US 2014/0279658 A1Published application

Systems and methods of suggesting attended delivery/pickup locations

AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.

InventorsDaniel Lievens, Vincent Dethier, Peter Henderickx, Luc Pirenne, Denis Payre

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Abstract

A computer system for suggesting attended delivery/pickup locations to individuals (e.g., other than the individual's home and/or office) is disclosed. In various embodiments, the computer system receives location information associated with the individual (e.g., the individual's home, office, etc.) and the locations of various attended delivery/pickup locations (e.g., attended retail stores that have signed up to receive deliveries for individuals). The system determines which (if any) attended delivery/pickup locations are located near the location associated with the individual (e.g., near the individual's home) and which (if any) attended delivery/pickup locations are available to accept parcels for the user. The system then suggests attended delivery/pickup locations to the individual. In various embodiments, the system is configured to enable the user to select a default attended delivery/pickup location and/or an alternative attended delivery/pickup location.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A computer system comprising:

at least one processor, wherein the computer system is configured for:
(A) receiving location information associated with a first attended delivery/pickup location;
(B) receiving location information associated with a user, the location information comprising at least one particular location associated with the user;
(C) receiving a specified distance for determining one or more suitable attended delivery/pickup locations for a delivery of one or more parcels associated with the user;
(E) determining, at least partially based on the location information associated with the first attended delivery/pickup location, that the first attended delivery/pickup location is located about within the specified distance of the at least one particular location associated with the user;
(F) displaying, to the user:
i) an indication of the at least one particular location associated with the user;
and
ii) an indication of a location of the first attended delivery/pickup location;
(G) recommending that the user select the first attended delivery/pickup location as a particular attended delivery/pickup location for the delivery of the one or more parcels associated with the user at least partially based on:
i) the location information associated with the first attended delivery/pickup location;
and
ii) the location information associated with the user;
and
(H) enabling the user to select the first attended delivery/pickup location as the particular attended delivery/pickup location for receiving the delivery of one or more parcels associated with the user;
and
(I) at least partially in response to the user selecting the first attended delivery/pickup location as the particular location for receiving the delivery of one or more parcels, facilitating the delivery of at least one parcel to the first attended delivery/pickup location.

14 more elements

A computer-implemented method comprising:

(A) receiving, by at least one processor, location information associated with a first attended delivery/pickup location;
(B) receiving, by at least one processor, location information associated with a user, wherein the location information associated with the user comprises at least one location associated with the user;
(C) receiving, by at least one processor, a distance for determining that one or more attended delivery/pickup locations are located near the user;
(D) receiving, by at least one processor, availability information associated with the first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein the availability information comprises information associated with when the first attended delivery/pickup location will not be available to accept deliveries for the user;
and
(E) determining, by at least one processor, a zone for locating one or more attended delivery/pickup locations near the user based at least partially on:
i) the location information associated with the user;
and
ii) the received distance;
(F) determining at least partially based on the location information associated with the first attended delivery/pickup location, that the first attended delivery/pickup location is located within the zone for locating one or more attended delivery/pickup locations near the user;
(G) determining that the first attended delivery/pickup location is available to receive a delivery of a particular one or more parcels associated with the user based at least in part on the availability information associated with the first attended delivery/pickup location;
(H) suggesting the user select the first attended delivery/pickup location as a default attended delivery/pickup location based at least partially based on:
i) determining that the first attended delivery/pickup location is located within the zone;
and
ii) determining that the first attended delivery/pickup location is available to receive the delivery of the particular one or more parcels associated with the user;
(I) displaying, to the user:
i) an indication of the at least one location associated with the user;
ii) a location indication of the first attended delivery/pickup location within the zone;
and
(J) enabling the user to select the first attended delivery/pickup location as the default attended delivery/pickup location for the delivery of the one or more parcels associated with the user.

17 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for:

(A) receiving location information associated with each of a plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations;
(B) receiving a location associated with a user;
(C) receiving availability information associated with each of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations, wherein the availability information comprises information associated with when each of the attended delivery/pickup locations will not be available to accept deliveries for the user;
(D) receiving capacity information associated with each of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations, wherein the capacity information comprises information associated with the number of parcels each attended delivery/pickup location will accept;
(E) receiving delivery information associated with a particular one or more parcels associated with the user, wherein the delivery information associated with the delivery of the particular one or more parcels associated with the user comprises an estimated time of delivery of the one or more parcels;
(E) receiving a distance for defining a zone for locating one or more attended delivery/pickup locations near the user;
(F) determining the zone based at least partially on:
i) the location information associated with the user;
and
ii) the received distance;
(G) determining that at least one attended delivery/pickup location of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations is located within the zone based at least in part on the location information associated with each of the attended delivery/pickup locations;
(H) determining that the at least one attended delivery/pickup location is available to receive the delivery of the particular one or more parcels associated with the user based at least in part on:
i) the availability information associated with the at least one attended delivery/pickup location;
and
ii) the delivery information associated with the particular one or more parcels associated with the user;
iii) the capacity information associated with the at least one attended delivery/pickup location;
(I) displaying, to the user:
i) an indication of the location associated with the user;
ii) an indication defining the zone;
iii) an indication of each of the attended delivery/pickup locations of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations located within the zone;
and
vi) a location indication of the at least one attended delivery/pickup location;
(J) enabling the user to select a default attended delivery/pickup location of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations as the default attended delivery/pickup location for the delivery of the one or more parcels associated with the user;
(K) recommending the user select the at least one attended delivery/pickup location as a default attended delivery/pickup location, based at least in part on determining that the at least one attended delivery/pickup location is available to receive the delivery of the particular one or more parcels;
and
(L) enabling the user to select an alternative attended delivery/pickup location of the plurality of attended delivery/pickup locations for the delivery of the one or more parcels associated with the user if the default attended delivery/pickup location is unavailable to receive the one or more parcels.

23 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/199,830Filed 6 Mar 2014
Priority: 12 Mar 2013
Published: 18 Sep 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

G06Q 10/0837
Shipping: return transactions
G06Q 10/02
Administration; Management: reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
G06Q 10/06312
Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations: adjustment or analysis of established resource…
G06Q 10/08
Administration; Management: logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management