Systems and methods for aggregating packages in a shipping environment

• US 8,065,237 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• 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: Moon, Lory Elizabeth, Goldhaber, Lynn Shaindell, Bennett, David Allison, Smith, William W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLYNN, KEVIN H
• Application Number:
  US12/099,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 705/330, 705/332
• US Class Current: 705/332
• 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Various embodiments for aggregating packages into a pouch in a shipping environment are disclosed. For example, package details associated with a package are compared to one or more incompatibility factors, and if the package details do not match the one or more incompatibility factors, a package identifier uniquely identifying the package is added to a pouch manifest. If the package is not compatible with the pouch, an error message may be displayed to a user indicating that the package is incompatible. In addition, package details may be compared with compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that are compatible with the pouch and questionable compatibility factors identifying criteria for packages that may be compatible with the pouch. Compatibility factors and questionable compatibility factors may include, for example, service options, delivery notification options, or destination zip code(s).

Claims

1. A system for identifying two or more packages to consolidate into a pouch in a shipping environment, said system comprising a memory and a processor, the processor configured for:

receiving package details associated with a first package to be shipped to a first ultimate recipient, the package details comprising a first unique identifier identifying the first package, one or more delivery service options for the first package, and an address of the first ultimate recipient;

retrieving a pouching template from the memory, the pouching template identifying one or more incompatibility factors for a pouch wherein the one or more incompatibility factors comprise a predetermined list including one or more delivery service options selected from a group consisting of;

cash-on-delivery (COD), hold for pickup, certified mail, return service, verbal confirmation of delivery, and return receipt;

comparing the one or more delivery service options for the first package with the incompatibility factors identified in the pouching template;

in response to the one or more delivery service options for the first package not matching one or more of the incompatibility factors, electronically adding the first unique identifier to a pouch manifest associated with the pouch;

receiving package details associated with a second package to be shipped to a second ultimate recipient, the package details associated with the second package comprising a second unique identifier identifying the second package, one or more delivery service options for the second package, and an address of the second ultimate recipient;

comparing the package details associated with the second package with the incompatibility factors identified in the pouching template; and

in response to the package details associated with the second package not matching one or more of the incompatibility factors, electronically adding the second unique identifier identifying the second package to the pouch manifest associated with the pouch,

wherein the address of the first ultimate recipient and the address of the second ultimate recipient are different.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured for displaying a message indicating that the first package should not be added to the pouch in response to the package details associated with the first package matching at least one of the incompatibility factors.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the pouching template further identifies one or more questionable compatibility factors for the pouch, and the processor is further configured for:

comparing the package details associated with the first package with the questionable compatibility factors identified in the pouching template; and

in response to the package details associated with the first package matching at least one questionable compatibility factor and not matching one or more incompatibility factors, flagging at least the first unique identifier.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein flagging at least the first unique identifier comprises highlighting at least the first unique identifier in the pouch manifest.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein flagging at least the first unique identifier comprises changing the font of at least the first unique identifier in the pouch manifest.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the pouching template further identifies one or more questionable compatibility factors for the pouch, and the processor is further configured for:

comparing the package details associated with the first package with the questionable compatibility factors identified in the pouching template; and

in response to the package details associated with the first package matching at least one questionable compatibility factor and not matching one or more incompatibility factors, prompting a user to confirm whether the first package should be included in the pouch.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured for adding the first unique identifier to the pouch manifest in response to receiving confirmation from the user that the first package should be included in the pouch.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein one or more questionable compatibility factors is selected from a group comprising the following service options:

declared value, no signature required, signature required, adult signature required, and proof of delivery.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein one or more questionable compatibility factors comprises a delivery date and time for the first package that is earlier than a delivery date and time for the pouch.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein one or more questionable compatibility factors comprises a ship date and time for the first package that is earlier than a ship date and time for the pouch.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein one or more questionable compatibility factors comprises a postal code for the first package that does not match a postal code for the pouch.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more incompatibility factors comprises one or more incompatible billing options.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the one or more incompatible billing options comprises an option to pay for shipment on or after delivery.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more incompatibility factors comprises one or more address fields that are not completed.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the pouching template further identifies one or more compatibility factors for the pouch and the processor is further configured for:

comparing the package details associated with the first package with the one or more compatibility factors identified in the pouching template; and

in response to the package details associated with the first package matching at least one compatibility factor and not matching one or more incompatibility factors, adding the first unique identifier to the pouch manifest.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more compatibility factors comprises one or more compatible delivery notifications.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more compatibility factors comprises one or more compatible shipping carriers.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the one or more compatibility factors comprises one or more compatible delivery services.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured for modifying a shipping rate associated with the first package in response to adding the first unique identifier to the pouch manifest.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured for prompting a user to physically add the first package to the pouch in response to the package details associated with the first package not matching the one or more incompatibility factors.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the pouching template further identifies a maximum number of packages to be included in the pouch and the processor is further configured for:

comparing the number of package identifiers included in the pouch manifest with the maximum number of packages to be included in the pouch; and

in response to the number of package identifiers included in the pouch manifest being less than the maximum number of packages to be included in the pouch, adding the first unique identifier to the pouch manifest.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the pouching template further identifies a maximum weight for the pouch and the processor is further configured for:

estimating a weight for the pouch by adding the weight of the first package to the sum of the weight of one or more packages having package identifiers included in the pouch manifest;

comparing the estimated weight for the pouch with the maximum weight of the pouch; and

in response to the estimated weight being less than or equal to the maximum weight of the pouch, adding the first unique identifier to the pouch manifest.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the address of the first ultimate recipient or the address of the second ultimate recipient are the same as an address of a third ultimate recipient of a third package.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the first ultimate recipient and the second ultimate recipient are the same person.

25. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured for receiving a request from the user to remove the first package identifier from the pouch manifest.