Abstract: Methods and systems for coordinating item delivery are disclosed. In one aspect, a method comprises receiving delivery route data from a carrier device, generating, based on the delivery route data, a digital route for a delivery resource, the digital route comprising a street portion and an office portion, wherein the street portion comprises: a plurality of delivery points at which the carrier is to perform a service, and a segmented travel course for the carrier to travel to each of the plurality of delivery points in a determined sequence, and wherein the office portion comprises details regarding one or more office activities performed by the carrier to prepare for or conclude the street portion of a delivery route. The method further comprises determining an expected duration of time for: (1) travel of each segment of the travel course, (2) completion of each of the street activities, and (3) completion of the one or more office activities.

Abstract: A receptacle for detecting delivery and retrieval events has a door sensor, an item sensor, a scanner, and a control unit for operating the sensors, and transmitting the sensor information for processing and analysis. A system can determine whether an event was a delivery or retrieval event based on sensor information and item tracking information. A system can further include an item configured to interact with a computing device.

Abstract: Systems described herein for controlling, requesting, and coordinating the creation and generation of labels can be a label broker, providing a centralized location for storing label information created by various entities, and managing the requests for generation of physical labels coming from various sources and entities.

Abstract: A system and method for accurately tracking the delivery of items in an item distribution network using a purpose built confidence event recorder. An item sorter sorts items for delivery based upon route information and preferences for the delivery. Items are tracked while out for delivery through the use of confidence data recorded by a confidence event recorder carried by an item carrier. The confidence data recorder can that can record GPS and time data, as well as scan barcodes, such as a barcode on an item to be delivered. Confidence data can be used to accurately record when and where item carriers deliver items. The system determines if an actual delivery occurred by comparing the confidence data to previously gathered confidence data. An expected delivery window generation system can be used to generate expected delivery windows for the delivery of new items based on the confidence data recorded.

Abstract: A system for gathering one or more mail items. The system includes a first gathering mechanism configured to press against a first of the mail or other articles, wherein the first gathering mechanism is configured to expand from a compact state to an expanded state. The area of surface contact between a first one of the one or more mail items and the first gathering mechanism increases when the first holder mechanism is in the expanded state.

Abstract: Systems and methods for informed mobility platform for a customer service supervisor within a distribution facility are disclosed. One embodiment may be a supervisor mobile terminal including a transceiver circuit, a user interface and a controller. The transceiver circuit may wirelessly communicate with a server computer a plurality of sets of data relating to the customer service activities. The user interface may display at least one set of the plurality of sets of data and receive an instruction to modify the at least one set of data the plurality of sets of data. The controller may control the user interface to modify the at least one set of data based on the instruction and control the transceiver circuit to wirelessly communicate the modified data with the server computer such that the at least one set of data stored in the server computer is updated with the modified data.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing incorrectly addressed items in a distribution network. A user can identify via an interface items which are incorrectly labelled, addressed, or which identify an incorrect recipient. The distribution network can use information from the user to reprocess items, reroute items, or take other actions.

Abstract: In some aspects, methods and systems for a digital trust architecture are provided. In some aspects, the architecture includes a user account provisioning process. The provisioning process may make use of in person verifications of some personal information to ensure authenticity of the user information. Once the authenticity of user information is established, an account may be created. The user account may include a user email account, with integrated access to digital certificates linked to the user account. Account creation may also automatically publish the new user's public key in a publicly accessible directory, enabling encrypted email information to be easily sent to the new user.

Abstract: This application relates to a system for compressing captured images. The system may include an image capturing device configured to continuously capture images, for example, of a location, or frame, or field of view, and convert the captured images respectively into a plurality of sets of digital data, each of the plurality of sets of digital data including at least two consecutive rows of digital data. The system may also include a processor circuit configured to combine the at least two sets of the plurality of sets of digital data to generate a pre-compression set of digital data and simultaneously compress the pre-compression set of digital data simultaneously or together in a single compression operation.

Abstract: A management system for managing the utilization of item receptacles in a distribution network. Items can be transferred to recipients at a limited number of item receptacles in unit delivery facilities of the distribution network. Item retrieval behavior is tracked to determine a recipient score for known recipients. Based on the recipient scores, subsequent items to be transferred can be placed in a receptacle or a storage area based on the associated recipient score. Placement in receptacles can be prioritized to recipients with low scores indicating that the item will likely be retrieved quickly, while items addressed to recipients with high scores may not be placed into a receptacle if receptacles are scarce.

Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method for sorting and sequencing articles in a processing facility are disclosed. Delivery endpoints are divided and grouped into stop groups. A first sorter sorts items according to stop group and outputs the items to trays. The output trays from the first sorter are loaded to a second sorter in stop group order. The second sorter can then sort the items into output bins in delivery sequence order.

Abstract: A system and method for tracking mobile devices. The system can include a data center and a plurality of mobile devices in communication with the data center via the network. Each mobile device can include at least one sensor configured to periodically generate tracking data records, a memory, and a processor in communication with the at least one sensor and the memory. The mobile devices can transmit sets of tracking data records to the data center using reduced bandwidth relative to the original records by implement compression algorithms that can include delta encoding and/or numeric base conversion of number valued fields, as well as additional compression techniques that may be reversed at the data center to reconstruct the original records or otherwise decompress the data.

Abstract: Systems and methods for an intelligent collection box are provided. Implementations of the intelligent collection box include a processor, a computer-readable data storage system storing program instructions, a weighing scale, a display, a speaker, a microphone, a network interface, and a power generator. The program instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the intelligent collection box to perform operations including identifying keywords spoken by the user. The operations also include authenticating the user using the keywords. The operations also include determining a request for delivery of an item based on the keywords. The operations also include responding to the request for delivery. The operations also include determining a weight of the item. The operations also include determining delivery options for the item using the weight and using delivery information. The operations also include determining that the item has been received by the collection box.

Abstract: A method, electronic device, and computer-readable storage medium. A request is received to display a calendar identifying incoming physical item deliveries regarding a user's delivery point. User-associated shipment information is accessed identifying at least one first item scheduled for physical delivery and at least one second item scheduled for electronic delivery, and includes a record of physical delivery items and electronic delivery items. A sender's address is automatically populated to a recipient's address book, when a notification is received regarding the physical delivery item being in transit. Tracking data associated with the at least one first item from an integrated mail database and an integrated mail processing equipment is acquired and includes at least an expected delivery date. A notification regarding the at least one first item is displayed within a portion of an interface representative of the expected delivery date on the calendar.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for automatically determining a three dimensional size of an item. The system may include an optical sensor scanning a surface of the item being transported on a conveyor spaced apart from the optical sensor by a conveyor distance, the surface including a standard size element having a first dimension. The system may also include a memory storing the first dimension and the conveyor distance. The system may also include a processor configured to calculate a second dimension of the surface based on a scanned image of the surface and a scanned image of the standard size element and the stored first dimension. The processor may obtain an item distance between the optical sensor and the surface and determine a height of the item based on the obtained item distance and the stored conveyor distance.

Abstract: A system and method for the use of geo-fences to coordinate and track delivery of items. In some embodiments, the system comprising a mobile delivery device comprising a vector calculation module configured to determine a motion vector associated with the mobile delivery device, a geo-location module configured to determine a geo-location associated with a mobile delivery device, and a geo-fence database configured to determine a size of at least one geo-fence associated with at least one location and determine whether the mobile delivery device is within the geo-fence. In some embodiments, the size of the geo-fence is determined at least in part on the motion vector determined by the vector calculation module.

Abstract: A receptacle device which detects when mail has been delivered to the receptacle using a pressure sensor, IR beam, and/or a magnetic sensor. The receptacle device is connected to a wireless or wired network and is configured to communicate with a smart home system at the delivery point. The receptacle detects mail delivery and communicates this information via a network bridge to the smart home device of the recipient. The network bridge also gathers information from an informed delivery system which includes information regarding and images of mailpieces being delivered for a given day. The network bridge sends images of mailpieces which were delivered and additional mailpiece information to the recipient on the smart home system. For parcel, the network bridge can receive information regarding parcels to be delivered and can provide delivery estimates and visual tracking on a map.

Abstract: Systems and methods of processing items. Items in a distribution network or process may be scanned at every handling point in the distribution network, and each scan is recorded in a central repository. The scan information can be used to generate real-time access to data, analytical tools, predictive tools, and tracking reports.

Abstract: A process for verifying an item deposit via a smart drop box. The process includes an item receptacle, a processor in communication with the item receptacle, a scanning device, and a database. The item receptacle is configured to receive an item from a user, scan the item, and generate item information. The processor is configured to compare the item information generated with identified item information from the database. If the information generated matches the information from the database, the item is accepted. In some embodiments, the deposit verification includes a printed receipt and/or an electronic verification.