Method For Shipping

• US 20140188750A1
• Filed: 12/26/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alternative Courier, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alternative Courier, Inc.
• Inventors: Seiler, Randall W.
• Application Number:
  US14/141,274
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188750A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/335
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing

Abstract

A method of facilitating the shipment of items wherein independent couriers and courier companies are registered and provided with a profile. Parameters associated with courier jobs are received from the courier businesses and it is determined which of the independent couriers are qualified to accept or bid on each courier job. A list detailing the parameters for each courier job that each independent courier is qualified to accept or bid on is provided to each independent courier. Each independent courier list is dynamically modified each time parameters for a new courier job each independent courier is qualified to accept or bid on is received.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating the shipment of items, the method comprising the steps of:

registering at least one independent courier and creating an independent courier profile;

registering at least one courier business and creating a courier business profile;

receiving parameters associated with couriering of at least one item from the at least one courier business;

determining whether the at least one independent courier is qualified to courier the at least one item based on the parameters and the independent courier profile;

providing the parameters for couriering the at least one item to the at least one independent courier on a list if the at least one independent courier is qualified to courier the at least one item; and

,

modifying the list provided to the at least one independent courier every time parameters for an item for courier that the independent courier is qualified to courier is received.

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

receiving proof of delivery from the at least one independent courier each time the at least one independent courier delivers an item for courier selected off the list; and

providing the proof of delivery to the at least one courier business.

3. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

requesting a rating from the at least one courier business for the at least one courier each time an item for which parameters are received for courier after proof of delivery is provided for the item from the at least one independent courier; and

receiving the rating from the at least one courier business and updating an independent courier rating for the at least one independent courier.

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

receiving payment from the at least one courier business from which parameters for at least one items for courier are received; and

paying the at least one independent courier for couriering the item.

5. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 4 further comprising the step of paying the at least independent courier periodically for all couriered items.

6. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving information from the at least one independent courier related to the at least one independent courier vehicles used for couriering, courier insurance protection, and courier licenses when registering the at least one independent courier.

7. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 6 further comprising the step of receiving at least one parameter from the at least one independent courier, the at least one parameter providing limitations on item couriering the at least one independent courier is willing to accept.

8. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 7 further comprising the step of providing a second list to the at least one independent courier, the second list having only parameters for items for couriering for which the at least one independent courier is qualified to courier, and which fit in the limitations on item couriering set by the at least one independent courier.

9. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing an app to the at least one independent courier after registration, the app being used by the at least one independent courier to access the list.

10. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the step of requesting a rating for the at least one courier business from the at least one independent courier each time the at least one independent courier couriers an item for the at least one courier businesses.

11. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 10 further comprising the step of receiving the rating from the at least one independent courier and inquiring as to whether the at least one independent courier wants to deliver another item for the at least one courier business having listed parameters that the at least one independent courier is qualified to courier.

12. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the steps of

receiving a request for an accessorial charge from the at least one independent courier related to an item being couriered by the at least one independent courier;

requesting acceptance of the accessorial charge from the at least one courier business the items is being couriered for;

receiving a response from the at least one courier business whether or not the accessorial charge will be paid; and

providing the at least one courier business response to the at least one independent courier requesting the accessorial charge.

13. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an acceptance from the at least one courier business to pay for accessorial charge;

receiving payment from the at least one courier business; and

paying the at least one independent courier who requested the accessorial charge.

14. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying the at least one independent courier whether or not the bid entered for a list item has been accepted.

15. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving instructions to withdraw a bid received from the at least one independent courier to courier one of the at least one items on the list; and

notifying the at least one courier business listing the item for courier that the bid has been withdrawn.

16. A method of facilitating the shipment of items, the method comprising the steps of:

registering independent couriers;

storing an independent courier profile for each registered independent courier on a server, each independent courier profile including the information provided during registration;

registering courier businesses;

storing a courier business profile for each registered courier business on the server, each courier business profile including the information provided during registration;

receiving parameters for courier jobs from the courier businesses;

storing the parameters for the courier jobs on the server;

determining which independent couriers are qualified to accept or bid on each courier job based on the independent courier profile;

providing a list to each independent courier detailing the parameters for each courier job the server has determined each independent courier is qualified to accept or bid on; and

modifying each independent courier list every time parameters are received for a new courier job each independent courier is qualified to accept or bid on.

17. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

receiving proof of delivery from each independent courier every time each independent courier completes a courier job; and

providing the proof of delivery to a courier business that provided the parameters for the courier job.

18. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:

requesting a rating from the courier business for an independent courier after the proof of delivery is provided to the courier business; and

receiving the rating from the courier business and updating an independent courier rating for the independent courier.

19. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

receiving payment from each courier business every time a courier job listed by a courier business is completed; and

paying an independent courier for completing the courier job.

20. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 19 further comprising the step of paying each independent courier periodically for courier jobs completed by each independent courier.

21. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the step of receiving information from each independent courier related to the vehicles used for couriering, courier insurance protection, and courier licenses for each independent courier during registration.

22. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 21 further comprising the step of receiving at least one parameter from at least one independent courier, the at least one parameter providing limitations on courier jobs the at least one independent courier is willing to accept.

23. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 22 further comprising the step of providing a second list to the at least one independent courier, the second list having only parameters for courier jobs for which the at least one independent courier is qualified to courier, and which fit in the limitations on courier jobs set by the at least one independent courier.

24. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the step of providing an app to each independent courier after registration, the app being used by each independent courier to access the list.

25. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the step of requesting a rating for each courier business from each independent courier each time each independent courier completes a courier job for each courier businesses.

26. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 25 further comprising the step of receiving the ratings from each one independent courier and inquiring as to whether each independent courier wants to deliver another item for a courier business each independent courier just completed a courier job for.

27. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 16 further comprising the steps of

receiving a request for an accessorial charge from at least one independent courier related to courier job being completed by the at least one independent courier;

requesting acceptance of the accessorial charge from a courier business that provided the parameters for the courier job;

receiving a response from the courier business whether or not the accessorial charge will be paid; and

providing the courier business response to the at least one independent courier requesting the accessorial charge.

28. The method of facilitating shipment of claim 27 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an acceptance from the courier business to pay for accessorial charge;

receiving payment from the courier business; and

paying the at least one independent courier who requested the accessorial charge.