PROVIDING OPTIMIZED DELIVERY LOCATIONS FOR AN ORDER

• US 20150193731A1
• Filed: 09/15/2014
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Mark B., Wilson, John D.
• Application Number:
  US14/486,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193731A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

A method for recommending a delivery locker based on user convenience and delivery cost including receiving a request to deliver an item to a user; analyzing user activity information to identify a user route including expected timing; analyzing the item for storage requirements to identify lockers meeting the requirements which are navigationally proximate to the user route; ranking the identified lockers with a ranking based on criteria; and presenting an ordering of the identified lockers based on the ranking for user selection.

Claims

1. A method of recommending a delivery locker based on user convenience and delivery cost comprising:

receiving a request to deliver an item to a user;

utilizing a processor to analyze user activity information to identify a user route including expected timing;

utilizing the processor to analyze the item for storage requirements to identify lockers meeting the requirements which are navigationally proximate to the user route;

ranking the identified lockers with a ranking based on criteria; and

presenting an ordering of the identified lockers based on the ranking for user selection.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a second user authorized by the first user for picking up the item;

analyzing the second user activity information to identify a second person route including expected timing; and

analyzing the item for storage requirements to identify lockers meeting the requirements which are navigationally proximate to the user route.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing user activity information includes analyzing user calendar and contact information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing the item for storage requirements includes analyzing the item for shipping characteristics to identify delivery vehicles delivering to the identified lockers.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the shipping characteristics are selected from a group consisting of source, size and weight of the item when packaged, value, environmental concerns, safety concerns, security concerns, and insurance and liability concerns.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage requirements are selected from a group consisting of regulations, signature requirements, compliance rules, security requirements, and environmental concerns.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the criteria are selected from a group consisting of delivery cost, convenience of picking up the item and delivering the item to the address, cost of usage of the locker, preference, historical usage, and end delivery date.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a user interface (UI) allowing a user to identify, adjust, and select the address, the others, and modify the criteria; and

responsive to the user utilizing the UI, adjusting the ranking based on user selections and presenting an updated ordering of the lockers based on the adjusted rankings

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

identifying a second user for picking up the item;

analyzing the second user activity information to identify a second person route including expected timing;

analyzing the item for storage requirements to identify lockers meeting the requirements which are navigationally proximate to the user route;

providing a user interface (UI) allowing a user to identify, adjust, and select the address, the others, and modify the criteria; and

responsive to the user utilizing the UI, adjusting the ranking based on user selections and presenting an updated ordering of the lockers based on the adjusted rankings;

wherein analyzing user activity information includes analyzing user calendar and contact information;

wherein analyzing the item for storage requirements includes analyzing the item for shipping characteristics to identify delivery vehicles delivering to the identified lockers; and

wherein the shipping characteristics are selected from a group consisting of source, size and weight of the item when packaged, value, environmental concerns, safety concerns, security concerns, and insurance and liability concerns.

10-20. -20. (canceled)