Method and system for cross-carrier parcel tracking

• US 8,340,978 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Wade, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADE, OGER GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US12/749,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,002 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A system and method is provided that enables a carrier of a mailpiece, such as a national postal service, to track a mailpiece as it passes from the control of a first carrier to the control of another, second carrier. The tracking of the mailpiece continues until the mailpiece is delivered, by the second carrier, to its ultimate recipient. In this manner the first carrier, who had control of the mailpiece when first posted, can monitor the handling of the mailpiece and can calculate delivery times when the mailpiece was in the control of the second carrier. The method and system of the present invention will find particular application to a national postal service seeking to track delivery performance of internationally addressed express mail that is first domestically posted and then ultimately delivered in a foreign country by the postal service of the foreign country.

Claims

1. A method for delivering parcels across domains using a first carrier associated with a first domain, and a second carrier associated with a second domain, the method comprising:

transporting, using the first carrier, a first parcel from a sender in the first domain addressed to a recipient in the second domain;

transporting using the second carrier, a second parcel from a sender in the second domain addressed to a recipient in the first domain;

handing-off the first parcel from the first carrier to the second carrier;

handing-off the second parcel from the second carrier to the first carrier;

using a computer, recording a first time keyed to receipt of the first parcel by the second carrier;

using said computer, recording a second time keyed to receipt of the second parcel by the first carrier;

delivering the first parcel to a recipient in the second domain using the second carrier;

delivering the second parcel to said recipient in the first domain using the first carrier;

using said computer, recording a third time keyed to delivery of the first parcel to the recipient in the second domain;

using said computer, recording a fourth time keyed to delivery of the second parcel to the recipient in the first domain;

using said computer, calculating an elapsed time delivery time for, the first parcel by subtracting the third time from the first time;

using said computer, calculating an elapsed time delivery for the second parcel by subtracting the fourth time from the second time;

using said computer, consolidating the elapsed delivery time for the first parcel with elapsed delivery time data for other parcels delivered by the second carrier;

using said computer, consolidating the elapsed delivery time for the second parcel with elapsed delivery time data for other parcels delivered by the first carrier;

using said computer, determining relative performance of the first and second carriers based on the consolidated data of each; and

using said computer, recording a credit in favor of the carrier determined to have had greater relative performance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the first time, second time, third time and fourth time comprises using multiple scanners.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first carrier operates in a first country and said second carrier operates in a second different country.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the relative performance comprises removing custom delays.