Systems and methods of item delivery utilizing a delivery notice

• US 6,994,253 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service of America (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service of America (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Matthew T., Barta, Craig M., Aubuchon, Scott, Garcia, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Diane I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/689,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20040149824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/385, 705/22, 358/400
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/00 Printed matter of special format or style not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 15/006 Shipping forms
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Generally described, under on aspect of the invention, a single unique delivery notice is left at the particular location. However, this notice is “linked” to the parcel(s) that were undeliverable. This can be done by a handheld portable data acquisition device that includes a scanning or reading means, allowing information to be acquired from the delivery notice as well as from the parcels, and stored on the handheld portable data acquisition device. If ten parcels were undeliverable, only one delivery notice is left behind but is “linked” to all ten packages. The intended recipient can then contact the delivery service via the Internet (or other suitable network) or by phone, by using information provided on the delivery notice. By providing the delivery service with unique information from the delivery notice, the intended recipient can get valuable information regarding the undelivered parcels. Such information can include shipper name, how many packages from each shipper, time of attempted delivery, COD status, etc. Arrangements can then be made to have the package(s) redelivered, held at a local operation center, redirected, or returned.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a plurality of unique items each having a unique identity and having a different item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from each of said items;

end

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item code from each of said items.

2. A method for delivering a plurality of unique items each having a unique identity and having a different machine-readable item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from one of said items;

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item code;

E) reporting information regarding the item in response to receipt of a description of said one of said delivery notices from an intended recipient; and

F) modifying delivery plans of said item based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient.

3. A method for delivering a plurality of unique items each having a unique identity and having a different machine-readable item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item codes from each of said items;

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item codes;

E) reporting information regarding the items in response to receipt of said delivery notice code from an intended recipient; and

F) modifying delivery plans of said items based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient.

4. A method of altering the redelivery plans of an item having an item code that is associated with a delivery notice code on a delivery notice that is provided to an intended recipient when an attempted delivery of said item by a delivery service has been unsuccessful, comprising:

A) contacting the delivery service;

B) using said delivery notice code tat is associated with said item code to access information about said item wherein said information includes redelivery plans for said item and said delivery notice code is not the same as said item code; and

C) modifying the redelivery plans for said item based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the subsequent instructions from said intended recipient comprise authorizing the redelivery of the item by the delivery service at a location without obtaining a delivery-confirming signature at the location.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein contacting the delivery service is performed by a telephone system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein contacting the delivery service is performed by an Internet system.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein instructions received from said intended recipient are received through a telephone system.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein instructions received from said intended recipient are received through an Internet system.

10. A method for delivering a unique item having a unique identity and having a unique item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon and each of said delivery notices being an RFID tag, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from the item; and

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item code.

11. A method for delivering a unique item having a unique identity and having a unique item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from the item wherein said item code is encoded on an RFID tag; and

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item code.

12. A method for delivering a unique item having a unique identity and having an item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon and each of said delivery notices being an REID tag, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from the item wherein said item code is encoded on an RFID tag; and

D) linking said delivery notice code wit said item code.

13. A method of notifying an intended recipient of an item of an unsuccessful attempted delivery of an item, comprising:

A) reading an item code from the item;

B) linking a delivery notice code with said data associated with said item; and

C) sending an electronic transmission to the intended recipient, wherein said transmission includes the delivery notice code.

14. A method of delivering an item to an intended recipient after an unsuccessful attempted delivery of the item, comprising:

A) reading an item code from the item;

B) linking a delivery notice code with said item code;

C) sending an electronic transmission to the intended recipient, wherein said transmission includes the delivery notice code;

D) using the delivery notice code to access information about said item wherein said information includes delivery plans for the parcel; and

E) modifying the delivery plans for the parcel based upon subsequent instructions received from said intended recipient.

15. A method of delivering an item to an intended recipient after an unsuccessful attempted delivery of the item, comprising:

A) reading an item code from the item;

B) linking a delivery notice code with said hem code;

C) sending an email to the intended recipient, wherein said email includes the delivery notice code;

D) receiving from said intended recipient the delivery notice code and allowing access to information about said item wherein said information includes delivery plans for the parcel; and

E) modifying the delivery plans for the parcel based upon subsequent instructions received from said intended recipient.

16. A method of delivering an item to an intended recipient, wherein the intended recipient has indicated preferences for the delivery of items shipped to the intended recipient, comprising:

A) providing an Internet website that may be accessed by the intended recipient;

B) allowing the intended recipient to enter certain delivery preference information at said website, wherein such information relates to the intended recipient'"'"'s preferences for the delivery of items;

C) storing the intended recipient'"'"'s delivery preference information on a server;

D) receiving an item for delivery to the intended recipient;

E) retrieving the intended recipient'"'"'s delivery preference information; and

F) delivering the item while adhering to the delivery preference information.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery preference information includes an address for an alternative delivery location for an item to be delivered to the intended recipient.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the alternative delivery location includes retail postal facilities.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery preference information includes an intended recipient'"'"'s email address so that the intended recipient may be notified of the delivery or attempted delivery of an item.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the delivery preference information includes an authorization to deliver the item without obtaining a signature at the delivery location.

21. A method for delivering, to an intended recipient, a plurality of unique items each having unique identities and each having a different item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) attempting the delivery of said plurality of unique items at a designated address of said intended recipient under a set of predetermined delivery rules;

C) delivering said items to said intended recipient if said delivery rules are met;

D) retaining said items and proceeding to the following steps if said delivery rules are not met;

E) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

F) reading said item code from each of said plurality of items;

G) linking said delivery notice code with said item code from each of said plurality of items;

H) reporting information regarding each of said plurality of unique items in response to receipt of a description of said one of said delivery notices from said intended recipient; and

I) independently modifying a delivery plan of one item of said plurality of items based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient.

22. A method for providing possession of an item to an intended recipient following a failed delivery attempt of the item, said method comprising the steps of:

A) providing a machine-readable indicia associated with the item;

B) providing indicia associated with obtaining possession of the item differing from the indicia associated with the item; and

C) associating the two indicia, such that the indicia associated with obtaining possession of the item can be used to obtain the item.

23. A method for providing possession of an item to au intended recipient comprising:

A) processing a plurality of items;

B) notifying an intended recipient of an item that said item has been processed and is ready for delivery;

C) receiving information from the intended recipient that is requesting to receive the item;

D) identifying the item based on the information received from the intended recipient;

E) verifying that the intended recipient is authorized to receive the item, based on the identification of the item; and

F) providing possession of the item to the intended recipient if the intended recipient is authorized to receive the item.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving the information from the intended recipient that is requesting to receive the item includes receiving an associated delivery notice with an associated unique indicia.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein verifying the intended recipient is authorized to receive the item based on the identification of the item comprises determining that the information received from the intended recipient that is requesting to receive the item is consistent wit an associated delivery notice having an associated unique indicia.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the associated unique indicia is represented by a machine-readable indicia.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the machine-readable indicia is represented by a barcode.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein notifying the intended recipient of an item that said item has been processed and is ready for delivery comprises providing a delivery notice comprising a form with a machine-readable indicia for item identification.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the machine-readable indicia is represented by a barcode.

30. A method for providing possession of an item to an intended recipient comprising:

A) processing a plurality of items;

B) attempting delivery of an item to an intended recipient at a first location with said attempted delivery unsuccessful;

C) providing the item with an item indicia;

D) providing the intended recipient with a notification having a notification indicia at the first location;

E) associating the item indicia with the notification indicia;

F) transporting the item that has been processed to a second location;

G) receiving notification indicia from the intended recipient that is requesting to receive the item;

H) identifying the item based on the notification indicia received from the intended recipient;

I) verifying that the intended recipient is authorized to receive the item, based on the identification of said item; and

J) providing the item to the intended recipient at the second location, if intended recipient is authorized to receive the item.

31. A method for delivering a plurality of unique items each having a unique identity and having a different machine-readable item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item code from one of said items;

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item code;

E) reporting information regarding the item in response to receipt of a description of said one of said delivery notices from an intended recipient; and

G) modifying delivery plans of said item based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient by delivering the item at a location without obtaining a delivery-confirming signature at the location.

32. A method for delivering a plurality of unique items each having a unique identity and having a different machine-readable item code readable therefrom, said method including the steps of:

A) providing a plurality of delivery notices, each of said delivery notices including a delivery notice code thereon, each of said delivery notice codes being unique within said plurality of delivery notices;

B) reading said delivery notice code from one of said delivery notices;

C) reading said item codes from each of said items;

D) linking said delivery notice code with said item codes;

E) reporting information regarding the item in response to receipt of a description of said one of said delivery notices from an intended recipient; and

F) modifying delivery plans of said item based upon subsequent instructions from said intended recipient by delivering the item at a location without obtaining a delivery-confirming signature at the location.