Method, system, carrier server and mobile device for shipping a package without the shipper being required to apply a shipping label

• US 8,010,463 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2006
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• 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: Gillen, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): BORISSOV, IGOR N
• Application Number:
  US11/425,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705400-411, 700/224, 700/225, 700/226, 700/227
• US Class Current: 705/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00

Abstract

A method, carrier server and system are provided for shipping a package wherein a shipper can arrange for shipment of a package, simply through an interactive contact with the carrier, without the need for the shipper to use official carrier documentation or forms. In particular a shipper may contact a carrier using any communication device, such as a cellular telephone, standard landline telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop, or other wired, wireless or optically-based device, in order to communicate shipping information to the carrier and, in response, receive a unique easy identifier. Thereafter, the shipper need only associate the easy identifier with the package, for example by simply hand writing the identifier on the package, and either deposit the package at the closest drop off box or carrier facility, or leave the package to be picked up by a carrier vehicle that has been, or will shortly thereafter be, dispatched fort the purpose of picking up the package.

Claims

1. A method of shipping a package from any location that eliminates the need for a user to apply a shipping label to the package, said method comprising:

receiving, by a carrier computer system comprising at least one processor, shipment data for shipping a package from a user device via a communications network, wherein the shipment data comprises an indication of a destination of the package to be shipped;

generating, by the carrier computer system, a human readable easy identifier, wherein the easy identifier is distinct from the shipment data and postage data;

linking the easy identifier with the shipment data received;

transmitting the human readable easy identifier to the user device via the communications network, said easy identifier configured to be associated with the package, so that the user can read the human readable easy identifier and associate the easy identifier with the package without using a machine, and wherein the package does not otherwise include an indication of a destination;

receiving a signal from a carrier device, said signal comprising the easy identifier associated with the package, said easy identifier having been captured from the package by the carrier device;

retrieving the shipment data based on the easy identifier; and

transmitting the shipment data to the carrier device for generating a shipping label based at least in part on the transmitted shipment data, wherein the shipping label is configured to be affixed to the package by a carrier at a pickup processing location upon receipt of the package associated with the easy identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

validating the easy identifier captured by the carrier device, wherein the shipment data is retrieved and the shipping label is generated only upon validation of the easy identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the shipment data in a data storage unit, wherein linking the easy identifier with the shipment data comprises mapping the easy identifier to the shipment data in the data storage unit.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving geographic location data indicating a location of at least one of the user device, the package or the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the geographic location data comprises receiving the geographic location data from a global positioning system (GPS) device associated with the user device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving the geographic location data comprises receiving the geographic location data from the user device, wherein the geographic location data has been input into the user device by the user.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining one or more drop-off locations within a geographic area proximate to at least one of the user device, the package or the user based at least in part on the geographic location data received; and

transmitting an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating a map indicating the one or more drop-off locations, wherein transmitting an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device comprises transmitting the map to the user device for display to the user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more drop-off locations comprise one or more drop boxes.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more drop-off locations comprise one or more carrier facilities.

11. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

selecting a carrier vehicle capable of picking up the package based at least in part on the geographic location data received; and

causing dispatch of the selected carrier vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether the shipment data received is sufficient to enable generation of a shipping label; and

transmitting a request for additional information to the user device upon a determination that the shipment data is not sufficient.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a mobile communication device capable of communicating wirelessly over the communications network.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the pickup processing location is a carrier facility.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the pickup processing location is a carrier vehicle.

16. A system for use in shipping a package from any location that eliminates the need for a user to apply a shipping label to the package, said system comprising:

a carrier server configured to receive shipment data for shipping a package from a user device via a communication network and storing the shipment data received, wherein the shipment data comprises an indication of a destination of the package to be shipped, the carrier server further configured to generate a human readable easy identifier and link the easy identifier with the stored shipment data, such that the shipment data can be retrieved based on the easy identifier, said carrier server further configured to transmit the human readable easy identifier to the user device, said easy identifier configured to be associated with the package by the user, so that the user can read the human readable easy identifier and associate the easy identifier with the package without using a machine, and wherein the easy identifier is distinct from the shipment data and postage data;

a data acquisition device configured to capture a human readable indication of the easy identifier from a package with which the easy identifier is associated, said data acquisition device further configured to retrieve the shipment data stored by the carrier server using the captured easy identifier, wherein the package does not otherwise include an indication of a destination;

a label generation device in communication with the data acquisition device, said label generation device configured to generate a shipping label based at least in part on the shipment data retrieved by the data acquisition device; and

a printing device in communication with the label generation device, said printing device configured to print the shipping label, wherein the shipping label is capable of being affixed by a carrier at a pickup processing location upon receipt of the package associated with the easy identifier.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a data storage unit accessible by at least the carrier server and the data acquisition device, wherein storing the shipment data received comprises storing the shipment data in the data storage unit, and wherein linking the easy identifier with the stored shipment data comprises mapping the easy identifier to the stored shipment data in the data storage unit.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a user device configured to transmit the shipment data to the carrier server and receive the easy identifier from the carrier server.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the carrier server is further configured to receive geographic location data indicating a location of at least one of the user device, the package, or the user.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) device associated with the user device, wherein receiving geographic location data comprises receiving the geographic location data from the GPS device.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the carrier server is further configured to determine one or more drop-off locations within a geographic area proximate to at least one of the user device, the package, or the user based at least in part on the geographic location data received, and transmit an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the carrier server is further configured to generate a map indicating the one or more drop-off locations, and wherein transmitting an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device comprises transmitting the map to the user device for display to the user.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the carrier server is further configured to select a carrier vehicle capable of picking up the package based at least in part on the geographic location data received, and cause dispatch of the selected carrier vehicle.

24. A carrier server capable of providing shipment of a package from any location without the need for a user to apply a shipping label to the package, said carrier server comprising:

a processor; and

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

receive, by the carrier server, shipment data for shipment of a package from a user device via a communication network, wherein the shipment data comprises an indication of a destination of the package to be shipped;

generate, by the carrier server, a human readable easy identifier, wherein the easy identifier is distinct from the shipment data and postage data;

link the easy identifier with the shipment data received;

transmit the human readable easy identifier to the user device, said easy identifier configured to be associated with the package, so that the user can read the human readable easy identifier and associate the easy identifier with the package without using a machine, and wherein the package does not otherwise include an indication of a destination;

receive a signal from a carrier device, said signal comprising the easy identifier associated with the package, said easy identifier having been captured by the carrier device;

retrieve the shipment data using the easy identifier; and

transmit the shipment data to the carrier device for generating a shipping label based at least in part on the transmitted shipment data, wherein the shipping label is configured to be affixed to the package by a carrier at a pickup processing location upon receipt of the package associated with the easy identifier.

25. The carrier server of claim 24, wherein the application is further configured to, upon execution, receive geographic location data indicating a location of at least one of the user device, the package, or the user.

26. The carrier server of claim 25, wherein the application is further configured to, upon execution, determine one or more drop off locations within a geographic area proximate to at least one of the user device, the package, or the user based at least in part on the geographic location data received, and transmit an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device.

27. The carrier server of claim 26, wherein the application is further configured to, upon execution, generate a map indicating the one or more drop-off locations, and wherein transmitting an indication of the one or more drop-off locations to the user device comprises transmitting the map to the user device for display to the user.

28. The carrier server of claim 25, wherein the application is further configured to, upon execution, select a carrier vehicle capable of picking up the package based at least in part on the geographic location data received, and cause dispatch of the selected carrier vehicle.

29. A method comprising the step of:

entering shipment data for shipping a package into a user device, wherein the shipment data comprises an indication of a destination of the package to be shipped;

transmitting the shipment data by the user device to a carrier computer system via a communications network;

by the carrier computer system,

in response to receiving the shipment data, generating, by a processor, a human readable easy identifier, wherein the easy identifier is distinct from the shipment data and postage data;

storing the shipment data;

linking the shipment data with the easy identifier;

transmitting the human readable easy identifier from the carrier computer system to the user device via the communications network, so that a user can read the human readable easy identifier and associate the easy identifier with the package without using a machine;

in response to receiving, by the user device, the easy identifier, associating the easy identifier with the package;

providing the package with the associated easy identifier to the carrier for delivery to a destination indicated by the shipment data;

by the carrier,

receiving the package with associated easy identifier at a pickup processing location of the carrier, wherein the package does not otherwise include an indication of a destination;

retrieving the shipment data from the carrier computer system at the pickup processing location based on the easy identifier;

generating a shipping label based at least in part on the retrieved shipment data at the pickup processing location;

applying the shipment label to the package at the pickup processing location; and

shipping the package based on the shipment data on the shipment label.