SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF DELIVERING PARCELS USING ATTENDED DELIVERY/PICKUP LOCATIONS

• US 20200134559A1
• Filed: 12/30/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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: Lievens, Daniel, Dethier, Vincent, Henderickx, Peter, Pirenne, Luc, Payre, Denis
• Application Number:
  US16/730,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134559A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating delivery of parcels to, from, and between attended delivery/pickup locations. In various embodiments, the attended delivery/pickup locations may be associated with brick-and-mortar retail locations and used to facilitate inventory transfer between locations, shipment of goods purchased at the brick-and-mortar-retail locations to other attended delivery/pickup locations or other locations, and to receive delivery of parcels sent from any suitable location. In some embodiments, the attended delivery/pickup locations are configured to receive shipments of items ordered from online retail websites. In other embodiments, the attended delivery/pickups locations are associated with shopping centers and configured to facilitate shipment of items purchased at the associated shopping centers.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating delivery of a parcel based on managing storage capacity in a logistics network, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, a request to deliver one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location;

determining, by the at least one processor, a capacity of the attended delivery/pickup location to accept the one or more parcels prior to facilitating delivery of the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location, wherein the capacity is determined based at least on dimensions of the one or more parcels and an available dimensional space at the attended delivery/pickup location;

generating a shipping label for the one or more parcels for use in routing the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity; and

delivering the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity using the shipping label.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the available dimensional space at the attended delivery/pickup location is determined based on a total volume of parcels stored at the attended delivery/pickup location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity is further determined based on an ability of the attended delivery/pickup location to expand its capacity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity is further determined based on a density of parcels stored at the attended delivery/pickup location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity is further determined based on handling instructions associated with the one or more parcels, the handling instructions requiring storage at a particular temperature, and an available storage temperature at the attended delivery/pickup location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, by the at least one processor, a notification that the one or more parcels have been delivered to the attended delivery/pickup location following the delivery of the one or more parcels; and

following the delivery of the one or more parcels, receiving an indication that the one or more parcels have been retrieved from the attended delivery/pickup location based on near-field communications detected at the attended delivery/pickup location indicating that a designated recipient has retrieved the one or more parcels.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, following delivery of the one or more parcels, receiving an indication that the one or more parcels have been retrieved from the attended delivery/pickup location based on an electronic ID card specific to the attended delivery/pickup location being detected at the attended delivery/pickup location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity is further determined based on an estimated future capacity of the attended delivery/pickup location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity is further determined based on whether a predetermined percentage of capacity at the attended delivery/pickup location has been exceeded.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined percentage of capacity is at least 95% of a maximum capacity of the attended delivery/pickup location, and wherein, when the predetermined percentage of capacity is exceeded, a selection of alternate attended delivery/pickup locations is automatically generated.

11. A method for facilitating delivery of a parcel based on managing storage capacity in a logistics network, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, an indication of receipt of an item at a first attended delivery/pickup location, the first attended delivery/pickup location being located at a first location;

receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to ship the item from the first attended delivery/pickup location to a second attended delivery/pickup location;

determining, by the at least one processor, a capacity of the second attended delivery/pickup location to accept the item prior to initiating delivery of the item, wherein the capacity is determined based at least on dimensions of the item and available dimensional space at the second attended delivery/pickup location;

generating a shipping label for routing the item to the second attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity;

delivering the item to the second attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity utilizing the shipping label.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, by the at least one processor, a notification of pickup of the item by a designated recipient based on recognition of an electronic ID card associated with the designated recipient that is valid at the second attended delivery/pickup location.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the capacity is determined to be adequate further based on a predetermined percentage of capacity at the second attended delivery/pickup location not being exceeded.

14. A computer system, comprising:

at least one processer; and

one or more computer-readable media configured to store computer-executable instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, perform a method comprising;

receiving, by the at least one processor, a request to deliver one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location;

determining, by the at least one processor, a capacity of the attended delivery/pickup location to accept the one or more parcels prior to facilitating delivery of the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location, wherein the capacity is determined based at least on dimensions of the one or more parcels and an available dimensional space at the attended delivery/pickup location;

generating a shipping label for the one or more parcels for use in routing the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity; and

initiating delivery of the one or more parcels to the attended delivery/pickup location determined to have adequate capacity using the shipping label.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the available dimensional space at the attended delivery/pickup location is determined based on a total volume of parcels stored at the attended delivery/pickup location.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the capacity is further determined based on an ability of the attended delivery/pickup location to expand its capacity.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the capacity is further determined based on a density of parcels stored at the attended delivery/pickup location.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the capacity is further determined based on handling instructions associated with the one or more parcels, the handling instructions requiring storage at a particular temperature, and an available storage temperature at the attended delivery/pickup location.

19. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

generating, by the at least one processor, a notification that the one or more parcels have been delivered to the attended delivery/pickup location following the delivery of the one or more parcels; and

following the delivery of the one or more parcels, receiving an indication that the one or more parcels have been retrieved from the attended delivery/pickup location based on near-field communications detected at the attended delivery/pickup location indicating that a designated recipient has retrieved the one or more parcels.

20. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises, following delivery of the one or more parcels, receiving an indication that the one or more parcels have been retrieved from the attended delivery/pickup location based on an electronic ID card specific to the attended delivery/pickup location being detected at the attended delivery/pickup location.