System and method for processing package delivery

Abstract

A method for processing packages is provided. A package is received at an intermediate shipping site and a delivery authorization status corresponding to the package is determined. The package is delivered if the authorization status is that delivery is acceptable and the package is not delivered if the authorization status is that delivery is not acceptable.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for processing packages, the method comprising: 
 receiving a package at an intermediate shipping site;    determining a delivery authorization status corresponding to the package; and    delivering the package if the authorization status is that delivery is acceptable and not delivering the package if the authorization status is that delivery is not acceptable.    
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status comprises: 
 receiving a message; and    determining, from the message, message information comprising at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package.    
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a message from a sender of the package.  
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a message from an addressee of the package.  
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status comprises: 
 determining, from the received package, package information comprising at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, and an identification of the package.    
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status further comprises: 
 determining the delivery authorization status as delivery is acceptable if the package information matches the message information.    
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status further comprises: 
 determining the delivery authorization status as delivery is acceptable if the determined sender identification matches one of a plurality of predefined senders and determining the authorization status as delivery is not acceptable if the determined sender identification does not match any of the plurality of predefined senders.    
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein receiving a message comprises receiving an e-mail message.  
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status comprises: 
 parsing the e-mail message into at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein receiving a message comprises receiving a first e-mail message from a sender of the package and a second e-mail message from an addressee of the package.  
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 10 , wherein determining a delivery authorization status comprises: 
 determining, from the first e-mail message, at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package;    determining, from the second e-mail message, at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, and an identification of the package;    determining, from the second e-mail message, a delivery authorization status as either delivery is acceptable or delivery is not acceptable; and    designating the package for delivery if the information determined from the first email message matches the information determined from the second e-mail message and if the delivery authorization status determined from the second e-mail message is delivery is acceptable.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising storing at least one of following: the delivery authorization status, the sender identification, the addressee identification, the package identification, and the projected delivery date of the package.  
     
     
         13 . A method for processing packages, the method comprising: 
 receiving information identifying an expected package;    receiving a package;    determining identifying information from the received package;    comparing the information identifying the expected package to the identifying information from the received package; and    designating the package for delivery if the information identifying the expected package matches the identifying information from the received package.    
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising: 
 designating the package for non-delivery if the information identifying the expected package does not match the identifying information from the received package.    
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for determining a delivery authorization status corresponding to a received package, the instructions, when executed on a processor, causing the processor to perform the following: 
 receiving information identifying the received package;    receiving information identifying an expected package;    comparing the information identifying the expected package to the information identifying the received package; and    designating the package for delivery if the information identifying the expected package matches the information identifying the received package.    
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform designating the package for non-delivery if the information identifying the expected package does not match the information identifying the received package.  
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein receiving information identifying the received package comprises receiving information from one of a user interface and a bar code scanner.  
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein receiving information identifying the received package comprises receiving package information comprising at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, the addressee of the package, and an identification of the package.  
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein receiving information identifying an expected package comprises receiving an e-mail message.  
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 19 , wherein information identifying an expected package further comprises determining, from the e-mail message, information comprising at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package.  
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 19 , wherein receiving an e-mail message comprises receiving an e-mail message from a sender of the package.  
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 19 , wherein receiving an e-mail message comprises receiving an e-mail message from an addressee of the package.  
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform: 
 determining a sender of the package;    comparing the sender of the package to a plurality of predefined senders; and    designating the delivery authorization status as delivery is acceptable if the determined package sender matches one of the plurality of predefined senders and designating the delivery authorization status as delivery is not acceptable if the determined package sender does not match any of the plurality of predefined senders.    
     
     
         24 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 19 , wherein receiving information identifying an expected package comprises: 
 parsing the e-mail message into at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package.    
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 15 , wherein receiving information identifying the received package and receiving information identifying an expected package comprises receiving a first e-mail message from a sender of the package and a second e-mail message from an addressee of the package.  
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 25 , receiving information identifying the received package and receiving information identifying an expected package comprises: 
 determining, from the first e-mail message, at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, an identification of the package, and a projected delivery date of the package;    determining, from the second e-mail message, at least one of the following: an identification of the sender of the package, an identification of the addressee of the package, and an identification of the package;    determining, from the second e-mail message, a delivery authorization status as either delivery is acceptable or delivery is not acceptable; and    designating the package for delivery if the information determined from the first email message matches the information determined from the second e-mail message and if the delivery authorization status determined from the second e-mail message is delivery is acceptable.    
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to perform storing at least one of following: the authorization status, the sender identification, the addressee identification, the package identification, and the projected delivery date of the package.  
     
     
         28 . A system for determining a delivery authorization status corresponding to a received package, the system comprising: 
 a user interface; and    a processor in communication with the user interface, wherein the processor: 
 receives information identifying the received package;  
 receives information identifying an expected package;  
 compares the information identifying the expected package to the information identifying the received package; and  
 designates the package for delivery if the information identifying the expected package matches the information identifying the received package.