SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF AN ITEM

• US 20140180959A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• 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: GILLEN, ROBERT J., HENSLEY, ROBERTA WALTON
• Granted Patent: US 10,387,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/341
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Generally, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods that can identify the location of a consignee and propose one or more alternative delivery location(s). The proposed delivery location may be based on the current location of the consignee, current address on the package to be delivered, information located in a social network (private or public), “to-be” location as determined by the consignee which would be transmitted to the carrier and/or a predicted consignee location. In other embodiments, the consignee or “carrier” may suggest an alternative fixed location or alternative mobile location. In some embodiments, the consignee may indicate an alternative recipient of the item.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an alternative delivery location for item bound for a customer comprising the steps of:

creating a customer profile, via a computer system, associating a customer with at least one of a mobile device, a social network, or a vehicle device;

receiving location information relating to a geographic location from the at least one of a mobile device, a social network, or a vehicle device;

capturing shipping indicia from an item and associating the item with the customer profile based at least in part on the shipping indicia;

determining one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the received location information; and

allowing the customer to select one of the one or more alternative delivery locations for delivery of the item.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sending a notification of receipt of the item wherein the notification includes indicia identifying the one or more alternative delivery locations for selection by the customer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sending a notification of receipt of the item wherein the notification includes a hyperlink to a carrier webpage; and

providing the carrier webpage that comprises indicia identifying the one or more alternative delivery locations.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

analyzing customer data to identify location patterns; and

determining one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the identified location patterns.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer profile associates a customer to a mobile device and the one or more alternative delivery locations are within a threshold distance of the location information received from the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer profile associates a customer to a social network and the one or more alternative delivery locations are within a threshold distance of a check-in location received from the social network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative delivery locations are within a threshold distance of a destination address derived from the shipping indicia.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative delivery locations comprises a dynamic location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more alternative delivery locations comprises a vehicle location.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

receiving authorization from the customer to enter a vehicle associated with the vehicle location; and

unlocking the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein unlocking the vehicle comprises sending a request to a third party to unlock the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sending a delivery notification wherein the notification includes a unique identifier; and

scanning the unique identifier to confirm the identity of the customer when delivering the item to the customer.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the unique identifier includes a security code.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

establishing a personal identification number (PIN) for use by the customer; and

receiving the PIN from the customer by the carrier service provider.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

receiving an image of the consignee; and

using the received image to confirm the identity of the consignee.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

predicting the location of the customer based at least in part on the received location information and wherein the determining one or more alternative delivery locations is also based at least in part on the predicted location of the customer.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

attempting to deliver the item to the alternative delivery location;

determining an updated location of the customer based at least in part on the at least one of a mobile device, a social network, or a vehicle device; and

delivering the item based at least in part on the updated location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of delivering the item based at least in part on the updated location comprises transferring the item from one delivery vehicle to a second delivery vehicle.

19. A method for predicting the location of a customer and proposing an alternative delivery location for an item, the method comprising the steps of:

storing historical location information for the customer;

receiving a projected delivery date and delivery location for delivery of an item to the customer;

accessing customer calendar information associated with a customer;

assigning a first probability value to a first location based at least in part on the calendar information;

comparing the delivery location to the stored historical location information;

when a match is identified between the delivery location and the stored historical location information, assign a second probability value to the match location, and

sending a message to the customer listing the first location or the match location as an alternative delivery location.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the accessed calendar information is a customer'"'"'s personal online calendar.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the accessed calendar information is from a calendar hosted by the carrier and accessed by the customer.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising the steps of:

accessing a social network of the customer; and

retrieving historical location information.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

Receiving location information from a mobile device and storing the location information as historical location information.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the message includes both the first location and the match location.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the message lists the first location and the match location in order based at least in part on the associated probability values.

26. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

create a customer profile associating a customer with at least one of a mobile device, a social network, or a vehicle device;

receive location information relating to a geographic location from the at least one of a mobile device, a social network, or a vehicle device;

capture shipping indicia from an item and associating the item with the customer profile based at least in part on the shipping indicia;

determine one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the received location information; and

allow the customer to select one of the one or more alternative delivery locations for delivery of the item.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, send a notification of receipt of the item wherein the notification includes indicia identifying the one or more alternative delivery locations for selection by the customer.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, send a notification of receipt of the item wherein the notification includes a hyperlink to a carrier webpage;

and provide the webpage that comprises indicia identifying the one or more alternative delivery locations.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the customer profile associates a customer to a mobile device and the one or more alternative delivery locations comprises are within a threshold distance of the location information received from the mobile device.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the one or more alternative delivery locations comprises a dynamic location.

31. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the one or more alternative delivery locations comprises a vehicle location.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, send a delivery notification wherein the notification includes a unique identifier;

and

scan the unique identifier to confirm the identity of the customer when delivering the item to the customer.

33. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, predict the location of the customer based at least in part on the received location information, and wherein the determining one or more alternative delivery locations is also based at least in part on the predicted location of the customer.

34. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

store historical location information for the customer;

receiving a projected delivery date and delivery location for delivery of an item to the customer;

access customer calendar information associated with a customer;

assign a first probability value to a first location based at least in part on the calendar information;

compare the delivery location to the stored historical location information;

when a match is identified between the delivery location and the stored historical location information, assign a second probability value to the match location; and

send a message to the customer listing the first location or the match location as alternative delivery locations.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the accessed calendar information is a customer'"'"'s personal online calendar.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the accessed calendar information is from a calendar hosted by the carrier and accessed by the customer.

37. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, access a social network of the customer and retrieve historical location information.

38. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, receive location information from a mobile device and store the location information as historical location information.

39. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the message includes both the first location and the match location.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the message lists the first location and the match location in order based at least in part on the associated probability values.