Translation of destination identifiers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9767426-B2
Application number	US-201615238226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 10, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for translation of destination identifiers. In one embodiment, a destination identifier applied to a shipment is scanned. The destination identifier is translated to a first shipping address based at least in part on a mapping of destination identifiers to shipping addresses. The shipment is routed for delivery to the first shipping address. The destination identifier is then translated to a second shipping address based at least in part on the mapping. The shipment is then rerouted to the second shipping address.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a program executable in at least one computing device, wherein when executed the program causes the at least one computing device to at least:
initiate scanning of a destination identifier applied to an exterior of a shipment, the destination identifier corresponding to a globally unique character string that represents a specific recipient;
perform a verification upon the destination identifier using a checksum portion of the destination identifier;
determine a first projected delivery time for the shipment;
translate the destination identifier to a first shipping address based at least in part on the first projected delivery time and a stored mapping of destination identifiers to shipping addresses;
initiate a first action to route the shipment for delivery to the first shipping address;
determine a second projected delivery time for the shipment;
translate the destination identifier to a second shipping address based at least in part on the second projected delivery time and the stored mapping;
automatically initiate a second action to reroute the shipment for delivery to the second shipping address; and
wherein neither the first shipping address nor the second shipping address are applied to the exterior of the shipment.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least:
receive a user specification of the destination identifier; and
determine whether the destination identifier is available for registration.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein when executed the program further causes the at least one computing device to at least assign the globally unique character string to the recipient at least partly on a random basis.

4. A system, comprising:
at least one computing device; and
at least one application executable in the at least one computing device, wherein when executed the at least one application causes the at least one computing device to at least:
initiate scanning of a destination identifier applied to a shipment;
translate the destination identifier to a first shipping address based at least in part on a mapping of destination identifiers to shipping addresses;
initiate a first action to route the shipment for delivery to the first shipping address;
translate the destination identifier to a second shipping address based at least in part on the mapping, wherein the destination identifier is translated to the second shipping address instead of the first shipping address based at least in part on a change in a projected delivery time for the shipment; and
automatically initiate a second action to reroute the shipment for delivery to the second shipping address.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein neither the first shipping address nor the second shipping address are applied to an exterior of the shipment.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein when executed the at least one application further causes the at least one computing device to at least perform a verification upon the destination identifier.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the destination identifier corresponds to a globally unique character string that represents a specific recipient.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein the destination identifier is applied to an exterior of the shipment.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the destination identifier is translated to the second shipping address based at least in part on rerouting configuration data indicating that rerouting the shipment to the second shipping address instead of the first shipping address meets at least one of: a cost tolerance criterion or a delivery time tolerance criterion.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the destination identifier excludes any personally identifiable information.

11. The system of claim 4 , wherein the second action comprises sending a message to a delivery vehicle driver indicating that the shipment is not to be delivered to the first shipping address.

12. A method, comprising:
scanning, in a first instance, by at least one computing device, a destination identifier applied to a shipment;
translating, by the at least one computing device, the destination identifier to a first shipping address based at least in part on a mapping of destination identifiers to shipping addresses in response to the first instance of scanning;
initiating, by the at least one computing device, a first action to route the shipment for delivery to the first shipping address;
scanning, in a second instance, by the at least one computing device, the destination identifier applied to the shipment;
translating, by the at least one computing device, the destination identifier to a second shipping address based at least in part on the mapping in response to the second instance of scanning, wherein the destination identifier is translated to the second shipping address instead of the first shipping address based at least in part on a change in a projected delivery time for the shipment; and
automatically initiating, by the at least one computing device, a second action to reroute the shipment for delivery to the second shipping address.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the destination identifier is applied to an exterior of the shipment, and neither of the first shipping address or the second shipping address are on the exterior of the shipment.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, by the at least one computing device, that the projected delivery time for the shipment to the first shipping address has changed beyond a threshold; and
updating, by the at least one computing device, the mapping to map the destination identifier to the second shipping address instead of the first shipping address.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, by the at least one computing device, that a location of a recipient of the shipment has changed; and
updating, by the at least one computing device, the mapping to map the destination identifier to the second shipping address instead of the first shipping address.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the destination identifier includes a user-specified string that is uniquely registered to a single recipient.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the destination identifier further includes a checksum or a hash.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising causing, by the at least one computing device, the second shipping address to be rendered on a display of a client device.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the destination identifier is translated based at least in part on a characteristic of the shipment, and the characteristic comprises at least one of: a size of the shipment, a weight of the shipment, a value of the shipment, or a fragility of the shipment.

20. The system of claim 4 , wherein the destination identifier corresponds to a user-specified string.

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc
• Imdb Com Inc

Inventors

• Siegel Hilliard Bruce
• Burford Kenneth Thomas

Classifications

• G06K7/1417

  2D bar codes · CPC title

• G06K7/1413

  1D bar codes · CPC title

• G06Q10/08355

  Routing methods · CPC title

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title