TRAVELER SYNCHRONIZED PURCHASE AND DELIVERY

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide devices that receive an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user that includes multiple destinations, each destination defined by a geographic identifier and a corresponding time. Embodiments identify multiple vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, each of the delivery options including at least one of the destinations, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options have attributes that include a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of a destination at a corresponding time, and wherein the embodiments select one of the vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

Description

BACKGROUND

The field of e-commerce includes the application of computer technology to the purchase and delivery of goods.

User interfaces of computing devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc., are often used by consumers to purchase goods for delivery to a specified location, such as a ship to address. E-commerce applications, such as a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) application, or an “app” on a local computing device, provide the user interface of the application vendor offerings in an electronic marketplace. For example, product A is offered by vendor X with shipping option S, and product A is also offered by vendor Y with shipping option T in the electronic marketplace. Shipping options, for example, include FEDEX®, UPS® Ground, etc. FEDEX is a registered trademark of Federal Express Corporation in the United States or in other countries. UPS is a registered trademark of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. in the United States or in other countries. Delivery options include the shipping options along with timings and preferences of an actual delivery. As part of the purchasing process, the consumer can be presented in the user interface with different delivery options of the purchased goods to the location, such as same day delivery, next day delivery, 2-3 day delivery, 10 day delivery, etc., by each of the vendors. The delivery time is measured from the time of purchase. Each vendor in the marketplace is responsible for ensuring that the product can be shipped to the specified location from the corresponding vendor location.

Vendors of the consumer products can optimize shipping or delivery by selection of carriers and/or routes for delivery of the purchased goods to the specific location. The shipping or delivery process can include changes in the route to the specified location due to unforeseen circumstances, such as road closures, traffic congestion, etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect of the present invention, a computer-implemented method includes receiving an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary includes a plurality of destinations, and each of the plurality of destinations includes a geographic identifier and a corresponding time; identifying a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options include at least one of the plurality of destinations, and wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include multiple attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and selecting one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

In another aspect, a computer system has a hardware computer processor, computer readable memory in circuit communication with the computer processor, and a computer-readable storage medium in circuit communication with the computer processor and having program instructions stored thereon. The computer processor executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby receives an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary includes a plurality of destinations, and each of the plurality of destinations includes a geographic identifier and a corresponding time; identifies a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options include at least one of the plurality of destinations, and wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include multiple attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and select one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

In another aspect, a computer program product has a computer-readable storage medium with computer readable program code embodied therewith. The computer readable program code includes instructions for execution by a computer processor that cause the computer processor to receive an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary includes a plurality of destinations, and each of the plurality of destinations includes a geographic identifier and a corresponding time; identify a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options include at least one of the plurality of destinations, and wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include multiple attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and select one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of embodiments of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 depicts a cloud computing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 depicts abstraction model layers according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a computerized aspect according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts an example schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts an example schematic illustration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustration of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product at any possible technical detail level of integration. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, configuration data for integrated circuitry, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

It is to be understood that although this disclosure includes a detailed description on cloud computing, implementation of the teachings recited herein are not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather, embodiments of the present invention are capable of being implemented in conjunction with any other type of computing environment now known or later developed.

Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may include at least five characteristics, at least three service models, and at least four deployment models.

Characteristics are as follows:

On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provision computing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, as needed automatically without requiring human interaction with the service's provider.

Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network and accessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are pooled to serve multiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physical and virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according to demand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumer generally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of the provided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter).

Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out and rapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilities available for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can be purchased in any quantity at any time.

Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimize resource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level of abstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can be monitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both the provider and consumer of the utilized service.

Service Models are as follows:

Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail). The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly application hosting environment configurations.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).

Deployment Models are as follows:

Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for an organization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.

Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by several organizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and compliance considerations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third party and may exist on-premises or off-premises.

Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the general public or a large industry group and is owned by an organization selling cloud services.

Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or more clouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting for load-balancing between clouds).

A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus on statelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure that includes a network of interconnected nodes.

Referring now to FIG. 1, illustrative cloud computing environment 50 is depicted. As shown, cloud computing environment 50 includes one or more cloud computing nodes 10 with which local computing devices used by cloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone 54A, desktop computer 54B, laptop computer 54C, and/or automobile computer system 54N may communicate. Nodes 10 may communicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physically or virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community, Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combination thereof. This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offer infrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloud consumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computing device. It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A-N shown in FIG. 1 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).

Referring now to FIG. 2, a set of functional abstraction layers provided by cloud computing environment 50 (FIG. 1) is shown. It should be understood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shown in FIG. 2 are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers and corresponding functions are provided:

Hardware and software layer 60 includes hardware and software components. Examples of hardware components include: mainframes 61; RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based servers 62; servers 63; blade servers 64; storage devices 65; and networks and networking components 66. In some embodiments, software components include network application server software 67 and database software 68.

Virtualization layer 70 provides an abstraction layer from which the following examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers 71; virtual storage 72; virtual networks 73, including virtual private networks; virtual applications and operating systems 74; and virtual clients 75.

In one example, management layer 80 may provide the functions described below. Resource provisioning 81 provides dynamic procurement of computing resources and other resources that are utilized to perform tasks within the cloud computing environment. Metering and Pricing 82 provide cost tracking as resources are utilized within the cloud computing environment, and billing or invoicing for consumption of these resources. In one example, these resources may include application software licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloud consumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources. User portal 83 provides access to the cloud computing environment for consumers and system administrators. Service level management 84 provides cloud computing resource allocation and management such that required service levels are met. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planning and fulfillment 85 provide pre-arrangement for, and procurement of, cloud computing resources for which a future requirement is anticipated in accordance with an SLA.

Workloads layer 90 provides examples of functionality for which the cloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads and functions which may be provided from this layer include: mapping and navigation 91; software development and lifecycle management 92; virtual classroom education delivery 93; data analytics processing 94; transaction processing 95; and processing for online purchasing of an item with delivery options 96.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of an example of a programmable device implementation 10 according to an aspect of the present invention, which may function as a cloud computing node within the cloud computing environment of FIG. 2. Programmable device implementation 10 is only one example of a suitable implementation and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of embodiments of the invention described herein. Regardless, programmable device implementation 10 is capable of being implemented and/or performing any of the functionality set forth hereinabove.

A computer system/server 12 is operational with numerous other general purpose or special purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with computer system/server 12 include, but are not limited to, personal computer systems, server computer systems, thin clients, thick clients, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputer systems, mainframe computer systems, and distributed cloud computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices, and the like.

Computer system/server 12 may be described in the general context of computer system-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer system/server 12 may be practiced in distributed cloud computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices.

The computer system/server 12 is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device. The components of computer system/server 12 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 16, a system memory 28, and a bus 18 that couples various system components including system memory 28 to processor 16.

Bus 18 represents one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and a processor or local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus.

Computer system/server 12 typically includes a variety of computer system readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by computer system/server 12, and it includes both volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

System memory 28 can include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 30 and/or cache memory 32. Computer system/server 12 may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system 34 can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media (not shown and typically called a “hard drive”). Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to bus 18 by one or more data media interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below, memory 28 may include at least one program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of the invention.

Program/utility 40, having a set (at least one) of program modules 42, may be stored in memory 28 by way of example, and not limitation, as well as an operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data. Each of the operating system, one or more application programs, other program modules, and program data or some combination thereof, may include an implementation of a networking environment. Program modules 42 generally carry out the functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein.

Computer system/server 12 may also communicate with one or more external devices 14 such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display 24, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system/server 12; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enable computer system/server 12 to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via Input/Output (I/O) interfaces 22. Still yet, computer system/server 12 can communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter 20. As depicted, network adapter 20 communicates with the other components of computer system/server 12 via bus 18. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with computer system/server 12. Examples include, but are not limited to: microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates an example according to the present invention for online purchasing of an item with delivery options. A configured processor, such as the processing unit 16 of the computer system/server 12, as described in reference to FIG. 3, receives an itinerary 400 of a user. In some embodiments, the configured processor can also include a suitably configured processor on the local computing device 54, such as with an application plug-in.

The itinerary 400 initially includes destinations B, C, D, and E at corresponding times t₁, t₂, t₃, t₄, and t₅, respectively, and traveling from initial location A at a corresponding time t₀. The itinerary 400 can be entered via the user interface of the local computing device 54 or received from another application, such as a travel planning application. The destinations include geographic identifiers, such as physical addresses, postal addresses, geospatial coordinates, and the like, where the user can receive an item 402 to be purchased, such as illustrated product X. In some embodiments, the geographic identifiers can include a dropbox, locker, or other specific location at a physical address or geospatial coordinate.

The destinations of the itinerary 400 can include different geopolitical locations, such as different states, different countries, and the like. For example, the user may be on an international trip, such as Boston in the United States, London in Great Britain, and Bangalore in India, and seeks items along the way while minimizing the size of travel luggage. In another example, the user may be traveling in a same country, such as a backpacker hiking the Appalachian Trail and seeks to resupply food and equipment at different trail head destinations along the trail.

The configured processor identifies vendor purchase and delivery options for the item. Each option includes a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price to ship the item to one of the destinations at the corresponding time, and a destination identifier. Different item pricing for different destinations is contemplated, and also different currencies. For example, vendors, such as vendor R and T are selected from a database of vendors, which offer product X. The selection of R and T include n-tuples, such as {X, R, $12.98, $3.99, B}, and {X, T, 7.87, 2.40, C}. In the example, location B is a U.S. destination and location C is a European destination. In some embodiments, currency equivalents are provided. That is, the different currencies can be shown in a same currency at exchange rates for comparison of prices. The vendor purchasing and shipping options can be ranked. In some embodiments, vendor purchase and delivery options for the item are identified for each destination in the itinerary 400.

The corresponding times include a date-time range according to the itinerary 400 of the user. For example, time t₁ in a YYYYMMDDHHMM format include 201810111214:201810120844 which indicates the user can accept product X at location B between 12:14 pm on Oct. 11, 2018 and 8:44 am on Oct. 12, 2018. In some embodiments, the range can be narrowed to a subset of the corresponding time for the user at a specified location. For example, the above range for the item is narrowed to only be accepted between 2-4 pm on October 11 at location B. The vendor purchase and shipping option can be restricted to offerings according to the itinerary or the narrowed range.

The configured processor distributes the vendor purchase and delivery options for the item to the local computing device 54 of the user. For example, the n-tuples {X, R, $12.98, $3.99, B}, and {X, T, 7.87, 2.40, C} are distributed to the local computing device. The user interface displays the vendor purchase and delivery options for the user to select. The selection includes the purchasing of the item according to the pricing and shipping to the destination. For example, the user selects between the offerings for product X by vendor R at location B and for product X by vendor T at location C, each according to the corresponding item price and shipping price. Different methods of shipping between vendors are contemplated.

The destination 404 of destination E is shown in an exploded view, which includes the geographic indicators 406 described above according to the itinerary 400. In some embodiments, the destination can include alternate geographic indicators, such as within a predetermined geospatial radius 408 of the destination 404, within a predetermined time by a mode of travel 410. For example, an alternate location for destination E can include an address within 5 miles of the address on the itinerary, an address within a 10 minute walk from the address on the itinerary, an address within a 10 minute ride by rail, etc. The modes of travel can include foot, bicycle, auto, bus, rail, airplane and combinations thereof.

The user purchases another product Y, which is selected to be shipped to location D at time t₃. While in route, the itinerary 400 is changed from location D to location D′. The configured processor receives the change in the itinerary 400 and identifies changed purchasing and shipping options for product Y to location D′ at corresponding time t₃′ and subsequent destinations, such as location E. The changed purchasing and shipping options for product Y are distributed to the user interface of the local computing device 54 of the user, which displays the changes for a new purchase and shipping option for item Y to location D′ or E.

The present invention provides improvements over conventional online product purchase and shipping options with the use of the itinerary and corresponding requirements. For example, conventional shipping only considers a specific destination, and not a plurality of destinations according to an itinerary. Furthermore, conventional practice does not consider the time requirements of a traveler, who is present at a location only for a specified time. That is, the destination is only valid for a specific duration of time, after which the user has moved to another destination. Conventional practice does not consider an expiration of time at a destination. In some instances, conventional practice does not consider the value of the user receiving the item near or at a point of intended use without having to pay for carrying the item.

Embodiments provide improvements over the prior art in defining shipping systems and technology with dynamic delivery capability. Traditional, prior art methods of shipping are generally static, in that a user typically selects a shipping option that quotes or estimates a fixed delivery date and time (for example, over a specified period of days from commencement of shipping), to a fixed, specific delivery location. Such prior art methods do not account for travel itineraries of the recipient taking delivery, and thereby execute delivery to a fixed, specific delivery location regardless of recipient location, and therefore even if the recipient is not scheduled to be at the location to take delivery. This exposes the recipient, and/or the shipper, to risk of loss when the delivered item is misplaced, damaged or stolen before the recipient physically arrives at the fixed delivery location to accept the item.

In contrast, embodiments of the present invention dynamically account for (are responsive to) the travel itineraries of recipients, as well as shipping delays that impact projected delivery dates and times, in order to automatically update or revise a specified delivery location or time/date of delivery to a revised location or date/time that is determined to be within the travel itinerary of the recipient, to ensure that the recipient is able to meet and physically receive delivery of the item at the revised time and location. Embodiments thus eliminate or greatly reduce the risk of loss present in the prior art from mismatches between delivery and recipient itineraries, by ensuring that the recipient is scheduled to be at the location of delivery at the time of delivery, in order to directly and timely receive the shipped item.

While the embodiment of FIG. 4 automatically revises shipping location and/or time to meet recipient travel itineraries, alternative embodiments may instead generate a notification to the user or recipient that a package in transit will miss its estimated or specified delivery time and destination, and determine and identify alternate locations where the package could be delivered at a time convenient to the recipient's schedule. Embodiments may provide this functionality automatically, included as part of a selected shipping option service, or it may be offered as an additional service, including as an opt-in service offered by a service provider for a fee or other consideration.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates one embodiment of the present invention for online purchasing of an item with delivery options. A first local computing device 54′ of the user is illustrated, which includes the user interface for online purchasing of the item with delivery options. The user enters the destinations of the travel itinerary 400 and the product 402 to be purchased, which is received by the configured processor 16.

An item unit 500 identifies vendor purchase and shipping options for the item from a vendor item catalog 502 or database. The vendor item catalog 502 includes vendors offering the item for sale. In some embodiments, the vendor ensures jurisdictional legal compliance with item offerings in a delivery location and shipping method. The vendor item catalog 502 includes item pricing, shipping method, and shipping pricing to the destinations. In some embodiments, the vendor item catalog 502 includes links to the vendor for dynamic pricing. For example, the item unit 500 obtains a link from the vendor item catalog 502, which provides for passing of attributes of the item and the destination to a vendor program, which returns the item price, the shipping method, and the shipping price.

The item unit 500 can provide for a plurality of items to be received with varying destinations. For example, product X can be received at locations B or C, and product Y at locations D or E. The item unit 500 can provide for various payment methods for the purchased items.

A delivery unit 504 can rank the purchase and shipping options from the various vendors for the item. The ranking can be according to an earliest shipping destination, a lowest total price that includes the purchase price and shipping price, a latest shipping destination, user preferences, a vendor, a shipping method, combinations thereof and the like. In some embodiments, a model 506 predicts a ranking based on user information 508 and combinations of the destination, the item price, the shipping price, the shipping method, the vendor, the total price, and the like. For example, scalar inputs are ingested into a multiple linear regression model to recommend a suitable destination for delivery with the corresponding vendor. The scalar inputs, such as the item price, the shipping price, and the shipping method, are weighted according to the user preferences determined from the user information 508. The user information 508 can include profile information from the local computing device 54′, attributes from k-means cluster analysis of like consumers, social media data, prior purchase history of the user or like users, combinations thereof, and the like.

The model 506, such as a deep learning model, supports vector machines, Bayesian networks, neural networks, linear regression models, long short term memory (LSTM), and the like, receives and inputs the scalar inputs, analyzes the purchase and shipping options and user information 508, and outputs a relative rank for each of the purchase and shipping options.

In some embodiments, the model 506 learns from customer feedback and adjusts optimal delivery points and modes, given an itinerary and certain set of conditions. Based on feedback from the user, the rules for ranking of the delivery locations and options (timing, cost, etc.) and the weights on the factors used to determine the ranking are adjusted over time based on clustering of profiles of users with similar profiles, preferences and the reviews, feedback received from each user cluster. The derivation of rules can include techniques, such as Bayesian Inference and Multivariate Linear Regression. This auto-learning and tuning of the model 506 can include vendor ratings based on the quality and timeliness of actual delivery.

The delivery unit 504 distributes the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options for the item to the local computing device 54′. The delivery unit 504 selects one of the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options. In some embodiments, the user can modify the selected ranked vendor purchase and shipping option. The item unit 500 completes payment of the selected vendor purchase and shipping option.

An itinerary unit 510 tracks progress of the user with respect to the itinerary 400. The tracking can include tracking of the local computing device 54′, entries into the local computing device 54′, inputs from travel planning and status (e.g. flight, train status tracker) applications that track travel, and combinations thereof. The itinerary unit 510 notifies the delivery unit 504 of changes to the destinations. The itinerary unit 510 can provide for notification of successful delivery to the user, which is acknowledged through the user interface of the local computing device 54′.

An item tracker 512 tracks progress of the shipping of the item, and provides for exchange of information between a user interface of a local computing device 54″ of a deliverer responsible for delivery of the item to the destination. The item tracker 512 can receive inputs from the local computing device 54″ regarding status of the delivery including successful completion of the delivery to the user.

The delivery unit 504 can resolve conflicts between reporting of the delivery of the item by the user delivering the item through the item tracker 512, and the user receiving the item through the itinerary tracker 510. The delivery unit 504 can resolve changes to the itinerary 400 and changes to the shipping, which include changed item purchase and delivery options distributed and displayed for a new selection on the user interface of the local computing device 54′, and/or alternate delivery instructions to the deliverer responsible for the delivery through the user interface of the local computing device 54″.

The item unit 500, the delivery unit 504, the itinerary tracker 510, and the item tracker 512 are suitably embodied by the configured processor 16 to perform the described functions using the identified structures.

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a method of the present invention for online purchasing of an item with delivery options. At 600, the configured processor receives the itinerary 400 and one or more items 402. The itinerary 400 and the item 402 can be received in the cloud computing environment 50. The itinerary 400 includes a plurality of destinations and each destination includes a location and a corresponding time. The location can include a physical address, a postal address, or a geospatial location, such as global positioning system (GPS) coordinates. The corresponding time includes a duration of time for which the user accepts delivery of the item at the destination. The time of the destination can be narrowed within the corresponding time from the itinerary 400. In some embodiments, one or more destinations in the itinerary 400 can be blocked or removed from further consideration by the user interface of the local computing device.

At 602, the configured processor identifies vendor purchase and shipping options for the item 402. Each vendor purchase and shipping option includes a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price, and a destination identifier. The destination identifier is according to one of the destinations of the itinerary 400.

At 604, the configured processor can rank the vendor purchase and shipping options for the item 402 according to predicted ranking from the model 506. The model 506 can include weighting according to user information 508 of combinations of the vendor, shipping method, shipping price, item price, total price, and destination.

At 606, the configured processor distributes the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options for the item 402 to the local computing device 54. The configured processor selects the highest ranked vendor purchase and shipping option for the item 402. The user interface of the local computing device 54 displays the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options of a display device of the local computing device 54.

At 608, the configured processor can receive an override of the selected vendor purchase and shipping option. The modified selection of the vendor purchase and shipping option is entered or selected through the user interface of the local computing device 54. The configured processor can process the selected purchase and shipping option, which includes completing the purchase transaction with the vendor for the item including scheduling the shipping of the item to the destination. In some embodiments, completing the purchase transaction includes payment processing. In some embodiments, payment processing is completed directly between the user of the local computing device and the selected vendor.

At 610, the configured processor can receive a change to the itinerary 400. The configured processor receives the change through tracking of the itinerary 400.

At 612, the configured processor, in response to the change in the itinerary 400, identifies vendor purchase and shipping options for the changed itinerary. The identified vendor purchase and shipping options include options for a new destination added to the itinerary 400, an existing destination in the itinerary or combinations thereof.

At 614, the configured processor ranks the vendor purchase and shipping options for the changed itinerary. The rankings can include a predicted ranking for each option according to user information, total price, item price, shipping price, destination, vendor, shipping method, total price, and combinations thereof.

At 616, the configured processor distributes the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options to the local computing device 54 of the user. The configured processor selected the highest ranked vendor purchase and shipping option. The user interface of the local computing device 54 formats and displays the ranked vendor purchase and shipping options. For example, the highest ranked or most likely are sorted first in the display.

At 618, the configured processor can receive a modification to the selected vendor purchase and shipping option for the changed itinerary. The selection can be received via the user interface of the local computing device 54. The configured processor completes the purchase of the item with the selected vendor purchase and shipping option. In some embodiments, the configured processor notifies the shipper through the item tracker 512 of the change or cancellation of the prior transaction.

At 620, the configured processor can confirm receipt of the item at the destination through the user interface of the local computing device of the user receiving the item. The confirmation can include deliverer confirmation of delivery of the item to the user, and combinations of user confirming receipt and the deliverer confirming delivery. In some embodiments, data from selected original and/or changed vendor purchase and delivery options is added to the user information 508.

The terminology used herein is for describing particular aspects only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “include” and “including” when used in this specification specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. Certain examples and elements described in the present specification, including in the claims, and as illustrated in the figures, may be distinguished, or otherwise identified from others by unique adjectives (e.g. a “first” element distinguished from another “second” or “third” of a plurality of elements, a “primary” distinguished from a “secondary” one or “another” item, etc.) Such identifying adjectives are generally used to reduce confusion or uncertainty, and are not to be construed to limit the claims to any specific illustrated element or embodiment, or to imply any precedence, ordering or ranking of any claim elements, limitations, or process steps.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary comprises a plurality of destinations, and wherein each of the plurality of destinations comprise a geographic identifier and a corresponding time;

identifying a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options comprise at least one of the plurality of destinations, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options comprise a plurality of attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and

selecting one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options includes identifying options for purchase and delivery of the item to each of the plurality of destinations of the itinerary.

3. The method of claim 1, further including:

computing a rank for each vendor purchase and delivery option according to the preferences that are selected from a group consisting of the user preferences and preferences of similar users;

ordering the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item according to the computed rank; and

selecting a highest ranked of the ordered plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options.

4. The method of claim 1,

receiving a change in the itinerary for the user that removes a destination of a selected vendor purchase and delivery option for the item;

identifying vendor purchasing and delivery options for the changed itinerary; and

selecting one of the vendor purchase and delivery options for the change itinerary.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include locations that are defined by a postal address, a physical address, or a geospatial location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the locations include nearby locations selected from a group consisting of:

a postal address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a postal address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius; and

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

integrating computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising a processor, a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the processor, and a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor; and

wherein the processor executes program code instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby receives the item and the itinerary of the user, identifies the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, selects one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options and distributes the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item to the local computing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the computer-readable program code is provided as a service in a cloud environment.

9. A computer system, comprising:

a computer processor;

a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the computer processor; and

a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the computer processor;

wherein the computer processor executes program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

receives an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary comprises a plurality of destinations, and wherein each of the plurality of destinations comprise a geographic identifier and a corresponding time;

identifies a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options comprise at least one of the plurality of destinations, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options comprise a plurality of attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and

selects one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby identify the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options by identifying options for purchase and delivery of the item to each of the plurality of destinations of the itinerary.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

computes a rank for each vendor purchase and delivery option according to the preferences that are selected from a group consisting of the user preferences and preferences of similar users;

orders the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item according to the computed rank; and

selects a highest ranked of the ordered plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor executes program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory and thereby:

receives a change in the itinerary for the user that removes a destination of a selected vendor purchase and delivery option for the item;

identifies vendor purchasing and delivery options for the changed itinerary; and

selects one of the vendor purchasing and delivery options for the changed itinerary.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include locations that are defined by a postal address, a physical address, or a geospatial location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the locations include nearby locations selected from a group consisting of:

a postal address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a postal address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius; and

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel.

15. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions for execution by a computer processor that causes the computer processor to:

receive an item for purchase and an itinerary of a user, wherein the itinerary comprises a plurality of destinations, and wherein each of the plurality of destinations comprise a geographic identifier and a corresponding time;

identify a plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item, wherein each of the delivery options comprise at least one of the plurality of destinations, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options comprise a plurality of attributes including a vendor identifier, an item price, a shipping price for the item to one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time, and an identifier of the destination of the one of the plurality of destinations at the corresponding time; and

select one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item as a function of determining that the attributes of the selected one meet user preferences.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for execution cause the computer processor to identify the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options by identifying options for purchase and delivery of the item to each of the plurality of destinations of the itinerary.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the instructions for execution cause the computer processor to:

compute a rank for each vendor purchase and delivery option according to the preferences that are selected from a group consisting of the user preferences and preferences of similar users;

order the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the item according to the computed rank; and

select a highest ranked of the ordered plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for execution cause the computer processor to:

receive a change in the itinerary for the user that removes a destination of a selected vendor purchase and delivery option for the item;

identify vendor purchasing and delivery options for the changed itinerary; and

select one of the plurality of vendor purchase and delivery options for the changed itinerary.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include locations that are defined by a postal address, a physical address, or a geospatial location.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the vendor purchase and delivery options include locations include a nearby location that is selected from the group consisting of:

a postal address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a postal address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius;

a physical address that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel;

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined geospatial radius; and

a geospatial location that is located within a predetermined time determined by a mode of travel.