Systems and methods of re-routing parcels intended for delivery to attended delivery/pickup locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10402775-B2
Application number	US-201414200432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 12, 2013
Publication date	Sep 3, 2019
Grant date	Sep 3, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for re-routing parcels being delivered to attended delivery/pickup locations that have no capacity and/or ability to take delivery of the parcels. In various embodiments, in response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location doesn't have sufficient capacity and/or ability to accept delivery of the parcel, the system is configured to: (1) re-route the parcel to a different location; or (2) hold the parcel for later delivery. In some embodiments, the system is configured to determine an appropriate response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location cannot accept delivery of the parcel substantially automatically. In other embodiments, the system is configured to provide the parcel recipient with one or more re-routing options.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method comprising:
(a) receiving, by a logistics system comprising a logistics server in operable communication with a logistics network, one or more parcel handling preferences from a user for delivery of parcels that require re-routing from an attended delivery/pickup location;
(b) receiving, by the logistics system, an indication that one or more parcels are scheduled for delivery from a first location to a first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein said user is an intended recipient of said one or more parcels and said first attended delivery/pickup location comprises a location other than the user's home or place of business;
(c) determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels based at least in part on:
(i) a determined storage volume available at said first attended delivery/pickup location;
(ii) an average retrieval time for parcels delivered to said first attended delivery/pickup location;
(iii) one or more dimensions of said one or more parcels; and
(iv) an average size of parcels stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein determining whether said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels comprises ensuring that there will be enough physical space at said first attended delivery/pickup location to accommodate said one or more parcels at an estimated time of delivery of said one or more parcels by:
storing data associated with a volume of storage space within said first attended delivery/pickup location;
determining a total storage volume available at said first attended delivery/pickup location based on the volume of storage space data;
receiving one or more dimensions of one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location;
determining a total parcel volume of said one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location using said received one or more dimensions;
determining how quickly an average customer of said first attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location; and
calculating, by the logistics system, an available capacity estimate for the first attended delivery location, where the calculating comprises determining whether said first attended delivery location will have enough physical space to accommodate said one or more parcels at said estimated time of delivery based on said determined total storage volume at said first attended delivery/pickup location, said total parcel volume of said one or more parcels that are currently being stored at said first attended delivery/pickup location, and how quickly an average customer of said attended delivery/pickup location retrieves parcels from said first attended delivery/pickup location, wherein the logistics system compares the total storage volume with the total parcel volume at a given time;

(d) automatically re-routing by the logistics system, at least partially in response to receiving a determination that said first attended delivery/pickup location does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, said one or more parcels based at least in part on said one or more parcel handling preferences;
(e) at least partially in response to said re-routing, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to a second location, wherein delivery to the second location comprises: receiving, by the logistics system, location data for said one or more parcels based at least partially on a machine-readable indicator associated with said one or more parcels; and automatically verifying, by the logistics system, said one or more parcels have been delivered to the second location based at least on the rerouting and the location data; and
(f) automatically notifying said user of said re-routing at a user device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said first attended delivery/pickup location; and
said second location is a second attended delivery/pickup location.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to a residence associated with said user; and
said second location is said residence.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to reroute said one or more parcels to an attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to a residence associated with said user;
said re-routing comprises:
determining a location of said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user; and
determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and

at least partially in response to determining that said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said attended delivery/pickup location that is most proximate to said residence associated with said user.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference to delay delivery to said first attended delivery/pickup location at least until said first attended delivery/pickup location has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and
said second location is said first location.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein:
said one or more parcel handling preferences comprise a preference for one or more attended delivery/pickup location other than said first attended delivery/pickup location;
each of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations includes a respective ranking received from said user; and
said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions to perform a method comprising:
determining, by the logistics system, which of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations have a highest ranking of said respective rankings; and
at least partially in response to determining which of said one or more attended deliver/pickup locations have said highest ranking, facilitating delivery of said one or more parcels to said highest ranked of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6 , wherein said non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions to perform a method comprising:
determining, based on capacity monitoring by the logistics system, whether said highest ranked of said one or more attended delivery/pickup locations has capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels; and
at least partially in response to determining said highest ranked one or more attended delivery/pickup locations does not have capacity to accept delivery of said one or more parcels:
determ

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc
• United Parcel Services Of America Inc

Inventors

• Lievens Daniel
• Dethier Vincent
• Pirenne Luc

Classifications

• G06Q10/0837 Primary

  Return transactions · CPC title

• G06Q10/0836

  Recipient pick-ups · CPC title

• G06Q30/0233

  Method of redeeming a frequent usage reward · CPC title

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title