Enhanced payments for shipping

• US 9,082,096 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2010
• 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: Parameswaran, Sathiyan, Besserer, Bruce, Costides, Nicholas, Hilbush, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Florian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US12/813,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for initiating shipment of and payment for shipping a parcel. For example, in one embodiment, a customer/user can receive a message on a user device from a carrier that includes an authorization code for shipping a parcel. After the customer/user ships the parcel, the carrier can charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider associated with the user device. In another embodiment, the customer/user can interact with a kiosk to ship the parcel. In this embodiment, the carrier can also charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider.

Claims

1. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:

receiving, via a kiosk, input from a user requesting shipment of a parcel;

causing, via the kiosk, display of a request for input identifying a method of payment for shipment of the parcel;

after causing display of the request for input of the method of payment for shipment of the parcel, receiving, via the kiosk, input (a) identifying an account for wireless services as the method of payment and (b) a phone number associated with the account for wireless services;

determining whether the account for wireless services is valid;

after a determination that the account for wireless services is valid, (a) providing a message to a mobile device associated with the phone number, wherein the message comprises an authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel, and (b) correlating the authorization code with a tracking number that is for tracking shipment of the parcel, and (c) storing the authorization code in association with the tracking number;

causing, via the kiosk, display of a request for input of the authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel provided to the mobile device; and

causing, via the kiosk, display of a request for input of the authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel provided to the mobile device;

receiving, via the kiosk, input from the user identifying the authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel provided to the mobile device;

after receiving input identifying the authorization code, automatically (a) printing a shipping label to be affixed to the parcel and (b) storing the authorization code in association with the phone number, and shipment information;

determining shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

charging the shipping charges to the account,

wherein determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a weight of the parcel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid and (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.

5. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:

receiving, via a kiosk, input from a user requesting shipment of a parcel;

causing, via the kiosk, display of a request for input identifying a method of payment for shipment of the parcel;

after causing display of the request for input of the method of payment for shipment of the parcel, receiving, via the kiosk, input identifying an account for wireless services as the method of payment;

after receiving input identifying the account for wireless services as the method of payment, automatically initiating, via the kiosk, near-field communication with a mobile device associated with the account for wireless services to (a) confirm that the user is in possession of the mobile device associated with the account for wireless services and (b)

authorize shipment of the parcel;

determining whether the account for wireless services is valid;

after a determination that the account for wireless services is valid, automatically (a) printing a shipping label to be affixed to the parcel and (b) storing the authorization code in association with the phone number, a tracking number, and shipment information;

determining shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

charging the shipping charges to the account,

wherein determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a weight of the parcel.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid and (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.

9. A computer program product for shipping a parcel executing a kiosk, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive input from a user requesting shipment of a parcel;

an executable portion configured to cause display of a request for input identifying a method of payment for shipment of the parcel;

an executable portion configured to, after causing display of the request for input of the method of payment for shipment of the parcel, receive input identifying (a) an account for wireless services as the method of payment and (b) a phone number associated with the account for wireless services;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the account for wireless services is valid;

an executable portion configured to, after a determination that the account for wireless services is valid, (a) provide a message to a mobile device associated with the phone number, wherein the message comprises an authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel, and (b) correlating the authorization code with a tracking number that is for tracking shipment of the parcel, and (c) storing the authorization code in association with the tracking number;

an executable portion configured to cause display of a request for input of the authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel provided to the mobile device;

an executable portion configured to receive input from the user identifying the authorization code that authorizes shipment of the parcel provided to the mobile device;

an executable portion configured to, after receiving input identifying the authorization code, automatically (a) print a shipping label to be affixed to the parcel and (b) store the authorization code in association with the phone number, and shipment information;

an executable portion configured to determine shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

an executable portion configured to charge the shipping charges to the account,

wherein the executable portion configured to determine the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel is further configured to automatically determine a weight of the parcel.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid and (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.

13. A computer program product for shipping a parcel executing a kiosk, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive input from a user requesting shipment of a parcel;

an executable portion configured to cause display of a request for input identifying a method of payment for shipment of the parcel;

an executable portion configured to, after causing display of the request for input of the method of payment for shipment of the parcel, receive input identifying an account for wireless services as the method of payment;

an executable portion configured to, after receiving input identifying the account for wireless services as the method of payment, automatically initiate near-field communication with a mobile device associated with the account for wireless services to (a) confirm that the user is in possession of the mobile device associated with the account

for wireless services and (b) authorize shipment of the parcel;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the account for wireless services is valid;

an executable portion configured to, after a determination that the account for wireless services is valid, automatically (a) print a shipping label to be affixed to the parcel and (b) store the authorization code in association with the phone number, a tracking number, and shipment information;

an executable portion configured to determine shipping charges for shipment of the parcel; and

an executable portion configured to charge the shipping charges to the account,

wherein electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a weight of the parcel.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid and (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.