Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Inventory management
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-05
2003-03-25
Morse, Gregory A. (Department: 3627)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Inventory management
C705S022000, C700S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06539360
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to the shipping of packages, and more particularly to a method and system for processing packages designated for special handling and notifying an appropriate party as to whether special handling has been applied to these designated packages.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Shipping carriers, such as United Parcel Service, maintain computerized shipping records for the purposes of tracking packages. Typically, a customer obtains tracking information by calling and requesting such information from a customer service representative or by directly accessing the package delivery company's web site via the Internet. A customer may be either a consignor or a consignee. The “consignor” is the customer sending a package by a shipping carrier. The “consignee” is the recipient of that package. Though the consignor and consignee can obtain tracking information, they cannot obtain more detailed information about the package such as whether special handling has been applied.
The term “special handling” encompasses a variety of operations in which particular packages are identified and treated differently from routine packages in the shipping carrier's transportation system. Such special treatment may include, for example, holding a package for pickup at a designated point within the transportation system, transporting sensitive, hazardous or toxic substances in a special way, and other similar customer requests. The carrier may, for example, be requested to extract a package from the usual stream of packages and hold it at a particular location for very early morning pickup by a consignee. Or, the carrier may be asked to verify that a refrigerated container for biological material is functioning at various points along its route.
In the “hold for pickup” example, a manufacturer may have service representatives repairing equipment in many diverse locations, and these service representatives may often have an immediate need for repair parts from a central warehouse. If the manufacturer requests ordinary overnight delivery of the package containing a part, the service representative will not be able to use the repair part until late morning. When early morning delivery options are available, they may be too expensive for the manufacturer to use on a regular basis. Therefore, the manufacturer requests that the package be held at the carrier's consolidation point nearest to the job site for personal pickup by the service representative early in the morning. This procedure has the dual benefit of early receipt of the package and low cost, because the final delivery by small vehicle from the carrier's facility to the consignee is an expensive part of the package transportation process.
In the case of dangerous or sensitive contents, the integrity of a protective container throughout the package's journey may be critical to use of the contents by the consignee. For example, if a biological sample needed for experimental or medical use must be maintained at a low temperature continuously, the carrier may be requested to handle the package with extra care or to inspect the package at consolidation points along its route to assure continued viability. Checking a temperature gauge or other monitor associated with the container may be required. The carrier may need to check the integrity of protective packaging when the contents are dangerous or particularly fragile.
The consignee of a special handling package may go to great lengths to prepare for use of the package contents assuming that the package has received the requested special handling. Non-arrival or failure of protective or environmental containers may cause great inconvenience or expense on the part of the consignee. In the hold for pickup example, the service representative makes arrangements to arrive early at the consolidation point, and may also make special arrangements at the job site in anticipation of the timely arrival of the repair part, such as hiring special technicians or expensive special equipment. In the case of a biological sample for laboratory use, considerable time and expense may have been needed to assemble other materials and apparatus for use in a narrow window of time based on the anticipated safe delivery of the special handling package. If a medical or veterinary use is planned, the consignee may reserve facility and specialist time, and a patient will also arrange to be present. Current delivery practice gives the consignee no confirmation of package status between the time of acceptance by the carrier and receipt by the consignee.
Presently, carrier personnel responsible who must apply requested special handling to a package learn of the need for special handling only when they receive the package and examine its label. For example, personnel must identify and segregate a hold for pickup package or a package to be specially inspected “on the fly.” This can make it difficult to provide the special handling consistently and in a timely manner. Also, consignees can ascertain whether special handling has been properly applied only upon receiving the package. As a result, in the event the package requires further special handling by the consignee, or in the event the special handling has not been properly applied, the consignee is not able to make (or cancel) special provisions for the use of the contents of the package in a timely manner prior to receiving the package. Thus, there is a need to alert carrier personnel in advance of their receipt of a package requiring special handling, and to provide a way for the consignee to check the status of special handling prior to receiving the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,283 describes a shipping method for facilitating the efficient distribution of goods. A container packing record identifying an individual container and its contents is transmitted to a programmable computer located at the container's shipping destination. As a container is received at the shipping destination, the shipping destination computer searches its database for the container's scanned bar code and corresponding packing record. The computer provides an output directing the container to an order packing area if items needed to fill customer orders are contained within the received container. The shipping destination computer also provides an output either confirming receipt of all of the previously shipped containers or listing the containers lost in shipment. Though U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,283 describes a shipping method for facilitating the efficient distribution of goods, it does not describe providing special handling status information to consignees.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,223 describes a knowledge-based processor that analyzes the aggregate volume of mail flowing through the postal system and transmits to each destination location inventory and resource allocation information necessary to plan for the equipment and personnel needed in the following days to sort and deliver the mail at each destination location. The knowledge-based processor transmits the inventory and resource allocation information to the destination location by electronic communications link. This information includes an indication that the mail piece is on its way and the routing information needed to automatically sort and deliver the mail piece to its corporate addressee. Though U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,223 provides routing information for internal use, it does not provide any of this information to customers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,908 describes a self-monitoring delivery system that tracks mail as it passes through multiple delivery stages and creates a schedule of expected arrival times at each stage. Should a mail piece not arrive on time, the system is alerted to initiate a search for the late or missing mail piece, or to take other corrective action, such as expediting delivery of late pieces. This tracking information is for internal use only; a customer cannot check on the status of a mail piece en route. This system also does not provide for
Morse Gregory A.
United Parcel Service of America Inc.
LandOfFree
Special handling processing in a package transportation system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Special handling processing in a package transportation system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Special handling processing in a package transportation system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3014522