Electronic shipping label with updateable visual display

• US 7,580,845 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2005
• Issued: 08/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• 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: Ramsager, Thomas, Burman, Robert F., Wright, Albert L., Nonneman, Robert V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender; F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obeid; Fahd A
• Application Number:
  US11/105,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234785A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/1, 23546201-46249, 340/572.8
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0288 Labels or tickets consisting of more than one part, e.g. with address of sender or other reference on separate section to main label; Multi-copy labels
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/0297 including a machine-readable marking, e.g. a bar code digitally marked record carriers in general G06K19/00

Abstract

A novel shipping label is described that includes an electronically updateable visual display that can be updated throughout the shipping process to provide routing instructions to package handlers. Instructions shown on the updateable display can provide such information as an indication of a particular conveyor belt or vehicle or a particular location in a vehicle for the package to be placed. A label interface device for updating the new shipping label is also described herein along with systems for updating the shipping label over the course of the package delivery. In addition, novel methods of providing shipping services that are made possible by these devices and systems are included in the disclosure.

Claims

1. A package shipping system comprising:

a computing device having one or more memory storage areas configured to store a shipping database;

a package shipping label (a) having an electronically updateable visual display, (b) having at least one package identifier that is machine readable, (c) having a complementary guide structure (i) comprising a complementary, ridge or (ii) defined by a complementary groove, and (d) being affixed to a package;

a processor with memory remote from the electronically updateable visual display and configured to form a database query based on the at least one package identifier and retrieve package data from the shipping database corresponding to the at least one package identifier; and

a label interface device comprising a label interface device guide structure wherein the label interface device guide structure (a) comprises a ridge or (b) is defined by a groove, the label interface device guide structure is configured to (a) orient the label interface device relative to the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label and (b) engage the complementary guide structure on the package shipping label, and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label with information based on the package data retrieved by the processor from the shipping database stored in the one or more memory storage areas of the computing device.

2. The package system of claim 1 wherein:

the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label includes a radio frequency identification tag; and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label by writing data to memory of the radio frequency identification tag.

3. The package shipping system of claim 1, wherein the label interface device is further configured to read the package identifier.

4. A package shipping system comprising:

a computing device having one or more memory storage areas configured to store a shipping database;

a package shipping label (a) having an electronically updateable visual display, (b) having at least one package identifier that is machine readable, (c) having a complementary guide structure with at least one post, and (d) being affixed to a package;

a processor with memory remote from the electronically updateable visual display and configured to form a database query based on the at least one package identifier and retrieve package data from the shipping database corresponding to the at least one package identifier; and

a label interface device comprising a label interface device guide structure defined by at least one recess, wherein the label interface device guide structure is configured to (a) orient the label interface device relative to the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label and (b) engage the complementary guide structure on the package shipping label, and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label with information based on the package data retrieved by the processor from the shipping database stored in the one or more memory storage areas of the computing device.

5. The package system of claim 4 wherein:

the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label includes a radio frequency identification tag; and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label by writing data to memory of the radio frequency identification tag.

6. The package shipping system of claim 4, wherein the label interface device is further configured to read the package identifier.

7. A package shipping system comprising:

a computing device having one or more memory storage areas configured to store a shipping database;

a package shipping label (a) having an electronically updateable visual display, (b) having at least one package identifier that is machine readable, (c) having a complementary guide structure defined by at least one recess, and (d) being affixed to a package;

a processor with memory remote from the electronically updateable visual display and configured to form a database query based on the at least one package identifier and retrieve package data from the shipping database corresponding to the at least one package identifier; and

a label interface device comprising a label interface device guide structure with at least one post, wherein the label interface device guide structure is configured to (a) orient the label interface device relative to the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label and (b) engage the complementary guide structure on the package shipping label, and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label with information based on the package data retrieved by the processor from the shipping database stored in the one or more memory storage areas of the computing device.

8. The package system of claim 7 wherein:

the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label includes a radio frequency identification tag; and

the label interface device is configured to update the electronically updateable visual display of the package shipping label by writing data to memory of the radio frequency identification tag.

9. The package shipping system of claim 7, wherein the label interface device is further configured to read the package identifier.