Methods and systems for postcode-to-postcode delivery interval and routing calculation
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for calculating an estimated international delivery date, comprising:
- receiving, at a delivery processor, destination data comprising a destination address and a destination country of an item to be sent and origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives the item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office;
based on the origin data, determining whether a cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange or an Outward Office Exchange;
if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the destination data;
if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Outward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the origin data;
determining whether the scan time is before the ascertained cut-off acceptance time;
setting a start date and time for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the scan time determination;
determining a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office of the origin country, using the start date and time;
determining a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office of the destination country;
determining a third estimated date and time representing delivery of the item from the inbound delivery office of the destination country to the address from the destination data;
calculating, by a processing unit, the estimated international delivery date based on the first estimated date and time, the second estimated date and time, and the third estimated date and time; and
providing the calculated estimated international delivery date to a source data processorwherein determining the second estimated date and time comprises;
determining a flight having a flight departure time for the destination country after the first estimated date and time;
determining a scheduled flight arrival day and a scheduled flight arrival time for the flight;
making a third determination as to whether the scheduled flight arrival time is before a latest arrival time for flights that permits same-day processing of the item at the inbound delivery office;
making a fourth determination as to whether the latest arrival time for flights is before a cut-off acceptance time for scans at the inbound delivery office; and
setting the second estimated date and time according to the third determination and the fourth determination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for calculating a delivery date. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving, at a delivery processor, origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives an item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office. The delivery processor determines whether the scan time is before a cut-off acceptance time for scanning items at the origin delivery office and sets a start date and time based on the scan time determination. The delivery processor also determines a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office, and determines a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office. Thereafter, the delivery processor calculates the estimated delivery date based on the start date and time, the first estimated date and time, and the second estimated date and time, and provides the estimated delivery date to a source data processor.
18 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for calculating an estimated international delivery date, comprising:
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receiving, at a delivery processor, destination data comprising a destination address and a destination country of an item to be sent and origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives the item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office; based on the origin data, determining whether a cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange or an Outward Office Exchange; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the destination data; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Outward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the origin data; determining whether the scan time is before the ascertained cut-off acceptance time; setting a start date and time for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the scan time determination; determining a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office of the origin country, using the start date and time; determining a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office of the destination country; determining a third estimated date and time representing delivery of the item from the inbound delivery office of the destination country to the address from the destination data; calculating, by a processing unit, the estimated international delivery date based on the first estimated date and time, the second estimated date and time, and the third estimated date and time; and providing the calculated estimated international delivery date to a source data processor wherein determining the second estimated date and time comprises;
determining a flight having a flight departure time for the destination country after the first estimated date and time;determining a scheduled flight arrival day and a scheduled flight arrival time for the flight; making a third determination as to whether the scheduled flight arrival time is before a latest arrival time for flights that permits same-day processing of the item at the inbound delivery office; making a fourth determination as to whether the latest arrival time for flights is before a cut-off acceptance time for scans at the inbound delivery office; and setting the second estimated date and time according to the third determination and the fourth determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for calculating an estimated international delivery date, comprising:
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means for receiving, at a delivery processor, destination data comprising a destination address and a destination country of an item to be sent and origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives the item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office; means for determining, based on the origin data, whether a cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange or an Outward Office Exchange; means for ascertaining, based on the determination of whether the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on the Inward Office Exchange or the Outward Office Exchange, the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office, wherein if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the destination data; and if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Outward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the origin data; means for determining whether the scan time is before the ascertained cut-off acceptance time; means for setting a start date and time for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the scan time determination; means for determining a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office of the origin country, using the start date and time; means for determining a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office of the destination country; means for determining a third estimated date and time representing delivery of the item from the inbound delivery office of the destination country to the address from the destination data; means for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the first estimated date and time, the second estimated date and time, and the third estimated date and time; and means for providing the calculated estimated international delivery date to a source data processor, wherein the means for determining the second estimated date and time comprises;
means for determining a flight having a flight departure time for the destination country after the first estimated date and time;means for determining a scheduled flight arrival day and a scheduled flight arrival time for the flight;
means for making a third determination as to whether the scheduled flight arrival time is before a latest arrival time for flights that permits same-day processing of the item at the inbound delivery office;means for making a fourth determination as to whether the latest arrival time for flights is before a cut-off acceptance time for scans at the inbound delivery office; and means for setting the second estimated date and time according to the third determination and the fourth determination. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor to perform a method of calculating an estimated international delivery date, the method comprising:
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receiving, at a delivery processor, destination data comprising a destination address and a destination country of an item to be sent and origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives the item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office; based on the origin data, determining whether a cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange or an Outward Office Exchange; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the destination data; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Outward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the origin data; determining whether the scan time is before the ascertained cut-off acceptance time; setting a start date and time for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the scan time determination; determining a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office of the origin country, using the start date and time; determining a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office of the destination country; determining a third estimated date and time representing delivery of the item from the inbound delivery office of the destination country to the address from the destination data; calculating, using a processing unit, the estimated international delivery date based on the first estimated date and time, the second estimated date and time, and the third estimated date and time; and providing the calculated estimated international delivery date to a source data processor wherein determining the second estimated date and time comprises;
determining a flight having a flight departure time for the destination country after the first estimated date and time;determining a scheduled flight arrival day and a scheduled flight arrival time for the flight; making a third determination as to whether the scheduled flight arrival time is before a latest arrival time for flights that permits same-day processing of the item at the inbound delivery office; making a fourth determination as to whether the latest arrival time for flights is before a cut-off acceptance time for scans at the inbound delivery office; and setting the second estimated date and time according to the third determination and the fourth determination. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An apparatus for calculating an estimated international delivery date, comprising:
a memory and a processor configured to; receive destination data comprising a destination address and a destination country of an item to be sent and origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives the item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office; based on the origin data, determine whether a cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange or an Outward Office Exchange; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Inward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based at least on the destination data; if the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office is predicated on an Outward Office Exchange, ascertaining the cut-off acceptance time of the origin delivery office based on at least the origin data; determine whether the scan time is before the ascertained cut-off acceptance time; set a start date and time for calculating the estimated international delivery date based on the scan time determination; determine a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office of the origin country, using the start date and time; determine a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office of the destination country; determine a third estimated date and time representing delivery of the item from the inbound delivery office of the destination country to the address from the destination data; calculate the estimated international delivery date based on the first estimated date and time, the second estimated date and time, and the third estimated date and time; and provide the calculated estimated international delivery date to a source data processor; and
a processor that runs the program;determine a flight having a flight departure time for the destination country after the first estimated date and time;
determines a scheduled flight arrival day and a scheduled flight arrival time for the flight;make a third determination as to whether the scheduled flight arrival time is before a latest arrival time for flights that permits same-day processing of the item at the inbound delivery office; make a fourth determination as to whether the latest arrival time for flights is before a cut-off acceptance time for scans at the inbound delivery office; and set the second estimated date and time according to the third determination and the fourth determination. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
Specification