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US 12,725,113 B2Granted
Accurate tracking of item delivery using a confidence event recorder
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorStephen M. Dearing
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for accurately sort items for delivery and track the delivery of items in an item distribution network using a purpose built confidence event recorder. Items can then be tracked while out for delivery through the use of confidence data recorded by a confidence event recorder carried by an item carrier. Confidence data can be used to accurately record when and where item carriers deliver items and can be used for generating and transmitting an expected delivery window.
Claims18
A method of delivering items comprising:
- scanning, by a mobile computing device having a location circuit, a first physical item associated with a delivery, the mobile computing device being part of an autonomous delivery vehicle;
- receiving first scan event information from the scan of the first physical item including a geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle when the first physical item was scanned;
- receiving second scan event information, the second scan event information including the geographic location of a prior scan associated with a prior delivery to the delivery location;
- determining whether the first scan event information is indicative of the first physical item being delivered at the associated delivery location based at least in part by comparing the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle from the first scan event information to the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle from the second scan event information;
- determining, based on comparing the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle from the first scan event information to the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle from the second scan event information that the first scan event information is not a confidence event;
- causing the autonomous delivery vehicle to move to the delivery location and, to scan a second physical item at the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle where the first physical item was scanned when the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle is not within a threshold of the geographic location of the second scan event information;
- identifying the scan of the first physical item at the geographic location of the autonomous delivery vehicle as a confidence event when the first scan event information indicates that the first physical item was delivered at the associated delivery location;
- generating, via a computing device, an expected delivery time for a third item to be delivered based at least in part on the confidence event information;
- and
- generating, via a computing device, an expected delivery window based at least in part on the expected delivery time.
7 more elements
A system for delivering items, the system comprising:
- an autonomous delivery vehicle comprising a mobile computing device, the mobile computing device configured to:
- scan a computer readable code on a physical distribution item upon delivery;
- and
- generate scan information, the scan information comprising the computer readable code, a scan time, and a location of the autonomous delivery vehicle at the scan time;
- a confidence record database storing confidence information for a plurality of delivery points on a delivery route;
- and
- one or more processors configured to:
- receive the scan information from the mobile computing device;
- identify one of the plurality of delivery points on the delivery route associated with the item based on the received scan information;
- query the confidence record database for confidence information for the identified one of the plurality of delivery points;
- receive the confidence information for the identified one of the plurality of delivery points;
- compare the received scan information with the received confidence information;
- determine whether the scan information is within a threshold of the received confidence information;
- if the scan information is within the threshold of the received confidence information, update the confidence information for the one of the plurality of delivery points with the received scan information;
- and
- if the scan information is not within the threshold of the received confidence information, generate an error flag for the scan information, and cause the autonomous delivery vehicle to move to and scan a second item at the identified one of the plurality of delivery points.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.