System and method for shipping and delivering parcels to a virtual address
AssigneeUrbissimo, Inc.
InventorsThomas Neal, Filippo Beretta, Jorge Calzada, Tito Costa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer-based system and method for shipping and delivering a parcel, including reserving a terminal for a parcel; placing the parcel in the terminal, the parcel having a virtual delivery address of a recipient; picking up the parcel by a carrier; converting, through a central computer system, the virtual address into a postal address; delivering the parcel to a destination terminal drop-box corresponding to the postal address; notifying the recipient of the delivery of the parcel; and unlocking the drop-box only upon verifying the recipient's identity.
Claims53
A computer-based method for shipping and delivering a parcel, comprising:
- reserving a terminal for a parcel;
- placing the parcel in the terminal, the parcel having a virtual delivery address of a recipient;
- picking up the parcel by a carrier;
- converting, through a central computer system, the virtual address into a postal address;
- delivering the parcel to a destination terminal drop-box corresponding to the postal address;
- notifying the recipient of the delivery of the parcel;
- and
- unlocking the drop-box only upon verifying the recipient's identity.
A method for shipping a parcel, comprising:
- reserving a terminal for placing a parcel to be shipped;
- accessing a terminal for placing the parcel;
- securing the parcel in the terminal;
- automatically notifying a carrier that the parcel has been placed in the terminal for pick up and shipment;
- picking up, by the carrier, the parcel from the terminal;
- scanning the parcel at the terminal;
- sending a notification that the carrier has picked up the parcel from the terminal;
- computing an estimated time of arrival of the parcel at a destination;
- transporting the parcel to a destination terminal based on a virtual address;
- securing the parcel to the destination terminal;
- and
- notifying a recipient that the parcel is available for pick up.
A method for delivering a parcel to a user, comprising:
- reserving a terminal drop-box for receiving a parcel to be delivered;
- identifying the carrier at the terminal;
- identifying the parcel to be delivered at the terminal;
- automatically opening the drop-box based on the identification of the parcel;
- securing the parcel in the opened drop-box;
- and
- automatically notifying the recipient of the receipt of the parcel at the terminal.
A method for transporting a parcel, comprising:
- reserving a drop-box at a terminal;
- identifying a valid sender to access the reserved drop-box, whereby the sender can place a parcel in the drop-box;
- identifying a valid carrier to access the reserved drop-box, whereby the carrier can pick-up the parcel;
- communicating to the sender that the parcel has been picked up;
- transporting the parcel to a destination terminal according to a virtual address on the parcel;
- identifying a valid carrier to access the destination terminal, whereby the carrier can place the parcel at the destination terminal;
- communicating to a recipient that the parcel has been delivered;
- and
- identifying the valid recipient to access the drop-box, whereby the recipient can pick up the parcel.
A system for shipping and delivering parcels, comprising:
- a processor configured to control the shipping and delivering of one or more parcels;
- a terminal for receiving a parcel to be shipped;
- one or more boxes within each terminal for securing one or more parcels being shipped, each box having a locking door;
- a locking key for securing the parcel in the box;
- a scanner for identifying the parcel;
- a control unit for communicating with the processor and with the boxes;
- and
- a central computer system for notifying senders, carriers, and recipients the status of the parcel during the parcel's transportation from the sender to the recipient.
A terminal for securing parcels to be shipped and delivered, comprising:
- one or more drop-boxes, each drop-box comprising:
- a space for receiving one or more parcels;
- a door for securing the space against unauthorized access;
- a sensor for recognizing when a parcel has been placed in the space;
- and
- a locking device for securing the door against unauthorized opening;
- a scanning device for identifying a parcel;
- a user interface for identifying a sender, a carrier, or a recipient seeking to access a drop-box;
- and
- a communications device for communicating with a central computer system.
A computer system encoded with computer software, which, when executed by a computer, provide for the shipment and delivery of a parcel, wherein the computer software is provided for:
- reserving a terminal for a parcel, the parcel having the virtual address of a recipient;
- notifying a carrier that the parcel has been placed in the terminal;
- converting, through a central computer system, the virtual address into a postal address;
- computing, based on the virtual address, the transportation of the parcel to a destination terminal drop-box;
- notifying the recipient of the delivery of the parcel to the destination terminal drop-box;
- and
- unlocking the destination drop-box only upon verifying the recipient's identity.
A computer-based system for shipping and delivering a parcel to a recipient, comprising:
- means for reserving a drop-box at a terminal for receiving a parcel to be shipped to a recipient, the parcel having a virtual address;
- means for locking the drop-box after the parcel has been placed therein;
- means for notifying a carrier that the parcel is ready for pick up for shipping;
- means for notifying a central computer system that the parcel has been picked up by the carrier;
- means for translating the virtual address to a traditional address;
- means for instructing the transportation of the parcel to the traditional address;
- and
- means for notifying the recipient that the parcel is available for pick up at a terminal corresponding to the traditional address.
An entity-relationship database structure, comprising:
- a delivery options table;
- a recipients table;
- a black-list table;
- an address table;
- and
- a senders table,
- wherein the tables of the database structure interact to control delivery of a parcel from a sender to a recipient.
A computer-based method for shipping a parcel, comprising:
- receiving a parcel for shipment to a recipient, the parcel having a virtual address;
- converting the virtual address into a postal address;
- transporting the parcel to a destination terminal based on the postal address;
- securing the parcel in the destination terminal;
- and
- notifying the recipient that the parcel is available for pick up.
A computer-based method for shipping a parcel, comprising:
- reserving a terminal for a parcel;
- securing the parcel in the terminal;
- automatically notifying a carrier that the parcel is ready for pick up;
- picking up the parcel from the secured terminal by use of a digital unlocking key;
- automatically notifying a sender that the parcel has been picked up;
- and
- transporting the parcel to a delivery address.
A computer-based method for delivering a parcel, comprising:
- receiving a parcel for shipment to a recipient, the parcel having a virtual delivery address;
- converting the virtual delivery address into a postal address;
- transporting the parcel to a destination terminal based on the postal address;
- securing the parcel in the destination terminal;
- and
- notifying the recipient that the parcel is available for pick up.
A computer-based method for shipping and delivering a parcel, comprising:
- reserving, by a sender, a terminal for a parcel, wherein the parcel is to be picked up by a recipient;
- locking the parcel in the terminal;
- automatically notifying the recipient, through a central computer system, that the parcel has been secured in the terminal;
- and
- picking up the parcel from the terminal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.