Method and system for performing a package pre-load operation in accordance with a dispatch plan

• US 7,421,311 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Anderson, Duane, Burgess, Michael, Potteiger, David, Perez, Juan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford; Gene O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US11/673,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129842A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/214, 700/225, 700/226, 705/28, 235/385
• US Class Current: 700/213
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• 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: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/40 Conversion to or from variable length codes, e.g. Shannon-Fano code, Huffman code, Morse code

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for electronically-capturing a destination address of a package and for using the destination address to automate a package pre-load operation. An embodiment of the invention includes a compression system for compressing the destination address as a compressed MaxiCode symbol, a smart shipping label system for generating a shipping label with a compressed MaxiCode and a pre-load assist system for generating package handling instructions from the electronically-captured destination address.

Claims

1. A method of performing a package preload operation upon a plurality of packages in accordance with a dispatch plan, wherein each of a plurality of packages has a first shipping label including a label address, said dispatch plan includes an allocation of work for a specified geographical area between and among a plurality of delivery vehicles, each of said delivery vehicles has responsibility for a service area within said geographical area, and each of said delivery vehicles includes a plurality of package load positions, said method comprising:

sending said dispatch plan to a pre-load assist system in an electronic format;

capturing electronically said a destination address from said first shipping label, wherein said destination address is based at least in part on said label address;

assigning a select vehicle from among said delivery vehicles, using said pre-load assist system, wherein said select vehicle is based at least in part on said destination address;

assigning a select load position from among said package load positions, using said pre-load assist system, wherein said select load position is based at least in part on said destination address;

generating a handling instruction identifying said select vehicle and said select load position;

affixing said handling instruction to said package; and

loading said package in accordance with said handling instruction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a handling instruction further comprises generating a second shipping label that includes said handling instruction, and wherein affixing said handling instruction to said package comprises affixing said second shipping label.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of affixing said second shipping label comprises providing a label application device that affixes said second shipping label to said package.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing electronically a destination address comprises scanning a symbology on said first shipping label, wherein said label address is encoded within said symbology.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing electronically a destination address comprises scanning a compressed MaxiCode symbology, wherein said label address is encoded within said compressed MaxiCode symbology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of capturing electronically a destination address comprises interrogating a radio frequency identification tag, wherein said label address is encoded within said tag.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning a select vehicle comprises comparing said destination address to said service area served by one or more of said delivery vehicles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning a select load position comprises selecting a shelf or shelf position on said select vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a handling instruction further comprises generating a handling instruction comprising a select vehicle identifier, a select load position identifier, a service level identifier, a commit time, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of loading said package in accordance with said handling instruction comprises directing said package to one or more sortation belts ultimately destined for said select vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

passing said destination address from said pre-load assist system to an address validation routine to confirm that said destination address is a valid address.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prompting a user to review and compare said destination address against said label address printed on said first shipping label if said address validation routine returns an error.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to;

receive a dispatch plan comprising an allocation of work for a specified geographic area between and among a plurality of delivery vehicles, each of said plurality of delivery vehicles having a plurality of package load positions;

receive a destination address associated with a package;

assign a select vehicle from among the plurality of vehicles based at least in part on the destination address;

assign a select load position from among the plurality of package load positions of the select vehicle based at least in part on the destination address; and

generate a handling instruction identifying the select vehicle and the select load position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein in order to assign a select vehicle, the application is further configured, upon execution, to compare the destination address to the service area serviced by one or more of the plurality of delivery vehicles.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein in order to assign a select load position, the application is further configured, upon execution, to select a shelf or shelf position on the select vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein in order to generate a handling instruction, the application is further configured, upon execution, to generate a handling instruction comprising a select vehicle identifier, a select load position identifier, a service level identifier, a commit time, or a combination thereof.