IP Library Granted Patent US 11,386,386
Granted Patent B2
US 11,386,386 · App. 14/801,345 · Granted Jul 12, 2022

Systems and methods for creating and using a hybrid-digital mailbox

Inventors: Chandra A. Briggman (Springfield, VA); Jane Elizabeth Quenk (Washington, DC); Timothy M. Moran (National Harbor, MD); Thomas J. Foti (Annandale, VA); Bob Dixon, Jr. (Washington, DC)
Assignee: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
G06Q10/0833G06Q10/083G06Q10/1093H04L51/22H04L51/34G06Q10/10H04L51/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,386,386
App. No.
14/801,345
Granted
Jul 12, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium are. In one embodiment, a method is provided for receiving tracking data regarding a delivery item, determining, based on the tracking data, whether supplemental content is associated with the delivery item, and automatically scheduling delivery of the supplemental content when supplemental content is associated with the delivery item.

Claims (63)

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor executing the instructions to:

obtain first tracking data regarding a delivery item to be delivered to a delivery point of a user;

extract data from an image of at least a portion of the delivery item;

determine, based on the extracted data, that the delivery item is an incoming bill having a due date for a payment;

identify, based on the first tracking data and the extracted data, supplemental content associated with the delivery item, the supplemental content comprising a physical supplemental content item and an electronic supplemental content item, the physical supplemental content item being different from the delivery item, the supplemental content generated from a digital advertising program managed through an administration panel;

generate, based on the first tracking data, an electronic command to automatically schedule delivery of the physical supplemental content item at the delivery point on a delivery date;

transmit, to a user device associated with the user, a first electronic command configured to cause the user device to present delivery information of the delivery item within a user interface, the delivery information including an estimated date of the delivery item;

transmit, to the user device, a second electronic command configured to cause the user device to present, within the user interface, the electronic supplemental content item to the user on the delivery date, the electronic supplemental content item being different from the delivery information; and

transmit, to the user device, a third electronic command configured to cause the user device to populate an electronic calendar with the due date.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to receive the first tracking data.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

scan a tracking identifier associated with the delivery item; and

generate the first tracking data based on the scanned tracking identifier.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electronic supplemental content item comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file, a graphical file, and a link to a webpage.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein an identifier of the electronic supplemental content item is selectable by a second user to cause display of the electronic supplemental content item in the user interface.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

receive second tracking data identifying a position of the physical supplemental content within a mail distribution network; and

determine the delivery date based on the second tracking data.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to:

identify the user based on the first tracking data;

accessing advertisement preferences for the user; and

select, for delivery, at least one of the physical supplemental content item or the electronic supplemental content item based on the advertisement preferences.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

obtaining, by at least one processor, first tracking data regarding a delivery item to be delivered to a delivery point of a user;

extracting data from an image of at least a portion of the delivery item;

determining, based on the extracted data, that the delivery item is an incoming bill having a due date for a payment;

based on the first tracking data and the extracted data, identifying, by the at least one processor, supplemental content associated with the delivery item, the supplemental content comprising a physical supplemental content item and an electronic supplemental content item, the physical supplemental content item being different from the delivery item, the supplemental content generated from a digital advertising program managed through an administration panel;

generating, based on the first tracking data, by the at least one processor, a first electronic command to automatically schedule delivery of the physical supplemental content item at the delivery point on a delivery date;

transmitting, by the at least one processor, a second electronic command configured to cause the user device to present delivery information of the delivery item within a user interface, the delivery information including an estimated date of the delivery item;

transmitting, by the at least one processor, to the user device, a third electronic command configured to cause the user device to present, within the user interface, the electronic supplemental content item to the user on the delivery date, the electronic supplemental content item being different from the delivery information; and

transmitting, to the user device, a fourth electronic command configured to cause the user device to populate an electronic calendar with the due date.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving the first tracking data.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

scanning a tracking identifier associated with the delivery item; and

generating the first tracking data based on the scanned tracking identifier.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the electronic supplemental content item comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file, a graphical file, and a link to a webpage.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein an identifier of the electronic supplemental content item is selectable by a second user to cause display of the electronic supplemental content item in the user interface.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

receiving second tracking data identifying a position of the physical supplemental content item within a mail distribution network; and

determining the delivery date based on the second tracking data.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

identifying the user based on the first tracking data;

accessing advertisement preferences for the user; and

selecting, for delivery, the physical supplemental content item or the electronic supplemental content item based on the advertisement preferences.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor executing the instructions to:

receive a request to generate a tracking identifier for a delivery item;

extract data from an image of at least a portion of the delivery item;

determine, based on the extracted data, that the delivery item is an incoming bill having a due date for a payment;

receive a selection of supplemental content to be associated with the delivery item, the supplemental content comprising a physical supplemental content item and an electronic supplemental content item, the physical supplemental content item being different from the delivery item, the supplemental content selected from a digital advertising program managed through an administration panel;

associate an identifier of the physical supplemental content item with the generated tracking identifier;

generate, based on the tracking identifier, an electronic command to automatically schedule delivery of the physical supplemental content item on a delivery date;

transmit, to a user device associated with a user, a first electronic command configured to cause the user device to present delivery information of the delivery item within a user interface, the delivery information including an estimated date of the delivery item;

transmit, based on the generated tracking identifier, to the user device, a second electronic command to present the electronic supplemental content item to the user within the user interface of a hybrid-digital mailbox on a delivery date, the electronic supplemental content item being different from the delivery information; and

transmit, to the user device, a third electronic command configured to cause the user device to populate an electronic calendar with the due date.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to generate the electronic command to automatically schedule a delivery date of the physical supplemental content item on the delivery date based on the generated tracking identifier.

17. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the electronic supplemental content item comprises at least one of a video file, an audio file, a graphical file, and a link to a webpage.

18. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to receive the request to generate the tracking identifier from the user via the user interface.

19. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to receive, from the user via the user interface, a selection of the physical supplemental content item for association with the delivery item.

20. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the processor further executes the instructions to store, in a database, the identifier of the physical supplemental content item and the generated tracking identifier.

Continuity (4)
Continuation 13619074 · Sep 14, 2012
Provisional Application 61618329 · Mar 30, 2012
Provisional Application 61535686 · Sep 16, 2011
Related Publication 20150324743A1 · Nov 12, 2015