Systems and methods for determining estimated lead times

• US 8,433,659 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiserv Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fiserv Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnston, Ann Marie, Esque, Robert Charles, Jackson, Justin, Seemann, Brian Richard, Southard, Roy Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRINGTON, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US13/554,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/1.1, 705/330, 705/341
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention may provide systems and methods for determining estimated lead times based on delivery history information to a same or similar geographical area. According to one example embodiment, a method is provided. The method can include identifying a payee and determining that the payee is associated with a geographical area for mailpiece delivery. The method can further include identifying multiple delivery methods for mailpiece delivery to the geographical area, wherein each of delivery methods is associated with (a) a distribution center, (b) a delivery agent, and (c) an estimated lead time determined at least in part by analyzing the delivery history information associated with multiple mailpieces mailed from the respective distribution center to the geographical area via the respective delivery agent. The method can further include selecting one of the delivery methods for mailpiece delivery to the payee and associating the selected delivery method with the payee.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and to execute the computer-executable instructions to;

process delivery history information associated with a plurality of mailpieces mailed to a geographical area to determine a plurality of delivery times associated with the plurality of mailpieces, wherein each of the plurality of delivery times is associated with a respective one of the plurality of mailpieces, and wherein the delivery history information comprises;

(1) delivery status information, and (2) at least one of (i) check clearance information, (ii) payment receipt information, or (iii) payment posting information;

determine, based at least in part on an analysis of the plurality of delivery times, an estimated lead time associated with subsequent delivery of one or more additional mailpieces to the geographical area;

identify a payee;

determine that the payee is associated with the geographical area for mailpiece delivery; and

associate the estimated lead time with the payee.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mailpieces comprises at least one mailpiece delivered to a recipient other than the payee.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the check clearance information or the payment posting information is received from one of (i) a financial institution or (ii) a payee that received a mailed payment associated with one of the plurality of mailpieces.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mailpieces is associated with a plurality of payments, and wherein at least one of:

i) the check clearance information, ii) the payment receipt information, or iii) the payment posting information is associated with the plurality of payments.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the respective delivery time associated with one mailpiece of the plurality of mailpieces is based at least in part on at least one of:

i) a delivery date, wherein the delivery date indicates a date on which a delivery agent delivered a payment associated with the one mailpiece to a payee of the payment,

ii) a clearing date, wherein the clearing date indicates a date on which a check associated with the one mailpiece cleared,

iii) a receipt date, wherein the receipt date indicates a date on which the payee of the payment received the payment, or

iv) a posting date, wherein the posting date indicates a date on which the payee of the payment posted the payment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a mailpiece identifier is associated with one of the plurality of mailpieces and at least a portion of the delivery status information corresponds to the one mailpiece identifier.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine the estimated lead time based at least in part on the analysis of the plurality of delivery times by performing at least one of:

(i) identifying a mode of the plurality of delivery times;

(ii) identifying a mean of the plurality of delivery times;

(iii) identifying a distribution of the plurality of delivery times;

(iv) performing a chi-square test on the plurality of delivery times;

or

(v) performing a Monte Carlo analysis on the plurality of delivery times.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical area is associated with a zip code that is associated with one or more corresponding zip code types, and wherein the one or more zip code types comprise at least one of:

(i) a 3-digit zip code;

(ii) a 5-digit zip code;

(iii) a 9-digit zip code;

or

(iv) an 11-digit zip code.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical area is associated with a first zip code and a second zip code, wherein the first zip code and the second zip code are each respectively associated with different corresponding zip code types, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to determine that the payee is associated with the geographical area by:

determining that the payee is associated with at least the first zip code and the second zip code,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine the estimated lead time by;

selecting one of the first zip code or the second zip code, and

determining an estimated lead associated with the selected zip code, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to associate the estimated lead time with the payee by;

associating the estimated lead time associated with the selected zip code with the payee.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

receive a payment request to process a payment to the payee; and

identify the payee based at least in part on the received payment request, and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to associate the estimated lead time with the payee by;

determining a payment mail date for mailing the payment to the payee based at least in part on the estimated lead time associated with the payee.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

transmit, for presentation to a subscriber, at least one of;

(i) the estimated lead time,

(ii) a payment processing date calculated based at least in part on the estimate lead time,

(iii) a payment due date calculated based at least in part on the estimated lead time, or

(iv) a payment mail date calculated based at least in part on the estimated lead time.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the delivery history information corresponds to first delivery history information associated with a first delivery factor, the plurality of delivery times corresponds to a first plurality of delivery times, the plurality of mailpieces corresponds to a first plurality of mailpieces, and the estimated lead time corresponds to a first estimated lead time, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:

process second delivery history information associated with a second plurality of mailpieces mailed to the geographical area to determine a second plurality of delivery times associated with the second plurality of mailpieces, wherein the second delivery history information is associated with a second delivery factor, and wherein each of the second plurality of delivery times is associated with a respective one of the second plurality of mailpieces; and

determine, based at least in part on an analysis of the second plurality of delivery times, a second estimated lead time associated with subsequent delivery of the one or more additional mailpieces mailed to the geographical area.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first factor and the second factor respectively relate to one of:

(i) a first distribution center and a second distribution center,

(ii) a first delivery agent and a second delivery agent,

(iii) a first delivery route and a second delivery route,

(iv) a first delivery cost and a second delivery cost, or

(v) a first delivery priority and a second delivery priority.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first factor corresponds to a first distribution center and the second factor corresponds to a second distribution center, and wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to associate the estimate lead time with the payee by:

selecting one of the first estimated lead time or the second estimated lead time;

selecting one of the first distribution center or the second distribution center, wherein the selected distribution center corresponds to the selected estimated lead time; and

associating the selected distribution center with the payee.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mailpieces and the one or more additional mailpieces are mailed from a same distribution center to the geographical area.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

transmit, for presentation to a payor, a latest available date to request a payment to the payee based at least in part on the estimated lead time and a payment due date associated with the payment.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a payment request to process a payment to the payee;

determine a payment mail date associated with the payment based at least in part on the estimated lead time, wherein the payment mail date corresponds to a mail date associated with one additional mailpiece of the one or more additional mailpieces; and

cause at least one of the following to be performed based at least in part on the determined payment mail date;

bundling mailing of the one additional mailpiece with at least one other additional mailpiece, or

delaying the mail date associated with the one additional mailpiece further based at least in part on a payment due date associated with the payment.

18. A method, comprising:

processing, by a service provider system comprising one or more computers, delivery history information associated with a plurality of mailpieces mailed to a geographical area to determine a plurality of delivery times associated with the plurality of mailpieces, wherein each of the plurality of delivery times is associated with a respective one of the plurality of mailpieces, and wherein the delivery history information comprises;

(1) delivery status information, and (2) at least one of (i) check clearance information, (ii) payment receipt information, or (iii) payment posting information;

determining, by the service provider system, based at least in part on an analysis of the plurality of delivery times, an estimated lead time associated with subsequent delivery of one or more additional mailpieces to the geographical area;

identifying, by the service provider system, a payee;

determining, by the service provider system, that the payee is associated with the geographical area for mailpiece delivery; and

associating, by the service provider system, the estimated lead time with the payee.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of mailpieces comprises at least one mailpiece delivered to a recipient other than the payee.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein at least one of the check clearance information or the payment posting information is received from one of (i) a financial institution or (ii) a payee that received a mailed payment associated with one of the plurality of mailpieces.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of mailpieces is associated with a plurality of payments, and wherein at least one of:

i) the check clearance information, ii) the payment receipt information, or iii) the payment posting information is associated with the plurality of payments.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the respective delivery time associated with one mailpiece of the plurality of mailpieces is based at least in part on at least one of:

i) a delivery date, wherein the delivery date indicates a date on which a delivery agent delivered a payment associated with the one mailpiece to a payee of associated with the payment,

ii) a clearing date, wherein the clearing date indicates a date on which a check associated with the one mailpiece cleared,

iii) a receipt date, wherein the receipt date indicates a date on which the payee of the payment received the payment, or

iv) a posting date, wherein the posting date indicates a date on which the payee of the payment posted the payment.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein a mailpiece identifier is associated with one of the plurality of mailpieces and at least a portion of the delivery status information corresponds to the one mailpiece identifier and the one of the plurality of mailpieces.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the estimated lead time based at least in part on the analysis of the plurality of delivery times comprises:

(i) identifying a mode of the plurality of delivery times,

(ii) identifying a mean of the plurality of delivery times,

(iii) identifying a distribution of the plurality of delivery times,

(iv) performing a chi-square test on the plurality of delivery times, or

(v) performing a Monte Carlo analysis on the plurality of delivery times.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the geographical area is associated with one or more zip code s, wherein each of the one or more zip codes is associated with a respective corresponding zip code type, and wherein the respective corresponding zip code type comprises one of:

(i) a 3-digit zip code type,

(ii) a 5-digit zip code type,

(iii) a 9-digit zip code type, or

(iv) an 11-digit zip code type.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein determining that the payee is associated with the geographical area for mailpiece delivery comprises:

determining that the payee is associated with at least a first zip code and a second zip code associated with the geographical area, wherein the first zip code and the second zip each have different corresponding zip code types, further comprising;

selecting, by the service provider system, one of the first zip code or the second zip code,

wherein determining the estimated lead time comprises determining an estimated lead time associated with the selected one of the first zip code or the second zip code, and

wherein associating the estimated lead time with the payee comprises associating the estimated lead time associated with the selected one of the first zip code or the second zip code with the payee.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein identifying the payee comprises:

receiving, by the service provider system, a payment request to process a payment to the payee, and

identifying, by the service provider system, the payee based at least in part on the received payment request, and

wherein associating the estimated lead time with the payee comprises determining a payment mail date for mailing the payment to the payee based at least in part on the estimated lead time associated with the payee.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting, by the service provider system for presentation to a subscriber associated with the service provider system, at least one of;

(i) the estimated lead time,

(ii) a payment processing date calculated based at least in part on the estimate lead time,

(iii) a payment due date calculated based at least in part on the estimated lead time, or

(iv) a payment mail date calculated based at least in part on the estimated lead time.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the delivery history information comprises first delivery history information associated with a first delivery factor, the plurality of delivery times corresponds to a first plurality of delivery times, the plurality of mailpieces corresponds to a first plurality of mailpieces, and the estimated lead time corresponds to a first estimated lead time, further comprising:

processing, by the service provider system, second delivery history information associated with a second plurality of mailpieces mailed to the geographical area to determine a second plurality of delivery times associated with the second plurality of mailpieces, wherein the second delivery history information is associated with a second delivery factor, and wherein each of the second plurality of delivery times is associated with a respective one of the second plurality of mailpieces; and

determining, by the service provider system, based at least in part on an analysis of the second plurality of delivery times, a second estimated lead time associated with subsequent delivery of the one or more additional mailpieces mailed to the geographical area.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the first factor and the second factor respectively relate to one of:

(i) a first distribution center and a second distribution center,

(ii) a first delivery agent and a second delivery agent,

(iii) a first delivery route and a second delivery route,

(iv) a first delivery cost and a second delivery cost, or

(v) a first delivery priority and a second delivery priority.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the first factor corresponds to a first distribution center and the second factor corresponds to a second distribution center different from the first distribution center, and wherein associating the estimated lead time with the payee further comprises:

selecting, by the service provider system, one of the first estimated lead time or the second estimated lead time;

selecting, by the service provider system, one of the first distribution center or the second distribution center, wherein the selected distribution center is associated with the selected estimated lead time; and

associating, by the service provider system, the selected distribution center with the payee.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of mailpieces and the one or more additional mailpieces are mailed from a same distribution center to the geographical area.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing, by the service provider system to a subscriber associated with the service provider system, a latest available date to request a payment to the payee based at least in part on the estimated lead time and a payment due date associated with the payment.

34. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving, by the service provider system, a payment request to process a payment associated with the payee;

determining, by the service provider system, a payment mail date associated with the payment based at least in part on the estimated lead time, wherein the payment mail date corresponds to a mail date associated with one additional mailpiece of the one or more additional mailpieces; and

causing, by the service provider system, at least one of the following to be performed based at least in part on the determined payment mail date;

bundling mailing of the one additional mailpiece with at least one other additional mailpiece, or

delaying the mail date associated with the one additional mailpiece further based at least in part on a payment due date associated with the payment.

35. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by a service provider system comprising one or more computers, delivery history information associated with a plurality of mailpieces, wherein each of the plurality of mailpieces is mailed via a respective one of a plurality of delivery routes to a respective one of a plurality of payees, and wherein the delivery history information comprises;

(1) delivery status information, and (2) at least one of (i) check clearance information, (ii) payment receipt information, or (iii) payment posting information;

processing, by the service provider system, the delivery history information to determine a plurality of delivery times, wherein each of the plurality of delivery times is associated with a respective one of the plurality of mailpieces and a respective one of the plurality of delivery routes;

determining, by the service provider system, based at least in part on an analysis of the plurality of delivery times, a plurality of estimated lead times, wherein each of the plurality of estimated lead times is associated with a respective one of the plurality of delivery routes; and

associating, by the service provider system, each of the plurality of estimated lead times with a respective one of the plurality of delivery routes.