Second site control of article transport processing

• US 7,844,468 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lahiri, Sandip
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US10/427,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220818A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/1.1, 378/63, 378/62, 378/57, 340/568.1, 382/100, 382/101, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/207.11, 348/211.99
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system and methodology for sorting and/or distributing items and articles being shipped to a receiving party through private and/or commercial delivery systems. Various characteristics of an article being shipped are obtained and assembled in a database. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article are acquired at a first site and the processing and desired disposition of the article is determined at a second site which is physically separate from the first site. The descriptive characteristics of the article being shipped are displayed at the second site and are sufficient to identify the article to a processing individual located at the second site. The processing individual is then enabled to indicate a desired disposal of the article from the second site without being exposed to the physical article located at the first site. In an exemplary embodiment, the descriptive characteristics of the article may include one or more images of the article along with various other descriptive physical characteristics of the article such as the size and weight of the article. In one example, the processing individual is enabled to authorize the opening of an article in which case, descriptive characteristics of the contents of the article are acquired at the first site and displayed to the processing individual at the second site for use in determining an appropriate disposition of the article.

Claims

1. A method for processing an article being transported at a first location by a user located at a second location, said first location being isolated from said second location, said method comprising:

obtaining characteristics descriptive of said article at said first location;

creating an electronic file containing said characteristics;

transmitting said electronic file from said first location to said second location;

processing at said electronic file at said second location to determine said characteristics of said article;

displaying said characteristics to said user at said second location;

enabling said user to provide article disposal input information at said second location;

transmitting said article disposal input information from said second location to said first location; and

disposing of said article at said first location in accordance with said article disposal input information provided by said user wherein said article is a container being shipped in an article delivery system, wherein said first location is isolated from said second location by being physically remote from said second location, said second location being electronically coupled to said first location by means of an Internet connection, wherein said characteristics include a visually perceptible image of said article, wherein said image is obtained at said first location, said method further including creating an image file from said image at said first location and transmitting said image file from said first location to said second location, said method further including converting said image file for display on a display device at said second location and displaying said image to said user at said second location, wherein said characteristics include weight characteristics representative of weight of said article, wherein said weight is obtained at said first location, said method further including creating a weight information file representative of said weight of said article and transmitting said weight information file from said first location to said second location, said method further including converting said weight information file for display of said weight information on a display device at said second location and displaying said weight information to said user at said second location, wherein said characteristics include dimension characteristics representative of dimensions of said article, wherein said dimensions are obtained at said first location, said method further including creating a, dimension information file representative of said dimensions of said article and transmitting said dimension information file from said first location to said second location, said method further including converting said dimension information file for display of said dimension information on a display device at said second location and displaying said dimension information to said user at said second location, said method further including enabling said user to input an open command at said second location to open said article at said first location and opening said article in accordance with said open command to access contents of said article at said first location, said method further including obtaining contents characteristics descriptive of contents of said article at said first location and displaying said contents characteristics to said user at said second location wherein said contents characteristics include a perceptible image of said contents, said method further including enabling said user to select one of a plurality of article disposal options, one of which is to destroy the article, after viewing said perceptible image of said contents and thereafter disposing of said article at said first location in accordance with said selected article disposal option made by said user at said second location.