Method for delivering and retrieving return deliveries to and from an electronic parcel deposit box facility

• US 8,589,310 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Mayer, Boris, Ogilvie, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Application Number:
  US11/628,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,151 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/5, 705 711- 742, 705330-336, 705/348, 705400-418
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

A method for accepting return deliveries in an electronic parcel deposit box facility, which integrates various logistics service providers and/or customers and various user authorizations, while safeguarding the operator of the parcel deposit box facility against the abuse of the return delivery process. To verify the customer authorizations, the method for operating a parcel deposit box facility comprising several lockable deposit boxes compares recorded customer data with a stored customer profile. Operating functions for the deposit of return deliveries are only released for the customer if the verification is positive. Before a mail item can be deposited, the validity of the mailing information that is contained on the return delivery is also verified. Valid mailing information is assigned to a logistics service provider and is stored, whereas if the mailing information is invalid, no deposit box is released for the deposit. When the return delivery is collected by a postman, the mailing information is recorded again and compared with the stored data. If the details do not match, the mail item is returned to the customer.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic parcel deposit box facility comprising several lockable compartments, a first acquisition means, a verification means within a central data processing unit, a storage means, and a display, wherein at least one logistics service provider and one customer are authorized to deposit shipments into and/or to remove shipments from a parcel deposit box facility, the method comprising depositing and picking up a return shipment from a customer (original recipient) so that the return shipment can be forwarded to a logistics service provider, the method including the following steps:

acquiring data about a customer via the first acquisition means;

verifying the access rights of the customer to use return functions at the parcel deposit box facility, by the central data processing unit, by associating the acquired customer data with a stored customer profile via the verification means;

terminating, by the central data processing unit, this access verification procedure of the customer if the result of the verification is negative, if the customer does not have access rights to use return functions at the parcel deposit box facility;

granting access, by the central data processing unit, to operating functions at the parcel deposit box facility for depositing return shipments if the result of the verification is positive;

acquiring shipment information pertaining to a return shipment via a second acquisition means;

verifying, by the central data processing unit, the validity of the acquired shipment information by comparing the acquired shipment information to stored data;

associating, by the central data processing unit, the shipment information with a logistics service provider;

verifying, by the central data processing unit, the validity of the shipment information on the basis of the number of digits and/or on the basis of a checksum logic;

terminating, by the central data processing unit, the procedure if the comparison of the acquired shipment information with stored data yields a negative result;

releasing, by the central data processing unit, a compartment of the parcel deposit box facility so that the return shipment can be deposited if the comparison of the acquired shipment information with stored data yields a positive result, and storing the acquired shipment information;

closing the compartment after a return shipment has been deposited;

transmitting, by the central data processing unit, a notification to the logistics service provider, with which the acquired shipment information was associated, indicating that a return shipment has been deposited, the notification being transmitted by a notification component;

determining, by the central data processing unit, when a deliverer logs in at the parcel deposit box facility and in response to the determining, displaying the deposited return shipment to the deliverer at the parcel deposit box facility;

acquiring, by the central data processing unit, the shipment information during or after the removal of a return shipment from a compartment of the parcel deposit box facility via the second acquisition means, and comparing the shipment information with the stored acquired shipment information, whereby the method is continued if the data matches, whereas the method is terminated if the data does not match;

offering a deliverer an operating function by which the return shipment is readdressed to the customer; and

changing, by the central data processing unit, the customer profile to indicate that the right of this customer to deposit return shipments has been withdrawn.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shipment information is a multi-digit numerical code.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising associating a fixed set of numbers with each logistics service provider.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification component transmits a notification to the logistics service provider comprising information about several return shipments that have been deposited for the logistics service provider.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notification component transmits a notification to the customer indicating that a return shipment has been readdressed to the customer.

6. The method of according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring data about a customer comprises using one of a card reader, a keyboard, a touch screen, and a scanner.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of verifying the access rights of a customer occurs in the parcel deposit box facility.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring shipment information comprises using a scanner.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing the acquired shipment information comprises storing the acquired shipment information in the parcel deposit box facility.