Systems and methods for virtual inventory management

• US 20050149413A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Marcus, Stuart D., Amling, Alan, Rankin, Kenneth T., Post, George R., Woods, Bruce L., Zamsky, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0831 Overseas transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

Disclosed is an integrated global shipment system that provides end-to-end visibility of the movement of a package. The integrated global shipment system employs a shipment consolidating application for integrating one or more freight tracking systems with one or more end-delivery systems. As a result, shippers are provided with complete visibility of the movement of their shipments of goods from an origin country to a destination country and till the final consignees. In addition, the integrated shipment system significantly decreases the cost of managing inventories by providing a virtual inventory solution. Under this virtual inventory solution, suppliers are able to bypass distribution centers and delay allocation of goods until after the importation of goods into a destination country.

Claims

1. A virtual inventory system that bypasses distribution centers in a supply chain by using an integrated global shipment system of a carrier, said integrated global shipment system comprising:

(1) a shipping client application for processing a shipment request from a supplier to generate shipping data associated with shipment of goods to a destination country;

(2) a shipment entry application for receiving and preparing said shipping data to ship said shipment of goods;

(3) a shipment consolidating application for generating a data file associated with a consolidated shipment, said consolidated shipment combining said shipment of goods with one or more shipments of goods that are to be shipped to said destination country;

(4) a transportation application for managing transportation of said consolidated shipment to said destination country;

(5) a shipment deconsolidating application for processing said data file to separate said consolidated shipment and generating a dispatch plan for resulting child shipments, said resulting child shipment comprising said shipment of goods;

(6) an end-delivery application for managing delivery of said resulting child shipments to respective consignee locations; and

(7) a shipment visibility application for providing an integrated interface for said supplier to track status of said shipment of goods.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data file associated with said consolidated shipment is generated by said shipment consolidating application through the steps of:

(A) generating a consolidated shipment reference number for identifying said consolidated shipment;

(B) associating said consolidated shipment reference number with one or more shipment reference numbers identifying said shipment of goods, and said one or more shipments of goods;

(C) storing said associations in Step (B) into said data file.

3. A method for virtual inventory management, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving from a shipper a shipment request for a carrier to ship packages, said shipment request identifying at least a destination country where said packages need to be shipped;

(2) upon an approval of said shipment request by said carrier, receiving and processing shipping data associated with said packages in a global shipment system operated by said carrier, said global shipment system configured to generate data of a consolidated shipment, said consolidated shipment comprising said packages from said shipper with one or more shipments to be shipped to said destination country;

(3) sending a notification to said shipper, said notification indicating that said packages are received in said destination country; and

(4) receiving from said shipper respective consignee locations in said destination country for use in dispatching and delivering said packages to said respective consignee locations.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising a further step of providing an interface for said shipper to track status of said packages by entering package identifiers.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said global shipment system is further configured to generate a consolidated shipment reference number for identifying said consolidated shipment and to associate said consolidated shipment reference number with identifiers of said packages.

6. A virtual inventory management system comprising one or more processors, said one or more processors configured to communicate with:

a shipment entry system configured for a carrier to receive a request from a shipper for a shipment of goods, said request identifying at least a destination country where said goods need to be shipped;

a shipment consolidating system configured to receive and process shipping data associated with said goods, and to generate data of a consolidated shipment, said consolidated shipment comprising said shipment of goods from said shipper with one or more shipments to be shipped to said destination country;

a shipment transportation system configured to transport said consolidated shipment to said destination country;

an instruction system configured for said carrier to receive one or more initial or updated specific consignee locations from said shipper after said consolidated shipment begins transport to said destination country via said shipment transportation system;

a shipment de-consolidating system configured to separate said shipment of goods from said consolidated shipment after said consolidated shipment is transported to said destination country;

an end-delivery system configured to deliver said shipment of goods to said one or more specific consignee locations within said destination country; and

an integrated interface for said shipper to track status of said shipment of goods within said shipment transportation system as well as said end-delivery system.