System for parcel transport and tracking operated responsive to data bearing records

Apparatus comprising:

• central system circuitry, wherein the central system circuitry is configured to be in operative connection with
• at least one data store,
• a clock,
• at least one communication network,
• a plurality of geographically disposed repositories, wherein each repository is selectively operable to accept and make available parcels to authorized item carriers,
• wherein each repository includes
• a body, wherein the body bounds at least one interior area, wherein each interior area is configured to hold at least one parcel,
• wherein the body includes a respective opening to one respective interior area,
• a door,
• wherein the door is movably mounted in operative connection with the body,
• wherein the door is movable between
• a closed position, wherein in the closed position the door closes the respective opening, and
• an open position, wherein in the open position the door is at least partially disposed away from the respective opening and the interior area is externally accessible from outside the body,
• a lock, wherein the lock is in operative connection with the door,
• wherein the lock is changeable between
• a locked condition, wherein in the locked condition the lock is operative to hold the door in the closed position,
• an unlocked condition, wherein in the unlocked condition the door is movable from the closed position to the open position,
• at least one input device,
• repository control circuitry, wherein the repository control circuitry is in operative connection with
• the lock, and
• the at least one input device,
• wherein the at least one data store includes data corresponding to
• each repository of the plurality of repositories,
• a plurality of geographical catchment areas in which parcels may be delivered, wherein data corresponding to each respective catchment area is associated with data corresponding to one respective repository,
• a plurality of parcel identifiers, wherein each parcel identifier uniquely identifies one parcel,
• a plurality of parcel final delivery addresses, wherein one final delivery address is associated with each respective parcel identifier,
• a plurality of parcel final delivery times, wherein one final delivery time is associated with each respective parcel identifier and corresponds to a time by which the respective parcel is required to be delivered to its respective final delivery address,
• a plurality of current parcel repository locations, wherein one current parcel repository location is associated with a respective parcel identifier and is indicative of a respective current repository location of the respective parcel,
• contact data for each of a plurality of carrier contact devices, wherein each carrier contact device is associated with a respective item carrier,
• wherein responsive at least in part to the stored data the central system circuitry is operative to cause
• a) determination of a plurality of parcel identifiers each associated with a respective outgoing parcel from one particular repository, wherein the outgoing parcels correspond to parcels that do not have an associated final delivery address in the catchment area that is associated with the one particular repository,
• b) for each respective outgoing parcel determined in (a),
• i) determination of the respective final destination repository associated with the respective final delivery address for the outgoing parcel,
• ii) determination of each repository other than the final destination repository, that has a more favorable location relative to the respective final destination repository for the respective outgoing parcel, than the one particular repository,
• iii) determination of a rank value associated with each other repository determined in (b)(i) or (b)(ii) to have a more favorable location than the particular repository, wherein the respective rank value associated with a respective other repository having a more favorable location is indicative of relative favorability of the respective other repository compared to other repositories that have a respective more favorable location, wherein the rank value associated with final destination repository for the respective outgoing parcel in indicative of the highest relative favorability,
• c) determination of data corresponding to a plurality of potential outgoing parcel bundles that could be transported from the particular repository to each of the other repositories that have a respective more favorable location for each of the parcels included in the respective potential outgoing parcel bundle, wherein the data corresponding to each potential outgoing bundle includes data corresponding to
• i) the respective destination repository of the potential outgoing parcel bundle, and
• ii) outgoing parcels in the particular repository having an associated rank value indicative that the bundle destination repository of the potential outgoing parcel bundle corresponds to a more favorable location relative to the respective final destination repository for the respective outgoing parcel, than the particular repository,
• d) responsive at least in part to the clock and stored data corresponding to the respective final delivery times, determination for each of the plurality of outgoing parcels for which data is included in a potential outgoing parcel bundle, a respective remaining time value, wherein the respective remaining time value corresponds to a respective remaining time in which the respective outgoing parcel is required to be delivered at its respective final delivery location,
• e) analyzing the data corresponding to each potential outgoing parcel bundle to determine at least one of
• i) a quantity of parcels represented in the data corresponding to the respective outgoing parcel bundle for which the respective bundle destination repository corresponds to the respective final destination repository for the respective outgoing parcel, and a respective remaining time value associated with at least one parcel in the potential outgoing bundle for which the bundle destination repository corresponds to the final destination repository for the respective outgoing parcel, and
• ii) for each of the outgoing parcels included in the potential outgoing bundle, the respective rank value associated with the respective bundle destination repository of the potential outgoing parcel bundle, and a respective remaining time value associated with at least one outgoing parcel for which data is included in the potential outgoing parcel bundle,
• f) selection of the data corresponding to one potential outgoing parcel bundle responsive at least in part to the determination made in at least one of (e)(i) and (e)(ii) and utilizing such data corresponding to the selected one potential outgoing parcel bundle to identify a plurality of outgoing parcels to be transported together in an outgoing bundle from the particular repository to the respective bundle destination repository,
• g) responsive at least in part to the selection in (f) and the stored contact data, at least one instruction message to be sent to a carrier contact device that is operative to instruct an item carrier to transport the plurality of outgoing parcels included in the outgoing bundle from the particular repository to the respective bundle destination repository.