Method for providing a shortcut to shipping information

Abstract

A method and system are provided for a user to determine the status of a shipment being transported by a carrier. The user performs a transaction at a web site, and chooses a type of shipment. A file in markup language includes at least one link to shipment tracking information, and this file is provided to the user and saved locally at a user device. The user activates the file to check the shipping status, which is then displayed. In this way, the user is able to access aggregated shipping information from a plurality of carriers. Also, the user is able to obtain pinpoint shipping status, if the user needs more details than merely finding out a checkpoint through which a shipment has passed.

1 . A method for a user to find pinpoint status of a shipment being transported by a carrier, comprising the steps of: 
 clicking on a shipment pinpoint symbol on a computer screen;    connecting automatically to an Internet or private network, if a connection is not already established;    sending automatically a shipping pinpoint inquiry to the carrier via the Internet or private network;    requesting a pinpoint location of the shipment in response to the shipping status inquiry; and    receiving the requested pinpoint location of the shipment to the computer screen,    wherein the pinpoint location identifies a position between checkpoints at each of which shipment presence is monitored regardless of user inquiries.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shipment pinpoint symbol is an icon of a file, in a markup language, including a tracking code of the shipment.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shipment pinpoint symbol is provided to the computer screen in conjunction with a shipment checkpoint symbol, and 
 wherein the shipment checkpoint symbol is for obtaining information as to the presence of at least one of the checkpoints.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the step of providing the pinpoint shipping status information to the computer screen is performed later than a certain time after the step of sending automatically the shipping pinpoint inquiry, due to a delay, then a user of the computer screen is compensated for the delay.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the position is separate from all of the checkpoints.  
   
   
       6 . A method for providing a user the status of a shipment being transported by a carrier, comprising the steps of: 
 processing a user transaction at a web site;    receiving a type of shipment selection;    creating a file that includes markup language and that includes at least one link to shipment tracking information;    providing the file to the user for storage locally at a user device;    receiving a check status request from the file after the file is activated; and    providing the status to the user.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the status indicates a position between checkpoints at each of which shipment presence is monitored regardless of user inquiries, and wherein the position is separate from all the checkpoints.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of: 
 replacing or modifying the file to create an improved file; and    activating the improved file to check an additional status of an additional shipment being transported by an additional carrier.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of replacing or modifying the file is implemented at least partly by a program stored in the user device.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of replacing or modifying the file is implemented at least partly by a third party.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of replacing or modifying the file is implemented at least partly by the carrier or by the additional carrier.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the shipment tracking information is for a plurality of shipments being transported by a plurality of carriers.  
   
   
       13 . A system for a user to obtain via Internet or other network, a pinpoint status of a shipment being transported by a carrier, comprising; 
 a server computer for providing to a user computer a clickable shipment pinpoint symbol that triggers a shipping pinpoint inquiry to a carrier; and    a shipping location tracker device, responsive to the shipping pinpoint inquiry, for providing the pinpoint status to the user computer via the Internet or private network;    wherein the pinpoint status identifies a position between two checkpoints at each of which shipment presence is monitored regardless of user inquiries.    
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the shipment pinpoint symbol is an icon of a file, in a markup language, including a tracking code of the shipment.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the shipment pinpoint symbol is provided to the computer screen in conjunction with a shipment checkpoint symbol, and 
 wherein the shipment checkpoint symbol is for obtaining information as to the presence of at least one of the checkpoints.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the position is separate from all of the checkpoints.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 determining if the position indicates arrival at a delivery checkpoint; and    if the position indicates arrival at the delivery checkpoint, modifying the file, in a markup language, to remove the tracking code of the shipment.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of: 
 determining if the position indicates arrival at a delivery checkpoint; and    if the position indicates arrival at the delivery checkpoint, prompting the user to determine whether to remove the tracking code of the shipment.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the steps of: 
 determining if the position indicates arrival at a delivery checkpoint; and    if the position indicates arrival at the delivery checkpoint, modifying the file, in a markup language, to remove the tracking code of the shipment.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of modifying the file is implemented at least partly by a program stored in the user device.