System, method and article of manufacture for shipping a package privately to a customer

• US 7,848,961 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• 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: Estes, Jacquelyn, Troxel, Kerry J., Rios, Julie F., Pensabene, Phillip A., Robinson, Jacquelyn M., Penn, Maria C., Ray, Christine R. L., Orbke, Wayne H.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALLEN, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/007,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705330-341
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders

Abstract

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention facilitate in sending a package (112) to a customer at a physical address via a shipper (106) while preserving customer privacy. In accordance with an embodiment, an order is received from the customer (102). The order may include a unique identifier corresponding to the customer. A package (110) is sent to the shipper (106) in fulfillment of the order, the package including the unique identifier. Then, the customer'"'"'s physical address is derived from the unique identifier and the package is delivered (112) from the shipper to the customer'"'"'s physical address.

Claims

1. A method for anonymously sending a package to a customer at a physical address, comprising:

generating a code for the customer by a shipping computer, the code being associated with the physical address of the customer;

receiving an order from the customer, the order including the code;

determining, by the shipping computer, whether the code is valid;

converting the code into an identifier in response to a determination that the code is valid; and

sending the package to a shipper in fulfillment of the order, the package including the identifier,

wherein determining whether the code is valid comprises at least determining whether the code has expired due to being used a predetermined number of times.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deriving the physical address from the identifier; and

dispatching the package from the shipper to the customer for delivery at the physical address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning an electronic account number to the customer using a registration system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic account number is the identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a random number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a bar code.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a request to a payment company to charge the customer for the order; and

charging a financial account of the customer for the order.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising labeling the package with a label that contains the physical address of the customer.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the labeling stage occurs at one of a delivery unit, a business mail entry unit, a plant, a computer forwarding service unit, or a third party relabeler.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the code is at least one of an encrypted data structure, the customer'"'"'s account number, or a random number.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for causing a computer to perform a method for anonymously sending a package to a customer at a physical address, the method comprising:

generating a code for the customer by a shipping computer, the code being associated with the physical address of the customer;

receiving an order from the customer, the order including the code;

determining, by the shipping computer, whether the code is valid;

converting the code into an identifier in response to a determination that the code is valid; and

sending the package to a shipper in fulfillment of the order, the package including the identifier,

wherein determining whether the code is valid comprises at least determining whether the code has expired due to being used a predetermined number of times.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising:

deriving the physical address from the identifier; and

dispatching the package from the shipper to the customer for delivery at the physical address.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising:

assigning an electronic account number to the customer using a registration system.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the electronic account number is the identifier.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the identifier comprises a random number.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the identifier comprises a bar code.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising:

sending a request to a payment company to charge the customer for the order; and

charging a financial account of the customer for the order.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising labeling the package with a label that contains the physical address of the customer.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the labeling stage occurs at one of a delivery unit, a business mail entry unit, a plant, a computer forwarding service unit, or a third party relabeler.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the code is at least one of an encrypted data structure, the customer'"'"'s account number, or a random number.

21. A system for anonymously sending a package to a customer, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions executed by the processor to peform a method comprising;

generating a code for the customer, the code being associated with the physical address of the customer;

receiving an order from the customer, the order including the code;

determining whether the code is valid;

converting the code into an identifier in response to a determination that the code is valid; and

sending the package to a shipper in fulfillment of the order, the package including the identifier,

wherein determining whether the code is valid comprises at least determining whether the code has expired due to being used a predetermined number of times.

22. The system of claim 21, the method further comprising:

deriving the physical address from the identifier; and

dispatching the package from the shipper to the customer for delivery at the physical address.

23. The system of claim 21, the method further comprising:

assigning an electronic account number to the customer using a registration system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the electronic account number is the identifier.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the identifier comprises a random number.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the identifier comprises a bar code.

27. The system of claim 21, the method further comprising:

sending a request to a payment company to charge the customer for the order; and

charging a financial account of the customer for the order.

28. The system of claim 21, the method further comprising labeling the package with a label that contains the physical address of the customer.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the labeling stage occurs at one of a delivery unit, a business mail entry unit, a plant, a computer forwarding service unit, or a third party relabeler.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the code is at least one of an encrypted data structure, the customer'"'"'s account number, or a random number.