LOCATION-BASED PICK UP AND DELIVERY SERVICES

• US 20160314429A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• 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: Sisco, David, Zoromsky, Sara, Enyart, Jeff, Robinson, Kalin, Gillen, Robert J., Carder, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,023,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1063 Discovery through centralising entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data

Abstract

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided. In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method comprises receiving location information for an item. The location information indicates the current physical location of the item. The method further comprises determining whether the item is located within a first configurable distance of an establishment and responsive to determining that the item is located within the first configurable distance of the establishment, requesting first location information for the consignee of the item and second location information for the consignee of the item. The method further comprises determining whether the consignee is within a second configurable distance of the establishment based at least in part on the first location information for the consignee and the second location information for the consignee and providing a notification for display via a user interface of an application executing on a customer computing entity.

Claims

1. A method, performed in a carrier system, for providing a notification to a customer computing entity, the method comprising:

receiving location information for an item, the location information indicating the current physical location of the item;

determining whether the item is located within a first configurable distance of an entity;

responsive to determining that the item is located within the first configurable distance of the entity, requesting first location information for the consignee of the item and second location information for the consignee of the item;

determining whether the consignee is within a second configurable distance of the entity based at least in part on the first location information for the consignee and the second location information for the consignee; and

in response to determining that the consignee is within the second configurable distance of the entity, providing the notification for display via a user interface of an application executing on a customer computing entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity is an establishment.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the consignee would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, facilitating delivery of the item to the consignee at the establishment.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first configurable distance, the second configurable distance, or both is defined (a) by the establishment or (b) about the establishment.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the first location information for the consignee is a confirmation provided by an establishment computing entity associated with the establishment.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the establishment comprises a sensor configured to determine if a customer computing entity associated with the consignee is present at the establishment and provide an indication of the determination to the establishment computing entity.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, providing a notification that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment to a carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information for the item is determined by the item, a delivery vehicle transporting the item, or a user computing entity associated with a driver of the delivery vehicle that the item is inside of.

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:

receive location information for an item, the location information indicating the current physical location of the item;

determine whether the item is located within a first configurable distance of an entity;

responsive to determining that the item is located within the first configurable distance of the entity, request first location information for the consignee of the item and second location information for the consignee of the item;

determine whether the consignee is within a second configurable distance of the entity based at least in part on the first location information for the consignee and the second location information for the consignee; and

in response to determining that the consignee is within the second configurable distance of the entity, provide the notification for display via a user interface of an application executing on a customer computing entity.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the entity is an establishment.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one memory and the program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the consignee would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, facilitate delivery of the item to the consignee at the establishment.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first configurable distance, the second configurable distance, or both is defined (a) by the establishment or (b) about the establishment.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first location information for the consignee is a confirmation provided by an establishment computing entity associated with the establishment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the establishment comprises a sensor configured to determine if a customer computing entity associated with the consignee is present at the establishment and provide an indication of the determination to the establishment computing entity.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, providing a notification that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment to a carrier.

16. 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 receive location information for an item, the location information indicating the current physical location of the item;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the item is located within a first configurable distance of an entity;

an executable portion configured to, responsive to determining that the item is located within the first configurable distance of the entity, request first location information for the consignee of the item and second location information for the consignee of the item;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the consignee is within a second configurable distance of the entity based at least in part on the first location information for the consignee and the second location information for the consignee; and

an executable portion configured to, in response to determining that the consignee is within the second configurable distance of the entity, provide the notification for display via a user interface of an application executing on a customer computing entity.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the entity is an establishment.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise an executable portion configured to, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the consignee would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, facilitate delivery of the item to the consignee at the establishment.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first configurable distance, the second configurable distance, or both is defined (a) by the establishment or (b) about the establishment.

20. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the first location information for the consignee is a confirmation provided by an establishment computing entity associated with the establishment.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 wherein the establishment comprises a sensor configured to determine if a customer computing entity associated with the consignee is present at the establishment and provide an indication of the determination to the establishment computing entity.

22. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising, responsive to receiving user input via the user interface indicating that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment, providing a notification that the user would like to take delivery of the item at the establishment to a carrier.