Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for linking object identification data to package identification data
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- storing package identification data identifying at least one package containing one or more products, in association with object identification data identifying an object related to the product.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Senders ship products in packages to receivers via a carrier. The carrier'"'"'s computer system receives data identifying objects associated with the products, and data identifying the packages, links the two, and stores same in a database. The object can be defined to be a product, package, or group of packages or objects. As the packages progress through the carrier'"'"'s transport and storage network, they pass through one or more portals and are scanned to generate event data transmitted to the computer system for storage with the linked data to provide status information regarding the products in the carrier'"'"'s network.
84 Citations
124 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
storing package identification data identifying at least one package containing one or more products, in association with object identification data identifying an object related to the product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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17. A method comprising:
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receiving object identification data identifying an object directly or indirectly associated with a product;
obtaining package identification data identifying a package in which the product is shipped;
linking object identification data to package identification data;
generating shipping label including package identification data;
providing shipping label to a sender of the package;
transporting package with product and having shipping label from the sender to a receiver;
receiving event data generated at one or more portals as the package is transported from sender to receiver; and
storing event data in correspondence with the linked object identification data and package identification data. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method comprising:
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receiving object identification data from a requesting computer system;
retrieving a network address for a physical mark-up language (PML) computer system based on the object identification data;
transmitting the network address to the requesting computer system;
receiving the network address at the requesting computer system;
transmitting the object identification data and package identification data from the requesting computer system to an additional computer system; and
storing the object identification data in association with the package identification data in the additional computer system.
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30. A method comprising:
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receiving object identification data, package identification data, and event data at an object naming service (ONS) computer system;
retrieving a network address for the PML computer system using object identification data; and
transmitting object identification data, package identification data, and event data to the PML computer system using the network address.
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31. A method comprising:
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receiving object identification data, package identification data, and event data and corresponding tags; and
storing the object identification data, package identification data, and event data in a data storage unit in association with the tags.
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32. A method comprising:
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receiving a request from a computer system to access data with object identification data and tags;
retrieving data from a data storage unit based on the object identification data and tags; and
transmitting the retrieved data to the computer system generating the request.
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33. A system for transporting a package from a sender to a receiver by a carrier, the system comprising:
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at least one portal having a respective scanner, the scanner obtaining package identification data identifying the package by scanning the package as it passes through the portal;
a computer connected to receive the package identification data from the portal and generating event data in response to the receipt of the package identification data, the event data indicating status of the package in route from sender to receiver; and
a data storage unit connected to the computer and having a database with object identification data identifying an object related to a product shipped in the package, the object identification data stored in association with the package identification data, the database storing the event data in association with the package identification data. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A computer system receiving from a requesting computer system object identification data identifying an object related to a product that is shipped in a package from a sender to a receiver by a carrier via a communications network, the computer system comprising:
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a computer connected to the communications network; and
a data storage unit connected to the computer, and storing a network address of a physical mark-up language (PML) computer system for storing and providing access to event data indicating events related to the object as it is shipped by the carrier from the sender to the receiver, the computer receiving a request for the network address and providing same to the requesting computer system.
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61. A computer system receiving via a communications network from a requesting computer system a request to access object identification data related to a product, package identification data identifying a package containing the product, and event data related to events related to the object as it transits from a sender to a receiver through the transport and storage network of a carrier, the computer system comprising:
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a data storage unit storing the object identification data, package identification data, and event data in association with one another; and
a computer connected to the communications network to receive the request to access the object identification data, package identification data, and event data, the computer determining whether the requesting computer is authorized to access the object identification data, package identification data, and event data, and retrieving providing such data to the requesting computer system if the requestor is authorized to access such data.
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- 62. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer to store package identification data identifying at least one package in association with object identification data identifying at least one object associated with at least one product contained by the package.
- 78. A computer-readable medium storing package identification data identifying at least one package in association with object identification data identifying one or more objects associated with at least one product contained by the package.
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92. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer to:
- receive object identification data identifying at least one object associated with one or more products;
obtain package identification data identifying a package containing the product;
link the object identification data to the package identification data;
generate a shipping label including the package identification data;
provide the shipping label to a sender of a package containing the product;
receive event data generated at one or more portals as the package is transported from sender to receiver via a carrier; and
store event data in correspondence with the linked object identification data and package identification data. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103)
- receive object identification data identifying at least one object associated with one or more products;
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104. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer to:
- receive object identification data identifying at least one object associated with one or more products from a requesting computer system;
retrieve a network address for a physical mark-up language (PML) computer system storing event data indicating at least one event related to a package containing at least one product as it progresses in a carrier network from a sender to a receiver, based on the object identification; and
transmit the network address to the requesting computer system.
- receive object identification data identifying at least one object associated with one or more products from a requesting computer system;
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105. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer of an object naming service (ONS) computer system to receive object identification data, package identification data, and event data;
- retrieve a network address for a physical mark-up language (PML) computer system using object identification data; and
transmit object identification data, package identification data, and event data to the PML computer system using the network address.
- retrieve a network address for a physical mark-up language (PML) computer system using object identification data; and
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106. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer to receive object identification data, package identification data, and event data and corresponding tags, and store the object identification data, package identification data, and event data in a data storage unit connected to the computer in association with the tags.
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107. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program that can be executed by a computer to:
- receive a request from a computer system to access data with object identification data and tags, the object identification data associated with at least one object related to one or more products;
retrieve data from a data storage unit based on the object identification data and tags; and
transmit the retrieved data to the computer system generating the request. - View Dependent Claims (108, 109, 110, 111)
- receive a request from a computer system to access data with object identification data and tags, the object identification data associated with at least one object related to one or more products;
Specification