Parcel Processing System and Method

• US 20160239788A1
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: One Stop Mailing, LLC
• Original Assignee: One Stop Mailing, LLC
• Inventors: Hanks, Gina Marie
• Granted Patent: US 10,339,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A parcel processing system configured to select a permitted shipping service level from among the plurality of permitted shipping service levels based on a plurality of rules, control the sorting of the parcel into one of a plurality of shipping containers, and bill customers.

Claims

1. A system for processing a plurality of parcels to be shipped, the parcels including a plurality of scanable parcel identifiers thereon, the system comprising:

a scanner configured to a scan the parcel identifiers for the parcels;

a database in which a plurality of customer profile data structures are stored, each customer profile data structure being associated with a customer, and each of a plurality of the customer profile data structures comprising data indicative of a plurality of permitted shipping service levels for its associated customer; and

a processor in cooperation with the scanner and the database, the processor configured to;

receive a plurality of the parcel identifiers from the scanner; and

for each received parcel identifier, (1) determine a destination for the parcel corresponding to that parcel identifier based on the parcel identifier received from the scanner, (2) determine a delivery time frame for shipping the parcel corresponding to that parcel identifier, (3) determine a customer associated with the parcel corresponding to that parcel identifier, (4) retrieve from the database the customer profile data structure associated with the determined customer, (5) select a permitted shipping service level from the retrieved customer profile data structure based on a plurality of rules applied to the determined destination and the determined delivery time frame, the rules configured to identify for selection which of the permitted shipping service levels is estimated to deliver the parcel to the destination within the delivery time frame at the lowest monetary cost, (6) determine a drop point where the parcel corresponding to that parcel identifier is to be transferred to a shipping carrier based on the selected shipping service level, (7) generate shipping label data for the parcel corresponding to that parcel identifier in accordance with the selected shipping service level, and (8) determine one of a plurality of shipping container each parcel is to be sorted into.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a printer configured to print a shipping label for the parcel based on the generated shipping label data.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive data indicative of parcel size, wherein the customer profile data structure further comprises data indicative of permitted parcel sizes; and

determine whether to accept the parcel based on whether the received parcel size falls within the permitted parcel sizes from the customer profile data structure.

4. The system of claim 3 further comprising a scale connected to the processor, wherein the scale generates the data indicative of parcel size by generating data indicative of the parcel'"'"'s weight.

5. The system of claim 3 further comprising a dimension scanner connected to the processor, wherein the dimension scanner generates the data indicative of parcel size by generating data indicative of the parcel'"'"'s dimensions.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the parcel identifier is a bar code, the bar code data including the destination zip code, and wherein the customer profile data structure comprises data specifying the length and start value within the bar code where the destination zip code is to be found;

and

the processor is further configured to map the received bar code data to find the destination zip code therein.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive parcel identification data from the scanner;

determine a cost center of the customer based on the parcel identification data; and

the processor generating billing information for the parcel based on the determined cost center.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the parcel identifier is a bar code, the bar code data including the parcel identification data, and wherein the customer profile data structure comprises data specifying the length and start value within the bar code where the parcel identification data is to be found;

and

the processor is further configured to map the received bar code data to find the parcel identification data therein.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a conveyer system configured to move the parcels into any of a plurality of shipping containers, the conveyer system including at least one mechanical sorter under control of the processor to selectively sort the parcels for movement into selected ones of the shipping containers based on the determined shipping container; and

wherein the processor is further configured to provide control instructions for the mechanical sorter based on the determined drop point, the control instructions configured to define which shipping container each parcel is to be sorted into

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to send a notification identifying the determined shipping container to a client computer connected to the processor.

11. A method comprising:

receiving data representing (1) a destination for a parcel to be shipped and (2) a delivery time frame for shipping the parcel;

determining a customer associated with the parcel;

referencing a customer profile data structure associated with the determined customer, wherein the referenced customer profile data structure comprises data indicative of a plurality of permitted shipping service level for the determined customer;

selecting a permitted shipping service level from among the plurality of permitted shipping service levels based on a plurality of rules applied to the received data, the rules operating on the received data to identify which of the permitted shipping service levels is estimated to deliver the parcel to the destination within the delivery time frame at the lowest monetary cost;

determining a drop point where the parcel is to be transferred to a shipping carrier based on the selected shipping service level;

generating shipping label data for the parcel in accordance with the selected shipping service level; and

controlling the sorting of the parcel into one of a plurality of shipping containers based on the determined drop point;

wherein the method steps are performed by a processor.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving data indicative of the customer from a scanner that scans an identifier on the parcel; and

wherein the customer determining step comprises the processor determining the customer based on the received data indicative of the customer.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving parcel identification data from a scanner that scans an identifier on the parcel; and

wherein the customer determining step comprises the processor determining the customer based on the received parcel identification data.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving from the customer a customer file that lists one or more parcels to be shipped; and

updating the customer file with data indicating that the parcel has been processed after the processor performs the sorting step.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the customer file includes parcel identification data to identify the parcels listed therein, the method further comprising:

the processor verifying that the received parcel identification data matches parcel identification data in the customer file.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the customer profile data structure comprises data indicating where shipping data is present in a customer file, the method further comprising:

the processor mapping the customer file data based on the customer profile to find the shipping data within the customer file.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the mapping comprises the processor mapping information contained within the customer file to a standard format used by the processor.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving data indicative of parcel size, wherein the customer profile data structure further comprises data indicative of permitted parcel sizes; and

the processor determining whether to accept the parcel based on whether the received parcel size falls within the permitted parcel sizes from the customer profile data structure.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the data indicative of parcel size is data indicative of the parcel'"'"'s weight.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the data indicative of parcel size is data indicative of the parcel'"'"'s dimensions.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the customer profile data structure further comprises data indicative of permitted mail classes, and wherein the selecting step comprises the processor further selecting the permitted shipping service level based on the permitted mail classes stored in the customer profile data structure.

22. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor generating a manifest comprising a description of the parcel to be sent to the shipping carrier.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

the processor sending the manifest to the shipping carrier by interfacing with a shipping carrier computer system over a wide area network.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the customer profile data structure further comprises data indicating delivery confirmation is to be obtained for parcels associated with the customer;

and

the processor generating in the manifest a request for delivery confirmation for the parcel based on the customer profile data structure.

25. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor determining a sorting facility located closer to the parcel'"'"'s destination; and

wherein the controlling the sorting step comprises the processor controlling a conveyer system to sort the parcel into one of a plurality of shipping containers based on the determined drop point and the determined sorting facility.

26. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving parcel identification data from a scanner that scans an identifier on the parcel;

the processor determining a cost center of the customer based on the parcel identification data; and

the processor generating billing information for the parcel based on the determined cost center.

27. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor determining that none of the permitted service levels will result in delivery of the parcel to the destination within the time frame; and

the processor generating a notification configured to notify the customer that the parcel will not be delivered within the time frame.

28. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor determining that none of the permitted service levels will result in delivery of the parcel to the destination within the time frame; and

in response to the determination that none of the permitted service levels will result in delivery of the parcel to the destination within the time frame, the processor (1) identifying another service level that is expected to result in delivery of the parcel within the time frame, and (2) generating a notification that is configured to notify the customer about an availability of the identified another service level.

29. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving data specific to a bill of lading associated with the parcel, wherein the bill of lading data specifies a service level for the parcel; and

in response to the received bill of lading data, the processor overriding the customer profile data structure for the parcel associated with the bill of lading and selecting the service level from the bill of lading data for application to the parcel.

30. The method of claim 11 wherein the customer profile data structure comprises data indicating that the customer has not authorized shipment of oversized parcels;

and

the processor rejecting the parcel based on the customer profile data structure when the parcel is found to be oversized.

31. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving an intercept request for the parcel prior to performance of the generating step and sorting step; and

in response to the received intercept request, the processor not performing the generating step or the sorting step for the parcel in response to the intercept request.

32. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor receiving an intercept request for the parcel; and

in response to the received intercept request, the processor sending an intercept request for the parcel to a shipping carrier system.

33. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

the processor defining data within the customer profile data structure based in user input through a graphical user interface.

34. The method of claim 11 wherein the destination data for the parcel comprises a zip code.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the receiving step comprises receiving bar code data from a scanner that scans a bar code on the parcel, the bar code data including the destination zip code, and wherein the customer profile data structure comprises data specifying the length and start value within the bar code where the destination zip code is to be found;

and

the processor mapping the received bar code data to find the destination zip code therein.

36. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive data representing (1) a destination for a parcel to be shipped and (2) a delivery time frame for shipping the parcel;

determine a customer associated with the parcel;

reference a customer profile data structure associated with the determined customer, wherein the referenced customer profile data structure comprises data indicative of a plurality of permitted shipping service level for the determined customer;

select a permitted shipping service level from among the plurality of permitted shipping service levels based on a plurality of rules applied to the received data, the rules operating on the received data to identify which of the permitted shipping service levels is estimated to deliver the parcel to the destination within the delivery time frame at the lowest monetary cost;

determine a drop point where the parcel is to be transferred to a shipping carrier based on the selected shipping service level;

generate shipping label data for the parcel in accordance with the selected shipping service level; and

control the sorting of the parcel into one of a plurality of shipping containers based on the determined drop point.

37. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of processor-executable instructions that are resident on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are configured for execution by the processor to automatically select a shipping method for a parcel by causing the computer to;

receive data representing (1) a destination for a parcel to be shipped and (2) a delivery time frame for shipping the parcel;

determine a customer associated with the parcel;

reference a customer profile data structure associated with the determined customer, wherein the referenced customer profile data structure comprises data indicative of a plurality of permitted shipping service level for the determined customer;

select a permitted shipping service level from among the plurality of permitted shipping service levels based on a plurality of rules applied to the received data, the rules operating on the received data to identify which of the permitted shipping service levels is estimated to deliver the parcel to the destination within the delivery time frame at the lowest monetary cost;

determine a drop point where the parcel is to be transferred to a shipping carrier based on the selected shipping service level;

generate shipping label data for the parcel in accordance with the selected shipping service level; and

control the sorting of the parcel into one of a plurality of shipping containers based on the determined drop point.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured for execution by the processor to cause the computer to determine the customer associated with the parcel by receiving a bill of lading number entered by a user.

39. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the instructions are further configured for execution by the processor to cause the computer to determine the customer associated with the parcel by finding the parcel identifier in one of a plurality of files stored in the database.

40. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the parcel identifier further includes a customer identifier, and the instructions are further configured for execution by the processor to cause the computer to determine the customer using the customer identifier found from the scanned parcel identifier.