U.S. patent application number 14/224571 was filed with the patent office on 2014-07-24 for environmentally responsive shipping selection.
This patent application is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is International Business Machines Corporation. Invention is credited to Gregory J. Boss, Ulysses L. Cannon, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Ruthie D. Lyle, Anne R. Sand.
Application Number | 20140207700 14/224571 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42172723 |
Filed Date | 2014-07-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140207700 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Boss; Gregory J. ; et
al. |
July 24, 2014 |
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIVE SHIPPING SELECTION
Abstract
The selection of a shipping option responsive to an
environmental preference is enabled. A user may indicate a shipping
criteria preference including an environmental impact weighting. A
cost value of each of a plurality of shipping options is determined
including an environmental impact cost. A shipping option is
selected and implemented for a shipping of an item as a function of
the indicated environmental impact weighting. Each of the plurality
of shipping option cost values may be dynamically recalculated and
the status of at least one of the shipping options updated, the
updating determining a change in value a shipping option cost
value, an implemented selected shipping option changed to another
of the plurality of shipping options as a function of the status
updating.
Inventors: |
Boss; Gregory J.; (Saginaw,
MI) ; Cannon; Ulysses L.; (Durham, NC) ;
Hamilton, II; Rick A.; (Charlottesville, VA) ; Lyle;
Ruthie D.; (Durham, NC) ; Sand; Anne R.;
(Canon City, CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
International Business Machines Corporation |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation
Armonk
NY
|
Family ID: |
42172723 |
Appl. No.: |
14/224571 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
12271301 |
Nov 14, 2008 |
8738430 |
|
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14224571 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
705/330 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0601 20130101;
G06Q 30/0217 20130101; G06Q 30/0603 20130101; G06Q 50/28 20130101;
G06Q 90/00 20130101; G06Q 10/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/330 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 50/28 20060101
G06Q050/28 |
Claims
1. A method for enabling the selection of a shipping option
responsive to an environmental preference, comprising: selecting
and implementing via a central processing unit a highest ranked one
of a first ranked plurality of shipping options for a shipping of
an item, wherein the plurality of shipping options are ranked in a
first ranking as a function of shipping option cost values
determined for each of the shipping options from at least one of
environmental impact costs, shipping price costs and
time-to-delivery costs; dynamically recalculating the determined
cost values of at least one of the plurality of shipping options
during a shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one
of the first ranked plurality of shipping options; updating via the
central processing unit the ranking of the plurality of shipping
options to generate a second ranking of the shipping options that
is different from the first ranking in response to a change in
value of the recalculated at least one shipping option cost values;
and changing via the central processing unit the implemented
selected shipping option during the shipping of the item from the
highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality
of shipping options that is ranked higher in the second updated
ranking.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: integrating
computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising
the central processing unit, a computer readable memory and a
computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer readable
program code is embodied on the computer readable storage medium
and comprises instructions that, when executed by the central
processing unit via the computer readable memory, cause the central
processing unit to perform the steps of selecting and implementing
the highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping
options in the first ranking, dynamically recalculating the
determined cost values of the at least one of the plurality of
shipping options during the shipping of the item by the implemented
highest ranked one of the first ranked plurality of shipping
options, updating the ranking of the plurality of shipping options
to generate the second ranking of the shipping in response to the
change in value of the recalculated at least one shipping option
cost values; and changing the implemented selected shipping option
during the shipping of the item from the highest ranked one of the
first ranking to another of the plurality of shipping options that
is ranked higher in the second updated ranking.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:
notifying a user of the change in value of the at least one of the
determined shipping option cost values; presenting the updated
second ranking of the plurality of shipping options to the user;
and enabling the user to manually change the selected and
implemented shipping option during the shipping of the item to the
another of the presented shipping options in the updated second
ranking of the plurality of shipping options.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the updating via the central
processing unit the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to
generate the second ranking of the shipping options further
comprises: providing for an extended time period for responses of
shipping option cost values from shipping option entities after an
initial calculation and return of the first ranking of the shipping
options; discovering during the extended time period that the
another shipping option has newly available capacity for shipping
the item; determining that using the newly available capacity in
the another shipping option results in a lower environmental impact
cost for the shipping the item than using the selected and
implemented shipping option; and ranking the another shipping
option higher than the selected and implemented shipping option in
the updated second ranking in response to determining the lowered
environmental impact cost for the shipping the item using the newly
available capacity.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: tracking a
progression of the item through the selected and implemented
shipping option; determining changes to environmental impact costs
relevant to shipping of the item in response to a change in fuel
supply or a change in availability within a transport system of the
selected and implemented shipping option; informing the user of the
determined changes to the environmental impact costs; and enabling
the user to retain the selected and implemented shipping option in
response to the information of the determined changes to the
environmental impact costs, instead of switching to the another
option that is ranked higher in the second rankings.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: presenting the
plurality of the shipping options to the user by presenting bids
provided by at least one shipping vendor in response to a real-time
query.
7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: calculating a reward
amount as a function of a weighting value of a user-indicated
shipping preference environmental impact weighting or as a function
of an environmental impact cost value of a one of the plurality of
shipping options manually selected by the user; and providing the
calculated reward amount to the user.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the calculating and providing the
reward amount comprises calculating and providing a long-term
incentive as function of the user historically selecting shipping
options with low environmental impacts on a plurality of historic
item orders, the incentive at least one of a monetary value, a
discount on offered items and a point value redeemable for goods or
services.
9. An article of manufacture, comprising: a storage device
comprising computer executable program code stored thereon, the
program code comprising instructions which, when executed on a
computer system, cause the computer system to: select and implement
a highest ranked one of a first plurality of shipping options to
effect a shipping of an item, wherein the plurality of shipping
options are ranked in a first ranking as a function of shipping
option cost values determined for each of the shipping options from
at least one of environmental impact costs, shipping price costs
and time-to-delivery costs; dynamically recalculate the at least
one of the plurality of shipping option determined cost values
during a shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one
of the first ranked plurality of shipping options; update the
ranking of the shipping options to generate a second ranking of the
shipping options that is different from the first ranking in
response to a change in value of the recalculated at least one of
the determined shipping option cost values; and change the
implemented selected shipping option during the shipping of the
item from the highest ranked one of the first ranking to another of
the plurality of shipping options that is ranked higher in the
second updated ranking.
10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, the program code
comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer
system, causes the computer system to: notify a user of the change
in value of the at least one of the determined shipping option cost
values and of the updated second ranking of the presented plurality
of shipping options; and enable the user to manually change the
selected and implemented shipping option during the shipping of the
item to the another of the plurality of shipping options presented
in the updated second ranking through an input to the computer
system.
11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, the program code
comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer
system, causes the computer system to update the ranking of the
plurality of shipping options to generate the second ranking of the
shipping options by: providing for an extended time period for
responses of shipping option cost values from shipping option
entities after an initial calculation and return of the first
ranking of the shipping options; discovering during the extended
time period that the another shipping option has newly available
capacity for shipping the item; determining that using the newly
available capacity in the another shipping option results in a
lower environmental impact cost for the shipping the item than
using the selected and implemented shipping option; and ranking the
another shipping option higher than the selected and implemented
shipping option in the updated second ranking in response to
determining the lowered environmental impact cost for the shipping
the item using the newly available capacity.
12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, the program code
comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer
system, causes the computer system to: track a progression of the
item through the selected and implemented shipping option;
determine changes to environmental impact costs relevant to
shipping of the item in response to a change in fuel supply or a
change in availability within a transport system of the selected
and implemented shipping option; inform the user of the determined
changes to the environmental impact costs; and enable the user to
retain the selected and implemented shipping option in response to
the information of the determined changes to the environmental
impact costs, instead of switching to the another option that is
ranked higher in the second rankings.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 11, the program code
comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer
system, causes the computer system to: calculate a reward amount as
a function of a weighting value of an indicated shipping preference
environmental impact weighting or as a function of an environmental
impact cost value of a one of the plurality of shipping options
manually selected by the user; and provide the calculated reward
amount to the user.
14. A system, comprising: a central processing unit; a memory in
communication with the central processing unit that comprises a
logic component; and a network interface in communication with the
central processing unit and the memory; wherein the central
processing unit: selects and implements a highest ranked one of a
first plurality of shipping options to effect a shipping of an
item, wherein the plurality of shipping options are ranked in a
first ranking as a function of shipping option cost values
determined for each of the shipping options from at least one of
environmental impact costs, shipping price costs and
time-to-delivery costs; dynamically recalculates at least one of
the plurality of shipping option determined cost values during the
shipping of the item by the implemented highest ranked one of the
first ranked plurality of shipping options; updates the ranking of
the shipping options to generate a second ranking of the shipping
options that is different from the first ranking in response to a
change in value of at least one of the recalculated at least one
shipping option cost values; and changes the implemented selected
shipping option during the shipping of the item from the highest
ranked one of the first ranking to another of the plurality of
shipping options that is ranked higher in the second ranking as a
function of the updated ranking.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the central processing unit
further: notifies a user of the change in value of the at least one
of the determined shipping option cost values and of the updated
second ranking of the presented plurality of shipping options; and
enables the user to manually change the selected and implemented
shipping option during the shipping of the item to the another of
the plurality of shipping options presented in the updated second
ranking through an input to the system.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the central processing unit
updates the ranking of the plurality of shipping options to
generate the second ranking of the shipping options by: providing
for an extended time period for responses of shipping option cost
values from shipping option entities after an initial calculation
and return of the first ranking of the shipping options;
discovering during the extended time period that the another
shipping option has newly available capacity for shipping the item;
determining that using the newly available capacity in the another
shipping option results in a lower environmental impact cost for
the shipping the item than using the selected and implemented
shipping option; and ranking the another shipping option higher
than the selected and implemented shipping option in the updated
second ranking in response to determining the lowered environmental
impact cost for the shipping the item using the newly available
capacity.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the central processing unit:
tracks a progression of the item through the selected and
implemented shipping option; determines changes to environmental
impact costs relevant to shipping of the item in response to a
change in fuel supply or a change in availability within a
transport system of the selected and implemented shipping option;
informs the user of the determined changes to the environmental
impact costs; and enables the user, via an input to the system, to
retain the selected and implemented shipping option in response to
the information of the determined changes to the environmental
impact costs, instead of switching to the another option that is
ranked higher in the second rankings.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the central processing unit:
calculates a reward amount as a function of a weighting value of an
indicated shipping preference environmental impact weighting or as
a function of an environmental impact cost value of a one of the
plurality of shipping options manually selected by the user via an
input to the system; and provides the calculated reward amount to
the user.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 12/271,301, filed Nov. 14, 2008.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally describes methods, systems
and devices for enabling consumers to select shipping options
responsive to environmental impact data and parameters.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Shoppers may be offered multiple shipping options for an
order, with each of the options commonly differentiated with
respect to cost and speed of delivery. However, consumers may wish
to base their shipping decisions upon other factors. For example,
consumers may wish to determine and consider the relative
environmental impacts or costs of shipping options, in some
instances opting for slower and/or more expensive shipping options
in exchange for environmental impact cost reductions.
[0004] In another aspect, information on shipping option costs and
attributes are generally provided by shipping cost and rate
algorithms using predetermined, preset and/or static input data to
produce cost or time estimates as a function of order attributes
(such as item weight and size). Such data and algorithms are not
responsive to changing conditions that may affect the actual cost
or speed or other attribute of a given shipping option.
SUMMARY
[0005] Methods are provided for enabling the selection of a
shipping option responsive to an environmental preference. More
particularly, a user of the method indicates a shipping criteria
preference, the preference including an environmental impact
weighting. According to the present invention a cost value of each
of a plurality of shipping options is determined, each of the
plurality of shipping option cost values including an environmental
impact cost. One of the presented plurality of shipping options is
selected and implemented for shipping of an item as a function of
the indicated environmental impact weighting. In another aspect
each of the plurality of shipping option cost values are
dynamically recalculated and the status of at least one of the
shipping options updated, the updating determining a change in
value a shipping option cost value, wherein an implemented selected
shipping option may be changed to another of the plurality of
shipping options as a function of the status updating.
[0006] In another aspect, service methods are provided including
deploying applications for enabling the selection of a shipping
option responsive to an environmental preference according to the
method steps described above, for example by a service provider who
offers to implement, deploy, and/or perform functions for others.
Still further, articles of manufacture including a computer usable
medium having a computer readable program in said medium are
provided. Such program code includes instructions which, when
executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to perform
one or more method and/or process elements described above for
enabling the selection of a shipping option responsive to an
environmental preference. Moreover, systems, articles and
programmable devices configured for performing one or more method
and/or process elements of the current invention are also provided
for enabling the selection of a shipping option responsive to an
environmental preference, for example as described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and other features of the methods, systems and devices
according to the present application will be more readily
understood from the following detailed description of the various
aspects of the aspects taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings in which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is block illustration of an implementation of a Green
Shipping Module according to the present invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method and system for
enabling the selection of a shipping option responsive to an
environmental preference according to the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system or device configured
to enable the selection of a shipping option responsive to an
environmental preference according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a computerized device
implementation of a method and system for enabling the selection of
a shipping option responsive to an environmental preference
according to the present invention.
[0012] The drawings are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are
merely schematic representations not intended to portray specific
parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict
only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be
considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings,
like numbering represents like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The present application discloses systems, methods, devices
and program products for enabling the selection of a shipping
option responsive to an environmental preference. In some aspects a
shipping service requester or user is enabled to select
environmentally sensitive shipping options for a shipped item.
Examples of users include consumers in a business-to-consumer
scenario with an on-line retailer or wholesaler customers
purchasing products from e-commerce sites, as well as buyers
representing one or more corporate entities in business-to-business
purchasing contexts, and other appropriate examples will be
apparent to one skilled in the art. Real-time route tracking and
maintenance may automatically recalculate cost, time and
environmental impact in the case of an unexpected event, in one
aspect allowing a user to make decisions during shipping to
maintain environmental criteria.
[0014] Though it is known to offer shipping service users multiple
options for shipping an order differentiated by price or speed of
delivery, no prior art system or method teaches differentiating
shipping options, and enabling users to responsively select
shipping options, based on environmental impacts. More
particularly, e-commerce sites generally use preset shipping rates
based on product attributes such as weight and size, and do not
query shipping providers for real-time quotes during the customer
check-out process. The present invention extends shipping selection
criteria into environmental impact costs through incorporating
real-time shipping provider cost estimate queries into the shipping
selection process, in some aspects by putting a shipping job out to
bid to multiple shipping providers in real-time during a customer
check-out process.
[0015] For example, FIG. 1 illustrates one aspect of the present
invention wherein a Green Shipping Module (GSM) 10 interfaces
between vendors 12 and shipping companies 14, acting as middleman
between the plurality of vendors 12 and shipping companies 14 in
selecting and implementing the shipping of items for one or more
users (shoppers) 16. It will also be appreciated that in other
aspects the GSM 10 may be associated with one or more particular
vendors 12 and shipping companies 14. Some GSM 10 aspects includes
the use of Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML), Extensible Mark-up
Language (XML) or other code buttons pasted into a web page of an
e-commerce website, wherein when a user of said website wishes to
finalize an order the user clicks on or otherwise selects the code
button and is then transported to an ordering system of the GSM 10
to complete the transaction and implement shipping.
[0016] Consumers and other shipping users are becoming more
environmentally conscious, yet prior art shipping methods and
systems are not responsive to this issue. It is possible to measure
the environmental impact of shipping items, including determining a
"carbon footprint" of making and shipping certain products. A
carbon footprint may be defined as a measure of the impact an
activity has on the environment, and in particular with regard to
the amount of greenhouse gases produced in burning fossil fuels for
electricity, heating and transportation, etc., in effecting the
activity. Greenhouse gases are believed to impact the environment
through causing climate change, and thus it has become known to
quantify the carbon footprint of an activity as the measurement of
greenhouse gases produced, typically as an equivalent of carbon
dioxide gases generated in units of tons or kilograms. More
particularly, systems and methods according to the present
invention enable a user to specify and enable the selection of an
environmentally-friendly shipping option, for example by comparing
the carbon footprints of each of a plurality of shipping options
and selecting an option having a relatively lower or lowest carbon
footprint.
[0017] Referring now to FIG. 2, a method or system for enabling the
selection of a shipping option responsive to an environmental
preference according to the present invention is illustrated. At
102 a user indicates a shipping criteria preference, the preference
including an environmental impact weighting. The indication may
include one or more priorities in terms of price, time-to-deliver
and environmental impact. Thus, some shipping may be designated as
"green shipping" options, wherein a green shipping option has a
lower environmental impact cost relative to another non-green
shipping option. The environmental impact criteria may be expressed
in many ways, with some examples including a binary selection
(e.g., an indication to consider a green option or to not consider
such an option), or a continuum or sliding scale (e.g. manipulating
a sliding bar means to indicate a relative level of green
consideration along a spectrum of possible levels).
[0018] Specific values, or ranges or thresholds of values (for
example, maximum or minimum possible values or ranges thereof) of
shipping option carbon footprint values may also be provided at
102, thus specifying the inclusion or exclusion of one or more
shipping options inside or outside of specified values, thresholds
or ranges. In another aspect a user ranks, weights or orders a set
of available criteria with respect to relative application or
importance. Thus, in a ranked or weighted factor aspect including a
set of price, environmental impact and time-to-delivery factors, a
first user may rank the factors with "lowest price" the first and
most heavily weighted factor, "lowest environmental impact" as
second in relative importance or weighting, and "fastest delivery
time" as the third and relatively least important or weighted
factor, in contrast, another second user may order them
differently, selecting "lowest environmental impact" first,
"fastest delivery time" second and "lowest cost" third.
[0019] At 104 a cost value of each of a plurality of identified
shipping options are determined, for example through the Green
Shipping Module (GSM) 10 of FIG. 1, wherein each of the cost values
includes an environmental impact cost for each respective shipping
option, the criteria supplied by the user at 102 further used to
determine possible shipping options. In some aspects, cost values
are calculated at 104 as a function of an environmental impact
weighting indicated at 102, and in some examples shipping options
are ranked and/or select as a function of indicated weightings. At
108 one of the plurality of options is selected and implemented for
shipping an item. This selection may occur automatically, for
example as a function of an indicated preference or impact
weighting value selection. Or it may be manually entered by a user
presented with a display of options at 106, for example from a list
ranked as function of the indicated weighting. A user may also
manually override an automatic selection indicated at 106. However,
it will be understood that displaying one or more possible shipping
options to a user at 106 is optional, and this may be omitted in
some aspects.
[0020] It is to be understood that if trade-offs must be made among
multiple criteria, in some cases not all criteria may be met
perfectly in determining options and costs at 104, presenting
options at 106 or selecting options at 108. For example, if no
shipper is able to satisfy a user-specified criteria (for example,
as specific weighting of low price, fast delivery and low
environmental impact) then recommendations may be made for a
best-possible option based on said unsatisfied specification or
priorities. Aspects may also prevent users from inputting invalid
specification combinations, for example rejecting a given carbon
footprint, cost and delivery time value selection if no shipping
provider can meet the selection.
[0021] In another aspect, shipping options may be determined at 104
based on static variables set for ordered criteria and applied to
previously identified or known services. Static variables available
for criteria ordering 102 may thus be applied to previously
identified services at 104 wherein shipping price, time and
projected environmental impact values are determined based on
information already known and stored by an e-commerce site or Green
Shipping Module (GSM) 10 (FIG. 1).
[0022] In some aspects, shipping options may be determined
dynamically at 104, for example a Green Shipping Module 10 (FIG. 1)
querying the one or more shipping providers 14 (FIG. 1). Thus, a
web service may be used to query shipping companies to display
their best option for parameters given (as provided at or derived
from the criteria supplied by the user at 102). In another aspect,
dynamic calculation may be extended by providing for an extended
time for response from the shipping entities: for example, if the
user is willing to wait some specified time period after an initial
calculation and return of shipping options at 104 for updated data,
then it may be discovered that one shipping provider has newly
identified a truck with available capacity, wherein using that
newly-identified truck capacity may result in a lowered carbon
footprint relative to other shipping options, and thus a lower
carbon footprint may be achieved in shipping the item by selecting
the newly-discovered and updated option.
[0023] In some aspects, shipping options may be determined
dynamically at 104 by putting a delivery service request out to bid
to a plurality of shipping providers, for example by the Green
Shipping Module (GSM) 10 (FIG. 1) to the shippers 14 (FIG. 1). This
aspect enables delivery services to "bid" based on price,
environmental impact and delivery time with each transaction. Such
point-in-time bids may also provide data for shipping options
formatted for direct presentation to the user, in some examples
with price quotes passed directly through to the user through an
e-commerce checkout or item purchase page on a retailer web page.
In another aspect, an item provider or website may also
preemptively request a price or bid for a pending order during or
prior to a checkout process, in this fashion obtaining a bid for
immediate offer to a purchaser at checkout or when the purchaser
otherwise indicates that he or she is ready to complete the
business transaction.
[0024] In another aspect, incentives may also be offered to a user
in presenting options at 106 in order to induce a user to select a
specific shipping offer, for example to select or prefer a green
shipping option, merchant or shipping company over another,
less-costly option. Incentives may be monetary or non-monetary, as
well as offered and granted on-the-spot at a selection at 108, or
subsequently at completion of shipping of an item, for example at
126 discussed below.
[0025] At 110 the status of the shipped item, as well as the cost
values of one or more of the offered shipping options, are
dynamically ascertained, updated and recalculated, and it is
determined whether a change in the item shipping status or a
shipping item cost value has occurred. If no change in a cost or
shipping status is determined, or no change occurs greater than a
minimum or de minimis delta or threshold value used to define a
change event occurrence, then the selected shipping option
implementation continues until the shipping of the item is complete
at 124. However, if a change is determined at 110, then at 112 a
plurality of shipping options currently available are identified
and at 114 the associated cost values of each of the current
plurality, as well as of the present implemented shipping option,
are each determined or re-determined, each of the shipping option
cost values again including an environmental impact cost for each
respective shipping option.
[0026] More particularly, tracking at 110 of an item progressing
through a shipping option selected and implemented at 108 includes
determining updates or changes to environmental impact costs and
factors relevant to shipping of the item. Thus, a user may be
notified of changes in plans for shipping the package, for example
due to a change in fuel supply or an availability within a
particular transport system, including a resultant change in the
environmental impact costs or benefits of the implemented (or other
available and non-implemented) shipping option. In some aspects,
service providers may use a tracking interface to advertise green
shipping impact, history, philosophy, etc. data and information to
a user in hopes of incenting the user to retain the service
provider.
[0027] Many parameters useful in determining an environmental
impact of shipping an item from one location to another are dynamic
in nature, and further dependent upon real-time, variable
conditions, including weather, supply, demand, natural disasters,
etc. In one aspect the present invention enables users, shipping
providers or consumers to dynamically modify shipping options to
account for changing conditions. Thus, if a change in shipping
option costs or performance parameters is determined at 110, then
new shipping options are evaluated and determined at 112 and the
cost values of each are determined or re-determined at 114. In some
aspects, a shipper, shipping service or automated process (for
example a GSM 10 of FIG. 1) may automatically make an appropriate
shipping selection revision or choice at 116 in response to the
criteria provided earlier at 102, and shipping of the item may be
completed accordingly at 124. Thus, in one example, a shipping
option available and ranked next-best pursuant to rankings or
priorities provided at 102 is selected and implemented at 116.
[0028] In some aspects, a user may also be notified of the change
in options and costs at 118 and presented with another shipping
selection option, or criteria input or revision opportunity. Thus,
the user may then respond at 120, for example confirming a current,
previously selected shipping option, selecting and implement a new
option presented at 116, and further in some cases inputting a new
ranking or priority preference in order to generate another
evaluation of options at 112, cost determination at 114 and
notification/display of options at 116. Shipping of the item is
completed accordingly at 124. If no response is received at 118
from the user notification at 116, then at 122 the present aspect
defaults to a shipper, shipping service or automated process (for
example a GSM 10 of FIG. 1) automatically making an appropriate
shipping selection revision or choice at 116.
[0029] Thus, in one example, a severe weather situation occurrence
may cause a shipping service provider to choose whether to (a)
consume a larger carbon footprint in rerouting a truck carrying a
shipped item; (b) move the item to an airplane in an alternate
shipping mode choice, this option having a different carbon
footprint, monetary and/or delivery time cost; or (c) leave the
item on the truck and delay shipment until the weather condition
has abated, thus increasing delivery time while holding carbon
footprint and monetary costs constant relative to option (a). The
consumer/user may thus be contacted at 118 and queried as to which
option should be implemented, for example being notified that
selection of option (c) will result in a one-day delivery time
delay but at the lowest carbon footprint cost relative to options
(a) or (b), and wherein electing option (b) will reroute and
deliver the item on-time at an additional cost of two dollars
(US$2.00).
[0030] In another aspect, users may be rewarded for making
appropriate shipping preferences and choices with respect to
environmental impacts and other characteristics. Accordingly, at
126 a user may be provided with a reward amount as a function of
selecting shipping choices having relatively lower or beneficial
environmental impact costs. Thus, in one example, a benefit
rewarded at 126 is calculated as a function of the net difference
of an environmental impact of a chosen shipping option over one or
more faster or cheaper but more environmentally costly options
offered at 106 or 118.
[0031] Long-term incentives may also be offered for electing to use
green shipping options according to the present invention, wherein
tracking mechanisms, including cookies and saved user settings may
be read by an e-commerce or shipping server provider site to
maintain a history of the consumer's green shipping habits, and
wherein rewards may be responsively provided to a user at 126 at
the completion of each shipping transaction. Incentives provided
for current or past/historic green shipping selections may include
discounts on goods or services, designation of a special
preferential status relative to other not-so-green users and
customers, advertisement or other public notice of the user's
environmentally-friendly behavior, coupons, points that may be
redeemed for goods or services, and offers for special sales and
events correlated with an optimized "green shipping periods," and
still other incentives and rewards will be apparent to one skilled
in the art.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a programmable device or module 200
configured to enable the selection of a shipping option responsive
to an environmental preference according to the present invention.
The device 200 may be incorporated into a large system wherein
other components of the system accomplish systems and methods
according to the present invention, or it may be a stand-alone
device or module configured to perform each of the systems and
methods, such as the Green Shipping Module (GSM) 10 of FIG. 1. The
present aspect includes a central processing unit (CPU) or other
processing means 201 in communication with a memory 203, the memory
203 including logic components that enable the CPU 201 to perform
processes and methods according to the present application. The
memory 203 includes a shipping option determiner logic component
202, the determiner configured to determined costs associated with
each option as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2; a
user interface logic component 204, configured to interact with a
user by providing notifications of shipping options, costs,
changes, etc., and to receive criteria and selection inputs from
the user as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2; and a
reward engine logic component 206, configured to directly or
indirectly cause the awarding of incentives to a user, for example
through exchanging reward data with an external reward service
entity, and further as discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1 and
2. A power unit 205 is configured to provide operative power to the
device 200; examples include battery units 205 and power inputs
configured to receive alternating or direct current electrical
power, and other appropriate power units 205 will be apparent to
one skilled in the art. A communication port or network link/node
means 207 is also provided and configured to enable network and
other communications with other devices, systems, monitoring,
administrative and service provider entities, as well as others as
appropriate.
[0033] Referring now to FIG. 4, an exemplary computerized
implementation includes a computer system 304 deployed within a
computer infrastructure 308 such as a computer or a programmable
device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular
phone. This is intended to demonstrate, among other things, that
the present invention could be implemented within a network
environment 340 (e.g., the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), a
local area network (LAN), a virtual private network (VPN), etc.) in
communication with one or more additional computers 336, or on a
stand-alone computer infrastructure 308. In the case of the former,
communication throughout the network 340 can occur via any
combination of various types of communication links. For example,
the communication links can include addressable connections that
may utilize any combination of wired and/or wireless transmission
methods. Where communications occur via the Internet, connectivity
could be provided by conventional TCP/IP sockets-based protocol,
and an Internet service provider could be used to establish
connectivity to the Internet.
[0034] As shown, the computer system 304 includes a central
processing unit (CPU) 312, a memory 316, a bus 320, and
input/output (I/O) interfaces 324. Further, the computer system 304
is shown in communication with external I/O devices/resources 328
and storage system 332. In general, the processing unit 312
executes computer program code, such as the code to implement
various components of the process and systems, and devices as
illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and described above, including the
shipping option determiner logic component 202, the user interface
logic component 204, and the reward engine logic component 206
discussed above, which are stored in memory 316 and/or storage
system 332. It is to be appreciated that two or more, including
all, of these components may be implemented as a single
component.
[0035] While executing computer program code, the processing unit
312 can read and/or write data to/from the memory 316, the storage
system 332, and/or the I/O interfaces 324. The bus 320 provides a
communication link between each of the components in computer
system 304. The external devices 328 can include any devices (e.g.,
keyboard, pointing device, display, etc.) that enable a user to
interact with computer system 304 and/or any devices (e.g., network
card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system 304 to communicate
with one or more other computing devices.
[0036] The computer infrastructure 308 is only illustrative of
various types of computer infrastructures for implementing the
invention. For example, in one aspect, computer infrastructure 308
includes two or more computing devices (e.g., a server cluster)
that communicate over a network to perform the various process
steps of the invention. Moreover, computer system 304 is only
representative of various possible computer systems that can
include numerous combinations of hardware.
[0037] To this extent, in other aspects, the computer system 304
can include any specific purpose-computing article of manufacture
including hardware and/or computer program code for performing
specific functions, any computing article of manufacture that
includes a combination of specific purpose and general-purpose
hardware/software, or the like. In each case, the program code and
hardware can be created using standard programming and engineering
techniques, respectively. Moreover, the processing unit 312 may
include a single processing unit, or be distributed across one or
more processing units in one or more locations, e.g., on a client
and server. Similarly, the memory 316 and/or the storage system 332
can include any combination of various types of data storage and/or
transmission media that reside at one or more physical
locations.
[0038] Further, I/O interfaces 324 can include any system for
exchanging information with one or more of the external device 328.
Still further, it is understood that one or more additional
components (e.g., system software, math co-processing unit, etc.)
not shown in FIG. 4 can be included in computer system 304.
However, if computer system 304 includes a handheld device or the
like, it is understood that one or more of the external devices 328
(e.g., a display) and/or the storage system 332 could be contained
within computer system 304, not externally as shown.
[0039] The storage system 332 can be any type of system (e.g., a
database) capable of providing storage for information under the
present invention. To this extent, the storage system 332 could
include one or more storage devices, such as a magnetic disk drive
or an optical disk drive. In another aspect, the storage system 332
includes data distributed across, for example, a local area network
(LAN), wide area network (WAN) or a storage area network (SAN) (not
shown). In addition, although not shown, additional components,
such as cache memory, communication systems, system software, etc.,
may be incorporated into computer system 304.
[0040] While shown and described herein as a method and a system,
it is understood that the invention further provides various
alternative aspects. For example, in one aspect, the invention
provides a computer-readable/useable medium that includes computer
program code to enable a computer infrastructure to implement
methods, systems and devices according to the present application,
for example as illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 above and described
otherwise herein. To this extent, the computer-readable/useable
medium includes program code that implements each of the various
process steps of the present application.
[0041] It is understood that the terms "computer-readable medium"
or "computer useable medium" include one or more of any type of
physical aspect of the program code. In particular, the
computer-readable/useable medium can include program code embodied
on one or more portable storage articles of manufacture (e.g., a
compact disc, a magnetic disk, a tape, etc.), on one or more data
storage portions of a computing device, such as the memory 316
and/or the storage system 332 (e.g., a fixed disk, a read-only
memory, a random access memory, a cache memory, etc.), and/or as a
data signal (e.g., a propagated signal) traveling over a network
(e.g., during a wired/wireless electronic distribution of the
program code).
[0042] Still yet, computer infrastructure 308 is intended to
demonstrate that some or all of the components of implementation
according to the present application could be deployed, managed,
serviced, etc. by a service provider who offers to implement,
deploy, and/or perform the functions of the present invention for
others, for example by licensing methods and browser or application
server technology to an internet service provider (ISP) or a
cellular telephone provider. In one aspect, the invention may
include a business method that performs the process steps of the
invention on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. Thus, a
service provider can create, maintain, support, etc., a computer
infrastructure, such as the computer infrastructure 308 that
performs the process steps of the present application for one or
more customers, and in return the service provider can receive
payment from the customer(s) under a subscription and/or fee
agreement and/or the service provider can receive payment from the
sale of advertising content to one or more third parties.
[0043] In still another aspect, the invention provides a
computer-implemented method for enabling the processes, methods and
devices according to the present application. In this case, a
computer infrastructure, such as computer infrastructure 308, can
be provided and one or more systems for performing the process
steps of the invention can be obtained (e.g., created, purchased,
used, modified, etc.) and deployed to the computer infrastructure.
To this extent, the deployment of a system can include one or more
of: (1) installing program code on a computing device, such as
computer system 304, from a computer-readable medium; (2) adding
one or more computing devices to the computer infrastructure; and
(3) incorporating and/or modifying one or more existing systems of
the computer infrastructure to enable the computer infrastructure
to perform the process steps of the invention.
[0044] As used herein, it is understood that the terms "program
code" and "computer program code" are synonymous and mean any
expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of
instructions intended to cause a computing device having an
information processing capability to perform a particular function
either directly or after either or both of the following:
[0045] (a) conversion to another language, code or notation; and/or
(b) reproduction in a different material form. To this extent,
program code can be embodied as one or more of: an
application/software program, component software/a library of
functions, an operating system, a basic I/O system/driver for a
particular computing and/or I/O device, and the like.
[0046] The foregoing description of various aspects of the
invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the
invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many
modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and
variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are
intended to be included within the scope of the invention as
defined by the accompanying claims.
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