Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090099818 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A TRANSPORTING INSTRUCTION USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR - A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure. | 04-16-2009 |
20090298491 | Contract Acceptance Systems and Methods - According to various embodiments of the present invention, a contract acceptance system is provided for facilitating customer acceptance of a service contract (e.g., a wireless service contract). In particular, certain embodiments of the present invention allow a shipping carrier delivering a wireless communication device (e.g., a cellular phone) to a customer to facilitate customer acceptance of a new wireless service contract via a handheld computing device at the point of delivery. | 12-03-2009 |
20100010664 | Apparatus For Monitoring A Package Handling System - A monitoring apparatus for sensing conditions associated with a package handling system. The monitoring apparatus includes a test package configured for being handled by the package handling system with non-test packages handled by the package handling system. The test package has a housing defining a test package interior and has at least one sensor positioned within the interior for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system. The sensor produces an output signal corresponding to the conditions that it senses. The test package further includes a support positioned within the test package interior and connecting the sensor to the housing so that the sensor is directed generally toward an outside of the test package for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system. | 01-14-2010 |
20100076869 | BUYER-INITIATED SHIPPING SYSTEM - A system and method in which a buyer registers for a buyer's shipping account and uses the shipping account to pay shipping costs associated with purchases made over the Internet. When a buyer purchases merchandise over the Internet from either a retailer's website or from an individual through an online auction, the buyer is capable of controlling the shipping process by logging on to their buyer's shipping account. Among other things, the buyer can use their shipping account to select the desired type of shipping service (overnight air or ground) and populate a shipping label with shipping information such as delivery address, return address, and preferred delivery time windows. Once the shipping label has been populated and verified, the shipping label is electronically transferred to the seller for use in shipping the package. The system and methods of the present invention allow the buyer greater control over the shipping process. In many cases, the present invention will also help buyers/receivers control costs by eliminating the shipper's shipping and handling fee. | 03-25-2010 |
20100223173 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery. | 09-02-2010 |
20100228664 | IDENTITY VALIDATION FOR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods for validating a party's identity for facilitating peer-to-peer loan transactions are provided. Drivers of a fleet of parcel delivery vehicles associated with a particular common carrier are used to collect information validating a party's identity. As part of a scheduled parcel delivery, or as an independent stop specifically for identity validation, a driver visits an address associated with a party (e.g., a consignor or consignee) and confirms the party's association with the address, such as by visually inspecting the party's driver's license or other identifying document. Information regarding the party's association is provided to a system accessible by a peer-to-peer lending facilitator. Input from the drivers relating to the association may be transmitted to a server via the driver's handheld device. The information can be used by the peer-to-peer lending facilitator to determine a level of risk associated with entering into a loan transaction with the party. | 09-09-2010 |
20100293089 | COLLATERAL PICK-UP AND DELIVERY FOR SECURED TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods for facilitating secured loan transactions are provided. Drivers of a fleet of parcel delivery vehicles associated with a particular common carrier are used to pick up collateral from a borrower to secure a loan. A driver visits the borrower's address as part of executing parcel delivery transactions to pick up the collateral. The driver may verify the borrower's identity and the validity of the collateral when receiving the collateral. An indication of the receipt of the borrower's collateral is provided to a system accessible by a lending facilitator, such as via the driver's DIAD. The indication can be used by the peer-to-peer lending facilitator to determine a level of risk associated with entering into a loan transaction with the borrower and/or an interest rate for the loan. In some cases, the collateral is delivered to a third party escrow service. | 11-18-2010 |
20110029447 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery. | 02-03-2011 |
20110125664 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. | 05-26-2011 |
20110125665 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. | 05-26-2011 |
20110169636 | System and Method for Generating a Transporting Instruction Using an Environmental Sensor - A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure. | 07-14-2011 |
20110208639 | IDENTITY VALIDATION FOR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods for validating a party's identity for facilitating peer-to-peer loan transactions are provided. Drivers of a fleet of parcel delivery vehicles associated with a particular common carrier are used to collect information validating a party's identity. As part of a scheduled parcel delivery, or as an independent stop specifically for identity validation, a driver visits an address associated with a party (e.g., a consignor or consignee) and confirms the party's association with the address, such as by visually inspecting the party's driver's license or other identifying document. Information regarding the party's association is provided to a system accessible by a peer-to-peer lending facilitator. Input from the drivers relating to the association may be transmitted to a server via the driver's handheld device. The information can be used by the peer-to-peer lending facilitator to determine a level of risk associated with entering into a loan transaction with the party. | 08-25-2011 |
20110242299 | APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A PACKAGE HANDLING SYSTEM - A monitoring apparatus for sensing conditions associated with a package handling system. The monitoring apparatus includes a test package configured for being handled by the package handling system with non-test packages handled by the package handling system. The test package has a housing defining a test package interior and has at least one sensor positioned within the interior for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system. The sensor produces an output signal corresponding to the conditions that it senses. The test package further includes a support positioned within the test package interior and connecting the sensor to the housing so that the sensor is directed generally toward an outside of the test package for sensing conditions associated with the package handling system. | 10-06-2011 |
20110289014 | BUYER-INITIATED SHIPPING SYSTEM - A system and method in which a buyer registers for a buyer's shipping account and uses the shipping account to pay shipping costs associated with purchases made over the Internet. When a buyer purchases merchandise over the Internet from either a retailer's website or from an individual through an online auction, the buyer is capable of controlling the shipping process by logging on to their buyer's shipping account. Among other things, the buyer can use their shipping account to select the desired type of shipping service (overnight air or ground) and populate a shipping label with shipping information such as delivery address, return address, and preferred delivery time windows. Once the shipping label has been populated and verified, the shipping label is electronically transferred to the seller for use in shipping the package. The system and methods of the present invention allow the buyer greater control over the shipping process. In many cases, the present invention will also help buyers/receivers control costs by eliminating the shipper's shipping and handling fee. | 11-24-2011 |
20120271777 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A TRANSPORTING INSTRUCTION USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR - A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure. | 10-25-2012 |
20130110284 | AUTOMATED DISPENSING OF TRAVEL PATH APPLICANTS | 05-02-2013 |
20130110285 | AUTOMATED DISPENSING OF TRAVEL PATH APPLICANTS | 05-02-2013 |
20130166359 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR DETERMINING SHIPPING INCENTIVES - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-program products for determining shipping incentives. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve applying a shipping incentive for a customer receiving inbound shipments from a plurality of parties based on increased inbound shipments received from such parties. While other embodiments of the invention involve applying a shipping incentive to at least one customer based on increased shipments shipped to and/or received in a locale for a particular time period using a common carrier. In particular embodiments, the incentive may be a discount on a cost of shipping for the customer. While in other embodiments, the incentive may be something else such as a preferred shipping service for the customer. | 06-27-2013 |
20130179111 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A TRANSPORTING INSTRUCTION USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR - A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure. | 07-11-2013 |
20140025464 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND COMPUTER-PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR DETERMINING SHIPPING INCENTIVES - Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods, and computer-program products for determining shipping incentives. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve applying a shipping incentive for a customer receiving inbound shipments from a plurality of parties based on increased inbound shipments received from such parties. Additional embodiments of the invention involve applying a shipping incentive to at least one customer based on increased shipments shipped to and/or received in a locale for a particular time period using a common carrier. In particular embodiments, the incentive may be a discount on a cost of shipping for the customer. In other embodiments, the incentive may be something else such as a preferred shipping service for the customer. | 01-23-2014 |
20140052412 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A TRANSPORTING INSTRUCTION USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL SENSOR - A system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determine whether the product environment data enters into a pre-defined range of values associated with an exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate alert data if it is determined that the environmental data has entered the range of values. If a limit within the values is further transcended, a transportation instruction is also generated to alter transport of the product. | 02-20-2014 |
20140207701 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. | 07-24-2014 |
20140207702 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTNG PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. | 07-24-2014 |
20150073936 | CONCEPTS FOR TRANSACTING E-COMMERCE - Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for transacting e-commerce. In one embodiment, item information is stored for a plurality of items available for purchase from respective sellers. The item information that is displayed for each item can depend on the delivery zone of the customer. | 03-12-2015 |
20150081584 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery. | 03-19-2015 |
20150081585 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery. | 03-19-2015 |