Enhanced payments for shipping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10032239-B2
Application number	US-81309610-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2010
Priority date	Jun 10, 2010
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for initiating shipment of and payment for shipping a parcel. For example, in one embodiment, a customer/user can receive a message on a user device from a carrier that includes an authorization code for shipping a parcel. After the customer/user ships the parcel, the carrier can charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider associated with the user device. In another embodiment, the customer/user can interact with a kiosk to ship the parcel. In this embodiment, the carrier can also charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:
receiving, via one or more processors of a communication device, a first message comprising a tracking identifier transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel, the tracking identifier utilized for tracking the shipment of the parcel;
after receiving the first message, identifying, via the one or more processors, an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;
determining, via the one or more processors, whether the account is valid;
after a determination that the account is valid, (a) transmitting visible indicia of a second message to a display device of the user device for user interaction with the second message, the second message comprising an authorization code authorizing shipment of the parcel, and (b) correlating the authorization code with the tracking identifier that is for tracking shipment of the parcel, and (c) storing the authorization code in association with the tracking identifier in a memory device;
determining, by the one or more processors, dimensions of the parcel for a shipment of the parcel to a destination in response to a scanning device capturing an image of the parcel;
receiving, via the one or more processors, shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier's transportation and logistics network, wherein (a) the shipping information comprises the tracking identifier and the authorization code provided on a generated label and (b) both the tracking identifier and the authorization code are in at least a human-readable form or a machine-readable form and affixed on the exterior of the parcel, the tracking identifier and the authorization code, of the generated label, is electronically detected by the scanning device;
detecting, via the one or more processors, one or more locations of the parcel as the parcel travels via a delivery vehicle through the carrier's transportation and logistics network based in part on the tracking identifier and the authorization code being electronically captured in an image by the scanning device; and
after receiving the shipping information, determining, via the one or more processors, whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on determining whether the authorization code is valid and determining, via the one or more processors, whether the authorization code complies with a plurality of predefined parameters denoting restrictions comprising (i) a predefined time period in which the authorization code is valid for shipment of the parcel and (ii) a predetermined plurality of number of times the authorization code is usable for a plurality of different shipments of parcels.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein (1) the authorization code is associated with the predefined parameters and (2) the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

3. A method for shipping a parcel, the method comprising:
receiving, via one or more processors, a first message comprising a tracking identifier transmitted from a user device requesting shipment of a parcel, the tracking identifier utilized for tracking the shipment of the parcel;
after receiving the first message, identifying, via the one or more processors, an account identifier based at least in part on the first message, wherein the account identifier corresponds to an account associated with a user of the user device;
determining, via the one or more processors, whether the account is valid;
after a determination that the account is valid, (a) transmitting visible indicia of a second message to the user device for user interaction with the second message, the second message comprising an authorization code authorizing shipment of the parcel, and (b) correlating the authorization code with the tracking identifier that is for tracking shipment of the parcel, and (c) storing the authorization code in association with the tracking identifier in a memory device;
determining, by the one or more processors, dimensions of the parcel for a shipment of the parcel to a destination in response to a scanning device capturing an image of the parcel;
receiving shipping information that is generated as the parcel is transported within a carrier's transportation and logistics network, wherein (a) the shipping information comprises the tracking identifier and the authorization code provided on a generated label and (b) both the tracking identifier and the authorization code are in at least a human-readable form or a machine-readable form and affixed on the exterior of the parcel, the tracking identifier and the authorization code of the generated label is electronically detected by the scanning device;
detecting, via the one or more processors, one or more locations of the parcel as the parcel travels via a delivery vehicle through the carrier's transportation and logistics network based in part on the tracking identifier and the authorization code being electronically captured in an image by the scanning device; and
after receiving the shipping information, determining, via the one or more processors, whether the parcel is approved for shipment based at least in part on determining whether the authorization code is valid and determining, via the one or more processors, whether the authorization code complies with a plurality of predefined parameters denoting restrictions comprising (i) a predefined time period in which the authorization code is valid for shipment of the parcel and (ii) a predetermined plurality of number of times the authorization code is usable for a plurality of different shipments of parcels.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
electronically charging shipping charges to the account; and
after a determination that the parcel is approved for shipment, electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel, wherein the account is for paying the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a class of service of the parcel.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein electronically determining the shipping charges for shipment of the parcel further comprises automatically determining a weight of the parcel.

7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the account is selected from the group consisting of an account for wireless services and an account for a charge card.

8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first message comprises the tracking identifier associated with the parcel.

9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the authorization code is associated with predefined parameters.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predefined parameters define (a) a time period in which the authorization code is valid or (b) the number of times the authorization code can be used for shipments.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the shipment information is generated from a scan of a label affixed to the parcel.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message and an instant message.

13. A computer program product for shipping a parcel, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an exec

Assignees

• Parameswaran Sathiyan
• Besserer Bruce
• Costides Nicholas
• Hilbush Mark
• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Parameswaran Sathiyan
• Besserer Bruce
• Costides Nicholas
• Hilbush Mark

Classifications

• G06Q30/04

  Billing or invoicing · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q20/18

  involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals · CPC title

• G06Q40/12

  Accounting · CPC title

• G06Q20/4014

  Identity check for transactions · CPC title