United Parcel Service of America, Inc.

Other

Vincent Dethier

Daniel Lievens

Luc Pirenne

Denis Payre

Peter Henderickx

Christopher T Schenken

Peter Hendrickx

A system and method for locating nearby attended delivery/pickup locations with a particular item in stock is described. The system receives a request from an individual to purchase a particular item from an on-line retailer. The system receives information associated with attended delivery/pickup locations, including location and inventory information. The system then determines which (if any) attended delivery/pickup locations (e.g., the attended delivery/pickup locations are not the on-line retailer) are near the individual and have the particular item in stock and notifies the individual. In various embodiments, the system enables the user to purchase or reserve the particular item at the particular attended delivery/pickup location.

Systems and methods of locating and selling items at attended delivery/pickup locations

Systems and methods for facilitating pick up of items delivered to attended delivery/pickup locations. In various embodiments, the system is configured for confirming an identity of a person attempting to pick up a parcel from an attended delivery/pickup location before releasing the parcel to the person. The system may confirm the identity by receiving identifying information, by confirming a geographic location of a person attempting to retrieve the parcel, etc. In some embodiments, the system may be configure to enable parcel recipients to provide other persons the authorization to retrieve parcels and may be further configured to confirm this authorization before releasing parcels to a person other than the intended parcel recipient.

Systems and methods of managing item pickup at attended delivery/pickup locations

A system for enabling users to reserve space at attended delivery/pickup locations to at least substantially guarantee that the attended delivery/pickup locations will have capacity to receive parcels requested to be delivered to them. In various embodiments, the system is configured to substantially automatically reserve space in response to receiving a request to delivery one or more parcels to a particular attended delivery/pickup location. In other embodiments, the system is configured to enable users to reserve space at attended delivery/pickup locations.

Systems and methods of reserving space attended delivery/pickup locations

A computer system for defining attributes associated with attended delivery/pickup locations is described. In various embodiments, the system is configured to enable an authorized user (e.g., a manager of an attended delivery/pickup location) to define certain attributes of a particular attended delivery/pickup location. In some embodiments, the system is configured to verify that the particular user is authorized to define the one or more attributes associated with the particular attended delivery/pickup location (e.g., by checking a list of one or more authorized users). Once the one or more attributes are defined, in one or more embodiments, the system is configured to accept or reject parcel delivery requests based at least in part on the attributes. In further embodiments, the system is configured to facilitate a return of a particular item to a retailer via the attended delivery/pickup location.

Systems and methods for returning one or more items via an attended delivery/pickup location

Systems and methods for facilitating delivery of parcels to, from, and between attended delivery/pickup locations. In various embodiments, the attended delivery/pickup locations may be associated with brick-and-mortar retail locations and used to facilitate inventory transfer between locations, shipment of goods purchased at the brick-and-mortar-retail locations to other attended delivery/pickup locations or other locations, and to receive delivery of parcels sent from any suitable location. In some embodiments, the attended delivery/pickup locations are configured to receive shipments of items ordered from online retail websites. In other embodiments, the attended delivery/pickups locations are associated with shopping centers and configured to facilitate shipment of items purchased at the associated shopping centers.

Systems and methods of delivering parcels using attended delivery/pickup locations

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.

Growing community of inventors

Brussels, Belgium

Vincent Dethier