Method and system for performing a package pre-load operation in accordance with a dispatch plan

• US 8,068,930 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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: Burgess, Michael, Potteiger, David, Perez, Juan R., Anderson, Duane
• Primary Examiner(s): BURGESS, RAMYA PRAKASAM
• Application Number:
  US12/180,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187272A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 700/213, 700/214, 700/225, 700/226, 700/2, 700/227, 705/28, 235/385
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/14 using light-responsive detecting means for information carriers G06K7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/18 Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks applying data to information carriers G06K1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 7/40 Conversion to or from variable length codes, e.g. Shannon-Fano code, Huffman code, Morse code

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for electronically-capturing a destination address of a package and for using the destination address to automate a package pre-load operation. An embodiment of the invention includes a compression system for compressing the destination address as a compressed MaxiCode symbol, a smart shipping label system for generating a shipping label with a compressed MaxiCode and a pre-load assist system for generating package handling instructions from the electronically-captured destination address.

Claims

1. A system for performing a package pre-load operation in accordance with a dispatch plan, wherein each of a plurality of packages has a first shipping label including a label address, said dispatch plan includes an allocation of work for a specified geographical area between and among a plurality of delivery vehicles, each of said delivery vehicles has responsibility for a service area within said geographical area, and each of said delivery vehicles includes a plurality of package load positions, said system comprising:

a package scanning device to capture a destination address from said first shipping label, wherein said destination address is based at least in part on said label address; and

a pre-load assist tool in electronic communication with said package scanning device that receives said destination address and compares at least said destination address against said dispatch plan to generate a package handling instruction,

wherein said package handling instruction identifies a select vehicle assigned from among said plurality of delivery vehicles and a select load position assigned from among said plurality of package load positions on said select vehicle, wherein said select vehicle is responsible for work performed at said destination address.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a label generation device that generates a second shipping label that includes said package handling instruction.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a label application device that affixes said second shipping label to said package.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said package handling instruction identifies one or more sortation belts ultimately destined for said select vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said package scanning device is selected from the group consisting of:

a bar-code scanner, a MaxiCode scanner, and a radio frequency identification tag reader.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of sortation belts configured to direct said plurality of packages toward said plurality of delivery vehicles, wherein said package handling instruction identifies one or more of said sortation belts ultimately destined for said select vehicle, such that each of said packages moves toward said select vehicle according to said package handling instruction.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a dispatch planning application that generates said dispatch plan and publishes said dispatch plan to said pre-load assist tool.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said package scanning device captures said destination address from a compressed MaxiCode symbology, wherein said label address is encoded within said compressed MaxiCode symbology.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said package handling instruction is determined by said destination address, a service level identifier, a commit time, or a combination thereof.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an address validation system that receives said destination address and returns an error code if said destination address is not a valid address.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said pre-load assist tool prompts a user to compare said destination address against said label address on said first shipping label if said error code is received from said address validation system.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an address decompression routine configured to receive said destination address from said package scanning device, decompress any compressed data within said destination address, and return said destination address in a decompressed format to said pre-load assist tool.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said pre-load assist tool monitors work allocated to each of said plurality of delivery vehicles.