Systems and methods for providing mail item retrieval

• US 6,978,929 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Tartal, William, Webster, Janet L., Buie, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frech, Karl D.
• Application Number:
  US10/311,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20040039712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 235/380, 235/375, 235/383, 235/381, 235/385, 235/382, 705/26
• US Class Current: 235/382
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and system for delivering an item to a customer including the processing of a plurality of items and notifying a customer (304) of an item that has been processed and is ready for delivery. When the customer requests the item, the system and method receives item information and customer information and based on this information identifies the customer (408) and the item (412). Then, the system and method validates that the customer is authorized to obtain the item (414), and delivers and confirms delivery of the item to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an item to a customer, comprising:

processing a plurality of items, wherein the items are undelivered delivery items;

notifying a customer of an item that has been processed and is ready for delivery;

receiving item information and customer information from the customer that is requesting to receive the item;

identifying the customer based on the customer information received from the customer;

identifying the item based on the item information received from the customer;

validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item, based on the identification of the item;

delivering the item to the customer, if the customer is authorized to obtain the item; and

confirming delivery of the item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the item information includes at least one of:

an associated delivery notice with an associated unique number;

and a customer identification number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein validating the customer comprises determining that the item information is consistent with at least one of:

an associated delivery notice having an associated unique number; and

a personal identification number.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the associated unique number is represented by a barcode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the customer comprises receiving identifying information from one of:

a magnetic ID card; and

a personal identification number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the customer comprises delivering a delivery notice comprising a form with a barcode for item identification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the customer comprises delivering an e-mail to the customer indicating that the item is to be delivered.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item comprises verifying that the item information is consistent with an associated delivery notice with an associated unique number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item further comprises verifying that the item information is consistent with a personal identification number for the customer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the item to the customer comprises requesting the item from at least one carousel and delivering the item to the customer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein confirming delivery of the item comprises recording an image of the customer taking possession of the item.

12. A system for delivering an item to a customer, comprising:

means for processing a plurality of items, wherein the items are undelivered delivery items;

means for notifying a customer of an item that has been processed and is ready for delivery;

means for receiving item information and customer information from the customer requesting to receive the item;

means for identifying the customer based on the customer information received from the customer;

means for identifying the item based on the item information received from the customer;

means for validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item, based on the identification of the item;

means for delivering the item to the customer, if the customer is authorized to obtain the item; and

means for confirming delivery of the item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for identifying the item information includes at least one of:

an associated delivery notice with an associated unique number; and

a customer identification number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the means for validating the customer comprises means for determining that the item information is consistent with at least one of:

an associated delivery notice having an associated unique number; and

a personal identification number.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for identifying an associated unique number that is represented by a barcode.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for identifying comprises means for receiving identifying information from one of:

a magnetic ID card; and

a personal identification number.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for notifying the customer comprises means for delivering a delivery notice comprising a form with a barcode for item identification.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for notifying the customer comprises means for delivering an e-mail to the customer indicating that an item is to be delivered.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item comprises means for verifying that the item information is consistent with an associated delivery notice with an associated unique number.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for validating that the customer is authorized to obtain the item further comprises means for verifying that the item information is consistent with a personal identification number for the customer.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for delivering the item to the customer comprises means for requesting the item from at least one carousel and delivering the item to the customer.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the means for confirming comprises means for taking a photograph of the customer taking possession of the item.

23. A system for delivering an item to a customer, comprising:

a module generating a delivery notification to the customer of the availability of the item;

a customer identification module for identifying the customer, when the customer attempts to retrieve the item;

an item identification module for identifying the item, when the customer attempts to retrieve the item;

a validation module for verifying that the customer is authorized to obtain the item;

a carousel module for delivering the item to the customer after verification that the customer is authorized to obtain the item; and

a delivery confirmation module for verifying that the customer received the item.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the customer identification module comprises at least one of:

a magnetic card reader; and

and a PIN pad.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the item identification module comprises a barcode scanner for reading a barcode on the delivery notification form that identifies the item.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the item notification module identifies the item based on a personal identification number.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the delivery notification comprises an e-mail sent to the customer.

28. The system of claim 27, comprising a module for receiving a customer response to the e-mail.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the validation module verifies that the customer is authorized to receive the item based on comparing a first barcode on the delivery notification with a second barcode on the item.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the validation module verifies that the customer is authorized to receive the item based on a personal identification number.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the delivery confirmation is comprised of a camera for recording an image of the customer receiving the item.