SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MODIFYING PACKAGE DELIVERY CHARACTERISTICS

• US 20160180287A1
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Hyde, Roderick A., Pan, Tony S., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US14/577,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing customer requested shipping levels-of-service changes directly via a shipping company and independent of the merchant that sold the goods are described. During an online shopping transaction, a customer purchases goods from a merchant via the merchant'"'"'s website. After the purchase is complete, the customer can directly interact with the shipping company to change the level-of-service of the shipment. The customer may request that a higher or lower level-of-service be used in delivering the goods. In exchange, the shipping company will require payment from the customer or return payment back to the customer. The payment may be in the form of money or loyalty points with the shipping company.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting a shipping level-of-service for a shipment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a shipping company computing system from a merchant computing system, a shipping request including an initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment, wherein the shipping company computing system is associated with a shipping company hired to deliver the shipment;

sending, by the shipping company computing system, tracking information to a customer computing device, wherein the tracking information includes a unique tracking number associated with the shipment;

receiving, by the shipping company computing system and from the customer computing device, a request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment to a second shipping level-of-service;

dispatching, by the shipping company computing system, updated shipping instructions to a delivery agent in accordance with the second shipping level-of-service;

determining, by the shipping company computing system, a cost adjustment amount associated with the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service, wherein the second shipping level of service is more expensive than the initial shipping level-of-service; and

receiving a payment from the customer prior to dispatching the updated shipping instructions, wherein the payment includes an agreement by the customer to at least one of waive rights associated with the shipment, receive downgraded shipping on a set number of future shipments, or receive advertisements with the shipment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the shipping company computing system, an advertisement to a customer computing device, wherein the advertisement includes one or more options associated with modifying the initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment to a second shipping level-of-service.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the shipping company computing system, initial dispatch instructions associated with the shipment to a mobile device of a driver, wherein the initial dispatch instructions include an instruction to pick up the shipment from a shipment origination location.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising identifying, by the shipping company computing system, the driver as the closest driver to the shipment origination location from a plurality of available drivers prior to sending the initial dispatch instructions.

3-26. -26. (canceled)

29-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A shipping company computing system associated with a shipping company hired to deliver a shipment, the system comprising:

a memory;

a network interface configured to provide data communication with a merchant computing system and a customer computing device over a network; and

a processor configured to;

receive a shipping request including an initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment from the merchant computing system,

send tracking information to the customer computing device, wherein the tracking information includes a unique tracking number associated with the shipment,

receive a request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment to a second shipping level-of-service from the customer computing device,

dispatch updated shipping instructions to a delivery agent in accordance with the second shipping level-of-service,

determine a cost adjustment amount associated with the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service, wherein the second shipping level of service is more expensive than the initial shipping level-of-service; and

receive a payment from the customer prior to dispatching the updated shipping instructions, wherein the payment includes an agreement by the customer to at least one of waive rights associated with the shipment, receive downgraded shipping on a set number of future shipments, or receive advertisements with the shipment.

54. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to increase a delivery speed of the shipment.

55. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to decrease a delivery speed of the shipment.

56. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to adjust an insurance amount associated with the shipment.

57. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to change a delivery address associated with the shipment.

58. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to modify an insurance coverage associated with the shipment.

59. The system of claim 39, wherein the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service includes a request to require a signature upon delivery of the shipment.

40-53. -53. (canceled)

60-66. -66. (canceled)

67. A non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied therein that, when executed by a processor of a shipping company computing system, cause the processor to:

receive a shipping request including an initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment from a merchant computing system,

send tracking information to a customer computing device, wherein the tracking information includes a unique tracking number associated with the shipment,

receive a request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service for the shipment to a second shipping level-of-service from the customer computing device,

dispatch updated shipping instructions to a delivery agent in accordance with the second shipping level-of-service,

determine a cost adjustment amount associated with the request to modify the initial shipping level-of-service, wherein the second shipping level-of-service is more expensive than the initial shipping level-of-service,

receive a payment from the customer prior to dispatching the updated shipping instructions, wherein the payment includes accumulated loyalty points associated with the customer, an agreement by the customer to waive rights associated with the shipment, to receive downgraded shipping on a set number of future shipments, or to receive advertisements with the shipment.

68-114. -114. (canceled)