CONCEPTS FOR MAINTAINING UPDATED ELECTRONIC TASK-MANAGEMENT RECORDS REFLECTING PLANNED SHIPMENT ACTIVITIES

• US 20180060829A1
• Filed: 08/29/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2016
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 10,915,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided. In one embodiment, shipment information/data corresponding to a proposed shipment from a customer computing device is received. The shipment information/data may be generated based on a task-management record from user input provided from a shipper. The shipment information/data also identifies a destination location and a desired delivery date for the proposed shipment. In one embodiment, updated shipment information/data is generated and causes the customer computing device to generate updated task-management records via a task-management software application based at least in part on one or more tender dates.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating updated electronic task management records accessible via a computing device to reflect shipment reminders for proposed shipments, wherein the method comprises steps for:

remotely monitoring, via a communication interface, an electronic task-management database operable to store one or more electronic task-management records on a customer computing device to detect a newly added electronic task-management record;

receiving, via the communication interface, the newly added electronic task-management record, wherein the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a task and comprises an image of a package generated by the customer computing device;

determining, via one or more processors, whether the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a shipping task comprising at least one electronic component, wherein the at least one electronic component comprises generating an electronic shipment record for a shipment;

upon determining that the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a shipping task comprising at least one electronic component, extracting shipment data, via the one or more processors, at least in part from the newly added electronic task-management record, wherein the shipment data identifies (i) a proposed shipment, (ii) the shipper, (iii) a destination location, (iv) a desired delivery date for the proposed shipment, and (v) the current location of the customer computing device;

determining, via the one or more processors and based at least in part on the current location of the customer computing device, an origin location for the proposed shipment;

generating, via the one or more processors and based at least in part on the shipment data, the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment, wherein the electronic shipment record comprises shipment data identifying the shipper and the destination location;

updating, via the one or more processors, the shipment data to comprise data identifying one or more tender dates and one or more service levels corresponding to each of the one or more tender dates for delivering the proposed shipment to the destination location by the desired delivery date; and

remotely causing the customer computing device to generate one or more updated electronic task-management records each corresponding to one of the one or more tender dates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more updated electronic task-management records are configured to generate one or more alerts.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on the location of the customer computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on a predetermined time corresponding to the at least one tender date.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction of shipping data automatically causes the customer computing device to activate a second software application installed on the customer computing device, wherein the second software application is configured to generate a user interface comprising a prompt for the shipper to confirm the electronic shipment record.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic task-management record is selected from a group consisting of:

i. a to-do list item,

ii. an electronic reminder entry,

iii. a calendar entry,

iv. a voice-assisted command, and

v. a captured image of the proposed shipment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the shipment data further comprises:

parsing the electronic task-management record to identify data indicative of an intended recipient for the proposed shipment;

determining a destination location for the proposed shipment based at least in part on contact data corresponding to the intended recipient; and

determining a desired delivery date based at least in part on the contact data corresponding to the intended recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the one or more processors, the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment upon receipt of data indicating that one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records is marked as complete, wherein the electronic shipment record is updated to reflect a service level and a tender date corresponding to the completed updated electronic task-management record.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the one or more processors, at least one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records upon receipt of data indicating that the proposed shipment has been received by a drop-off location for delivery to the destination location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping task is selected from a group consisting of:

i. a shipment task,

ii. a return shipment task,

iii. a package visibility request, and

iv. a package payment request.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping task is selected from a group consisting of:

i. a shipment task,

ii. a return shipment task,

iii. a package visibility request, and

iv. a package payment request.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping task is selected from a group consisting of:

v. a shipment task,

vi. a return shipment task,

vii. a package visibility request, and

viii. a package payment request.

11. An apparatus for initializing and facilitating electronic task management records accessible via a computing device to reflect shipment reminders for proposed shipments, the 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 at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

remotely monitor, via a communication interface, an electronic task-management database operable to store one or more electronic task-management records on a customer computing device to detect a newly added electronic task-management record;

receive, via the communication interface, the newly added electronic task-management record, wherein the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a task;

determine whether the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a shipping task comprising at least one electronic component, wherein the at least one electronic component comprises generating an electronic shipment record for a shipment;

upon determining that the newly added electronic task-management record identifies a shipping task comprising at least one electronic component, extract shipment data extracting shipment data at least in part from the newly added electronic task-management record, wherein the shipment data identifies (i) a proposed shipment, (ii) the shipper, (iii) a destination location, (iv) a desired delivery date for the proposed shipment, and (v) the current location of the customer computing device;

determine, based at least in part on the current location of the customer computing device, an origin location for the proposed shipment;

generate, based at least in part on the shipment data, an electronic shipment record initiating shipment for the proposed shipment, wherein the electronic shipment record comprises data identifying the shipper and the destination location;

update the shipment data to comprise data identifying one or more tender dates and one or more service levels corresponding to each of the one or more tender dates for delivering the proposed shipment to the destination location by the desired delivery date; and

remotely cause the customer computing device to generate one or more updated electronic task-management records each corresponding to one of the one or more tender dates.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more updated electronic task-management records comprise one or more alerts.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on the location of the customer computing device.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on a predetermined time corresponding to the at least one tender date.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the extraction of shipping data automatically causes the customer computing device to activate a second software application installed on the customer computing device, wherein the second software application is configured to generate a user interface comprising a prompt for the shipper to confirm the electronic shipment record.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the task-management record is selected from a group consisting of:

i. a to-do list item,

ii. an electronic reminder entry,

iii. a calendar entry,

iv. a voice-assisted command, and

v. a captured image of the proposed shipment.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein extracting the shipment data further comprises:

parsing the electronic task-management record to identify data indicative of an intended recipient for the proposed shipment;

determining a destination location for the proposed shipment based at least in part on contact data corresponding to the intended recipient; and

determining a desired delivery date based at least in part on the contact data corresponding to the intended recipient.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the program code are additionally configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

modify the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment upon receipt of data indicating that one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records is marked as complete, wherein the electronic shipment record is updated to reflect a service level and a tender date corresponding to the completed updated electronic task-management record.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the program code are additionally configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

modify the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment upon receipt of data indicating that one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records is marked as complete, wherein the electronic shipment record is updated to reflect a service level and a tender date corresponding to the completed updated electronic task-management record.

21. 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 shipment data extracted from an electronic task-management record stored on a customer computing device, wherein (a) the electronic task-management record identifies a task to be performed by a shipper, and (b) the shipment data identifies (i) a proposed shipment, (ii) the shipper, (iii) a destination location, (iv) a desired delivery date for the proposed shipment, and (v) the current location of the customer computing device;

an executable portion configured to determine, based at least in part on the current location of the customer computing device, an origin location for the proposed shipment;

an executable portion configured to generate, based at least in part on the shipment data, an electronic shipment record initiating shipment for the proposed shipment, wherein the electronic shipment record comprises data identifying the shipper and the destination location;

an executable portion configured to update the shipment data to comprise data identifying one or more tender dates and one or more service levels corresponding to each of the one or more tender dates for delivering the proposed shipment to the destination location by the desired delivery date; and

an executable portion configured to remotely cause the customer computing device to generate one or more updated electronic task-management records each corresponding to one of the one or more tender dates.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the one or more updated task-management records comprise one or more alerts.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on the location of the customer computing device.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein at least one of the one or more alerts is based at least in part on a predetermined time corresponding to the at least one tender date.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the extraction of shipping data automatically causes the customer computing device to activate a second software application installed on the customer computing device, wherein the second software application is configured to generate a user interface comprising a prompt for the shipper to confirm the electronic shipment record.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the task-management record is selected from a group consisting of:

i. a to-do list item,

ii. an electronic reminder entry,

iii. a calendar entry,

iv. a voice-assisted command, and

v. a captured image of the proposed shipment.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the executable portion configured to receive extracted shipment data further comprises:

parsing the electronic task-management record to identify data indicative of an intended recipient for the proposed shipment;

determining a destination location for the proposed shipment based at least in part on contact data corresponding to the intended recipient; and

determining a desired delivery date based at least in part on the contact data corresponding to the intended recipient.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to modify the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment upon receipt of data indicating that one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records is marked as complete, wherein the electronic shipment record is updated to reflect a service level and a tender date corresponding to the completed updated electronic task-management record

29. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to modify the electronic shipment record for the proposed shipment upon receipt of data indicating that one of the one or more updated electronic task-management records is marked as complete, wherein the electronic shipment record is updated to reflect a service level and a tender date corresponding to the completed updated electronic task-management record