Peer-based mobile computing entity management system

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to systems and methods for engaging a service provider to perform a delivery service to redirect a shipment to be delivered to an alternative intended destination upon receipt of a redirection request. Based on a monitored current location of a last mile delivery vehicle scheduled to deliver the shipment to an initial intended destination, a computing entity monitors the location of available service providers capable of meeting the last mile delivery vehicle to pick up the shipment and transport the shipment to the alternative intended destination. The computing entity may engage one of the service providers by transmitting a signal to a mobile computing entity carried by the service provider and may monitor the service provider's progress in meeting the last mile delivery vehicle and transporting the shipment to the alternative intended destination.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for engaging a service provider to perform a location-specific service involving an item, the method comprising steps for:
 receiving a request to deliver an item located on a delivery vehicle traversing an assigned vehicle route to an alternative destination, wherein an initial destination for the item is on the assigned vehicle route;   in response to determining that additional fuel the delivery vehicle would expend by altering the assigned vehicle route to deliver the item to the alternative destination is greater than a threshold amount of fuel, initiating a plan to handoff the item to a service provider for delivery to the alternative destination;   monitoring, based at least in part on location data received from the delivery vehicle, a location of the delivery vehicle;   monitoring a location of one or more service providers;   identifying one or more potential meet locations and corresponding potential meet times;   comparing the location of one or more service providers against the one or more potential meet locations and corresponding meet times to identify one or more eligible service providers, wherein the one or more eligible service providers are identified as capable of traveling to at least one potential meet location by a corresponding potential meet time;   electronically communicating with a service provider computing entity associated with one of the one or more eligible service providers to engage the service provider to deliver the item to the alternative destination;   transmitting one or more signals to the delivery vehicle indicating a meet location and corresponding meet time identified as one of the one or more potential meet locations for which the service provider is capable of traveling to by the corresponding potential meet time; and   transferring the item to the service provider based on the meet location and meet time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using identity verification data configured to enable a virtual handshake between the delivery vehicle and the service provider computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating that the item has been transferred to the service provider; and   monitoring the location of the service provider while the service provider transports the item.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service provider computing entity is a mobile computing entity carried by a service provider operator associated with a service provider vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein monitoring the location of one or more service providers comprises:
 querying a database of item data corresponding to a plurality of items to identify characteristics of the item;   querying a database of available service providers based at least in part on a portion of the characteristics of the item to identify one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination; and   monitoring the location of one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting the meet location and the corresponding meet time to a the mobile computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         7 . A system for engaging a service provider to perform a location-specific service involving an item, the system comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more computer processors, the system configured to:
 receive a request to deliver an item located on a delivery vehicle traversing an assigned vehicle route to an alternative destination, wherein an initial destination for the item is on the assigned vehicle route;   in response to determining that an amount of additional energy the delivery vehicle would expend by altering the assigned vehicle route to deliver the item to the alternative destination is greater than a threshold amount of energy, initiate a plan to handoff the item to a service provider for delivery to the alternative destination;   monitor, based at least in part on location data received from the delivery vehicle, a location of the delivery vehicle;   monitor a location of one or more service providers;   identify one or more potential meet locations and corresponding potential meet times;   compare the location of one or more service providers against the one or more potential meet locations and corresponding meet times to identify one or more eligible service providers, wherein the one or more eligible service providers are identified as capable of traveling to at least one potential meet location by a corresponding potential meet time;   electronically communicate with a service provider computing entity associated with one of the one or more eligible service providers to engage the service provider to deliver the item to the alternative destination;   transmit one or more signals to the delivery vehicle indicating a meet location and corresponding meet time identified as one of the one or more potential meet locations for which the service provider is capable of traveling to by the corresponding potential meet time; and   transfer the item to the service provider based on the meet location and meet time.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising using identity verification data configured to enable a virtual handshake between the delivery vehicle and the service provider computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further configured to:
 receive transfer data indicating that the item has been transferred to the service provider; and   monitor the location of the service provider while the service provider transports the item.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the additional energy is fuel consumed. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the transmitting one or more signals to the delivery vehicle comprises transmitting one or more signals to a mobile computing entity carried by a delivery vehicle operator associated with the delivery vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein monitoring the location of one or more service providers comprises:
 querying a database of item data corresponding to a plurality of items to identify characteristics of the item;   querying a database of available service providers based at least in part on a portion of the characteristics of the item to identify one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination; and   monitoring the location of one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting the meet location and the corresponding meet time to a the mobile computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         14 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-readable program code stored therein, that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method of engaging a service provider to perform a location-specific service, the method comprising:
 receiving a request to deliver an item located on a delivery vehicle traversing an assigned vehicle route to an alternative destination, wherein an initial destination for the item is on the assigned vehicle route;   in response to determining that the an amount of additional energy the delivery vehicle would expend by altering the assigned vehicle route to deliver the item to the alternative destination is greater than a threshold amount of energy, initiating a plan to handoff the item to a service provider for delivery to the alternative destination;   monitoring, based at least in part on location data received from the delivery vehicle, a location of the delivery vehicle;   monitoring a location of one or more service providers;   identifying one or more potential meet locations and corresponding potential meet times;   comparing the location of one or more service providers against the one or more potential meet locations and corresponding meet times to identify one or more eligible service providers, wherein the one or more eligible service providers are identified as capable of traveling to at least one potential meet location by a corresponding potential meet time;   electronically communicating with a service provider computing entity associated with one of the one or more eligible service providers to engage the service provider to deliver the item to the alternative destination;   transmitting one or more signals to the delivery vehicle indicating a meet location and corresponding meet time identified as one of the one or more potential meet locations for which the service provider is capable of traveling to by the corresponding potential meet time; and   transferring the item to the service provider based on the meet location and meet time.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising using identity verification data configured to enable a virtual handshake between the delivery vehicle and the service provider computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving data indicating that the item has been transferred to the service provider; and   monitoring the location of the service provider while the service provider transports the item.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein transmitting one or more signals to the delivery vehicle comprises steps for transmitting one or more signals to a mobile computing entity carried by a delivery vehicle operator associated with the delivery vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein monitoring the location of one or more service providers comprises:
 querying a database of item data corresponding to a plurality of items to identify characteristics of the item;   querying a database of available service providers based at least in part on a portion of the characteristics of the item to identify one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination; and   monitoring the location of one or more service providers qualified to deliver the item to the alternative destination.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting the meet location and the corresponding meet time to a the mobile computing entity carried by the service provider. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 14 , wherein the additional energy is fuel consumed.