The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 04, 2026
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2025
United States Postal Service, Washington, DC (US);
Michael J. Amato, Ocean Isle Beach, NC (US);
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
Systems and methods for digitally accompanied delivery of delivery items, such as mail or packages. A delivery item has supporting digital data, such as electronic text, a digital file, an image, a web page(s), or the like. The delivery item includes an indicia, such as a bar code, that provides access to, or references, the digital resource. When the delivery item is processed during transit from the sender to the recipient of the delivery item, the indicia is scanned, read, and/or decoded, and the supporting digital data is identified therefrom. The delivery service transmits, to the recipient, an electronic notification indicating or including at least part of the supporting digital data. The notification may include information about the enroute status of the delivery item. The recipient may access the delivery item's supporting digital data, e.g., as included directly in the notification or via a link provided with the notification, etc.