Automatic initiation of a response action when an event associated with an item in transit is based on logistical node scan data

• US 9,479,390 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AccuZIP, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AccuZIP, Inc.
• Inventors: Belmonte, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Allen J
• Application Number:
  US14/079,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20140136594A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 705/333
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/416 Extracting the logical structure, e.g. chapters, sections or page numbers; Identifying elements of the document, e.g. authors
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00 Franking apparatus printing aspects B41
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00435 Details specific to central, non-customer apparatus, e.g. servers at post office or vendor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages

Abstract

A method includes processing an event data associated with an item in transit between a source location and a destination location based on a scan data of a logistical node between the source location and the destination location. The server determines if the event data associated with the item in transit between the source location and the destination location based on the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location is associated with a response action defined in a matching table by the multimodal communication server using a processor and a memory. The server automatically initiates the response action when the event data associated with the item in transit between the source location and the destination location based on the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location is defined in the matching table on the multimodal communication server.

Claims

1. A method of a multimodal communication server, the multimodal communication server being part of a mailing service, comprising:

processing, through the multimodal communication server, event data associated with a mailed item in transit between a source location and a destination location based on scan data of a logistical node between the source location and the destination location, the source location and the destination location comprising a plurality of logistical nodes therebetween including the logistical node associated with the scan data, the scan data and the event data being generated through a scan of a code on the mailed item in transit at the logistical node by a set of intermediate servers communicatively coupled to the plurality of logistical nodes, and the set of intermediate servers also being communicatively coupled to the multimodal communication server through a computer network;

determining, through the multimodal communication server, if the event data associated with the mailed item in transit between the source location and the destination location is associated with response actions defined in a matching table of the multimodal communication server using a processor and a memory;

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a time notification as a defined response action;

determining, through the multimodal communication server, the logistical node as a logistical node last encountered by the mailed item in transit;

determining, through the multimodal communication server, an amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach a recipient thereof in accordance with the determined last encountered logistical node; and

transmitting, through the multimodal communication server, data related to the determined amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach the recipient thereof to a client device of the recipient;

determining, through a device incorporated into the mailed item in transit, a temperature reading of an interior of the mailed item in transit based on infrared radiation;

automatically communicating, through the device incorporated into the mailed item in transit, the determined temperature reading to scanning equipment associated with the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location;

incorporating, through the multimodal communication server, the communicated temperature reading of the interior of the mailed item in transit into the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location;

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a temperature notification as another defined response action;

transmitting, through the multimodal communication server, data related to the determined temperature of the interior of the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient; and

transmitting, through the multimodal communication server, data related to weather information about a logistical node encountered by the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient when the mailed item is a perishable item whose condition is weather-dependent in accordance with the event data being associated with a weather notification as yet another defined response action.

2. The method of the multimodal communication server of claim 1, further comprising:

processing, through the multimodal communication server, a serial number and a destination data from the scan data;

associating, through the multimodal communication server, a set of items associated with a mailing center based on the serial number;

associating, through the multimodal communication server, the recipient based on at least one of the destination data and the serial number; and

modifying, through the multimodal communication server, a response data based on an action of the mailing center having partitioned access to a record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data.

3. The method of the multimodal communication server of claim 2, further comprising:

processing, through the multimodal communication server, an origin data from the scan data;

associating, through the multimodal communication server, a sender of the mailed item based on at least one of the origin data and the serial number; and

modifying, through the multimodal communication server, the response data based on another action of the sender having partitioned access to the record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the serial number identifies at least one of a mailing center name, a mailing group name, a mailing center location, and a time stamp of the mailed item,

wherein the origin data identifies at least one of a sender name, a sender zip code, a sender city, and a sender address, and

wherein the destination data identifies at least one of a recipient name, a recipient zip code, a recipient city, and a recipient address.

5. The method of claim 3,

wherein the mailed item in transit includes a Quick Response (QR) code printed on a packaging thereof that is automatically associated with a different response action, wherein the different response action is at least one of a uniform resource locator (URL) address associated with a promotional message, a multimedia file, an automatic dialing of the sender, and an automatic dialing of a mailing center, and

wherein the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location includes an initial scan at the source location and a final scan at the destination location.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

establishing, through the multimodal communication server, a telephonic communication between the recipient and the sender based on a defined response action associated with the event data;

generating, through the multimodal communication server, a text message to be communicated to the recipient on behalf of at least one of a mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data; and

communicating, through the multimodal communication server, stored multimedia data to at least one of the recipient, the sender, and the mailing center based on the defined response action associated with the event data,

wherein the text message is at least one of an arrival notification, an elapsed-time notification, a status notification, an item condition notification, a moisture reading, and a custom notification generated by the at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data, and

wherein the stored multimedia data is at least one of an audio file, a video file, an electronic document, an email content, and a custom multimedia data generated by the at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the establishment of the bidirectional telephonic communication between the recipient and the sender further comprises:

initiating a first communication between the multimodal communication server and a first telephonic device of the recipient;

generating at least one of the text message and the stored multimedia data when the recipient is unresponsive to the first communication through the first telephonic device;

initiating a second communication between the multimodal communication server and a second telephonic device of the sender when the recipient responds to the first communication through the first telephonic device thereof; and

bridging the first communication and the second communication to enable the recipient to communicate with the sender when both the recipient and the sender are communicatively coupled with the multimodal communication server based on the first communication and the second communication respectively.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

automatically initiating, through the multimodal communication server, a financial payment to at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on a defined response action associated with the event data;

requesting, through the multimodal communication server, additional information from the recipient based on the defined response action associated with the event data when the mailed item in transit between the source and the destination is scanned at the logistical node between the source location and the destination location; and

automatically initiating, through the multimodal communication server, another physical mailing of a different item from and to any one of the sender, the recipient, the mailing center, a different sender and a different recipient based on the defined response action associated with the event data when the mailed item in transit between the source and the destination is scanned at the logistical node between the source location and the destination location.

9. A system, comprising:

a set of intermediate servers at logistical nodes between a source location and a destination location to create scan data from a mailed item in transit between the source location and the destination location;

a computer network;

a multimodal communication server communicatively coupled with the set of intermediate servers through the computer network, the multimodal communication server being part of a mailing service, and the multimodal communication server being configured to;

process event data associated with the mailed item in transit between the source location and the destination location based on the created scan data, the scan data and the event data being generated through a scan of a code on the mailed item in transit at a logistical node by the set of intermediate servers,

determine if the event data associated with the mailed item in transit between the source location and the destination location is associated with response actions defined in a matching table of the multimodal communication server using a processor and a memory, and

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a time notification as a defined response action;

determine the logistical node as a logistical node last encountered by the mailed item in transit,

determine an amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach a recipient thereof in accordance with the determined last encountered logistical node, and

transmit data related to the determined amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach the recipient thereof to a client device of the recipient,

a device incorporated into the mailed item in transit, the device being configured to determine a temperature reading of an interior of the mailed item in transit based on infrared radiation, and to automatically communicate the determined temperature reading to scanning equipment associated with the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location,

wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to;

incorporate the communicated temperature reading of the interior of the mailed item in transit into the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location,

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a temperature notification as another defined response action;

transmit data related to the determined temperature reading of the interior of the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient, and

transmit data related to weather information about a logistical node encountered by the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient when the mailed item is a perishable item whose condition is weather-dependent in accordance with the event data being associated with a weather notification as yet another defined response action.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to:

process a serial number and a destination data from the scan data,

associate a set of items associated with a mailing center based on the serial number,

associate the recipient based on at least one of the destination data and the serial number, and

modify a response data based on an action of the mailing center having partitioned access to a record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to:

process an origin data from the scan data,

associate a sender of the mailed item based on at least one of the origin data and the serial number, and

modify the response data based on another action of the sender having partitioned access to the record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the serial number identifies at least one of a mailing center name, a mailing group name, a mailing center location, and a time stamp of the mailed item in transit,

wherein the origin data identifies at least one of a sender name, a sender zip code, a sender city, and a sender address, and

wherein the destination data identifies at least one of a recipient name, a recipient zip code, a recipient city, and a recipient address.

13. The system of claim 11,

wherein the mailed item in transit includes a QR code printed on a packaging thereof that is automatically associated with a different response action, wherein the different response action is at least one of a URL address associated with a promotional message, a multimedia file, an automatic dialing of the sender, and an automatic dialing of a mailing center, and

wherein the scan data includes an initial scan at the source location and a final scan at the destination location.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to:

establish a telephonic communication between the recipient and the sender based on a defined response action associated with the event data,

generate a text message to be communicated to the recipient on behalf of at least one of a mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data, and

communicate stored multimedia data to at least one of the recipient, the sender, and the mailing center based on the defined response action associated with the event data,

wherein the text message is at least one of an arrival notification, an elapsed-time notification, a status notification, an item condition notification, a moisture reading, and a custom notification generated by at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data, and

wherein the stored multimedia data is at least one of an audio file, a video file, an electronic document, an email content, and a custom multimedia data generated by at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on the defined response action associated with the event data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to:

initiate a first communication between the multimodal communication server and a first telephonic device of the recipient,

generate at least one of the text message and the stored multimedia data when the recipient is unresponsive to the first communication through the first telephonic device,

initiate a second communication between the multimodal communication server and a second telephonic device of the sender when the recipient responds to the first communication through the first telephonic device thereof, and

bridge the first communication and the second communication to enable the recipient to communicate with the sender when both the recipient and the sender are communicatively coupled with the multimodal communication server based on the first communication and the second communication respectively.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the multimodal communication server is further configured to:

automatically initiate a financial payment to at least one of the mailing center and the sender based on a defined response action associated with the event data,

request additional information from the recipient based on the defined response action associated with the event data when the mailed item in transit between the source and the destination is scanned, and

automatically initiate another physical mailing of a different item from and to any one of the sender, the recipient, the mailing center, a different sender, and a different recipient based on the defined response action associated with the event data when the mailed item in transit between the source and the destination is scanned.

17. A multimodal communication server, the multimodal communication server being part of a mailing service, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor being configured to execute instructions to;

process event data associated with a mailed item in transit between a source location and a destination location based on scan data of a logistical node between the source location and the destination location, the source location and the destination location comprising a plurality of logistical nodes therebetween including the logistical node associated with the scan data, the scan data and the event data being generated through a scan of a code on the mailed item in transit at the logistical node by a set of intermediate servers communicatively coupled to the plurality of logistical nodes, and the set of intermediate servers also being communicatively coupled to the multimodal communication server through a computer network,

determine if the event data associated with the mailed item in transit between the source location and the destination location is associated with response actions defined in a matching table of the multimodal communication server,

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a time notification as a defined response action;

determine the logistical node as a logistical node last encountered by the mailed item in transit,

determine an amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach a recipient thereof in accordance with the determined last encountered logistical node, and

transmit data related to the determined amount of time before the mailed item in transit is expected to reach the recipient thereof to a client device of the recipient,

enable determining, through a device incorporated into the mailed item in transit, a temperature reading of an interior of the mailed item in transit based on infrared radiation,

enable automatic communication, through the device incorporated into the mailed item in transit, the determined temperature reading to scanning equipment associated with the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location,

incorporate the communicated temperature reading of the interior of the mailed item in transit into the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location,

in response to the determination of the event data being associated with a temperature notification as another defined response action;

transmit data related to the determined temperature reading of the interior of the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient, and

transmit data related to weather information about a logistical node encountered by the mailed item in transit to the client device of the recipient when the mailed item is a perishable item whose condition is weather-dependent in accordance with the event data being associated with a weather notification as yet another defined response action.

18. The multimodal communication server of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute instructions to:

process a serial number and a destination data from the scan data,

associate a set of items associated with a mailing center based on the serial number,

associate the recipient based on at least one of the destination data and the serial number,

process an origin data from the scan data,

associate a sender of the mailed item based on at least one of the origin data and the serial number,

modify a response data based on an action of the mailing center having partitioned access to a record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data, and

modify the response data based on another action of the sender having partitioned access to the record of the matching table associated with the serial number and the destination data.

19. The multimodal communication server of claim 18,

wherein the serial number identifies at least one of a mailing center name, a mailing group name, a mailing center location, and a time stamp of the mailed item,

wherein the origin data identifies at least one of a sender name, a sender zip code, a sender city, and a sender address, and

wherein the destination data identifies at least one of a recipient name, a recipient zip code, a recipient city, and a recipient address.

20. The multimodal communication server of claim 18,

wherein the mailed item in transit includes a QR code printed on a packaging thereof that is automatically associated with a different response action, wherein the different response action is at least one of a URL address associated with a promotional message, a multimedia file, an automatic dialing of the sender, and an automatic dialing of a mailing center, and

wherein the scan data of the logistical node between the source location and the destination location includes an initial scan at the source location and a final scan at the destination location.