Data synchronization for offline processing

• US 10,127,516 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Incorporated
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bennett, David A., Bilibin, Paul A., Bjerke, Mark A., Goldhaber, Lynn S., Hu, Hsiangwen S., Moon, Lory E., Liu, Jinyue, McLaughlin, Paul R., Nelson, Reichie R., Mentzer, Charles D., Smith, Matthew J., Smith, William W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Kevin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zeroual, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/838,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20150371188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention includes system and methods for the continued operation of a carrier management system having one or more user terminals that normally communicate with at least one data center over a network (online), when the one or more user terminals are unable to communicate with the data center (offline). Once communication is re-established between the one or more user terminal and the data center, local files and data on the user terminals that were used to rate and ship packages while offline are synchronized between the one or more user terminals and the data center.

Claims

1. A user terminal comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the user terminal in communication via a network with a data center:

wherein the data center comprises (A) a central portion of carrier management system (CMS), (B) rating data comprising information to rate costs of shipping items with at least two carriers, and (C) shipping data comprising information about shipping transactions that have been processed for shipping items by the at least two carriers;

wherein the user terminal further comprises (A) one or more rating files comprising the information to rate the costs of shipping items with the at least two carriers;

(B) one or more shipping files; and

(C) one or more application files comprising executable code for at least a local portion of the CMS, the user terminal being configured to;

(A) wherein the user terminal is configured to, in response to operating in an online mode and able to access the data center via the network;

(i) display costs of shipping an item with the at least two carriers based at least in part on the rating data;

(ii) receive a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based on the displayed costs; and

(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier; and

(B) wherein the user terminal is configured to, in response to operating in an offline mode and not able to access the data center via the network;

execute the one or more application files to execute the local portion of the CMS on the user terminal independent of the central portion of the CMS in order to;

(i) display of costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based at least in part on the information in the one or more rating files;

(ii) receive a selection of a carrier from the user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based on the displayed costs; and

(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one of the shipping files; and

(C) wherein the user terminal is configured to, in response to transferring from the offline mode to the online mode and being able to access the data center via the network;

(i) synchronize the one or more rating files with the rating data;

(ii) synchronize the one or more application files with the data center; and

(iii) synchronize the shipping data with the shipping transactions stored in the shipping files.

2. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the user terminal further configured to process and apply shipping rates stored in the rating files to the one or more items while the user terminal is in the offline mode.

3. The user terminal of claim 1, wherein the local portion of the CMS is configured to automatically detect a connection state between the user terminal and the data center for determining whether the user terminal is to operate in the online mode or in the offline mode.

4. A method for synchronizing information on a user terminal with information on a data center in a carrier management system (CMS), the method comprising:

wherein the CMS applies carrier shipping rates to one or more items, and wherein the CMS comprises;

(a) a local portion of the CMS that resides on a user terminal, the user terminal having application files comprising executable code for executing the local portion of the CMS and rating files comprising rating information to rate costs of shipping items with at least two carriers and being configured to transfer between an online mode in which the user terminal is able to access a data center over the network and an offline mode in which the user terminal is not able to access the data center; and

(b) a central portion of the CMS that resides on the data center that is accessible by the user terminal over the network, the data center comprising rating data comprising information to rate costs of shipping items with the at least two carriers and shipping data comprising information about shipping transactions that have been processed for shipping items by the at least two carriers;

in response to the user terminal being in the online mode and able to access the data center over the network;

(a) displaying of costs of shipping an item with the at least two carriers on the user terminal by executing the central portion of the CMS, the costs of shipping the item based at least in part on the rating data;

(b) receiving a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based on the displayed costs; and

(c) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier by executing the central portion of the CMS; and

in response to the user terminal being in the offline mode and unable to access the data center over the network;

(a) displaying of costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers on the user terminal by executing the local portion of the CMS, the costs based at least in part on the information in the one or more rating files;

(b) receiving a selection of a carrier from the user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based on the displayed costs; and

(c) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file in memory of the user terminal; and

in response to access between the user terminal and the data center being restored;

(a) synchronizing the application files;

(b) synchronizing the rating files; and

(c) synchronizing the at least one shipping file stored on the user terminal with data center data on the data center.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one shipping file comprises item weight and dimensions, address data, “

bill to”

data, carrier and class of service.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein synchronizing the application files, the rating files, and the at least one shipping file stored on the user terminal with the data center data occurs automatically.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

automatically detecting a connection state between the user terminal and the data center as being either connected or disconnected; and

automatically transferring the user terminal to the offline mode when the connection state is disconnected.

8. A user terminal comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the user terminal in communication via a network with a data center:

(A) the user terminal configured to, in response to operating in an online mode and able to access the data center via a network;

(i) display costs of shipping an item with at least two carriers based at least in part on rating data;

(ii) receive a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user; and

(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier; and

(B) the user terminal configured to, in response to operating in an offline mode and not able to access the data center via the network, execute one or more application files to;

(i) display of costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based at least in part on the information in one or more rating files;

(ii) receive a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user; and

(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file; and

(C) the user terminal configured to, in response to transferring from the offline mode to the online mode and being able to access the data center via the network;

(i) synchronize the rating files with the rating data;

(ii) synchronize the one or more application files with the data center; and

(iii) synchronize the at least one shipping file with the data center.

9. The user terminal of claim 8, wherein the user terminal further configured to process and apply shipping rates stored in the rating files to the item while the user terminal is in the offline mode.

10. The user terminal of claim 8, wherein the user terminal is configured to automatically detect a connection state between the user terminal and the data center for determining whether the user terminal is to operate in the online mode or in the offline mode.

11. A method for synchronizing information on a user terminal with information on a data center, the method comprising:

(A) in response to the user terminal being in the online mode and able to access the data center over the network;

(i) display of costs of shipping an item with at least two carriers based at least in part on rating data;

(ii) receiving a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user; and

(iii) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier; and

(B) in response to the user terminal being in the offline mode and unable to access the data center over the network, executing one or more application files to;

(i) display of costs of shipping the item with the at least two carriers based at least in part on the information in one or more rating files;

(ii) receive a selection of one of the at least two carriers from a user; and

(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file; and

(C) in response to access between the user terminal and the data center being restored;

(i) synchronize the rating files with the rating data;

(ii) synchronize the one or more application files with the data center; and

(iii) synchronize the at least one shipping file with the data center.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising processing and applying shipping rates stored in the rating files to the item while the user terminal is in the offline mode.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically detecting a connection state between the user terminal and the data center for determining whether the user terminal is to operate in the online mode or in the offline mode.