Automatic guarantee delivery tracking and reporting for united states postal service postage refunds for paid computer-based postage
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method using a computer-based postage system, said computer-based postage system available for communication over a global communications network with each respective user-computer device of a plurality of user-computer devices, said method comprising the computer-based postage system comprising at least one computer device being programmed for:
- receiving over said global communications network from a user-specific user-computer device of said plurality of user-computer devices, a request by a particular user to said computer-based postage system on a particular postage indicia print date for paid computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia for a particular postage indicia amount for a particular United States Postal Service mail class for mailing of a postal item on a particular mailing date;
in response to said request, automatically calculating a guarantee delivery date guaranteed by the United States Postal Service for delivery by the United States Postal Service of said postal item for delivering said postal item according to said particular mailing date using said particular United States Postal Service mail class and according to a number of days for delivery guarantee by the United States Postal Service for delivering postal items using said particular United States Postal Service mail class;
in further response to said request, generating said computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia according to requirements by the United States Postal Service;
receiving over said global communications network from said user-specific user-computer device an indication of payment by said particular user of said particular postage indicia amount;
recording an identifier of said postal item;
transmitting over said global communication network an electronic representation of said computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia to said user-specific user computer device for print-rendering;
monitoring digital records of scanned United States Postal Service event data recorded by the United States Postal Service for an occurrence of a United States Postal Service delivery scan event recorded by the United States Postal Service for the identifier of said postal item;
upon identifying a United States Postal Service delivery scan event for the identifier of said postal item, comparing a delivery date associated with the delivery scan event with the guarantee delivery date;
if the delivery date precedes or equals the guarantee delivery date, automatically reporting a successful delivery, and providing access to a successful delivery status, to said user-specific user-computer device; and
if the guarantee delivery date precedes the delivery date, automatically reporting a guarantee failure, and providing access to a guarantee failure status, to said user-specific user-computer device for facilitating a refund by the United States Postal Service of the particular postage indicia amount to an account associated with the particular user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will provide methods and systems for automatic tracking and reporting of refunds for parcels for which the United States Postage Service (the “USPS”) fails to provide delivery to the designated delivery address by a guaranteed delivery date. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically detect a parcel for which a delivery date has been guaranteed, but for which the USPS failed to make delivery by the guaranteed delivery date. For such guaranteed delivery failures, various embodiments of the present invention will display an online report to the user, or will send an electronic report of the failure, such as by electronic mail (“email”), to the user that printed the corresponding USPS Express Mail postage, or will otherwise notify the user of, or make available to the user information regarding, such failures. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze electronic and/or digital scanning events provided by the USPS regarding postage printed by users that used the subject Internet postage provider to print Express Mail Postage with a corresponding USPS Express Mail Label Number. Various embodiments of the present invention will automatically and periodically analyze such electronic and/or digital scanning events in order to determine whether a scanned tracking event indicates a delivery corresponding to postage printed by a user using the subject Internet postage provider and in order, then, to determine whether the actual delivery date and/or time, if delivered, exceeds the guaranteed delivery and/or time.
109 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method using a computer-based postage system, said computer-based postage system available for communication over a global communications network with each respective user-computer device of a plurality of user-computer devices, said method comprising the computer-based postage system comprising at least one computer device being programmed for:
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receiving over said global communications network from a user-specific user-computer device of said plurality of user-computer devices, a request by a particular user to said computer-based postage system on a particular postage indicia print date for paid computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia for a particular postage indicia amount for a particular United States Postal Service mail class for mailing of a postal item on a particular mailing date; in response to said request, automatically calculating a guarantee delivery date guaranteed by the United States Postal Service for delivery by the United States Postal Service of said postal item for delivering said postal item according to said particular mailing date using said particular United States Postal Service mail class and according to a number of days for delivery guarantee by the United States Postal Service for delivering postal items using said particular United States Postal Service mail class; in further response to said request, generating said computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia according to requirements by the United States Postal Service; receiving over said global communications network from said user-specific user-computer device an indication of payment by said particular user of said particular postage indicia amount; recording an identifier of said postal item; transmitting over said global communication network an electronic representation of said computer-based, barcoded United States Postal Service postage indicia to said user-specific user computer device for print-rendering; monitoring digital records of scanned United States Postal Service event data recorded by the United States Postal Service for an occurrence of a United States Postal Service delivery scan event recorded by the United States Postal Service for the identifier of said postal item; upon identifying a United States Postal Service delivery scan event for the identifier of said postal item, comparing a delivery date associated with the delivery scan event with the guarantee delivery date; if the delivery date precedes or equals the guarantee delivery date, automatically reporting a successful delivery, and providing access to a successful delivery status, to said user-specific user-computer device; and if the guarantee delivery date precedes the delivery date, automatically reporting a guarantee failure, and providing access to a guarantee failure status, to said user-specific user-computer device for facilitating a refund by the United States Postal Service of the particular postage indicia amount to an account associated with the particular user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification