Apparatus, systems and methods for online, multi-parcel, multi-carrier, multi-service enterprise parcel shipping management
First Claim
1. An online, Internet-based, multi-carrier, multi-parcel shipping management computer system, said computer system programmed to:
- collect input of a set of shipping policy rules from an administrator of an enterprise, wherein the set of shipping policy rules comprises an indication of a set of carriers authorized by the administrator for shipping parcels;
receive a shipping request from a user within the enterprise to ship an at least one parcel;
apply the set of shipping policy rules to the shipping request received from the user of a plurality of user;
calculate, for each delivery service of a plurality of delivery services offered by each carrier authorized by the administrator according to the set of shipping policy rules, at least one shipping rate for shipping the at least one parcel; and
generate a comparison display of the shipping rates calculated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a plurality of Enterprises with a single online user interface with which the Enterprise can provide Enterprise Shippers, shipping origination users and shipping intermediary users with an automated parcel management system for a plurality of supported Carriers for a plurality of services. The present invention provides for the hierarchical definition of users, including the establishment of at least one user for each Enterprise as a Super-Administrator with the highest level of privileges and authority for the Enterprise, and the identification of other users as Sub-Administrators, Desktop Users and Shipping Station Users. The present invention also provides for the hierarchical definition of organizational units within each Enterprise, including the definition of sites, groups within a site, and users within a group. The present invention further provides for a distinct definition of policies, privileges, and other types of specifications for each user level, each user, and each organizational unit. The present invention applies the user and organizational policies, privileges and other specifications as they apply to each particular user to drive the interactive interface with each particular user and to provide among other things, shipping options, shipping services, shipping rates, traveler and/or shipping label preparation, and shipment tracking.
150 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An online, Internet-based, multi-carrier, multi-parcel shipping management computer system, said computer system programmed to:
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collect input of a set of shipping policy rules from an administrator of an enterprise, wherein the set of shipping policy rules comprises an indication of a set of carriers authorized by the administrator for shipping parcels;
receive a shipping request from a user within the enterprise to ship an at least one parcel;
apply the set of shipping policy rules to the shipping request received from the user of a plurality of user;
calculate, for each delivery service of a plurality of delivery services offered by each carrier authorized by the administrator according to the set of shipping policy rules, at least one shipping rate for shipping the at least one parcel; and
generate a comparison display of the shipping rates calculated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8)
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6. An online, Internet-based, multi-carrier, multi-parcel shipping management computer system, said computer system programmed to:
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query a memory containing a set of shipping Policy restrictions input by an administrator of an enterprise;
in response to a request by a particular user within the enterprise for shipping information, display shipping selection options to the particular user according to the set of shipping policy restrictions input by the administrator of the enterprise. - View Dependent Claims (9, 23, 24)
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7. (canceled)
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10-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. An online, Internet-based, multi-carrier, multi-parcel shipping management computer system, said computer system programmed to:
generate, in response to a link creation request by a particular user within an enterprise, a hypertext link comprising a linkable address on a server computer, said address on said server computer comprising an entry point to a set of programming instructions for rating shipment of a package characterized by a set of parameters according to a set of shipping policy rules identified by an administrator of the enterprise and according to an input by the particular user. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. (canceled)
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18. A method of structuring data relationships for an online, Internet-based, -based, multi-carrier, multi-parcel shipping management computer system, said method comprising:
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authorizing an at least one user in an enterprise as an administrator for the enterprise, with authority to set shipping parameter specifications for the enterprise;
restricting users other than the at least one user authorized as an administrator from setting shipping parameter specifications for the enterprise;
displaying to the at least one user authorized as an administrator an interactive interface enabled to receive a set of shipping parameter specifications for users within the enterprise. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. (canceled)
Specification