Systems and methods for providing item delivery notification

• US 9,830,570 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Ray, Christine R. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garg, Yogesh C
• Application Number:
  US12/013,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133261A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,606 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261, 705 26, 705406, 705407, 705408, 235385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method and system for providing item delivery notification consistent with the invention includes sending a first notification to a recipient at a recipient notification address, the first notification indicating that an item has been placed in a delivery system directed to the recipient at a first address. Next, the method involves sending a second notification to a sender at a sender notification address if the item is successfully delivered to the recipient at the first address, the second notification indicating that the item has been delivered. Then the method involves sending a third notification to the sender at the sender notification address if the item is not successfully delivered to the recipient at the first address, the third notification indicating that the item has not been delivered. And finally, the method involves sending a fourth notification to the recipient at the recipient notification address if the item is not successfully delivered to the recipient at the first address, the fourth notification indicating that the item has not been delivered.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an item through a delivery system, comprising:

receiving, from a computer associated with a sender sending the item to a recipient at a first address, a sender notification address and a recipient notification address, wherein;

the first address is a physical address,

the sender notification address is an electronic address associated with the sender, and

the recipient notification address is an electronic address associated with the recipient;

associating the first address with the sender notification address and the recipient notification address;

generating, via the delivery system, a label incorporating a code associated with one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address;

when the item is placed in the delivery system directed to the first address,

scanning, via an automated barcode scanner integrated within the delivery system, the code incorporated within the label;

determining, from the scanning, one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address associated with the scanned code; and

sending, by at least one processor, a first electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the first electronic notification indicating that the item was placed in the delivery system directed to the recipient at the first address;

if the item is delivered to the first address, sending a second electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the second electronic notification indicating that the item was delivered to the first address;

if the item is not delivered to the first address;

sending, by the at least one processor, a third electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the third electronic notification indicating that the item was not delivered to the first address,

sending a fourth electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the fourth electronic notification indicating (i) a pick up location and (ii) a retrieval code,

based on scanning of the retrieval code, retrieving the item from storage at the pick up location,

presenting the item to a recipient of the fourth electronic notification, and

in response to retrieving the item at the pick up location, sending a fifth electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the fifth electronic notification indicating that the item was retrieved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the following comprise an e-mail address:

the sender notification address and the recipient notification address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third electronic notifications are sent using at least one of the following media:

e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the item comprising at least one of the following:

a mailpiece and a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third notification further indicates the pick up location.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating address label for the item, wherein the address label indicates the first address and associates the first address, the sender, and the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a notice at the first address, the notice indicating that the item was not delivered.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the notice further indicates the pick up location.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving the item in the delivery system from the sender.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

tracking, by the at least one processor, movement of the item through the delivery system based on at least one of the first or second tracking indicia associated with the item; and

generating non-delivery information based on the tracking.

11. A system for delivering an item through a delivery system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory storing instructions, executed by the at least one processor, to cause the at least one processor to perform the operations of;

receiving, from a computer associated with a sender sending the item to a recipient at a first address, a sender notification address and a recipient notification address, wherein;

the first address is a physical address,

the sender notification address is an electronic address associated with the sender, and

the recipient notification address is an electronic address associated with the recipient;

associating the first address with the sender notification address and the recipient notification address;

generating, via the delivery system, a label incorporating a code associated with one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address;

when the item is placed in the delivery system directed to the first address,

scanning, via an automated barcode scanner integrated within the delivery system, the code incorporated within the label,

determining, from the scanning, one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address associated with the scanned code,

sending a first electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the first electronic notification indicating that the item was placed in the delivery system directed to the recipient at the first address;

if the item is delivered to the first address, sending a second electronic notification to the sender notification address, the second electronic notification indicating that the item was delivered to the first address;

if the item is not delivered to the first address;

sending a third electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the third electronic notification indicating that the item was not delivered to the first address,

sending a fourth electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the fourth electronic notification indicating (i) a pick up location and (ii) a retrieval code,

based on scanning of the retrieval code, retrieving the item from storage at the pick up location,

presenting the item to a recipient of the fourth electronic notification, and

in response to retrieving the item at the pick up location, sending a fifth electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the fifth electronic notification indicating that the item was retrieved.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the following comprise an e-mail address:

the sender notification address and the recipient notification address.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first, second, and third electronic notifications are sent using at least one of the following media:

e-mail, facsimile, internet, and an interactive voice response system.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprise processing the item comprising at least one of the following:

a mailpiece and a United States Postal Service Priority Mail package.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the third notification further indicates the pick up location.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprise generating the address label for the item, wherein the label indicates the first address and associates the first address, the sender, and the recipient.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprise providing a notice at the first address, the notice indicating that the item was not delivered.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the notice further indicates the pick up location.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the operations performed by the at least one processor further comprise receiving the item in the delivery system from the sender.

20. The system of claim 11, the instructions further causing the at least one processor to track movement of the item through the delivery system based on tracking indicia associated with the item, and to generate non-delivery information based on the tracking.

21. A computer-implemented method for delivering an item through a delivery system, comprising:

receiving, from a computer associated with a sender sending the item to a recipient, a first address of a United States Postal Service (USPS) mailbox corresponding to a recipient, a sender notification address and a recipient notification address, the sender notification address and the recipient notification address comprising e-mail addresses;

associating the first address with the sender notification address and the recipient notification address;

generating, via the delivery system, a label incorporating a code associated with one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address;

when the item is placed in the delivery system directed to the first address,

scanning, via an automated barcode scanner integrated within the delivery system, the code incorporated within the label;

determining, from the scanning, one or more of the first address, the sender notification address, and the recipient notification address associated with the scanned code;

sending, by the at least one processor, a first electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the first electronic notification indicating that the item was placed in the delivery system directed to the recipient at the first address;

if the item is delivered to the first address,

sending, by the at least one processor, a second electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the second electronic notification indicating that the item was delivered to the USPS mailbox;

if the item is not delivered to the first address;

sending, by the at least one processor, a third electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the third electronic notification indicating that the item was not delivered to the USPS mailbox,

sending a fourth electronic notification to the recipient notification address associated with the first address, the fourth electronic notification indicating (i) a pick up location and (ii) a retrieval code,

based on scanning of the retrieval code, retrieving the item from storage at the pick up location,

presenting the item to a recipient of the fourth electronic notification, and

in response to retrieving the item at the pick up location, sending a fifth electronic notification to the sender notification address associated with the first address, the fifth electronic notification indicating that the item was retrieved.