Crowdsourced delivery based on a set of requirements

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to creating a crowdsourced delivery plan. In some embodiments, a system for creating a crowdsourced delivery plan for a package comprises a certification system configured to receive, from a retailer, an indication of items included in the package, determine, based on the indication of items included in the package, a set of requirements, and transmit, to a plurality of portable devices, information regarding the delivery, each of the plurality of portable devices configured to receive, from the certification system, the information regarding the delivery, transmit, to the certification system, an acceptance of the delivery, wherein only ones of the plurality of portable devices associated with delivery agents meeting the set of requirements is capable of acceptance of the delivery, receive, in response to the transmission of the acceptance, an authorization, and present, at a pickup point, the authorization.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for creating a crowdsourced delivery plan for a package, the system comprising:
 a database configured to store requirements for deliveries;   a physical retrieval location at a retailer, the retailer controlling access to the package by delivery agents;   a certification system comprising one or more processors, the certification system configured to:
 receive, from the retailer electronically, an indication of items included in the package; 
 determine, based on the indication of items included in the package and access to the database, a set of requirements required of delivery agents by the retailer, wherein the set of requirements dictate certifications required of delivery agents to deliver the package, the set of requirements for delivery agents determined, at least in part, by including any requirements corresponding to each of the items in the package; 
 transmit, via a communications network to a plurality of mobile devices electronically, information regarding the delivery, wherein the information regarding the delivery includes the physical retrieval location for the items included in the package; 
 receive, from a mobile device corresponding to a delivery agent, an acceptance of the delivery; 
 transmit, via the communications network electronically in response to the receipt of the acceptance of the delivery, an authorization to the mobile device corresponding to the delivery agent; 
 receive presentation of the authorization at the retailer by the delivery agent, who will make the delivery. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the certification system is further configured to:
 determine, based on a comparison of the physical retrieval location at the retailer with a current location of the mobile device of the delivery agent who will make the delivery upon presentation of the authorization, whether the current location is consistent with the physical retrieval location.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the certification system is further configured to:
 in response to a determination that the current location is consistent with the physical retrieval location, allow the delivery agent who will make the delivery to physically retrieve the items included in the package; and   in response to a determination that the current location is not consistent with the physical retrieval location, prohibit physical retrieval of the items included in the package.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein only ones of the plurality of mobile devices associated with delivery agents having the required certifications are capable of acceptance of the delivery. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the certification system is further configured to:
 determine, from a list of delivery agents based on the set of requirements, the delivery agents meeting the set of requirements, wherein the transmission of the information regarding the delivery is only to the ones of the plurality of mobile devices associated with the delivery agents meeting the set of requirements.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of mobile devices is further configured to:
 determine whether a delivery agent associated with one of the plurality of mobile devices meets the set of requirements; and   in response to a determination that the delivery agent associated with the one of the plurality of mobile devices meets the set of requirements, present, via the one of the plurality of mobile devices, the information regarding the delivery; and   in response to a determination that the delivery agent associated with the one of the plurality of mobile devices does not meet the set of requirements, not present the information regarding the delivery.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein controlled access to the package at the retrieval location is automated and the package is automatically delivered to the delivery agent in response to presentation of the authorization. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the certification system is further configured to:
 determine a current location of an intended recipient of the package to be delivered by the delivery agent;   in response to a determination that the current location of the intended recipient is consistent with a location for delivery of the package, transmit a confirmation to the delivery agent to deliver the package; and   in response to a determination that the current location of the intended recipient is not consistent with the location for delivery of the package, transmit an instruction to the delivery agent to not proceed with delivery of the package.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the delivery agents has one or more certifications and the one or more certifications are maintained as data in one or more blocks of a blockchain system, wherein each of the one or more blocks contains a hash of at least some of the data, and wherein the one or more blocks are accessible by at least one of the certification system and the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the delivery agents has one or more certifications and the certifications include one or more of age, ratings, ability to use one or more of the items, ability to install one or more of the items, criminal history, medical history, type of vehicle used for delivery, length of delivery experience, and education. 
     
     
         11 . A method for creating a crowdsourced delivery plan for a package, the method comprising:
 storing, in a database, requirements for deliveries;   providing a physical retrieval location at a retailer, the retailer controlling access to the package by delivery agents;   by a certification system comprising one or more processors:
 receiving, from the retailer electronically, an indication of items included in the package; 
 determining, based on the indication of items included in the package and access to the database, a set of requirements required of delivery agents by the retailer, wherein the set of requirements dictate certifications required of delivery agents to deliver the package, the set of requirements for delivery agents determined, at least in part, by including any requirements corresponding to each of the items in the package; 
 transmitting, via a communications network to a plurality of mobile devices electronically, information regarding the delivery, wherein the information regarding the delivery includes the physical retrieval location for the items included in the package; 
 receiving, from a mobile device corresponding to a delivery agent, an acceptance of the delivery; 
 transmitting, via the communications network electronically in response to the receipt of the acceptance of the delivery, an authorization to the mobile device corresponding to the delivery agent; 
 receiving presentation of the authorization at the retailer by the delivery agent, who will make the delivery. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the certification system:
 determining, based on a comparison of the physical retrieval location at the retailer with a current location of the mobile device of the delivery agent who will make the delivery upon presentation of the authorization, whether the current location is consistent with the physical retrieval location.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, by the certification system:
 in response to a determination that the current location is consistent with the physical retrieval location, allowing the delivery agent who will make the delivery to physically retrieve the items included in the package; and   in response to a determination that the current location is not consistent with the physical retrieval location, prohibiting physical retrieval of the items included in the package.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein only ones of the plurality of mobile devices associated with delivery agents having the required certifications are capable of acceptance of the delivery. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the certification system:
 determining, from a list of delivery agents based on the set of requirements, the delivery agents meeting the set of requirements, wherein the transmission of the information regarding the delivery is only to the ones of the plurality of mobile devices associated with the delivery agents meeting the set of requirements.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 determining, by each of the plurality of mobile devices, whether a delivery agent associated with one of the plurality of mobile devices meets the set of requirements; and   in response to a determination that the delivery agent associated with the one of the plurality of mobile devices meets the set of requirements, presenting, via the one of the plurality of mobile devices, the information regarding the delivery; and   in response to a determination that the delivery agent associated with the one of the plurality of mobile devices does not meet the set of requirements, not presenting the information regarding the delivery.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein controlled access to the package at the retrieval location is automated and the package is automatically delivered to the delivery agent in response to presentation of the authorization. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, by the certification system:
 determining a current location of an intended recipient of the package to be delivered by the delivery agent;   in response to a determination that the current location of the intended recipient is consistent with a location for delivery of the package, transmitting a confirmation to the delivery agent to deliver the package; and   in response to a determination that the current location of the intended recipient is not consistent with the location for delivery of the package, transmitting an instruction to the delivery agent to not proceed with delivery of the package.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the delivery agents has one or more certifications and the one or more certifications are maintained as data in one or more blocks of a blockchain system, wherein each of the one or more blocks contains a hash of at least some of the data, and wherein the one or more blocks are accessible by at least one of the certification system and the plurality of mobile devices. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the delivery agents has one or more certifications and the certifications include one or more of age, ratings, ability to use one or more of the items, ability to install one or more of the items, criminal history, medical history, type of vehicle used for delivery, length of delivery experience, and education.