Package pickup indicator system

• US 7,885,821 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Tait
• Original Assignee: Michael Tait
• Inventors: Tait, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, GEORGE YUNG CHIEH
• Application Number:
  US11/396,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A package pickup indicator system is disclosed. The system includes a monitoring system and an indicator capable of being detected by a route driver for a shipping carrier in a shipping carrier vehicle. The monitoring system is in communication with at least one shipping carrier customer package tracking system and is in communication with the indicator. The monitoring system is configured to activate the indicator when a package at a place of business is ready to be picked up for shipment by the shipping carrier and is further configured to query the shipping carrier customer package tracking system about a status of the package to be shipped. The monitoring system automatically deactivates the indicator upon a response from the shipping carrier customer package system that the package to be shipped is in possession of the shipping carrier.

Claims

1. A package pickup indicator system comprising:

a customer-operated monitoring system; and

a visual indicator detected by a route driver for a shipping carrier in a shipping carrier vehicle;

wherein the monitoring system is in communication with at least one shipping carrier customer package tracking system and is in communication with the visual indicator, wherein the monitoring system queries the shipping carrier customer package tracking system using a package-tracking number corresponding to a previously-identified package to ascertain the status of the previously-identified package, wherein the monitoring system activates the visual indicator when the status of the previously-identified package indicates that the previously-identified package is ready for pickup, wherein the monitoring system automatically deactivates the visual indicator when the status of the previously-identified package indicates that the previously-identified package is in possession of the shipping carrier;

wherein the visual indicator is positioned on a regular route of the shipping carrier and the place of business is not on the regular route of the shipping carrier;

wherein the visual indicator signals the route driver to avoid entering the place of business to determine whether the previously-identified package needs to be shipped; and

wherein a status of the visual indicator is published to at least one employee at the place of business, wherein the status of the visual indicator indicates whether visual indicator is deactivated.

2. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is in communication with more than one shipping carrier customer package tracking system.

3. The package pickup indicator system of claim 2, wherein the indicator comprises a plurality of independently activated and deactivated lights.

4. The package pickup indicator system of claim 3, wherein each light is a different color corresponding to a different pre-determined shipping carrier.

5. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system is further in communication with a place of business shipping system that comprises a device configured to generate a shipping request.

6. The package pickup indicator system of claim 5, wherein the monitoring system and the place of business shipping system are a unitary system.

7. The package pickup indicator system of claim 5, wherein the monitoring system and the place of business shipping system are in two-way communication.

8. The package pickup indicator system of claim 5, wherein the place of business shipping system is entirely local to the place of business.

9. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator is a light.

10. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of user computers in communication with the monitoring system.

11. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the status of the indicator is published as an icon displayed on the screen of a user computer.

12. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the place of business is a seasonal business.

13. The package pickup indicator system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system automatically queries the shipping carrier customer package tracking system.

14. A method for providing information about a package to be picked up for shipment by a shipping carrier to a customer, the method comprising:

querying a shipping carrier customer package tracking system using a package-tracking number corresponding to a previously-identified package to ascertain the status of the previously-identified package;

activating a visual indicator in response to the status of the previously-identified package indicating that the previously-identified package is ready for pickup thereby signaling a route driver to avoid entering the place of business to determine whether the previously-identified package needs to be shipped;

automatically deactivating the visual indicator in response to the status of the previously-identified package indicating that the previously-identified package is in possession of the shipping carrier; and

wherein the visual indicator is positioned on a regular route of the shipping carrier and the place of business is not on the regular route of the shipping carrier;

publishing a status of the visual indicator to at least one employee at the place of business, wherein the status of the visual indicator indicates whether the visual indicator is activated or deactivated.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein activating the visual indicator includes activating at least one light at a location of the previously-identified package to be shipped.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein activating the visual indicator includes activating a light associated with the shipping carrier.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a package-tracking number corresponding to the previously-identified package.