| US 7,516,889 B2 | ||
| Systems and methods for package sortation and delivery using radio frequency identification technology | ||
| Anthony Baldassari, Denville, N.J. (US); Duane Anderson, Cockeysville, Md. (US); and Robert Peters, Atlanta, Ga. (US) | ||
| Assigned to United Parcel Service of America, Inc., Atlanta, Ga. (US) | ||
| Filed on Aug. 16, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/464,985. | ||
| Application 11/464985 is a division of application No. 10/439672, filed on May 16, 2003, granted, now 7,118,034. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/381485, filed on May 16, 2002. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2007/0012602 A1, Jan. 18, 2007 | ||
| Int. Cl. G06K 15/00 (2006.01); G06F 17/00 (2006.01); G06F 19/00 (2006.01); G06Q 30/00 (2006.01); G06Q 90/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 235—383 [235/385; 235/375; 235/487] | 9 Claims |
| 1. A method comprising:
scanning, via a scanner, a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag on a package to generate scanned data including a package
identifier;
transmitting the scanned data including the package identifier to a hub control system remote from the scanner;
receiving the scanned data including the package identifier at the hub control system;
in response to receiving the scanned data at the hub control system for which package information can be determined by the
hub control system:
(a) generating a handling instruction for the package by the hub control system, and
(b) transmitting the handling instruction from the hub control system to machine controllers associated with conveyors and
sorting devices along a sortation path,
in response to receiving scanned data at the hub control system for which no package information can be determined by the
hub control system:
(a) transmitting the package identifier from the hub control system to an indexed data server,
(b) receiving the package identifier at the indexed data server,
(c) accessing, via the indexed data server, a package information database containing package information indicating destinations
of packages identified by package identifiers,
(d) transmitting at least a portion of the package identifiers and corresponding destinations to the hub control system,
(e) generating a handling instruction for the package by the hub control system, and
(f) transmitting the handling instruction from the hub control system to machine controllers associated with conveyors and
sorting devices alone a sortation path, and
updating a package tracking database based on the hub control system delivering the package to a tip position in a hub facility.
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