Systems and methods for processing and tracking items

• US 8,756,069 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• 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: Shah, Prathmesh S., Hosecloth, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/730,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,631 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/330, 705/333, 705/334
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Systems and methods for tracking items are provided. According to one method, a dispatcher receives from a courier, serving a customer, a request over a network to pickup an item addressed to the customer. A determination is made to see whether the dispatcher is available to process the item. If the dispatcher is available, the dispatcher notifies the courier, over the network, that the item is available for pickup by the courier when the dispatcher completes processing of the item. If the dispatcher is busy, the dispatcher notifies the courier, over the network, that the item is available for pick up by the courier at a later time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing items, the method comprising:

receiving a request by a computer of a dispatcher, from a courier over a network, to pick up one or more items addressed to at least one customer which the courier serves;

determining, by the dispatcher computer, whether the dispatcher is available to process the one or more items;

if the dispatcher is available, sending a message to the courier, by the dispatcher computer over the network, that the one or more items are available for pickup when the dispatcher completes processing of the one or more items;

if the dispatcher is busy, sending a message to the courier, by the dispatcher computer over the network, providing an estimated time for later pickup;

tracking a volume of a flow of items to the at least one customer;

determining a flow pattern based at least in part on the flow of items to the at least one customer; and

scheduling at least one time for pickup by the courier based at least in part on the flow pattern of items to the at least one customer.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

picking up the one or more items by the courier and tracking the items picked up by the at least one courier.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein tracking comprises:

storing information concerning the items picked up by the courier on a storage medium.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein tracking comprises storing information within the network concerning items remaining to be picked up by the courier.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising generating reports concerning the items available for pickup.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, the method further comprising generating reports concerning the items picked up by the courier.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, the method further comprising assigning at least one color-coded bag to the courier for storing misdirected items.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, the method further comprising receiving misdirected items from the at least one courier.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, the method further comprising determining one or more reasons for the misdirection.

10. A method for processing items, the method comprising:

receiving from a courier serving at least one customer, a request over a network to pick up one or more items addressed to the at feast one customer;

receiving over the network information concerning availability of at least one dispatcher to process the one or more items addressed to the at least one customer;

if the at least one dispatcher is available, providing a notification to the at least one courier, over the network, that the one or more items are available for pickup by the at least one courier when the at the least one dispatcher completes processing the one or more items;

if the at least one dispatcher is busy, providing a notification to the at least one courier, over the network, comprising an estimated later time for pickup;

tracking a volume of a flow of items to the at least one customer;

determining, by a tracking module, a flow pattern based at least in part on the flow of items to the at least one customer; and

scheduling at least one time for pickup by the courier based at least in part on the flow pattern of items to the at least one customer.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising picking up the one or more items by the courier and tracking a number of the items picked up by the courier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein tracking comprises;

storing information concerning the one or more items picked up by the courier on a storage medium.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein tracking comprises storing information within the network concerning items remaining to be picked up by the courier.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating reports concerning the one or more items available for pickup.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating reports concerning the one or more items picked up by the courier.

16. A system for processing items, the system comprising:

a request receiving unit that receives from at least one courier serving at least one customer a request over a network to pick up one or more items addressed to the at least one customer;

an availability receiving unit that receives over the network information concerning the availability of at least one dispatcher to process the one or more items addressed to the at least one customer;

a pick up availability unit that provides a notification over the network to the at least one courier that one or more items are available for pickup by the at least one courier when the at least one dispatcher completes processing the one or more items;

a notification unit that provides a notification over the network to the at least one courier comprising an estimated later time for pickup;

a tracking unit that tracks a volume of a flow of items to the at least one customer;

a determining unit that determines a flow pattern based at least in part on the flow of items to the at least one customer; and

a scheduling unit that schedules at least one time for pickup by the courier based at least in part on the flow pattern of items to the at least one customer.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a pick up unit that picks up the one or more items by the courier and a tracking unit that tracks a number of the items picked up by the at least one courier.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the tracking unit stores information concerning the items picked up by the at least one courier.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the tracking unit stores information concerning one or more items remaining to be picked up by the at least courier.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a report generating unit that generates reports concerning the one or more items picked up by the at least one courier.

21. A system comprising:

a memory including code that;

receives from at least one courier serving at least one customer a request, over a network, to pickup one or more items addressed to the at least one customer,

receives over the network information concerning the availability of at least one dispatcher to process the one or more items addressed to the at least one customer, wherein processed items are available for pickup by the courier and processing tracks the items to at least the courier,

if the at least one dispatcher is available, provides a notification over the network to the at least one courier that one or more items are available for pickup by the at least one courier when the at least one dispatcher completes processing the one or more items,

if the at least one dispatcher is busy, provides a notification over the network to the at least one courier comprising an estimated later time for pickup;

tracks a volume of a flow of items to the at least one customer;

determines a flow pattern based at least in part on the flow of items to the at least one customer; and

schedules at least one time for pickup by the courier based at least in part on the flow pattern of items to the at least one customer; and

a processor that executes the code.