DELIVERY OF AN ITEM TO A VEHICLE

• US 20150242811A1
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Published: 08/27/2015
• 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 10,614,410 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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'"'"'s vehicle and deliver an item to the location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an item to a vehicle:

storing a customer profile, by one or more processors, associated with a customer, wherein (a) the customer profile comprises information associated with a vehicle of the customer, (b) the vehicle comprises a vehicle device configured to provide location information for the vehicle, and (c) the information associated with the vehicle of the customer is accessible by the customer via an interface;

receiving, by the one or more processors, shipping information for an item to be delivered to the customer and associating the shipping information for the item with the customer profile, wherein the shipping information comprises a delivery location;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer;

responsive to determining that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer, automatically requesting, by the one or more processors, location information for the vehicle, the location information to be generated by the vehicle device;

receiving, by the one or more processors, location information for the vehicle location indicating the current location of the vehicle; and

updating, by the one or more processors, the shipping information to indicate the delivery location as the current location of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a notification indicating receipt of the item, the notification comprising information identifying one or more alternative delivery locations for selection by the customer, the one or more alternative delivery locations comprising the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing location information for the vehicle to identify location patterns; and

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

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a request to remotely unlock the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 transmitting a request to remotely open a trunk of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining an estimated delivery time for the item based at least in part on the current location of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

analyzing location information for the vehicle to determine one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the identified location patterns; and

providing the one or more alternative delivery locations for display via the interface.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving updated location information for the vehicle location; and

predicting the location of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated location information for the vehicle.

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

store a customer profile associated with a customer, wherein (a) the customer profile comprises information associated with a vehicle of the customer, (b) the vehicle comprises a vehicle device configured to provide location information for the vehicle, and (c) the information associated with the vehicle of the customer is accessible by the customer via an interface;

receive shipping information for an item to be delivered to the customer and associating the shipping information for the item with the customer profile, wherein the shipping information comprises a delivery location;

determine that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer;

responsive to determining that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer, automatically request location information for the vehicle, the location information to be generated by the vehicle device;

receive location information for the vehicle location indicating the current location of the vehicle; and

update the shipping information to indicate the delivery location as the current location of the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to transmit a notification indicating receipt of the item, the notification comprising information identifying one or more alternative delivery locations for selection by the customer, the one or more alternative delivery locations comprising the vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

analyze location information for the vehicle to identify location patterns; and

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

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to transmit a request to remotely unlock the vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to transmit a request to remotely open a trunk of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to determine an estimated delivery time for the item based at least in part on the current location of the vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

analyze location information for the vehicle to determine one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the identified location patterns; and

provide the one or more alternative delivery locations for display via the interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the memory and program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive updated location information for the vehicle location; and

predict the location of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated location information for the vehicle.

17. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer- readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to store a customer profile associated with a customer, wherein (a) the customer profile comprises information associated with a vehicle of the customer, (b) the vehicle comprises a vehicle device configured to provide location information for the vehicle, and (c) the information associated with the vehicle of the customer is accessible by the customer via an interface;

an executable portion configured to receive shipping information for an item to be delivered to the customer and associating the shipping information for the item with the customer profile, wherein the shipping information comprises a delivery location;

an executable portion configured to determine that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer;

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the item is to be delivered to the vehicle of the customer, automatically request location information for the vehicle, the location information to be generated by the vehicle device;

an executable portion configured to receive location information for the vehicle location indicating the current location of the vehicle; and

an executable portion configured to update the shipping information to indicate the delivery location as the current location of the vehicle.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising an executable portion configured to transmit a notification indicating receipt of the item, the notification comprising information identifying one or more alternative delivery locations for selection by the customer, the one or more alternative delivery locations comprising the vehicle.

19. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to analyze location information for the vehicle to identify location patterns; and

an executable portion configured to determine one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the identified location patterns.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising an executable portion configured to transmit a request to remotely unlock the vehicle.

21. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising an executable portion configured to transmit a request to remotely open a trunk of the vehicle.

22. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising an executable portion configured to determine an estimated delivery time for the item based at least in part on the current location of the vehicle.

23. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to analyze location information for the vehicle to determine one or more alternative delivery locations based at least in part on the identified location patterns; and

an executable portion configured to provide the one or more alternative delivery locations for display via the interface.

24. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive updated location information for the vehicle location; and

an executable portion configured to predict the location of the vehicle based at least in part on the updated location information for the vehicle.