System and method for logistics network utilizing mobile device location information

Abstract

Technology is disclosed for enabling an efficient logistics network based on mobile device location data. The technology does not necessarily need the street house numbers as delivery or pickup addresses, which are not available in some areas of the world. The location data (e.g., GPS coordinates) of the customers' mobile devices are used to suggest the logistics delivery and pickup locations. Drivers of the logistics network are equipped with logistics driver devices connected to a logistics data server for retrieving the location data. Guided by the location data, the drivers reach the target locations for the delivery or pickup tasks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for conducting a logistics operation for a delivery between two users, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a logistics data server, a delivery request from a first mobile device associated with a first user, the delivery request including location data of the first mobile device and an identification of a second user;   identifying, by the logistics data server, a second mobile device associated with the identification of the second user;   sending, by the logistics data server, a confirmation request to the second mobile device requesting the second mobile device to confirm the delivery request;   sending, by the logistics data server, a job request to a logistics driver device associated with a logistics driver, the job request including location data of the first and second mobile devices and time windows for picking up and delivering;   sending, by the logistics data server, a pickup confirmation to the first and second mobile devices in response to the logistics data server receiving a message from the logistics driver device indicating that a package has been picked up from the first user; and   sending, by the logistics data server, a delivery confirmation to the first and second mobile devices in response to the logistics data server receiving a message from the logistics driver device indicating that the package has been delivered to the second user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein street house numbers are not available for the location of the first or second user or the street house numbers are not used for the delivery, and the location data of the first and second mobile devices include satellite navigation system coordinates and do not include street house number. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the location data of the first and second mobile device further include assisted GPS information, cellphone network information, WiFi network information, or a textual information for performing the delivery. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, in a user location database of the logistics data server, the location data of the first mobile device as a candidate location for expediting future delivery or pickup requests.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, by the logistics data server, whether to accept and conduct the delivery request based on the location data of the mobile devices, the time windows for picking up and delivering, and the information of the package;   generating, by the logistics data server, a price quote based on the location data of the first and second mobile devices, the time windows for picking up and delivering, and weight and size information of the package;   sending, by the logistics data server, a price quote to the first or second mobile device depending on a determination on whether the first user or the second user is responsible for paying the logistics cost; and   receiving, by the logistics data server, a price quote acceptance message from the first or second mobile device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, by the logistics data server, a rejection message to the first mobile device indicating that the delivery request has been rejected, in response to a message from the second mobile device rejecting the delivery request.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the job request sent to the logistics driver device includes an instruction to insert a pickup task and a delivery task to the logistics driver's routing schedule. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the job request to the logistics driver device includes an instruction for the logistics driver device to prompt the logistics driver to collect a cash on delivery. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second users are a seller and a buyer on an internet consumer-to-consumer auction website. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing, by the logistics data server, a textual or audio communication channel between the first mobile device and the logistics driver device in response to an inquiry from the logistics driver regarding pickup of the package.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 establishing, by the logistics data server, a textual or audio communication channel between the second mobile device and the logistics driver device in response to an inquiry from the logistics driver regarding delivery of the package.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method for conducting a logistics operation for an order delivery, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a logistics data server, a message including a customer's order and location data of a mobile device of the customer;   storing, in a user location database of the logistics data server, the location data of the mobile device as a location entry associated with an identification of the customer;   receiving, at the logistics data server from a logistics driver device, a location inquiry indicating that the e-commerce server has tendered the package to the logistics driver and that the logistics driver needs location information to fulfil the delivery task of the order;   sending, from the logistics data server to the logistics driver device, the location data of the mobile device of the customer as the location information to fulfil a delivery task; and   receiving, at the logistics data server from the logistics driver device, a confirmation that delivery task has been completed.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein street house numbers are not available for where the customer locates or the street house numbers are not used for the delivery task, and the location data of the mobile device include satellite navigation system coordinates and do not include street house number. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the order is an online purchase order with an e-commerce server placed by the customer using the mobile device, and the method further comprises relaying the online purchase order to the e-commerce server. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the customer has placed the order through a mobile logistics application running on the mobile device, and the customer has confirmed to send out the location data through the mobile logistics application. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein customer or the mobile logistics application identify whether the location is categorized as residence location, work location, or school location, and the user location database stores the categorization associated with the location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the logistics data server, a preferred delivery time window from the mobile device of the customer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the identification of the customer includes a cellphone number of the mobile device, a name of the customer, a customer ID number of the customer, a government-issued ID number of the customer, or an identification of location of the mobile device of the customer. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 sending all location entries stored in the user location database associated with the identification of the customer, including the location data of the mobile device of the customer, to the logistics driver device.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the logistics data server from the logistics driver device, the location information of the logistics driver device when the logistics driver device is successfully delivered; and   storing, in the user location database of the logistics data server, the received location information of the logistics driver device as a confirmed location entry associated with the identification of the customer.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 sending, from the logistics data server to the mobile device of the customer, a current location of the logistics driver device in response to a delivery status inquiry.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 predicting, by the logistics data server, a location and a time that the customer is likely to receive the delivery based on a historical order and delivery information associated with the customer.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 inserting a delivery task into a routing schedule of the logistics driver device based on the predicted location and the predicted time.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 relaying to the logistics driver device the customer's textual message that includes latest information required to perform the delivery.   
     
     
         25 . A computer-implemented method for conducting a logistics operation for an order return process, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a logistics data server, a return message indicating that a customer has used a mobile device to initiate an order return process with an e-commerce server and location data of the mobile device;   storing, in a user location database of the logistics data server, the location data of the mobile device as a location entry associated with an identification of the customer;   receiving, at the logistics data server from a logistics driver device, a location inquiry indicating that the e-commerce server has approved the order return process and that the logistics driver needs location information to fulfil a pickup task of the order return process;   sending, from the logistics data server to the logistics driver device, the location data of the mobile device of the customer as the location information to fulfil the pickup task; and   receiving, at the logistics data server from the logistics driver device, a confirmation that pickup task has been completed.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein street house numbers are not available for where the customer locates or the street house numbers are not used for the order return process, and the location data of the mobile device include satellite navigation system coordinates and do not include street house number. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the return message further indicates that the pickup location is the same as a delivery address of an original purchase order associated with the order return process, and wherein the logistics data server relays the delivery address of the original purchase order to the logistics driver device for efficient pickup. 
     
     
         28 . A computing device for conducting an efficient logistics process in an area that does not have street house numbers, the computing device comprising:
 means for receiving an online purchase order from a mobile device of a user, the online purchase order including current location data of the mobile device as delivery information of the online purchase order;   means for communicating with a logistics driver device to guide a logistics driver to reach a location of the mobile device of the user;   means for confirming a validity of the current location data of the mobile device in response to a delivery confirmation from the logistics driver device;   means for storing the current location data of the mobile device as a confirmed location entry associated with the user in a user location database; and   means for relaying the delivery confirmation to the mobile device of the user.   
     
     
         29 . The computing device of  claim 28 , wherein street house numbers are not available for where the user locates or the street house numbers are not used for the logistics process, and the location data of the mobile device include satellite navigation system coordinates and do not include street house number. 
     
     
         30 . The computing device of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 means for labeling the current location data of the mobile device by a location category.