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Systems and methods for item delivery and pick-up using social networks

  • US 9,916,557 B1
  • Filed: 12/09/2013
  • Issued: 03/13/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling a delivery of an item comprising the steps of:

  • generating, via one or more computer processors, a delivery profile for a customer, wherein the delivery profile comprises a name and a primary address for the customer and identifies one or more internet-based social networks corresponding to the customer, wherein each of the one or more internet-based social networks identifies one or more customer contacts having a relationship with the customer over at least one of the one or more internet-based social networks, wherein each internet-based social network is embodied on one or more internet-accessible databases and defines an electronic social structure that (i) represents a network of a plurality of users each having social network data stored in the one or more internet-accessible databases and (ii) defines connections between the social network data for the customer and the one or more customer contacts;

    accessing the one or more internet-based social networks to retrieve location data corresponding to each of the one or more customer contacts, wherein the location data is generated for each of the one or more customer contacts by an electronic device associated with the corresponding customer contact;

    determining, via the one or more computer processors and based at least in part on the location data corresponding to each of the one or more customer contacts, one or more second destination locations usable to receive shipments for one or more of the customer contacts;

    receiving, via the one or more computer processors, shipping data identifying a shipped item that is en route for delivery to the customer at a first destination location, wherein the shipping data is stored in a database comprising shipping data corresponding to each of a plurality of shipped items;

    querying, based at least in part on the shipping data and the identified one or more social networks corresponding to the customer, the database to identify shipping data corresponding to identified shipments bound for and en route to one or more of the customer contacts at one or more of the second destination locations, wherein the one or more second destination locations are different from the first destination location;

    determining, via the one or more computer processors, a quantity of identified shipments;

    comparing, via the one or more computer processors, the quantity of identified shipments against a threshold;

    upon determining that the quantity of identified shipments does not meet the threshold;

    updating, via the one or more computer processors, the shipping information for the item to reflect a hold instruction; and

    notifying, via the one or more computer processors and based at least in part on the identified one or more social networks corresponding to the customer, at least one of the one or more customer contacts that the item is being held until the quantity of identified shipments meets the threshold; and

    upon determining that the quantity of identified shipments meets the threshold;

    generating, via the one or more computer processors, a delivery schedule for the item and the identified shipments.

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