SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING REAL-TIME TRACKING OF ITEMS IN A DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

• US 20180039938A1
• Filed: 10/18/2017
• Published: 02/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Dearing, Stephen M., Goyal, Kuldip K., Sherry, Carla F., Cradic, Amy B., Atkins, C. Scot, Patel, Himesh A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,748,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2301/0025 Recipient identification providing a unique ID for a mail recipient
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• 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: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

Systems and methods of processing items. Items in a distribution network or process may be scanned at every handling point in the distribution network, and each scan is recorded in a central repository. The scan information can be used to generate real-time access to data, analytical tools, predictive tools, and tracking reports.

Claims

1. An item delivery system comprising:

a data repository in communication with a processor, the data repository storing geofence data for a plurality of delivery points and information regarding items for delivery to the plurality of delivery points;

a mobile computing device having a location detection circuit, wherein the location detection circuit is configured to detect the geographic location of the mobile computing device and the mobile computing device configured to communicate location information;

a communication circuit in communication with the data repository and the mobile computing device configured to receive location information from the mobile computing device;

wherein the processor is configured to receive the location information of the mobile computing device, to determine the mobile computing device'"'"'s geographic location with regard to a geofence for one of the plurality of delivery points for which an item is to be delivered, and to generate a notification based on the determination.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the notification when the location information indicates that the mobile computing device has entered the geofence for one of the plurality of delivery points for which the item is to be delivered.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate the notification based on a determination that the mobile device has passed through the geofence for the one of the plurality of delivery points to which the item is to be delivered.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification is a delivery notification.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification is a notification that a carrier is approaching the one of the plurality of delivery points.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to send the notification to a recipient of the item which is to be delivered to the one of the plurality of delivery points.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to record a handling event in the data repository based on the determination of the mobile device'"'"'s geographic location with regard to the geofence for the one of the plurality of delivery points.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile computing device further comprises a scanner configured to scan the item to be delivered and generate scan information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive scan information from the mobile computing device indicative of scanning the item upon delivery.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication circuit is further configured to receive location information indicative of the location of the mobile communication device at the time the scan information was generated.

11. A method for delivering items comprising:

storing geofence data for a plurality of delivery points and information regarding items for delivery to the plurality of delivery points;

detect the geographic location of a mobile computing device along a delivery route comprising the plurality of delivery points;

determining the mobile computing device'"'"'s geographic location with regard to the geofence data for one of the plurality of delivery points to which an item is to be delivered; and

generating a notification based on the determination of the mobile computing device'"'"'s geographic location with regard to the geofence data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein generating the notification comprises generating the notification when the geographic location of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has entered a geofence for the one of the plurality of delivery points to which an item is to be delivered.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein generating the notification comprises generating the notification when the geographic location of the mobile computing device indicates that the mobile computing device has passed through a geofence for the one of the plurality of delivery points to which the item is to be delivered.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification is a delivery notification.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification is a notification that a carrier is approaching the one of the plurality of delivery points to which the item is to be delivered.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising sending the notification to an intended recipient of the item indicating the item has been delivered to the one of the plurality of delivery points.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising recording a handling event in a data repository based the mobile computing device'"'"'s geographic location with regard to the geofence data for one of the plurality of delivery points for which an item is to be delivered.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising scanning the item to be delivered and generating scan information.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising receiving scan information from the mobile computing device indicative of scanning the item upon delivery.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising receiving location information indicative of the location of the mobile communication device at the time the scan information was generated.