Apparatus, systems and methods for online, multi-carrier, multi-service parcel shipping management featuring notification service option comparison for multiple carriers

• US 8,380,641 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iship Incorporated, Auctane LLC (Stamps.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Iship Incorporated, Stamps.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Bennett, David Allison, Meyer, Scott, Bilibin, Paul, Liu, Jinyue, Ingram, Gary Rhoe
• Primary Examiner(s): Plucinski, Jami A
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, MICHAEL M
• Application Number:
  US09/685,078
• Time in Patent Office: 4,519 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/1.1, 705/333, 705/335, 705/500
• US Class Current: 705/335
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus, systems and methods for displaying to each of a plurality of users, upon each user'"'"'s request, as to each particular parcel to be shipped by each user, the carriers that provide delivery notification service options, including electronic mail delivery notification and verbal delivery notification, wherein each user accesses the present invention over a global communications network using a client computer device, and wherein each user has an individual electronic connection to the global communications network. The present invention further provides apparatus, systems and methods for identifying to each of the users, upon each user'"'"'s request, as to each of the particular parcels to be shipped by the particular user, a service charge for each delivery notification service option, including electronic mail delivery notification and verbal delivery notification for the particular package to be shipped by the particular user as to each carrier that supports electronic mail delivery notification.

Claims

1. A server-based shipping management computer system, said server-based shipping management computer system comprising at least one server computer device, wherein said server-based shipping management computer system is programmed to:

receive from a particular user client computer device of a plurality of user client computer devices, a request input by a user for an electronic mail delivery notification service by a carrier system for shipping a particular parcel and an input by the user of parcel specifications for the particular parcel;

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers, determine whether the respective carrier would provide electronic mail delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request; and

for each respective carrier of the plurality of carriers that would provide electronic mail delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, display to a display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, as to the particular parcel, a simultaneous interactive graphic identification of a corresponding shipping charge for each delivery service offered by the respective carrier to ship the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification displayable on a single display screen, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification adapted for receiving a user-interactive selection of a particular carrier and a particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier, such that said receiving the user-interactive selection causes a generation of a shipping label for shipping the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications using the particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier for said corresponding shipping charge.

2. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 1, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

recognize as a user request for an electronic mail delivery notification service by a carrier system for the particular parcel, a user input by the user of a selection of an electronic mail delivery notification indicator.

3. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 2, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

store in a database, a record corresponding to the particular user and to the particular parcel, said record comprising information about the request for electronic mail delivery notification.

4. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 3, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers that would provide electronic mail delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, for each respective service of a plurality of services offered by the respective carrier, calculate a respective service charge for delivering the respective particular parcel via the respective service, wherein each said respective service charge is calculated according to at least one electronic mail delivery notification rule for the respective service offered by the respective carrier, wherein said corresponding shipping charge includes the respective service charge; and

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single display screen displaying all of the corresponding shipping charges that each includes the respective service charges for display to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user.

5. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 3, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single-screen online display, to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, of a plurality of respective service charges associated with shipping the particular parcel, wherein each respective service charge of the plurality of respective service charges is calculated according to a respective set of electronic mail delivery notification rules for the respective delivery service offered by the respective carrier and according to a respective set of service-specific rules of the respective delivery service for shipping said particular parcel.

6. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 3, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single-screen online display to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, of a plurality of shipping rates, wherein each shipping rate of the plurality of shipping rates corresponds to a respective delivery service offered by a particular carrier of the plurality of carriers that would provide electronic mail delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, wherein each shipping rate of the plurality of shipping rates includes an electronic mail delivery notification service charge associated with the respective delivery service shipping the particular parcel according to a set of electronic mail delivery notification rules for the respective delivery service.

7. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 1, wherein said simultaneous interactive graphic identification comprises an indication of a respective delivery date and a respective delivery time corresponding to each shipping charge displayed as part of the simultaneous interactive graphic identification.

8. A server-based shipping management computer system, said server-based shipping management computer system comprising at least one computer device, wherein said server-based shipping management computer system is programmed to:

receive from a particular user client computer devices of a plurality of user client computer devices, a request input by a user for a verbal delivery notification service by a carrier for shipping a particular parcel and an input by the user of parcel specifications for the particular parcel;

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers, determine whether the respective carrier would provide verbal delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request; and

for each respective carrier of the plurality of carriers that would provide verbal delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, display to a display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, as to the particular parcel, a simultaneous interactive graphic identification of a corresponding shipping charge for each delivery service offered by the respective carrier to ship the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification formatted for display on a single display page, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification adapted for receiving a user-interactive selection of a particular carrier and a particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier, such that said receiving the user-interactive selection causes a generation of a shipping label for shipping the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications using the particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier for said corresponding shipping charge.

9. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 8, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

recognize as a user request for a verbal notification service by a carrier for the particular parcel, a user input by the user of a selection of a verbal delivery notification indicator.

10. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 9, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

store in a database, a record corresponding to the particular user and to the particular parcel, said record comprising information about the request for verbal delivery notification.

11. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 10, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers that would provide verbal delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, for each respective service of a plurality of services offered by the respective carrier, calculate a respective service charge for delivering the respective particular parcel via the respective service, wherein each said respective service charge is calculated according to at least one verbal delivery notification rule for the respective service offered by the respective carrier, wherein said corresponding shipping charge includes the respective service charge; and

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single display screen displaying all of the corresponding shipping charges that each includes the respective service charges for display to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user.

12. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 10, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single-screen online display, to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, of a plurality of respective service charges associated with shipping the particular parcel, wherein each respective service charge of the plurality of respective service charges is calculated according to a respective set of verbal delivery notification rules for the respective delivery service offered by the respective carrier and according to a respective set of service-specific rules of the respective delivery service for shipping said particular parcel.

13. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 10, said server-based shipping management computer system further programmed to:

generate said simultaneous interactive graphic identification as a single-screen online display, to the display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, of a plurality of shipping rates, wherein each shipping rate of the plurality of shipping rates corresponds to a respective delivery service offered by a particular carrier of the plurality of carriers that would provide verbal delivery notification for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, wherein each shipping rate of the plurality of shipping rates includes a verbal delivery notification service charge associated with the respective delivery service shipping the particular parcel according to a set of verbal delivery notification rules for the respective delivery service.

14. The server-based shipping management computer system of claim 8, wherein each said corresponding shipping charge is arranged in said simultaneous interactive graphic identification according to an indication of a respective delivery date and a respective delivery time.

15. A server-based shipping management computer system, said server-based shipping management computer system comprising at least one server computer device, wherein said server-based shipping management computer system is programmed to:

receive from a particular user client computer device of a plurality of user client computer devices, a request input by a user for a plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping a particular parcel and an input by the user of parcel specifications for the particular parcel;

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers, determine whether the respective carrier would provide each of the plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping the particular parcel according to the request; and

for each respective carrier of the plurality of carriers that would provide each of the plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping the particular parcel according to the request, display to a display device configured for communication with the particular user client computer device of the user, as to the particular parcel, a simultaneous interactive graphic identification of corresponding shipping charges for each delivery service offered by the respective carrier to ship the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification formatted for display on a single display screen, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification adapted for receiving a user-interactive selection of a particular shipping charge as a selection of a particular carrier and a particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier, such that said receiving the user-interactive selection causes a generation of a shipping label for shipping the particular parcel according to the parcel shipping specifications using the particular delivery service offered by the particular carrier for said corresponding shipping charge.

16. A server-based shipping management computer system, said server-based shipping management computer system comprising at least one server computer device, wherein said server-based shipping management computer system is programmed to:

receive from an at least one respective user of a plurality of users, a respective request for an at least one delivery notification service option of a plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping a respective particular parcel;

for each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers, for each respective delivery notification service option of the at least one delivery notification service options, determine whether the respective carrier would provide the respective delivery notification service option for shipping the particular parcel according to the request;

calculate a service-specific, carrier-specific delivery notification service charge by each delivery service offered by each respective carrier of the plurality of carriers for each respective delivery notification service option requested by the respective user that each delivery service offered by each respective carrier would support for delivery of the respective particular parcel; and

display to a display device configured for communication with a user client computer device associated with the at least one respective user, a simultaneous interactive graphic identification of each service-specific, carrier-specific delivery notification service charge, said simultaneous interactive graphic identification formatted for display on a single display screen.

17. A shipping management computer system, said computer system comprising at least one computer device, wherein said shipping management computer system is programmed to:

simultaneously identify in a single-screen interactive graphic display to a respective user of a plurality of users, in response to the respective user'"'"'s request for at least one delivery notification service option of a plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping a respective parcel, each delivery service offered by each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers that would support each delivery notification service option requested by the respective user for delivery of the respective parcel, said single-screen interactive graphic display comprising, for each delivery service identified, an interactive indicator of the delivery service, the respective carrier, and a corresponding shipping charge.

18. A method using a computer system for managing shipping of a plurality of parcels shipped by any one of a plurality of carriers, wherein said computer system comprises at least one computer device, the method comprising:

displaying to a respective user of a plurality of users, in response to the respective user'"'"'s request for at least one delivery notification service option of a plurality of delivery notification service options for shipping a respective parcel, a simultaneous identification of each delivery service offered by each respective carrier of a plurality of carriers that would provide the delivery notification service options requested by the respective user for shipping the respective parcel, said simultaneous identification comprising a single-screen interactive graphic display, said single-screen interactive graphic display comprising, for each delivery service identified, an interactive indicator of the corresponding shipping charge.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each said interactive indicator of the corresponding shipping charge is associated with a corresponding indication of an estimated delivery date and an estimated delivery time.

20. A shipping management computer system that is configured for:

(A) allowing a user to select, via a notification option selection, an electronic mail delivery notification option to be offered in conjunction with a delivery of a parcel;

(B) receiving said notification option selection from said user;

(C) in response to receiving said notification option selection;

(1) identifying, from a plurality of carriers, a first carrier that would offer an electronic mail delivery notification service in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel, and

(2) identifying, from said plurality of carriers, a second carrier that would offer an electronic mail delivery notification service in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel;

(D) for each delivery service offered by said first carrier, using a first set of electronic mail delivery notification rules defined by said first carrier for the respective delivery service to calculate a respective service-specific service charge that said first carrier would charge for providing an electronic mail delivery notification service in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to the respective delivery service;

(E) for each delivery service offered by said second carrier, using a second set of electronic mail delivery notification rules defined by said second carrier for the respective delivery service to calculate a respective service-specific service charge that said second carrier would charge for providing an electronic mail delivery notification service in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to the respective delivery service; and

(F) simultaneously displaying on a single display screen associated with said user;

(1) a first interactive display of a first respective service-specific shipping charge that said first carrier would charge in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to a first respective delivery service offered by said first carrier, said first respective service-specific shipping charge calculated to include a first respective service-specific service charge associated with the first respective delivery service providing an electronic mail delivery notification for the delivery of the parcel,

(2) a second interactive display of a second respective service-specific shipping charge that said first carrier would charge in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to a second respective delivery service offered by said first carrier, said second respective service-specific shipping charge calculated to include a second respective service-specific service charge associated with the second respective delivery service providing an electronic mail delivery notification for the delivery of the parcel,

(3) a third interactive display of a third respective service-specific shipping charge that said second carrier would charge in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to a third respective delivery service offered by the second carrier, said third respective service-specific shipping charge calculated to include a third respective service-specific service charge associated with the third respective delivery service providing an electronic mail delivery notification for the delivery of the parcel, and

(4) a fourth interactive display of a fourth respective service-specific shipping charge that said second carrier would charge in conjunction with performing said delivery of the parcel according to a fourth respective delivery service offered by said second carrier, said fourth respective service-specific shipping charge calculated to include a fourth respective service-specific service charge associated with the fourth respective delivery service providing an electronic mail delivery notification for the delivery of the parcel.