Systems and methods for integrated global shipping and visibility
First Claim
1. An integrated global shipment system providing end-to-end visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising:
- a first shipment visibility system for tracking movement of a consolidated shipment from an origin country to a destination country, said consolidated shipment comprising one or more child shipments that need to be shipped to said destination country, said first shipment visibility system configured to communicate with a second shipment visibility system so as to provide an integrated visibility interface for tracking movement of each of said one or more child shipments from said origin country to said destination country and within said destination country, said second visibility system tracking movement of each of said one or more child shipments within said destination country.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An integrated global shipment system providing end-to-end visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising:
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a first shipment visibility system for tracking movement of a consolidated shipment from an origin country to a destination country, said consolidated shipment comprising one or more child shipments that need to be shipped to said destination country, said first shipment visibility system configured to communicate with a second shipment visibility system so as to provide an integrated visibility interface for tracking movement of each of said one or more child shipments from said origin country to said destination country and within said destination country, said second visibility system tracking movement of each of said one or more child shipments within said destination country. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An integrated global shipment system providing visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising one or more databases accessible to at least a server computer,
said one or more databases storing shipping data for multiple shipments of goods, wherein said shipping data is received from a carrier-customized client shipping system or a web-based client shipping application; - and
said server computer configured for;
receiving, from a warehouse management system, shipper-to-consignee transaction data associated with a shipment of goods;
receiving, from a transportation management system, movement data associated with said shipment of goods;
receiving, from a customs management system, customs clearance data associated with said shipment of goods;
retrieving, from said one or more databases, particular shipping data associated with said shipment of goods; and
generating a shipment output data file based in part upon said shipper-to-consignee transaction data, said movement data, said customs clearance data, and said particular shipping data associated with said shipment of goods. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. An integrated global shipment system providing end-to-end visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising:
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a client interface for receiving a user query directed to one or more specified shipments using specified criteria;
a visibility system comprising;
one or more web servers capable of communicating with said client interface over a communications network, and one or more application servers capable of communicating with said one or more web servers, said one or more application servers having access to one or more application server databases, and configured to process a user query received from said client interface; and
a carrier'"'"'s shipping system comprising one or more mainframe servers, said one or more mainframe servers having access to a shipment database that stores shipping data associated with multiple shipments, said one or more mainframe servers being configured to communicate with said one or more application servers. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An integrated global shipment system providing visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising one or more shipment databases and a web portal that is configured for:
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(1) providing a web interface to said web portal through which a user is enabled to enter criteria defining a group of consolidated shipments;
(2) in response to said criteria entered by said user, identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with said group of consolidated shipments;
(3) displaying to said user said shipping data associated with said group of consolidated shipments;
(4) receiving a first input from said user to select a particular consolidated shipment from said group of consolidated shipments;
(5) in response to said selection in (4), retrieving, from said one or more shipment databases, first-level shipment details associated with said particular consolidated shipment and a list of child shipments that are combined in said particular consolidated shipment, said first-level shipment details including movement data of said particular consolidated shipment;
(6) displaying to said user said first-level shipment details associated with said particular consolidated shipment and said list of child shipments that are combined in said particular consolidated shipment;
(7) receiving a second input from said user to further select a particular child shipment from said list of child shipments;
(8) in response to said selection in (7), retrieving, from said one or more shipment databases, second-level shipment details associated with said particular child shipments and a list of packages in said particular child shipment, said second-level shipment details including movement data of said particular child shipment;
(9) displaying to said user said second-level shipment details associated with said particular child shipments and said list of packages in said particular child shipment;
(10) receiving a third input from said user to further select a particular package from said list of packages; and
(11) in response to said selection in (10), retrieving, from said one or more shipment databases a movement status of said particular package; and
(12) displaying said movement status of said particular package to said user. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An integrated global shipment system providing visibility of movement of goods in shipment, said system comprising one or more shipment databases and a web portal that is configured for:
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(1) providing a web interface to said web portal through which a user is enabled to query for a specific shipment or a specific package by entering a particular identifier;
(2) in response to receiving said particular shipment identifier, determining whether said particular identifier is a consolidated shipment reference number;
(3) in response to the determination that said particular identifier is a consolidated shipment reference number, identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with said specific shipment, and displaying said shipping data to said user, said shipping data including at least said consolidated shipment reference number;
(4) in response to the determination that said particular identifier is not a consolidated shipment reference number, determining whether said particular identifier is an LTL shipment reference number or a package tracking number, a. in response to the determination that said particular identifier is an LTL shipment reference number, i. identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with a consolidated shipment in which said specific shipment is included;
ii. identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with said specific shipment; and
iii. displaying to said user said shipping data in (i) if said specific shipment has not reached a destination country, or said shipping data in (ii) if said specific shipment is in delivery within said destination country; and
b. in response to the determination that said particular identifier is a package tracking number, i. identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with a consolidated shipment in which said specific package is included;
ii. identifying, from said one or more shipment databases, shipping data associated with said specific package; and
iii. displaying to said user said shipping data in (i) if said specific package has not reached a destination country, or said shipping data in (ii) if said specific package is in delivery within said destination country. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification