Systems and methods for providing enhanced shipping and receiving services

• US 8,108,458 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Aldrey, Raul, Crespo, Diego, Guntupalli, Anil, Sharma, Sudhanshu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing
• Assistant Examiner(s): MIAH, RAZU A
• Application Number:
  US11/606,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709201-203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method includes receiving, from a sender, a contact selection related to a shipping request, identifying package shipping data associated with the selected contact, and providing the shipping request, including the package shipping data, to a shipping provider. The method further includes receiving a package identifier related to the shipping request from the shipping provider and associating the package identifier to a sender identifier related to the sender and a contact identifier related to the selected contact.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising steps, performed by one or more processors, of:

receiving, from a sender, a selection of a contact related to a shipping request to ship a package, wherein;

the contact is associated with a contact identifier comprising a telephone number of the contact; and

the sender is associated with a sender identifier comprising a telephone number of the sender;

identifying package shipping data associated with the contact;

providing the shipping request, including the package shipping data, to a shipping provider;

receiving a package identifier related to the shipping request from the shipping provider;

associating the package identifier with the sender identifier and the contact identifier;

obtaining first notification information corresponding to the sender identifier and second notification information corresponding to the contact identifier, wherein;

the first notification information identifies a first communications device of the sender and a first mode of communications associated with the first communications device; and

the second notification information identifies a second communications device of the contact and a second mode of communications associated with the second communications device; and

providing a status of the package to the first communications device in accordance with the first communications mode and to the second communications device in accordance with the second communications mode, the providing comprising;

retrieving the status of the package based on at least the telephone number of the contact; and

providing a geographic representation to the first and second communications devices, the geographic representation comprising an indication of a current location of the package relative to features of the geographic representation,

wherein;

the providing further comprises at least one of providing the status via a notification generated at a predetermined interval, or providing the status in response to a status request from the sender or the contact; and

the notification further prompts the sender or the contact, whomever did not make said status request, to establish communications between the first and second communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact is selected using a computer based graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact is selected by dragging and dropping a contact name from a contact list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the package shipping data is stored in a computer based address book associated with the sender.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the package includes at least one of a package delivered indicator, a current package location, an estimated package delivery date, or a package origination location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sender identifier and the contact identifier further comprise at least one of an e-mail address or an instant messaging client ID.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes at least one of a telephone call, an instant text message, or an e-mail.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a priority may be assigned to the notification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the package shipping data includes at least one of a shipping address, a method for providing the package to the shipping provider, a package weight, or a notification preference.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the package identifier includes a package tracking number.

11. A system, comprising:

an interface configured to receive a selection of a contact for a request to ship a package from a sender, wherein;

the contact is associated with a contact identifier comprising a telephone number of the contact; and

the sender is associated with a sender identifier comprising a telephone number of the sender;

an identifying component coupled to the interface and configured to receive an indication of the selection of the contact and to identify package shipping data associated with the contact;

a providing component coupled to the identifying component and configured to provide the shipping request, including the package shipping data, to a shipping provider;

a receiving component configured to receive a package identifier associated with the shipping request from the shipping provider;

a data repository coupled to the receiving component and configured to store the package identifier and associate the package identifier to a sender identifier and the contact identifier;

a component configured to obtain first notification information corresponding to the sender identifier and second notification information corresponding to the contact identifier, wherein;

the first notification information identifies a first communications device of the sender and a first mode of communications associated with the first communications device; and

the second notification information identifies a second communications device of the contact and a second mode of communications associated with the second communications device; and

a notification component coupled to the data repository and configured to provide a package status notification to the first communications device in accordance with the first communications mode and to the second communications device in accordance with the second communications mode, wherein the notification component is further configured to;

retrieve, from the data repository, a status of the package based on at least the telephone number of the contact; and

provide a geographic representation to the first and second communications devices, the geographic representation comprising an indication of a current location of the package relative to features of the geographic representation,

wherein;

the notification component is further configured to at least one of provide the status via a notification generated at a predetermined interval, or provide the status in response to a status request from the sender or the contact; and

the notification further prompts the sender or the contact, whomever did not make said status request, to establish communications between the first and second communication devices.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage module storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a sender, a selection of a contact related to a shipping request to ship a package, wherein;

the contact is associated with a contact identifier comprising a telephone number of the contact; and

the sender is associated with a sender identifier comprising a telephone number of the sender;

identifying package shipping data associated with the contact;

providing the shipping request, including the package shipping data, to a shipping provider;

receiving a package identifier related to the shipping request from the shipping provider;

associating the package identifier with the sender identifier and the contact identifier;

obtaining first notification information corresponding to the sender identifier and second notification information corresponding to the contact identifier, wherein;

the first notification information identifies a first communications device of the sender and a first mode of communications associated with the first communications device; and

the second notification information identifies a second communications device of the contact and a second mode of communications associated with the second communications device; and

providing a status of the package to the first communications device in accordance with the first communications mode and to the second communications device in accordance with the second communications mode, the providing comprising;

retrieving the status of the package based on at least the telephone number of the contact; and

providing a geographic representation to the first and second communications devices, the geographic representation comprising an indication of a current location of the package relative to features of the geographic representation,

wherein;

the providing further comprises at least one of providing the status via a notification generated at a predetermined interval, or providing the status in response to a status request from the sender or the contact; and

the notification further prompts the sender or the contact, whomever did not make said status request, to establish communications between the first and second communication devices.