SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF RE-ROUTING PARCELS INTENDED FOR DELIVERY TO ATTENDED DELIVERY/PICKUP LOCATIONS

• US 20140279663A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• 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: Lievens, Daniel, Dethier, Vincent, Pirenne, Luc
• Granted Patent: US 10,402,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• 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 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/407 Cancellation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0233 Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward

Abstract

Systems and methods for re-routing parcels being delivered to attended delivery/pickup locations that have no capacity and/or ability to take delivery of the parcels. In various embodiments, in response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location doesn'"'"'t have sufficient capacity and/or ability to accept delivery of the parcel, the system is configured to: (1) re-route the parcel to a different location; or (2) hold the parcel for later delivery. In some embodiments, the system is configured to determine an appropriate response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location cannot accept delivery of the parcel substantially automatically. In other embodiments, the system is configured to provide the parcel recipient with one or more re-routing options.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:

(a) receiving, from a user, one or more parcel handling preferences;

(b) receiving an indication that one or more parcels are scheduled for delivery from a first location to a first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein said user is an intended recipient of said one or more parcels;

(c) determining whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

(d) at least partially in response to determining that said first attended delivery/pickup location does not have capacity, re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said one or more parcel handling preferences;

(e) at least partially in response to said re-routing, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to a second location;

(f) notifying said user of said re-routing.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to re-route said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said first attended delivery/pickup location; and

said second location is a second attended delivery/pickup location.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to re-route said one or more parcels to a residence associated with said user; and

said second location is said residence.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to re-route said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence;

said re-routing comprises;

determining a location of said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence; and

determining whether said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining that said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence has capacity, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to delay delivery to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

said second location is said first location.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference for one or more attended delivery/pickup location other than said first attended delivery/pickup location;

each of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations includes a ranking received from said user; and

said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for;

determining which of said one or more attended deliver/pickup locations have a highest ranking; and

at least partially in response to determining which of said one or more attended deliver/pickup locations have said highest ranking, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:

determining whether said highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining said highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations does not have capacity;

determining which of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations have a second highest ranking; and

facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said second highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said second location is said first location.

9. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor, wherein said computer system is configured for;

(A) receiving an indication that one or more parcels are scheduled for delivery from a first location to a first attended delivery/pickup location, said one or more parcels having an intended recipient;

(B) determining whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

(C) at last partially in response to determining that said first attended delivery/pickup location does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcles;

notifying said user of said lack of capacity; and

providing, to said intended recipient, a selection of one or more re-routing options, wherein said one or more re-rerouting options are selected from the group consisting of;

(1) re-routing said one or more parcels to a second attended delivery/pickup location;

(2) delaying a delivery of said one or more parcels to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has said capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

(3) re-routing said one or more parcels to an address associated with said user;

(D) at least partially in response to providing said selection of said one or more re-routing options, receiving a selection of one of said one or more re-routing options from said user; and

(E) re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises re-routing said one or more parcels to a second attended delivery/pickup location; and

re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options comprises facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said second attended delivery/pickup location.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said computer system is further configured for determining a suitable second attended delivery/pickup location.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said determining said suitable second attended delivery/pickup location comprises determining said suitable second attended delivery/pickup location based at least in part on one or more preferences provided by said user.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said one or more preferences include a preference for said second attended delivery location to be located within a particular distance of a residence associated with said user.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein said one or more preferences include a preference for said second attended delivery location to be located within a particular distance of an office associated with said user.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises delaying said delivery of said one or more parcels to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has said capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels;

and re-routing said one or more parcels based at least in part on said selected one or more re-routing options comprises returning said one or more parcels to said first location.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein:

said selected one or more re-routing options comprises re-routing said one or more parcels to said address associated with said user; and

said address associated with said user is a residential address of said user.

17. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a processer, whether a particular attended delivery/pickup location to which a parcel is being directed has an ability to accept said parcel; and

in response to determining that said particular attended delivery/pickup location does not have said ability, facilitating, by at least one processor, an adjustment of delivery of said parcel, wherein said facilitation is selected from the group consisting of;

(a) facilitating, by at least one processor, a redirection of said parcel to an alternate attended delivery/pickup location;

(b) facilitating, by at least one processor, a delay of delivery of said parcel to said attended delivery/pickup location to a later time;

(c) facilitating, by at least one processor, delivery of said parcel to an address associated with a parcel recipient.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said facilitation of said adjustment is based at least in part on one or more preferences received from said parcel recipient.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said alternate attended delivery/pickup location is selected based at least in part on a factor selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a distance of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location from said attended delivery/pickup location;

(b) an estimated current capacity of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location to accept deliveries;

(c) an estimated future capacity of said alternate attended delivery/pickup location to accept deliveries; and

(d) a preference provided by said parcel recipient.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein said determining whether said particular attended delivery/pickup location to which said parcel is being directed has said ability to accept said parcel comprises determining said ability based at least in part on:

operating hours associated with said particular attended delivery/pickup location; and

an estimated delivery time of said parcel at said particular attended delivery/pickup location.