Computer system for routing package deliveries

• US 8,924,312 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kadaba, Nagesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Vetter, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/900,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 705330-341
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 3/00 Sorting according to destination collating the pages of a book B42C1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery.

Claims

1. A combined carrier shipping system for shipping a plurality of packages using a first carrier physical delivery system and a second carrier physical delivery system, said combined carrier shipping system comprising:

a shipment ordering system connected in communication with the first carrier physical delivery system and the second carrier physical delivery system, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to;

record a request to ship at least one of the plurality of packages and package information associated with the package, said package information including at least a consignee location for delivery of the package,

determine whether the consignee location meets a stored condition for single carrier delivery by the first carrier physical delivery system, said determination being based at least in part upon determining that the package is not classified as having a weight below a defined threshold,

in response to the single carrier condition being met, initiate delivery by the first carrier physical delivery system from a starting location to the consignee location, and

in response to the single carrier condition not being met based at least in part upon determining that the package is classified as having a weight below the defined threshold;

generate, prior to initiating delivery by the first carrier physical delivery system, a label comprising at least a first carrier tracking symbol associated with the first carrier physical delivery system and a second carrier tracking symbol associated with the second carrier physical delivery system, the second carrier tracking symbol differing from said first carrier tracking symbol, the first and second carrier tracking symbols each being configured to generate consolidated tracking information, said consolidated tracking information being independently accessible via either of the first and the second carrier tracking symbols to the first carrier physical delivery system and to the second carrier physical delivery system both when the one package is being transported by the first carrier physical delivery system and when the package is being transported by the second carrier physical delivery system; and

initiate, at least in part via the label, delivery of the package by the first carrier physical delivery system from the starting location to an intermediate location for further delivery by the second carrier physical delivery system to the consignee location.

2. The combined carrier system of claim 1, wherein the single carrier condition is that single carrier delivery by the first carrier system be more efficient than delivery by at least the first and second carriers.

3. The combined carrier system of claim 2, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to determine whether the consignee location is efficient by comparing a zip code of the consignee location to an efficient delivery area of the first carrier.

4. The combined carrier system of claim 3, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to determine the intermediate location using the zip code of the consignee location.

5. The combined carrier system of claim 4, wherein the intermediate location is a local post office corresponding to the zip code of the consignee location.

6. The combined carrier system of claim 5, wherein the second carrier physical delivery system is part of a governmental postal service.

7. The combined carrier system of claim 1, wherein the label comprises an image comprising:

first carrier label indicia describing at least the intermediate location and the first carrier tracking symbol; and

second carrier label indicia describing at least the consignee location and the second carrier tracking symbol,

wherein each of said first and second carrier label indicia are recognizable by the first and second carrier physical delivery systems, respectively.

8. The combined carrier system of claim 7, further comprising a first carrier tracking system connected in communication with a plurality of first carrier scanning devices positioned along a first carrier physical delivery route from the starting to the intermediate locations, said first carrier tracking system being configured to record scanning of the first carrier tracking symbol by the first carrier scanning devices.

9. The combined carrier system of claim 8, further comprising a second carrier tracking system connected in communication with a second carrier scanning device positioned at the consignee location, said second carrier tracking system being further configured to record scanning of the second carrier tracking symbol by the second carrier scanning device.

10. The combined carrier system of claim 9, further comprising a verification system connected in electronic communication with the shipment ordering and tracking systems, wherein said verification system is configured to obtain the package information from the shipment ordering system and tracking information from the tracking systems, and is further configured to correlate the tracking information and package information using the tracking symbols so as to create a billing manifest.

11. The combined carrier system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the carrier delivery systems is configured to return the package to a shipper location if unable to obtain a signature of a consignee at the consignee location, wherein one of the carrier tracking systems includes a scanning device at the shipper location configured to scan one of the tracking symbols to record return of the package to the shipper location and wherein the verification system is further configured to correlate the tracking information evidencing return of the package to the shipper location and the package information using the tracking symbols.

12. The combined carrier system of claim 11, wherein the verification system is further configured to adjust the billing manifest for return of the package to the shipper location.

13. The combined carrier system of claim 12, wherein the adjustment is an additional charge for return of the package.

14. The combined carrier system of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the carrier delivery systems configured to return the package is also configured to return the package to a holding location for a limited period of time while awaiting potential pickup by the consignee.

15. The combined carrier shipping system of claim 1, wherein the first and second carrier tracking symbols are each configured to provide tracking information for at least a portion of the delivery, and wherein data associated with the first and the second carrier tracking symbols are further associated to generate the consolidated tracking information.

16. The combined carrier shipping system of claim 1, wherein the determination of whether the consignee location meets a stored condition for single carrier delivery is based further at least in part upon a determination of whether the package is designated for a rural area or an urban area.

17. The combined carrier shipping system of claim 16, wherein the single carrier condition is met if the package is designated for the urban area and a multiple carrier condition is met if the package is designated for the rural area.

18. A combined carrier shipping system for shipping a plurality of packages using a primary carrier physical delivery system and one or more secondary carrier physical delivery systems, said combined carrier shipping system comprising:

a shipment ordering system connected in communication with the primary carrier physical delivery system and the secondary carrier physical delivery system, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to;

record a request to ship at least one of the plurality of packages and package information associated with the package, said package information including at least a consignee location for delivery of the package;

determine whether the consignee location meets a stored efficiency condition for single carrier delivery by the primary carrier physical delivery system, said determination being based at least in part upon further determining that the package is not classified as having a weight below a defined threshold;

in response to the single carrier efficiency condition being met, initiate delivery by the primary carrier physical delivery system from a starting location to the consignee location; and

in response to the single carrier efficiency condition not being met based at least in part upon further determining that the package is classified as having a weight below the defined threshold;

generate, prior to initiating delivery by the primary carrier physical delivery system, a label comprising at least a primary carrier tracking symbol associated with the primary carrier physical delivery system and a second carrier tracking symbol associated with the second carrier physical delivery system, the second carrier tracking symbol differing from said first carrier tracking symbol, the primary and secondary carrier tracking symbols each being configured to generate consolidated tracking information, said consolidated tracking information being independently accessible via either of the first and the second carrier tracking symbols to the primary carrier physical delivery system and to the secondary carrier physical delivery system both when the package is being transported by the primary carrier physical delivery system and when the package is being transported by the secondary carrier physical delivery system; and

initiate, at least in part via the label, delivery of the package by the primary carrier physical delivery system from the starting location to an intermediate location for further delivery by one or more of the secondary carrier physical delivery systems to the consignee location.

19. The combined carrier system of claim 18, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to determine whether the consignee location meets the efficiency condition by comparing a zip code of the consignee location to an efficient delivery area of the primary carrier.

20. The combined carrier system of claim 19, wherein the shipment ordering system is configured to determine the intermediate location using the zip code of the consignee location.

21. The combined carrier system of claim 20, wherein the intermediate location is a local post office.

22. The combined carrier system of claim 21, wherein one of the secondary carrier physical delivery systems is part of a governmental postal service.

23. The combined carrier system of claim 18, wherein the label comprises an image comprising:

primary carrier label indicia describing at least the intermediate location and the primary carrier tracking symbol and secondary carrier label indicia describing at least the consignee location and the secondary carrier tracking symbol, each of said primary and secondary carrier label indicia being recognizable by the primary and secondary carrier physical delivery systems, respectively.

24. The combined carrier system of claim 18, wherein the primary and secondary carrier tracking symbols are each configured to provide tracking information for at least a portion of the delivery, and wherein data associated with the primary and the secondary carrier tracking symbols are further associated to generate the consolidated tracking information.

25. The combined carrier system of claim 18, wherein the determination of whether the consignee location meets a stored condition for single carrier delivery is based further at least in part upon a determination of whether the package is designated for a rural area or an urban area.

26. The combined carrier system of claim 25, wherein the single carrier condition is met if the package is designated for the urban area and a multiple carrier condition is met if the package is designated for the rural area.