METHOD AND A TRUSTED SOCIAL NETWORK PLATFORM FOR FACILITATING PEER-TO-PEER SHIPMENT DELIVERY

• US 20140278851A1
• Filed: 03/09/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Venkata Krishna Prasad Kopanati
• Original Assignee: Venkata Krishna Prasad Kopanati
• Inventors: KOPANATI, VENKATA KRISHNA PRASAD
• Application Number:
  US14/201,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278851A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method and a trusted social network platform (110) for facilitating peer-to-peer shipment delivery are disclosed. The trusted social network platform comprises a trip management module (202) configured to receive details of a trip of a trusted traveler, and a shipping information module (204) configured to receive a package shipment request from a trusted shipper. The trusted traveler and the trusted shipper have a pre-existing trust relationship through a trusted social network such that the trusted shipper is authorized to send one or more package shipment requests for the trusted traveler. The trusted social network platform also comprises a traveler-shipment matcher module (206) configured to match the package shipment request with the trusted traveler to facilitate peer-to-peer shipment delivery and a reward management module (208) configured to provide rewards to the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

Claims

1. A trusted social network platform for facilitating peer-to-peer shipment delivery, the trusted social network platform comprising:

a trip management module configured to receive details of a trip of a trusted traveler; and

a shipping information module configured to receive a package shipment request from a trusted shipper, wherein the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper have a pre-existing trust relationship through a trusted social network such that the trusted shipper is authorized to send package shipment requests for the trusted traveler;

a traveler-shipment matcher module configured to match the package shipment request with the trusted traveler to facilitate peer-to-peer shipment delivery; and

a reward management module configured to provide rewards to the trusted traveler wherein the rewards are based on one or more package shipments carried by the trusted traveler.

2. The trusted social network platform of claim 1 further comprising a trust network module configured to manage the trusted social network, wherein the trusted social network interconnects the trusted traveler and one or more trusted shippers.

3. The trust network module of claim 2 further comprising a social network interface module, the social network interface module configured to provide interface with a plurality of social media networks and to facilitate formation of the trusted social network by utilizing one or more social media connections of at least one of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

4. The trust network module of claim 2 further comprising:

a trust network creation module configured to create the trusted social network; and

a trust network management module configured to update, delete and manage profile of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

5. The trusted social network platform of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing trust relationship is based on at least one of from the group comprising a direct social association between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper and an inherited social association between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, wherein the direct social association is established when the trusted traveler has a direct connection with the trusted shipper through a social media network, the direct connection being established when there is one degree of separation between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper in the social media network, and wherein the inherited social association is established when the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper have an indirect connection through the social media network, the indirect connection being established when there is two or more degree of separation between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper in the social media network.

6. The trusted social network platform of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing trust relationship is a provisional trust relationship, the provisional trust relationship is established when the trusted traveler temporarily adds the trusted shipper to the trusted social network of the trusted traveler.

7. The trip management module of claim 1 further comprising:

a trip submission module configured to receive, validate and save details of the trip;

a trip search module configured to search trips based on input parameters; and

a trip selection module configured to select a trip to place one or more package shipment request.

8. The trusted social network platform of claim 1 further comprising:

an account management module configured to manage member accounts of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper;

a payment management module configured to process payments; and

a ratings module configured to manage ratings of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, wherein the trusted traveler is rated on the package shipment delivered and the trusted shipper is rated on the package shipment requested.

9. The trusted social network platform of claim 1 further comprising a green credit module configured to determine green credits earned by the package shipment delivery, wherein the green credits are based on the reduction in the energy usage achieved by the package shipment delivery facilitated by the trusted social network platform when compared to energy usage if the package shipment were delivered by a traditional shipment delivery service provider.

10. The trusted social network of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing trust relationship between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper is established when a Trust Score (TS) is more than a predetermined value, wherein the Trust Score (TS) is assigned to the trusted shippers and measures the level of trust relationship between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

11. The trusted social network of claim 10, wherein the Trust Score (TS) is based on at least one of an organizational score (OS), a social score (SS), an affinity score (AS), a rating score (RS), a transaction score (TXS), and a profile score (PS), wherein the organizational score (OS) is based on organizational association between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, the social score (SS) is based on social association between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, the affinity score (AS) is based on personal affinity between the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, the rating score (RS) is based on ratings received by the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, the transaction score (TXS) is based on the package shipments requests associated with the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper, the profile score (PS) is based on personal profile of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper

12. The trusted social network platform of claim 1, wherein details of the trip comprises at least one of start location of the trusted traveler, start date of travel, end date of travel, end location of travel, and details of the package shipment.

13. The trusted social network platform of claim 1, wherein the reward management module if further configured to provide rewards to the trusted shipper based on a package shipment request placed by the trusted shipper.

14. A method for facilitating peer-to-peer shipment delivery in a trusted social network comprising, at a trusted social network platform:

receiving details of a trip of a trusted traveler; and

receiving a package shipment request of a trusted shipper, wherein the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper have a pre-existing trust relationship through the trusted social network such that the trusted shipper is authorized to send package shipment requests for the trusted traveler;

matching the package shipment request with the trusted traveler to facilitate peer-to-peer shipment delivery; and

providing reward to the trusted traveler wherein the reward is based on one or more package shipments carried by the trusted traveler.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising managing the trusted social network, wherein the trusted social network interconnects the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising facilitating formation of the trusted social network by utilizing one or more social media connections of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

validating details of the trip;

saving the details of the trip;

searching for the trip based on input criteria; and

selecting the trip to place a package shipment request.

18. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

managing member accounts of the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper;

processing payments for the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper; and

providing rating to the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining green credits earned by the package shipment delivery, wherein the green credits are based on the reduction in the energy usage achieved by the package shipment delivery facilitated by the trusted social network platform, when compared to energy usage if the package shipment were delivered by a traditional shipment delivery service provider.

20. A computer storage device encoded with a computer program, the program comprising instructions that when executed by a computational device cause the computational device to perform operations comprising:

receiving details of a trip of a trusted traveler; and

receiving a package shipment request from a trusted shipper, wherein the trusted traveler and the trusted shipper have a pre-existing trust relationship through a trusted social network such that the trusted shipper is authorized to send package shipment requests for the trusted traveler;

matching the package shipment request with the trusted traveler to facilitate peer-to-peer shipment delivery; and

providing rewards to the trusted traveler wherein the rewards are based on one or more package shipments carried by the trusted traveler.