location, and a physical location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting information corresponding to a second package within a second message of the plurality of messages, the package associated with a first merchant and the second package associated with a second merchant; and

automatically extracting the information corresponding to the second package from the second message,

wherein generating the notification comprises generating the notification based on the extracted information corresponding to the package and the second package.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first merchant is different from the second merchant.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations to facilitate tracking packages, the set of instructions comprising:

monitoring a plurality of messages accessible on a client device;

detecting information corresponding to a package within a message of the plurality of messages;

automatically extracting the information corresponding to the package from the message; and

generating a notification based on the extracted information.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein automatically extracting the information corresponding to the package comprises automatically extracting shipment information corresponding to the package from the message and the set of instructions further comprises:

determining whether status information corresponding to the package is included in the message;

automatically extracting the status information corresponding to the package when the status information is included in the message; and

automatically obtaining the status information corresponding to the package using the extracted shipment information when the status information is not included in the message.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein generating the notification comprises generating the notification based on at least one of the shipment information and the status information.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, wherein automatically obtaining the status information comprises automatically obtaining the status information from a package carrier.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

displaying the notification on the client device based on a preference of a user of the client device.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein monitoring the plurality of messages comprises monitoring the plurality of messages as each message of the plurality messages is accessible at the client device.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions further comprises:

receiving permission from the user to monitor the plurality of messages accessible on the client device.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of messages includes at least one of an email message, a short message service (SMS) message, a multimedia message service (MMS) message, and a notification message.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the notification message is a message on the client device from an application included on the client device.

17. A system comprising a processor-implemented client executing on a processor included in a client device to facilitate tracking packages on the client device, the processor-implemented client being configured to:

monitor a plurality of messages accessible on a client device;

detect information corresponding to a package within a message of the plurality of messages;

automatically extract the information corresponding to the package from the message; and

generate a notification based on the extracted information.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor-implemented client is further configured to configure the notification based on a preference of a user of the client device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein a display in communication with the processor is configured to display the notification based on a preference of a user of the client device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the notification is displayed as at least one of a bar notification, a push notification, a calendar-view notification, and a detailed shipment or delivery information notification.