NL2019409B1

NL2019409B1 - Conditionally displaying shipment information

Info

Publication number: NL2019409B1
Application number: NL2019409A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Mcloughlin Niall; Breukel Leendert; Lambregs Joffrey; Antonio Christophe; Faas Tijn
Original assignee: Tnt Holdings B V
Priority date: 2017-08-10
Filing date: 2017-08-10
Publication date: 2019-02-21

Abstract

A method involves receiving (1) a shipment information item, identifying (2) a user account, determining (3) a value representing a match between the user account and shipment destination information, and associating (4) the shipment information item with the user account if the value represents a match above a first percentage. The method further involves obtaining (11) shipment information items, displaying (12) a first part and a second part of the shipment information item if the value represents a match above a second percentage, displaying (13) the first part and a question about the shipment to the user if the value represents a match above the first and below the second percentage, receiving (14) an answer to the question, determining (15) the correctness of the answer using the second part, displaying (16) the second part if the answer is correct, and removing (17) the association if the answer is incorrect.

Description

Conditionally displaying shipment information

Field of the invention [0001] The invention relates to a method of displaying shipment information. ƒ00027 The invention further relates to a system for displaying shipment information. ƒ00037 The invention also relates to a computer program product enabling a computer system to perform any of such methods.

Background of the invention ƒ00047 Many courier delivery services offer an app and/or a website with which shipments can be tracked & traced. Shipments are typically assigned a unique number which is sent to the recipient of the shipment, e.g. by e-mail. A user of the app or website is able to track his shipment by entering this unique identifier. Some apps and websites allow a user to login and to have the server hosting the website or communicating with the app associate a shipment corresponding to an entered identifier to the user’s account. Some servers are even able to associate a shipment automatically with a user account if the user information of the user account matches the destination information of the shipment.

[0005] A drawback of existing track & trace systems is that a shipment is only automatically associated with a user account if the user information and the destination information match exactly and it happens regularly that shipment information is inaccurate or imprecise and therefore the shipment is not automatically associated with the user account. For example, certain countries only use coarse postal code systems and in these countries, multiple addresses are regularly used for the same destination.

Summary of the invention [0006] It is a first object of the invention to provide a method of displaying shipment information, which is able to automatically associate a shipment with a user account in a situation where the shipment information is somewhat inaccurate and/or imprecise.

[0007] It is a second object of the invention to provide a system for displaying shipment information, which is able to automatically associate a shipment with a user account in a situation where the shipment information is somewhat inaccurate and/or imprecise.

[0008] According to the invention, the first object is realized in that the method of displaying shipment information comprises receiving a shipment information item relating to a shipment, said shipment information item comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first part comprising destination information, identifying a user account comprising user information which at least partly matches said destination information, said user account belonging to a user, determining a value representing a match between said user information and said destination information, and associating said shipment information item with said user account if said value represents a match above a first percentage.

[0009] Said method further comprises obtaining one or more shipment information items associated with said user account, said one or more shipment information items including said shipment information item, displaying said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user if said value represents a match above a second percentage, displaying said first part of said shipment information item and a question about said shipment to said user if said value represents a match above said first percentage and below said second percentage, said first part of said shipment information item being displayed without said second part of said shipment information item, receiving an answer from said user to said question, determining the correctness of said answer using said second part of said shipment information item, displaying said second part of said shipment information item if said answer is determined to be correct, and not displaying said second part of said shipment information item and removing said association between said shipment information item and said user account if said answer is determined to be incorrect. Said method may be performed by software running on one or more programmable devices. This software may be provided as one or more computer program products.

[0010] This invention allows more shipments to be added automatically to a user interface that shows shipments to be received (and optionally, shipments already received) without compromising the privacy of the recipients of the shipments. By displaying only part of the shipment information, a part that is not privacy sensitive and which allows the user to identify the shipment, displaying a question about the shipment based on shipment information that is not displayed (e.g. the sender of the shipment) and displaying a privacy sensitive part of the shipment information (e.g. a text identifying the contents of the shipment) only when the user answers the question correctly, privacy of the recipients of the shipments is ensured. In order to prevent that a user needs to answer questions unnecessarily, this is only done if the user to which the user interface is shown (the owner of the user account) is likely to be the recipient of the shipment, but it is not certain that he is the recipient of the shipment, because the shipment information is somewhat inaccurate and/or imprecise.

[0011] Multiple questions may be asked to verify that the user is the recipient of the shipment. Whether a single question or multiple questions are asked may be made dependent on how easy it is estimated to be to correctly guess the answer to a single question. For example, if a certain online retailer is the sender of the shipment and is responsible for a large portion of the shipments to this recipient or to recipients in the same geographical area, then the method may involve display multiple questions that all need to be answered correctly by the user.

[0012] In an embodiment, said user account is only considered to comprise user information which at least partly matches said destination information if said user information has been verified. This prevents that someone can create a fake account and that privacy sensitive shipment information is displayed to this person as a result of the value representing a match exceeding the second threshold.

[0013] Displaying said question about said shipment may comprise asking said user to select from a plurality of choices, at least one of said plurality of choices including at least a portion of said second part of said shipment information item and at least one of said plurality of choices not including any portion of said second part of said shipment information item. By providing choices, the user may be more likely to be able to answer the question correctly, as he may not remember the answer, but recognize the answer when he sees it. By making the number of choices sufficiently large so that the correct answer is (almost) impossible to guess, the privacy of the recipients of the shipments is ensured.

[0014] Displaying said question about said shipment may comprise asking said user to enter a text and determining the correctness of said answer may comprise matching said entered text with said second part of said shipment information item and/or with information obtained using said second part of said shipment information item. By asking the user to enter a text, the correct answer is (almost) impossible to guess if the right question is asked, thereby ensuring the privacy of the recipients. Sometimes, a company uses a different name to ship products than to sell them, e.g. products may be sold by a parent company, sister company or brand licensee. Furthermore, a company may arrange shipment of products sold by a client. The entered name of the sender may be compared not only with the name of the sender, but also with the names of one or more companies, e.g. shops, that are known to be associated with the sender in order to address this problem.

[0015] Said method may further comprise receiving a unique identifier of said shipment, obtaining said shipment information item based on said unique identifier, associating said shipment information item with said user account and displaying said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user. If the user does not answer the question correctly or if, for some reason, a shipment is not associated with a user account automatically, because the value that represents a match between the user information and the destination information does not exceed the first threshold (e.g. because the user information has not been verified), it is beneficial to allow the user to manually add the missing shipment by entering the unique identifier of the shipment.

[0016] Said question about said shipment may ask said user to enter the name of the sender of said shipment and said answer from said user to said question may comprise a text and said method may further comprise extracting the name of the sender from said second part of said shipment information item and associating said text with said extracted name in a collection of texts associated with names upon receiving said unique identifier of said shipment. For example, if the user entered the name of the sender incorrectly because it was shipped by a parent company, sister company or brand licensee of the company that sold the product now being shipped, and then enters the unique identifier of the shipment to manually add it, the relation between the incorrectly entered sender name and the actual sender name may be stored. In this way, the method involves learning which other names are also correct. This may reduce the number of times a recipient manually has to add a shipment to his overview/user interface.

[0017] Said method may further comprise attaching said value to said association between said shipment information item and said user account. This makes it easy to determine whether a question needs to be asked to a user when the user logs into his account. Alternatively, the value may be recalculated when the user logs in or a flag whether to ask a question may be attached to the association instead of the value itself.

[0018] Said method may further comprise attaching information to said association between said shipment information item and said user account or removing or changing information attached to said association in dependence on the correctness of said answer so that no further question is asked about said shipment. This may be used to prevent that the user is asked a question about the same shipment the next time the user logs in. This may involve increasing the value to exceed the second threshold when the value has been attached to the association or changing a flag whether to ask a question when such a flag has been attached to the association.

[0019] According to the invention, the second object is realized in that the system for displaying shipment information comprises a server configured to receive a shipment information item relating to a shipment, said shipment information item comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first part comprising destination information, identify a user account comprising user information which at least partly matches said destination information, said user account belonging to a user, determine a value representing a match between said user information and said destination information, and associate said shipment information item with said user account if said value represents a match above a first percentage.

[0020] Said system further comprises a client device configured to obtain one or more shipment information items associated with said user account, said one or more shipment information items including said shipment information item, display said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user if said value represents a match above a second percentage, display said first part of said shipment information item and a question about said shipment to said user if said value represents a match above said first percentage and below said second percentage, said first part of said shipment information item being displayed without said second part of said shipment information item, receive an answer from said user to said question, determine the correctness of said answer using said second part of said shipment information item, display said second part of said shipment information item if said answer is determined to be correct, and not display said second part of said shipment information item and remove said association between said shipment information item (e.g. by instructing said server to remove said association) and said user account if said answer is determined to be incorrect.

[0021] Said client device may be configured to ask said user to provide said answer by selecting from a plurality of choices, at least one of said plurality of choices including at least a portion of said second part of said shipment information item and at least one of said plurality of choices not including any portion of said second part of said shipment information item. ƒ00227 Said client device may be configured to ask said user to provide said answer by asking said user to enter a text and to determine the correctness of said answer by matching said entered text with said second part of said shipment information item and/or with information obtained using said second part of said shipment information item. ƒ00237 Said client device may be configured to receive a unique identifier of said shipment from said user, obtain said shipment information item based on said unique identifier and display said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user and said server may be configured to associate said shipment information item with said user account [0024] Said client device may be configured to ask said user to enter the name of the sender of said shipment and receive a text as an answer to said question from said user and said server may be configured to extract the name of the sender from said second part of said shipment information item and associate said text with said extracted name in a collection of texts associated with names upon receiving said unique identifier of said shipment.

[0025] Moreover, a computer program for carrying out the methods described herein, as well as a non-transitory computer readable storage-medium storing the computer program are provided. A computer program may, for example, be downloaded by or uploaded to an existing device or be stored upon manufacturing of these systems.

[0026] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a device, a method or a computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a "circuit", "module" or "system." Functions described in this disclosure may be implemented as an algorithm executed by a processor/microprocessor of a computer. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied, e.g., stored, thereon.

[0027] Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of a computer readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to, the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, 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), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store, a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0028] A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0029] Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber, cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java(TM), Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. The program code 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).

[0030] Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present 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 program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor, in particular a microprocessor or a central processing unit (CPU), 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, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0031] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0032] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0033] The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of devices, 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 code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, 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 illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

Brief description of the Drawings [0034] These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be further elucidated, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: • Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of a first embodiment of the method of the invention; • Fig. 2 is a flow diagram of part of a second embodiment of the method; • Fig. 3 is a flow diagram of part of a third embodiment of the method; • Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of part of a fourth embodiment of the method; • Fig. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the system of the invention; • Fig. 6 is a first example of a user interface shown on a client device in an embodiment of the system of the invention; • Fig. 7 is a second example of a user interface shown on a client device in the embodiment of the system; • Fig. 8 is a third example of a user interface shown on a client device in a system performing the method of Fig.2; • Fig. 9 is a fourth example of a user interface shown on a client device in a system performing the method of Fig.3; • Fig. 10 is a fifth example of a user interface shown on a client device in a system performing the method of Fig.4; and • Fig. 11 is a block diagram of an exemplary data processing system for performing the methods of the invention.

[0035] Corresponding elements in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numeral.

Detailed description of the Drawings [0036] A flow diagram of a first embodiment of the method of the invention is shown in Fig. 1. A step 1 comprises receiving a shipment information item relating to a shipment (e.g. from a client device or an operator terminal). The shipment information item comprises at least a first part and a second part. The first part comprises destination information (e.g. a recipient name and address). Other parts of the shipment information item may comprise additional destination information.

[0037] A step 2 comprises identifying a user account (belonging to a user) comprising user information which at least partly matches the destination information. For example, the user information and destination information may be considered to match when the user name and recipient name are identical and the user address and recipient address are identical. For example, the user information and destination information may be considered to partly match when one or two characters of the names and/or addresses are different. In this embodiment or in a different embodiment, the user account is only considered to comprise user information which at least partly matches the destination information if the user information has been verified. The recipient of the shipment may not have a user account. In that case, the method returns to step 1.

[0038] A step 3 comprises determining a value representing a match between the user information and the destination information. Steps 2 and 3 may be combined into a single step. A higher value may indicate a better match or a lower value may indicate a better match, for example. Determining the value may comprise comparing the user name and address with the recipient name and address, for example. If they are identical, they may be considered to be a 100% match. Every deviating character may decrease the value, for example. This decrease in value, e.g. the weight of the deviation in this decrease, may depend on where in the information the characters deviate.

[0039] The information is preferably parsed into logical components, e.g. a first name and a last name may be extracted from a user name and a recipient name, and a street name and a street number may be extracted from a user address and recipient address. A deviating charactering in the first name may be given the least weight (e.g. result in the smallest value reduction), for example. If words are present in a different order (e.g. in a different order in the recipient address compared to the user address), this might result in no decrease in value or in only a small decrease in value, for example. For example, entering a recipient address as “Amsterdam Avenue 274” instead of “274 Amsterdam Avenue” might result in no decrease in value or in only a small decrease in value. ƒ00407 The recipient street name may be compared with existing street names and if a deviating character in the recipient street name results in multiple largely matching existing street names, the decrease in value may be relatively large. For example, in that case, there may only be a match exceeding the second threshold if at least the postal codes, street numbers and recipient/user names are identical and only be a match exceeding the first threshold if at least the street numbers and recipient/user names are identical.

[0041] A step 4 comprises associating the shipment information item with the user account (e.g. in the database that stores the user accounts) if the value represents a match above a first percentage (e.g. above X%). An example of the first percentage is 85%. Shipment information items and user accounts may be stored in different databases (managed by the same or by a different database application) or may be stored in the same database, e.g. as different tables. A unique identifier of the shipment may be stored in a record corresponding to the user account, for example. Steps 1 to 4 may be performed by a server, for example. The server may perform these steps as soon as new shipment information is received by the server or as part of a batch process performed on a regular basis, e.g. every hour, for every new shipment. In this embodiment, the method further comprises a step 21 of attaching the value to the association between the shipment information item and the user account.

[0042] A step 11 comprises obtaining one or more shipment information items associated with the user account. The one or more shipment information items include the shipment information item. Step 11 may be performed when the user logs in to his account. A step 12 comprises displaying the first part and the second part of the shipment information item to the user if the value represents a match above a second percentage (e.g. above or equal to Y%). An example of the second percentage is 95%. A step 13 comprises displaying the first part of the shipment information item and a question about the shipment to the user if the value represents a match above the first percentage (e.g. above X%) and below the second percentage (e.g. below Y%). The first part of the shipment information item is displayed without the second part of the shipment information item. A step 14 comprises receiving an answer from the user to the question. A step 15 comprises determining the correctness of the answer using the second part of the shipment information item. Privacy is best ensured by requiring an exact match between the answer and the expected answer (e.g. the name of the sender of the shipment).

[0043] A step 16 comprises displaying the second part of the shipment information item if the answer is determined to be correct. A step 17 comprises removing the association between the shipment information item and the user account and not displaying the second part of the shipment information item if the answer is determined to be incorrect. The association may be removed by removing a unique identifier of the shipment from the record of the user account in the user account table or database, for example. Alternatively, a flag may be set in relation to a unique identifier of the shipment indicating that the association is not active, for example. /0044} Steps 11 to 17 may be performed by a client device, for example. The client device may run an app or a browser that communicates with the server, for example. In this embodiment, the method further comprises a step 23 of attaching information to the association between the shipment information item and the user account or removing or changing information attached to the association in dependence on the correctness of the answer so that no further question is asked about the shipment. This information may be added to a record in a separate database table that maps/relates a unique identifier of the user account to a unique identifier of the shipment, for example.

[0045] In the second embodiment of the method, see Fig.2, step 13 comprises a step 25 of asking the user to select from a plurality of choices. At least one of the plurality of choices includes at least a portion of the second part of the shipment information item and at least one of the plurality of choices does not include any portion of the second part of the shipment information item.

[0046] In the third embodiment of the method, see Fig.3, step 13 comprises a step 27 and step 15 comprises a step 28. Step 27 comprises asking the user to enter a text. Step 28 comprises matching the entered text with the second part of the shipment information item and/or with information obtained using the second part of the shipment information item.

[0047] In the fourth embodiment of the method, see Fig.4, steps 31 to 34 are performed after step 17. Step 31 comprises receiving a unique identifier of the shipment. Step 32 comprises obtaining the shipment information item based on the unique identifier. Step 33 comprises associating the shipment information item with the user account. Step 34 comprises displaying the first part and the second part of the shipment information item to the user.

[0048] If step 15 comprises asking the user to enter the name of the sender of the shipment and the answer from the user to the question comprises a text (see e.g. Fig.3), steps 36 and 37 may be performed next. Step 36 comprises extracting the name of the sender from the second part of the shipment information. Step 37 comprises associating the text with this name in a collection of texts associated with names upon receiving the unique identifier of the shipment.

[0049] Fig.5 shows an embodiment of a system 41. The system 41 comprises three client devices 61, 66 and 67. These client devices 61, 66 and 67 may be owned by different users (e.g. different customers of a logistics company), for example. The system 41 further comprises a server cluster 59, which comprises servers 51, 56 and 57. The server cluster 59 may employ load balancing when determining which server a client device should communicate with. Whether a client device communicates with server 51, 56 or 57 may or may not be transparent for the client device. Servers 51, 56 and 57 read from and write to the same database(s). These databases may be part of one or more of the servers 51, 56 and 57, for example. Oracle and/or MySQL database applications may be used, for example. In this embodiment, multiple servers are used instead of a single server in order to support a sufficiently large number of concurrent client devices. In Fig.5, client devices 61 and 66 are mobile phones and client device 67 is a laptop computer. In the following description, it is assumed that the client device 61 communicates with the server 51. ƒ00507 The servers 51, 56 and 57 are configured to receive a shipment information item relating to a shipment (e.g. from operator terminal 71). The shipment information item comprises at least a first part and a second part. The first part comprises destination information. The servers 51, 56 and 57 are further configured to identify a user account (belonging to a user) comprising user information which at least partly matches the destination information, determine a value representing a match between the user information and the destination information, and associate the shipment information item with the user account if the value represents a match above a first percentage.

[0051] The client devices 61,66 and 67 are configured to obtain one or more shipment information items associated with the user account, e.g. when the user starts the appropriate app on his device. The one or more shipment information items include the shipment information item. The client devices 61,66 and 67 are further configured to display the first part and the second part of the shipment information item to the user if the value represents a match above a second percentage, display the first part of the shipment information item and a question about the shipment to the user if the value represents a match above the first percentage and below the second percentage. The first part of the shipment information item is displayed without the second part of the shipment information item. The client devices 61, 66 and 67 are also configured to receive an answer from the user to the question, determine the correctness of the answer using the second part of the shipment information item, display the second part of the shipment information item if the answer is determined to be correct, and remove the association between the shipment information item and the user account and not display the second part of the shipment information item if the answer is determined to be incorrect.

[0052] The server 51 comprises a processor 52, a transceiver 53 and storage means 54. The processor 52 of the server 51 may be a general-purpose processor, e.g. an Intel or an AMD processor, or an application-specific processor, for example. The processor 52 may comprise multiple cores, for example. The processor 52 may run a Unix-based or Windows operating system, for example. The storage means 54 may comprise solid state memory, e.g. one or more Solid State Disks (SSDs) made out of Flash memory, and/or one or more hard disks, for example. The transceiver 53 may be a wireless or wired transceiver, e.g. connected to the Internet using Wi-Fi or Ethernet technology. The server 51 may run, for example, a web server, e.g. Apache. The server 51 may comprise other components typical for a server, e.g. a power supply. f0053J The client device 61 comprises a processor 62 and a transceiver 63. The transceiver 63 of the client device 61 may use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and/or one or more cellular communication technologies such as GPRS, CDMA, UMTS and/or LTE to connect to the Internet, for example. The processor 62 may be a general-purpose processor, e.g. an ARM or a Qualcomm processor, or an application-specific processor. The processor 62 may run an Android, iOS or Windows operating system, for example. The client device 61 preferably comprises a display, e.g. a touch screen display. The client device 61 may comprise storage means (not shown), e.g. solid state memory. The client device 61 may comprise other components typical for a mobile device, e.g. a battery.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in Fig.5, the server 51 comprises one processor 52. In an alternative embodiment, the server 51 comprises multiple processors. In the embodiment shown in Fig.5, a receiver and a transmitter are combined in the transceiver 53 of the server 51. In an alternative embodiment, the server 51 comprises a receiver and a transmitter that are separate. In the embodiment shown in Fig.5, the client device 61 comprises one processor 62. In an alternative embodiment, the client device 61 comprises multiple processors. In the embodiment shown in Fig.5, a receiver and a transmitter are combined in the transceiver 63 of the client device 61. In an alternative embodiment, the client device 61 comprises a receiver and a transmitter that are separate. The transceiver, the transmitter and/or the receiver may support multiple communication technologies and/or may comprise multiple hardware components.

[0055] The client devices 61, 66 and 67 may also be used to create or prepare a shipment, i.e. to send a shipment information item to the server 51, 56 or 67. Alternatively or additionally, an operator terminal 71 (e.g. a laptop or desktop computer) may be used by an employee of a logistics company to create or prepare a shipment, i.e. to enter and send a shipment information item to the server 51, 56 or 67.

[0056] An example of a user interface displayed by the client devices 61, 66 and 67 is shown in Fig.6. The client device 61 displays an app called “MyTNT” on a touch screen display 64 of the client device 61. A current date 81 (“22-Apr-17’j is displayed in the top-right corner of the screen. The name 83 of the user currently logged in with his user account (“Victor Simons”) is displayed in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Two shipments are presented on the display 64: an already delivered shipment in area 87 and a yet to be delivered shipment in area 85. The information displayed in area 85 includes the name of the sender, the weight of the consignment being shipped, and the expected date and time of delivery. No information is hidden/omitted out of privacy concerns, because the name and address of the user account match with the name and address of the recipient as indicated by the sender.

[0057] Fig.7 shows what happens when the name and the address of the user account do not match sufficiently with the name and the address of the recipient as indicated by the sender. Information on an already delivered shipment is shown in area 87, similar as in Fig.6. Area 87 has been replaced with an area 91 in which information on another shipment is shown. The recipient name indicated by the sender is incorrect: “Simons” has been misspelled as “Simmons”. Furthermore, the address indicated by the sender is imprecise: no street number or postal code has been indicated and the building name is not known at the server 51.

[0058] However, the similarities between the name and the address of the user account and the name and the address of the recipient as indicated by the sender exceed the first threshold. Therefore, part of the shipment information is shown: the name and the address as indicated by the sender and the scheduled delivery date. The user can use this information to determine whether this shipment belongs to him or not. Another part of the shipment information is not shown (hidden): the name of the sender, the weight of the consignment being shipped and the expected delivery time. If the user believes that the shipment belongs to him, he should press button 93 labelled “Mine”. If the user believes that the shipment does not belong to him, he should press button 95 labelled “Not mine”. Pressing button 95 will remove area 91 and area 91 will not appear automatically the next time the user logs in. Pressing button 93 may result, for example, in the display of the user interface of Fig.8 or Fig.9.

[0059] In an embodiment, the client devices 61, 66 and 67 are configured to ask the user to provide the answer by selecting from a plurality of choices. At least one of the plurality of choices includes at least a portion of the second part of the shipment information item and at least one of the plurality of choices does not include any portion of the second part of the shipment information item. An example of a user interface displayed by the client devices 61, 66 and 67 in which such a choice is presented is shown in Fig.8.

[0060] The plurality of choices is presented in area 101. The sender of the shipment is a company called Apple, which has been listed as choice 104. Three other companies have been randomly picked from a list of names: Amazon (choice 103), Best Buy (choice 105) and Wal-Mart (choice 106). The name of the sender is not shown in area 91, so the user would have to know the name of the sender or to guess randomly. In Fig.8, four choices are presented in area 101. In order to decrease the chance that a user can guess the correct option, the amount of choices may be made larger, e.g. 10 or 50. If the user selects the correct option, the hidden information is shown in a similar manner as in area 85 of Fig.6. If the user logs in a next time, no information is hidden and no question is asked about this shipment. If the user does not select the correct option, area 91 will be removed in the user interface of Fig.7 and area 91 will not appear automatically the next time the user logs in.

[0061] In an embodiment, the client devices 61, 66 and 67 are configured to ask the user to provide the answer by asking the user to enter a text and to determine the correctness of the answer by matching the entered text with the second part of the shipment information item and/or with information obtained using the second part of the shipment information item. An example of a user interface displayed by the client devices 61,66 and 67 in which the user is asked to enter a text is shown in Fig.9. The user is asked to enter the name of the sender in text field 113 of area 111 (e.g. using a virtual keyboard or speech recognition).

[0062] If the user enters the correct name of the sender (“Apple” in this case), the hidden information is shown in a similar manner as in area 85 of Fig.6. If the user logs in a next time, no information is hidden and no question is asked about this shipment. If the user does not enter the correct name of the sender, area 91 will be removed in the user interface of Fig.7 and area 91 will not appear automatically the next time the user logs in. Sometimes, a company uses a different name to ship products than to sell them, e.g. products may be sold by a parent company, sister company or brand licensee or another company may be hired by the company to arrange its shipments. The entered name of the sender may be compared not only with the name of the sender, but also with the names of one or more companies, e.g. shops, that are known to be associated with the sender in order to address this problem.

[0063] In the same embodiment or in a different embodiment, the client devices 61,66 and 67 are configured to receive a unique identifier of the shipment, obtain the shipment information item based on the unique identifier and display the first part and the second part of the shipment information item to the user and the servers 51, 56 and 57 are configured to associate the shipment information item with the user account. An example of a user interface displayed by the client devices 61,66 and 67 in which a user is asked to enter a unique identifier of the shipment is shown in Fig.10. /0064/The user is asked to enter an identifier in text field 123 of area 121 (e.g. using a virtual keyboard or speech recognition) and to enter the “Search” button 125 to look for a shipment with this identifier after entering the identifier. If no shipment is found, the user is informed and offered the opportunity to enter another identifier. If a shipment is found, it is associated with the user account and presented in the user interface in a similar way as area 85 of Fig.6 [0065] If the client devices 61, 66 and 67 are configured to ask the user to enter the name of the sender of the shipment and receive a text as an answer to the question from the user, the servers 51,56 and 57 may be configured to extract the name of the sender from the second part of the shipment information and associate the text with the name in a collection of texts associated with names upon receiving the unique identifier of the shipment. The collection may comprise, for example, for each name a list of other names associated with this name.

[0066] For example, if the user entered the name of the sender incorrectly because it was shipped by a parent company, sister company or brand licensee of the company that sold the product now being shipped, and then enters the unique identifier of the shipment to manually add it, the relation between the incorrectly entered sender name and the actual sender name may be stored. Stored relations may be obtained and used when the same user is asked to enter the name of a sender a next time. Stored relations may also be used when other users are asked to enter the name of a sender. This may be made dependent on whether multiple users have manually added a shipment from a certain sender after entering the same incorrect name in response to a request to enter the name of the sender.

[0067] Fig. 11 depicts a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data processing system that may perform the methods as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 11, the data processing system 200 may include at least one processor 202 coupled to memory elements 204 through a system bus 206. As such, the data processing system may store program code within memory elements 204. Further, the processor 202 may execute the program code accessed from the memory elements 204 via a system bus 206. In one aspect, the data processing system may be implemented as a computer that is suitable for storing and/or executing program code. It should be appreciated, however, that the data processing system 200 may be implemented in the form of any system including a processor and a memory that is capable of performing the functions described within this specification. f0069J The memory elements 204 may include one or more physical memory devices such as, for example, local memory 208 and one or more bulk storage devices 210. The local memory may refer to random access memory or other non-persistent memory device(s) generally used during actual execution of the program code. A bulk storage device may be implemented as a hard drive or other persistent data storage device. The processing system 200 may also include one or more cache memories (not shown) that provide temporary storage of at least some program code in order to reduce the number of times program code must be retrieved from the bulk storage device 210 during execution.

[0070] Input/output (I/O) devices depicted as an input device 212 and an output device 214 optionally can be coupled to the data processing system. Examples of input devices may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a pointing device such as a mouse, or the like. Examples of output devices may include, but are not limited to, a monitor or a display, speakers, or the like. Input and/or output devices may be coupled to the data processing system either directly or through intervening I/O controllers.

[0071] In an embodiment, the input and the output devices may be implemented as a combined input/output device (illustrated in Fig. 11 with a dashed line surrounding the input device 212 and the output device 214). An example of such a combined device is a touch sensitive display, also sometimes referred to as a “touch screen display” or simply “touch screen". In such an embodiment, input to the device may be provided by a movement of a physical object, such as e.g. a stylus or a finger of a user, on or near the touch screen display.

[0072] A network adapter 216 may also be coupled to the data processing system to enable it to become coupled to other systems, computer systems, remote network devices, and/or remote storage devices through intervening private or public networks. The network adapter may comprise a data receiver for receiving data that is transmitted by said systems, devices and/or networks to the data processing system 200, and a data transmitter for transmitting data from the data processing system 200 to said systems, devices and/or networks. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are examples of different types of network adapter that may be used with the data processing system 200.

[0073] As pictured in Fig. 11, the memory elements 204 may store an application 218. In various embodiments, the application 218 may be stored in the local memory 208, he one or more bulk storage devices 210, or separate from the local memory and the bulk storage devices. It should be appreciated that the data processing system 200 may further execute an operating system (not shown in Fig. 11) that can facilitate execution of the application 218. The application 218, being implemented in the form of executable program code, can be executed by the data processing system 200, e.g., by the processor 202. Responsive to executing the application, the data processing system 200 may be configured to perform one or more operations or method steps described herein.

[0074] Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a program product for use with a computer system, where the program(s) of the program product define functions of the embodiments (including the methods described herein). In one embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of non-transitory computer-readable storage media, where, as used herein, the expression “non-transitory computer readable storage media” comprises all computer-readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory, propagating signal. In another embodiment, the program(s) can be contained on a variety of transitory computer-readable storage media. Illustrative computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: (i) non-writable storage media (e.g., read-only memory devices within a computer such as CD-ROM disks readable by a CD-ROM drive, ROM chips or any type of solid-state non-volatile semiconductor memory) on which information is permanently stored; and (ii) writable storage media (e.g., flash memory, floppy disks within a diskette drive or hard-disk drive or any type of solid-state random-access semiconductor memory) on which alterable information is stored. The computer program may be run on the processor 202 described herein.

[0075] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments 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 "comprises" and/or "comprising," 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.

[0076] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the implementations in the form 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 present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles and some practical applications of the present invention, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

A method for displaying shipment information, comprising: - receiving (1) a shipment information item related to a shipment, said shipment information item comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first part comprising destination information; - identifying (2) a user account comprising user information that at least partially corresponds to said destination information, said user account associated with a user; - determining (3) a value representing a match between said user information and said destination information; - associating (4) said shipment information item with said user account if said value represents a match above a first percentage; - obtaining (11) one or more shipment information items associated with said user account, said one or more shipment information items comprising said shipment information item; - displaying (12) said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user if said value represents a match above a second percentage; - displaying (13) said first part of said shipment information item and a query about said shipment to said user if said value represents a match above said first percentage and below said second percentage, said first part of said shipment information item being displayed without said second part of said shipment information item; - receiving (14) a response from said user to said question; - determining (15) the correctness of said response using said second part of said shipment information item; - displaying (16) said second part of said shipment information item if said answer is determined to be correct; - removing (17) said association between said shipment information item and said user account and not displaying said second part of said shipment information item if said response is determined to be incorrect.

The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said query about said shipment comprises asking said user to choose from a plurality of choices, at least one of said plurality of choices comprising at least a portion of said second part of said shipment information item and at least one of said plurality of choices comprising no part of said second part of said shipment information item.

The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said query about said shipment comprises requesting said user to enter a text (27) and determining (15) the accuracy of said answer comparing (28) said text text entered with said second portion of said shipment information item and / or with information obtained using said second portion of said shipment information item.

The method of any preceding claim, further comprising receiving (31) a unique identifier of said shipment, acquiring (32) said shipment information item based on said unique identifier, associating (33) said shipment information item with said user account and displaying (34) said first portion and said second portion of said shipment information item to said user.

A method according to claim 4, wherein said question about said shipment asks said user to enter the name of the sender of said shipment and said answer from said user to said question comprises a text, said method further comprising deriving (36) of the sender's name from said second part of said shipment information item and associating (37) said text with said derived name in a collection of texts associated with names once said unique indication of said shipment is received.

The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising linking (21) said value to said association between said shipment information item and said user account.

The method of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising linking (23) information to said association between said shipment information item and said user account or removing or modifying information associated with said association depending on the correctness of said response so that no further response asked about the shipment.

A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said user account is only considered as comprising user information that at least partially corresponds to said destination information if said user information is verified.

A computer program or suite of computer programs comprising at least one software code portion or a computer program product on which at least one software code portion is stored, wherein the software code portion, when executed on a computer system, is adapted to perform the method according to one or more of the claims 1 up to and including 8.

A system for displaying shipment information, comprising: - a server (51.56,57) arranged for: receiving a shipment information item related to a shipment, said shipment information item comprising at least a first part and a second part, said first part comprising destination information, identifying a user account including user information that at least partially corresponds to said destination information, said user account associated with a user, determining a value representing a match between said user information and said destination information, associating said shipment information item with said user account if said value represents an agreement above a first percentage; and - a client device (61,66,67) arranged for: obtaining one or more shipment information items associated with said user account, said one or more shipment information items comprising said shipment information item, displaying said first part and said second part of said shipment information item to said user if said value represents a match above a second percentage, displaying said first part of said shipment information item and a query about said shipment to said user if said value represents a match above said first percentage and below said second percentage said first part of said shipment information item being displayed without said second part of said shipment information item, receiving a reply from said user to said question, determining the correctness of said reply using said two the part of said shipment information item, displaying said second part of said shipment information item if said answer is correct, removing said association between said shipment information item and said user account and not displaying said second part of said shipment information item as said answer is determined to be incorrect.

The system of claim 10, wherein said client device (61,66,67) is arranged to ask said user to provide said answer by choosing from a plurality of choices, at least one of said plurality of choices comprising at least a portion of said second portion of said shipment information item and at least one of said plurality of choices comprising no portion of said second portion of said shipment information item.

The system of claim 10, wherein said client device (61,66,67) is arranged to ask said user to provide said answer by asking said user to enter a text and to determine the correctness of said user reply by comparing said input text with said second portion of said shipment information item and / or with information obtained using said second portion of said shipment information item.

The system of any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said client device (61,66,67) is adapted to receive a unique identifier of said shipment, obtain said shipment information item based on said unique identifier and the displaying said first portion and said second portion of said shipment information item to said user, and said server is arranged to associate said shipment information item with said user account.

The system of claim 13, wherein said client device (61,66,67) is arranged to request said user to enter the name of the sender of said shipment and receive a text in response to said query from said user and said server (51, 56, 57) is adapted to derive the name of the sender from said second part of said shipment information item and associate said text with said derived name in a collection of texts associated with names once said unique indication of said shipment is received.

Server arranged like the server of any of claims 10 to 14.