Systems and methods for confirming an identity of an individual

Abstract

Systems, according to various embodiments, are adapted to use any of a variety of different techniques to identify an individual. In particular embodiments, the system is adapted to, at least partially in response to confirming the identity of a consignee of a parcel, provide the consignee with access to an assigned location. In particular embodiments, the system may use the current or past location of the consignee, or information from one or more objects physically associated with the consignee (e.g., a portable computing device or an electronic or paper info notice) to verify the consignee's identity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for confirming the identity of an individual prior to completing one or more actions, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a computing device, a first request for completion of one or more actions at an assigned location;   at least partially in response to receiving the first request, confirming an identity, by a processor, of a particular individual as an individual authorized to complete the one or more actions at the assigned location, wherein confirming the identity of the individual comprises:   obtaining, by a processor, identifying information comprising the particular individual's mobile phone number and utilizing the particular individual's mobile phone number to obtain a current physical location of the individual's mobile phone, wherein the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone is compared to the assigned location;   determining that the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone and the assigned location are the same;   at least partially in response to confirming the identity of the individual, confirming the individual is authorized to compete the one or more actions at the assigned location; and   authorizing the individual to perform the one or more actions at the assigned location.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is associated with a locker bank location. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the first request is a request to deliver one or more parcels to one or more lockers located at the locker bank location. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more parcels are placed in a particular of the one or more lockers at the locker bank location. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein a second request is received to complete one or more additional actions at the assigned location. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the second request includes a request to retrieve one or more parcels delivered to the assigned location. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more parcels are released from an interior storage volume of the particular one or more lockers, wherein the release of the one or more parcels from the particular one of the one or more lockers to comprises automatically unlocking a secure door of the particular one of the one or more lockers containing the one or more parcels to provide the individual with access to an interior of the particular one of the one or more parcels. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, from a consignee, a third request to view tracking information associated with the one or more parcels and displaying the tracking information and a location of the locker bank to the consignee. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the consignee is associated with a consignee account associated with a carrier responsible for handling the one or more parcels; and   the method further comprises notifying the consignee via the consignee account of the delivery of the one or more parcels to the locker bank location.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the notification to the consignee comprises a machine-readable indicia, the machine-readable indicia being associated with the one or more parcels and the consignee account.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 confirming the identity of the individual further comprises:
 receiving one or more pieces of package level detail information associated with the one or more parcels; 
 reading, via a card reader associated with the locker box computing device for the particular locker bank location, an identification card associated with the individual; 
 verifying an authenticity of the identification card; 
 determining one or more pieces of identifying information associated with the individual; and 
 comparing the one or more pieces of package level detail information with the one or more pieces of identifying information. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the one or more pieces of package level detail information comprise a first name of the consignee, a last name of the consignee, and an address of the consignee;   the one or more pieces of identifying information comprise a first name of the individual, a last name of the individual, and an address of the consignee; and   the threshold number is two pieces of the one or more pieces of package level detail information and the one or more pieces of identifying information.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein confirming the identity of the consignee comprises:
 receiving original delivery location information for the parcel;   receiving geographic history information for the consignee, the geographic history information comprising information regarding one or more locations visited by the consignee in the past on a regular basis;   using the original delivery location information and the geographic history information to determine whether the consignee has visited the original delivery location on a regular basis; and   confirming the identity of the consignee.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 8 , wherein confirming the identity of the consignee comprises:
 receiving a current location of the consignee from a social media account associated with the consignee;   using the current location of the consignee to confirm that the consignee is at the suitable locker bank location; and   confirming the identity of the consignee.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
 receiving, from a computing device, a request for completion of one or more actions at an assigned location;   at least partially in response to receiving the request, confirming an identity, by a processor, of a particular individual as an individual authorized to complete the one or more actions at the assigned location, wherein confirming the identity of the individual comprises:   obtaining, by a processor, identifying information comprising the particular individual's mobile phone number and utilizing the particular individual's mobile phone number to obtain a current physical location of the individual's mobile phone, wherein the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone is compared to the assigned location;   determining that the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone and the assigned location are the same;   at least partially in response to confirming the identity of the individual, confirming the individual is authorized to compete the one or more actions at the assigned location; and   authorizing the individual to perform the one or more actions at the assigned location.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:
 receiving, via a card reader associated with the locker bank computing device, input of an identification card associated with the individual, the card reader comprising at least one camera adapted to capture an image of a card and at least one processor adapted to use optical character recognition techniques to read data from the card, in response to receiving the input of the identification card: 
 verifying an authenticity of the identification card; and 
 determining, one or more pieces of identifying information associated with the individual; and 
 confirming the identity of the individual further comprises comparing the one or more pieces of package level detail information with the one or more pieces of identifying information. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions confirming the identity of the individual further comprises that comprises:
 comparing one or more pieces of package level detail information with the one or more pieces of identifying information; 
 determining whether at least a threshold number of the one or more pieces of identifying information are substantially similar to the one or more pieces of package level detail information; and 
 confirming the identity of the individual. 
   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the individual is a consignee; and   the non-transitory computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:
 determining, based at least in part on the one or more pieces of package level detail information, whether the consignee is associated with a consignee account associated with a carrier responsible for handling the parcel; and 
 automatically confirming the identity of the individual. 
   
     
     
         19 . A computer system for facilitating release of a parcel to a consignee comprising:
 at least one processor, wherein the computer system is configured for:   receiving, from a computing device, a request for completion of one or more actions at an assigned location;   at least partially in response to receiving the request, confirming an identity, by a processor, of a particular individual as an individual authorized to complete the one or more actions at the assigned location, wherein confirming the identity of the individual comprises:   obtaining, by a processor, identifying information comprising the particular individual's mobile phone number and utilizing the particular individual's mobile phone number to obtain a current physical location of the individual's mobile phone, wherein the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone is compared to the assigned location;   determining that the current physical location of the individual's mobile phone and the assigned location are the same;   at least partially in response to confirming the identity of the individual, confirming the individual is authorized to compete the one or more actions at the assigned location;   authorizing the individual to perform the one or more actions at the assigned location; and   providing access to the assigned location to complete the one or more actions.   
     
     
         20 . The computer system of  claim 19 , wherein the computer system is further configured for:
 providing a PIN number to the individual by transmitting the PIN number using the mobile telephone number;   receiving input of the PIN number from the individual; and   facilitating the completion of the one or more actions at the assigned location based on the input of the PIN number.