Concentrated physical distribution system for cargo, and method therefor

• US 20050171871A1
• Filed: 04/04/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yumita, Keiichi, Nakamura, Takeshi, Mizushima, Yasumasa, Kinugasa, Masami, Watanabe, Zenta
• Application Number:
  US11/097,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20050171871A1
• 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 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A concentrated physical distribution management system to be used in the delivery of ordered cargo to a destination is configured as a site capable of communicating mutually by using communication network lines. The site is provided with a database server. The internal processing section of the database server is composed of, at least, a shipping instruction processing section for instructing the delivery of the ordered cargo to the destination collectively including a physical distribution trader, a physical distribution expense calculation processing section for calculating physical distribution expenses necessary for the delivery of the cargo to the destination, and a cargo tracking processing section for indicating the delivery status of the cargo. The concentrated physical distribution management system manages the cargo so that all of shipping instruction concerning the cargo can be transmitted to the physical distribution trader only by accessing a portal site.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An automatic drafting method of a draft of a bill of lading, said method comprising the steps of:

performing pre-booking of a specific outgoing vessel schedule selected among previously obtained outgoing vessel schedule information at a time of receiving a consigning order of cargo delivery, and using information concerning a designated outgoing vessel schedule as draft information for the bill of lading;

issuing a booking instruction of the outgoing vessel schedule information for confirmation returned with an attached bill reservation number of the bill of lading;

making new draft information for the bill of lading by adding shipping instruction information to the outgoing vessel schedule information for confirmation in response to a shipping requirement; and

transmitting the new draft information for the bill of lading as final draft information for the bill of lading, whereby the draft information of the bill of lading is automatically made.

22. The automatic drafting method of a draft of a bill of lading according to claim 21, wherein

said final draft information for the bill of lading becomes an effective bill of lading by addition of a bill number and an issuance date of the bill.

23. The automatic drafting method of a draft of a bill of lading according to claim 21, wherein

said outgoing vessel schedule information includes at least physical distribution basic six information.

24. An automatic making apparatus of draft information for a bill of lading, said apparatus comprising:

storing means for storing outgoing vessel schedule information;

storing means for storing cargo shipping instruction information;

booking means for performing booking of a specific outgoing vessel schedule on a basis of the outgoing vessel schedule information and the shipping instruction information, both being read out from the two storing means;

making means for making draft information of a bill of lading to be issued to the cargo on a basis of the outgoing vessel schedule information and the booking information; and

delivery means for delivering the booking information and the draft information, whereby

the draft information made by said making means is delivered to a shipping company side, and the shipping company side writes a bill number and an issuance date of the bill for making the bill of lading of the cargo.

25. The automatic making apparatus of a draft of a bill of lading according to claim 24, wherein

said delivery means delivers the booking information and the draft information through a communication network line.

26. An automatic issuing system of a bill of lading, in which a site to transmit a cargo shipping instruction and a site on a physical distribution trader side are mutually connected with a communication network line and information circulates as electronic data, the site on the shipping instruction side comprising:

storing means for storing outgoing vessel schedule information;

storing means for storing shipping instruction information; and

draft information storing means for storing information related to an outgoing vessel schedule at a time of performing booking of a specific outgoing vessel schedule selected in a previously obtained outgoing vessel schedule table when a consigning order of cargo delivery is received;

the site on the physical distribution trader side being comprising;

delivery means for delivering a latest outgoing vessel schedule information;

information of a bill of lading confirming means for confirming delivery of booking information on the physical distribution trader side to add a bill booking number; and

bill of lading issuing means for attaching a bill number and a bill issuance data to received draft information of a bill of lading to issue the bill of lading to the cargo, whereby

the draft information for the bill of lading are added in sequence in electronic data exchanging processes between both of the sites to complete the bill of lading.

27. The automatic issuing system of a bill of lading according to claim 26, wherein

said outgoing vessel schedule information includes at least physical distribution basic six information.