Systems, methods, and computer program products for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier on a wireless computing device

• US 9,679,268 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• 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: Bolton, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rosario, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US13/274,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20130094693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,066 Days
• Field of Search: 705 28, 23546242
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• 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 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3276 using a pictured code, e.g. barcode or QR-code, being read by the M-device
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00588 Barcode
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00717 Reading barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Various embodiments of present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-program products containing executable code for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier. Various embodiments include a wireless computing device that may be one of several types of devices such as smartphones, mobile telephones, mobile computers, portable digital assistants, laptop computers, gaming devices, electronic tablets, or other types of similar devices. In particular embodiments, executable code is installed on the wireless computing device that, when executed, causes the device to perform certain functionality. For instance, in particular embodiments, the wireless computing device records an image of a shipping form being placed on a package, verifies the image is suitable for analysis and transmission, and extracts a tracking number from the image. Further, the wireless computing device transmits the image to a common carrier so that the carrier may process information extracted from the image to facilitate shipping the package.

Claims

1. A system for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier, the system comprising a wireless computing device configured to:

(a) capture an image, via a media capturing device, of a shipping form for use with the package;

(b) verify the image is suitable for analysis and transmission;

(c) extract a tracking number from the image;

(d) determine whether the extracted tracking number is a valid tracking number for shipping the package, the tracking number is utilized for subsequent tracking of the package during subsequent shipment of the package by the common carrier;

(e) detect a location of the wireless computing device of a user and provide the detected location to a communication device of the common carrier;

(f) transmit the image and the tracking number, in response to determining that the tracking number is valid, to the communication device of the common carrier prior to the common carrier taking possession of the package and indicating a pickup of the package is requested, at a collection point location, of the common carrier, in which the user drops off the package for pickup, the collection point determined based in part on the detected location, to enable one or more systems of the common carrier to process information extracted from the image and the tracking number to facilitate shipping the package with the common carrier.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to:

receive one or more notification requests from a user of the wireless computing device, each notification request comprising a request to send a status notification to one or more individuals when a particular event occurs with respect to the package during shipping with the common carrier; and

transmit the one or more notification requests to the common carrier so that the common carrier can perform sending a status notification in response to each notification request after the particular event associated with the notification request is shown to have occurred in carrier information obtained by the common carrier during shipping of the package.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the verification of the image involves the wireless computing device performing one or more of:

(1) determining the entire shipping form has been captured in the image;

(2) determining the quality of the image is acceptable; and

(3) verifying completeness of information provided on the shipping form.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein as a result of the transmission of the image and the tracking number, the common carrier can also perform (1) extracting information from the image and (2) linking one or more of the image, the tracking number, or the extracted information to carrier information obtained by the common carrier during shipping of the package.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to receive a unique shipping reference for the package entered by the user of the wireless computing device, and transmits the unique shipping reference to the common carrier so that the common carrier can use the unique shipping reference as a mechanism for individuals to identify the package for the common carrier.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device comprises memory and is further configured to store the image, the tracking number, and extracted information from the image on the wireless computing device so that at least one of the image, the tracking number, or the extracted information can be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the wireless computing device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to capture the location of the device and store the location in the memory along with the image and the tracking number.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to:

receive carrier information from the common carrier, the carrier information comprising current tracking information on one or more particular events that have occurred during shipping of the package; and

display the carrier information on the wireless computing device for viewing.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier information further comprises a fee charged by the common carrier for shipping the package.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless computing device comprises memory and is further configured to store the carrier information in the memory so that the carrier information can be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the wireless computing device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to:

retrieve information on the package comprising one or more of the image, the tracking number, or the carrier information; and

transfer the retrieved information to one or more files or another application residing on the wireless computing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to:

extract information from the image; and

display the extracted information on the wireless computing device for viewing.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmission to the common carrier also comprises an identifier for an individual shipping the package so that the common carrier can identify:

(1) the individual from the identifier and (2) an account the individual has with the common carrier.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the common carrier can charge a fee to the account for the individual for shipping the package.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless computing device is further configured to:

extract the tracking number by extracting the tracking number from a bar code or one or more tracking number characters from the image.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable code for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier, that when executed by at least one processor of a wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

(a) capture an image, via a media capturing device, of a shipping form for use with the package;

(b) verify the image is suitable for analysis and transmission;

(c) extract a tracking number from the image;

(d) determine whether the extracted tracking number is a valid tracking number for shipping the package, the tracking number is utilized for subsequent tracking of the package during subsequent shipment of the package by the common carrier;

(e) detect a location of the wireless computing device of a user and provide the detected location to a communication device of the common carrier; and

(f) transmit the image and the tracking number, in response to determining that the tracking number is valid, to the communication device of the common carrier prior to the common carrier taking possession of the package and indicating a pickup of the package is requested, at a collection point location, of the common carrier, in which the user drops off the package for pickup, the collection point determined based in part on the detected location, to enable one or more systems of the common carrier to process information extracted from the image and the tracking number to facilitate shipping the package with the common carrier.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

receive one or more notification requests from a user of the wireless computing device, each notification request comprising a request to send a status notification to one or more individuals when a particular event occurs with respect to the package during shipping with the common carrier; and

transmit the one or more notification requests to the common carrier so that the common carrier can perform sending a status notification in response to each notification request after the particular event associated with the notification request is shown to have occurred in carrier information obtained by the common carrier during shipping of the package.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the verification of the image involves:

(1) determining the entire shipping form has been captured in the image;

(2) determining the quality of the image is acceptable; and

(3) verifying completeness of information provided on the shipping form.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein as a result of the transmission of the image and the tracking number, the common carrier can also perform (1) extracting information from the image and (2) linking one or more of the image, the tracking number, or the extracted information to carrier information obtained by the common carrier during shipping of the package.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to receive a unique shipping reference for the package entered by the user of the wireless computing device, and transmits the unique shipping reference to the common carrier so that the common carrier can use the unique shipping reference as a mechanism for individuals to identify the package for the common carrier.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to store the image, the tracking number, and information extracted from the image in memory residing in the wireless computing device so that at least one of the image, the tracking number, or the information extracted from the image can be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the wireless computing device.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to capture the location of the device and store the location in the memory along with the image and the tracking number.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

receive carrier information from the common carrier, the carrier information comprising current tracking information on one or more particular events that have occurred during shipping of the package; and

display the carrier information on the wireless computing device for viewing.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the carrier information further comprises a fee charged by the common carrier for shipping the package.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to store the carrier information in memory residing in the wireless computing device so that the carrier information can be retrieved from the memory and displayed on the wireless computing device.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

retrieve information on the package comprising one or more of the image, the tracking number, or the carrier information; and

transfer the retrieved information to one or more files or another application residing on the wireless computing device.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

extract information from the image; and

display the extracted information on the wireless computing device for viewing.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the transmission to the common carrier also comprises an identifier for an individual shipping the package so that the common carrier can identify:

(1) the individual from the identifier and (2) an account the individual has with the common carrier.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the common carrier can charge a fee to the account for the individual for shipping the package.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

extract the tracking number by extracting the tracking number from a bar code or one or more tracking number characters from the image.

31. A method for processing a package for shipping with a common carrier, the method comprising:

providing executable code that can be installed on a wireless computing device, wherein when the executable code is executed by at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to;

(a) capture an image, via a media capturing device, of a shipping form for use with the package;

(b) verify the image is suitable for analysis and transmission;

(c) extract a tracking number from the image;

(d) determine whether the extracted tracking number is a valid tracking number for shipping the package, the tracking number is utilized for subsequent tracking of the package during subsequent shipment of the package by the common carrier;

e) detect a location of the wireless computing device of a user and provide the detected location to a communication device of the common carrier; and

(e) transmit the image and the tracking number, in response to determining that the tracking number is valid, to the communication device of the common carrier prior to the common carrier taking possession of the package and indicating a pickup of the package is requested, at a collection point location, of the common carrier, in which the user drops off the package for pickup, the collection point determined based in part on the detected location to enable one or more systems of the common carrier to process information extracted from the image and the tracking number to facilitate shipping the package with the common carrier.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

receive one or more notification requests from a user of the wireless computing device, each notification request comprising a request to send a status notification to one or more individuals when a particular event occurs with respect to the package during shipping with the common carrier; and

transmit the one or more notification requests to the common carrier so that the common carrier can perform sending a status notification in response to each notification request after the particular event associated with the notification request is shown to have occurred in carrier information obtained by the common carrier during shipping of the package.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein when the executable code is executed by the at least one processor of the wireless computing device causes the at least one processor to:

extract the tracking number by extracting the tracking number from a bar code or one or more tracking number characters from the image.