Systems and methods for parcel delivery to alternate delivery locations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016148154-A1
Application number	US-201514942731-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Feb 1, 2013
Publication date	May 26, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system in various embodiments, is configured to redirect undeliverable parcels to alternate delivery locations. The parcels may be undeliverable due to an unavailability of an intended recipient of the parcels to sign for the parcels or otherwise take delivery of the parcels at the delivery address. The system may be configured to determine an eligibility of the undeliverable parcel to be redirected to an alternate delivery location and then determine a suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on: one or more parcel recipient preferences, one or more parcel shipper preferences, a location of the delivery address, etc. The system may be further configured to notify the parcel recipient of a redirection of the parcel to the alternate delivery address.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A computer-implemented method of determining whether to deliver a particular parcel to a particular alternate delivery location, comprising:
receiving, by a processor, an indication that delivery of the particular parcel is not possible at a primary delivery location; receiving, by a processor, one or more parcel attributes associated with the particular parcel; receiving, by a processor, one or more alternate delivery location attributes for one or more alternate delivery locations; determining, by a processor, based at least in part on the one or more alternate delivery location attributes and the one or more parcel attributes, whether the particular parcel is eligible for redirection to an alternate delivery location; at least partially in response to determining that the particular parcel is eligible for redirection, redirecting the particular parcel to a suitable alternate delivery location; and at least partially in response to determining that the particular parcel is not eligible for redirection, facilitating a return of the particular parcel to a suitable distribution center for later redelivery to the primary delivery location.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more parcel attributes comprise one or more special handling instructions associated with the particular parcel.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the one or more special handling instructions are selected from a group consisting of:
one or more special handling instructions related to a perishable nature of one or more contents of the particular parcel; one or more special handling instructions related to a need to refrigerate one or more contents of the particular parcel; one or more special handling instructions related to one or more hazardous materials contained within the particular parcel; and one or more special handling instructions related to one or more age-restricted items contained within the particular parcel.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more alternate delivery location attributes comprise one or more special handling capabilities associated with the one or more alternate delivery locations.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the one or more special handling capabilities comprise one or more climate control capabilities.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more climate control capabilities comprise refrigeration.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more alternate delivery locations comprise one or more alternate delivery locations within a particular distance of the primary delivery location; the one or more alternate delivery location attributes comprise one or more special handling capabilities of the one or more alternate delivery locations; and the one or more parcel attribute comprise one or more special handling instructions associated with the particular parcel.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining by a processor, the suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on one or more preferences received from an intended recipient of the particular parcel.

9 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for:
receiving, from a delivery driver, an indication that delivery of a parcel to a primary delivery location is not possible; receiving one or more parcel attributes associated with the parcel; at least partially in response to receiving the indication, determining, based at least in part on the one or more parcel attributes, whether the parcel is eligible for redirection to an alternate delivery location; at least partially in response to determining that the parcel is eligible for redirection:
determining a suitable alternate delivery location for the parcel;
facilitating redirection of the parcel to the suitable alternate delivery location; and
notifying an intended recipient of the parcel of the redirection of the parcel to the suitable alternate delivery location; and
at least partially in response to determining that the parcel is not eligible for redirection, facilitating a return of the particular parcel to a suitable distribution center for later redelivery to the primary delivery location.

10 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein determining the suitable alternate delivery location comprises:
receiving one or more locations of one or more potential alternate delivery locations; receiving one or more alternate delivery location attributes for the one or more potential alternate delivery locations; determining, based at least in part on the one or parcel attributes and the one or more alternate delivery location attributes, which of the one or more potential alternate delivery locations can accept delivery of the parcel; and selecting the suitable alternate delivery location from the one or more potential alternate delivery locations that can accept deliver of the parcel.

11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the one or more parcel attributes are selected from a group consisting of:
a size of the parcel; a weight of the parcel; and one or more special handling instructions for the parcel.

12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the one or more parcel attributes comprise one or more special handling instructions for the parcel selected from a group consisting of:
one or more special handling instructions related to a perishable nature of one or more contents of the parcel; one or more special handling instructions related to one or more hazardous materials contained within the particular parcel; and one or more special handling instructions related to one or more age-restricted items contained within the parcel.

13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more alternate delivery location attributes comprise one or more special handling capabilities associated with the one or more alternate delivery locations.

14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more alternate delivery location attributes comprise one or more parcel size restrictions.

15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the one or more alternate delivery location attributes comprise one or more parcel content restrictions.

16 . A computer-implemented method of determining eligibility of a particular parcel to be redirected from a primary delivery location to an alternate delivery location comprising:
receiving, by a processor, an indication that delivery of the particular parcel is not possible at the primary delivery location; receiving, by a processor, one or more parcel attributes for the particular parcel; determining, by a processor, based at least in part on the one or more parcel attributes, whether the particular parcel is eligible for redirection to an alternate delivery location; at least partially in response to determining that the particular parcel is eligible for redirection, determining a suitable alternate delivery location; and at least partially in response to determining the suitable alternate delivery location, facilitating redirection of the particular parcel from the primary delivery location to the suitable alternate delivery location.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more parcel attributes comprise:

Assignees

• United Parcel Service Inc

Inventors

• Tibbs Andy
• Slayton John

Classifications

• G06Q10/0836

  Recipient pick-ups · CPC title

• G06Q10/08355 Primary

  Routing methods · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title