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Loading dock management and vehicle access system

  • US 10,482,695 B2
  • Filed: 05/21/2012
  • Issued: 11/19/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method performed by a data processing system having a program for managing access of vendors to at least one facility and auditing activity of the vendors while at the facility, the method comprising:

  • receiving and storing, by the data processing system, identification information identifying a vendor intending to visit a facility prior to the vendor visiting the facility;

    registering, by a user associated with the vendor via a web-based application, a vehicle and driver prior to said driver'"'"'s arrival at the facility;

    creating an authorization, by the data processing system, for the vendor to access the facility or one or more specific locations or resources within the facility, wherein the authorization specifies one or more conditions of the vendor'"'"'s access comprising limiting the vendor'"'"'s access by a specific schedule, an estimated time of arrival, a number of trips per day, a maximum duration of stay, a specific class of vehicle, a specific vehicle, a size of vehicle, a specific vendor category, a specific driver or other representative of the vendor, and the one or more specific locations or resources within the facility, and wherein the authorization is prevented from being created when the vendor is in a specific vendor category, the vendor has not met all requirements for the facility, the authorization exceeds a maximum number of days in the future for which a vendor may be scheduled, the authorization exceeds a maximum number of days for which the schedule may apply within a given date range, the authorization exceeds a maximum number of days in the future for which a vendor may be scheduled with respect to the expiration date of a certificate of insurance on file with the facility, or the authorization is outside the hours or days of operation of the facility;

    verifying the authorization, by the data processing system, responsive to one or more established associations between the vendor and its vehicles or representatives, wherein access to the facility or to the one or more specific locations within the facility is granted responsive to the verification;

    approving, by the data processing system, the authorization through a hierarchical structure of authority comprising one or more users with a highest level of authority and one or more users with lesser levels of authority wherein the one or more users with the highest level of authority require no additional approval to create or to verify the authorization and the one or more users with the lesser levels of authority require approval as determined by the users with the higher level of authority;

    generating, by the data processing system, a record of delivery comprising a physical ticket and a digital record associated therewith recording at least one of time of arrival at the facility, user responsible for check-in, authority for check-in, identity of vendor representative, identity of vehicle, assigned parking spot, and areas where vendor is authorized to access; and

    automatically recording, by the data processing system, on or in association with the ticket, the vendor'"'"'s activity while at the facility, including exit from the facility, responsive to automated vehicle identification at a plurality of automated checkpoints throughout the facility.

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