Methods and systems for accessing information related to an order of a commodity

• US 20070203724A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Farmer Charles W, Farmer James O, Farmer Joseph C
• Original Assignee: Farmer Charles W, Farmer James O, Farmer Joseph C
• Inventors: Farmer, Joseph, Farmer, Charles, Farmer, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/304
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation

Abstract

Methods of allowing a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity include entering the information into a central database, updating a content of a web-based application with the information within the central database, and allowing the customer to access the information via the web-based application. The information may include sales information, shipping information, tracing information, packout information, inventory information, and/or inspection information corresponding to the order of the commodity. Systems for allowing a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity include a server configured to store the information in a central database, one or more terminals having one or more applications configured to enter the information into the central database, and a web-based application configured to allow the customer to access the information within the central database. The information may include sales information, shipping information, tracing information, packout information, inventory information, and/or inspection information corresponding to the order of the commodity.

Claims

1. A method of allowing a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity, said method comprising:

entering said information into a central database;

updating a content of a web-based application with said information within said central database; and

allowing said customer to access said information via said web-based application;

wherein said information comprises inspection information corresponding to said order of said commodity and at least one or more of sales information, shipping information, packout information, inventory information, and tracing information corresponding to said order of said commodity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said tracing information comprises at least one or more of a source of said commodity, a photograph of a grower of said commodity, a photograph of a packing facility where said commodity is processed, text describing said source, text describing said grower of said commodity, and text describing said packing facility.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said source comprises at least one or more of a field and a packing facility.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said commodity comprises at least one or more of a produce, grain, meat, and livestock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of entering said information into said central database comprises:

assigning a tracking identification (tracking ID) to a lot of said commodity;

wherein said customer uses said tracking ID to access said information via said web-based application.

6. A method of tracing a lot of a commodity to said commodity'"'"'s source, said method comprising:

using a United States Department of Agriculture positive lot identification number (USDA PLI number) to query a central database via a web-based application to access tracing information, said tracing information comprising information describing said source of said lot of said commodity;

wherein said USDA PLI number is linked to said tracing information within said central database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said commodity comprises produce and said source comprises a field in which said produce is grown.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said commodity comprises at least one or more of a produce, grain, meat, and livestock.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said tracing information comprises at least one or more of a photograph of said source, a photograph of a grower of said commodity, a photograph of a packing facility where said commodity is processed, text describing said source, text describing said grower of said commodity, and text describing said packing facility.

10. A system for allowing a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity, said system comprising:

a server configured to store said information in a central database, said information comprising inspection information corresponding to said order of said commodity and at least one or more of sales information, shipping information, packout information, inventory information, and tracing information corresponding to said order of said commodity;

one or more terminals having one or more applications configured to enter said information into said central database; and

a web-based application configured to allow said customer to access said information within said central database.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said tracing information comprises at least one or more of a photograph of a source of said commodity, a photograph of a grower of said commodity, a photograph of a packing facility where said commodity is processed, text describing said source, text describing said grower of said commodity, and text describing said packing facility.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said commodity comprises at least one or more of a produce, grain, meat, and livestock.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein one or more tracking identification (tracking ID) numbers are linked to said order of said commodity, wherein said tracking ID numbers are used by said customer to access said information.

14. A system for tracing a lot of a commodity to its source, said system comprising:

a server configured to store tracing information in a central database, said tracing information comprising information describing said source of said commodity;

a first terminal having an application configured to link said tracing information within said central database to a United States Department of Agriculture positive lot identification number (USDA PLI number) corresponding to said lot of said commodity; and

a second terminal configured to display said tracing information by querying said central database via a web-based application.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said commodity comprises produce and said source comprises a field in which said produce is grown.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said commodity comprises at least one or more of a produce, grain, meat, and livestock.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said tracing information comprises at least one or more of a photograph of said source, a photograph of a grower of said commodity, a photograph of a packing facility where said commodity is processed, text describing said source, text describing said grower of said commodity, and text describing said packing facility.

18. A web-based application configured to allow a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity, said web-based application comprising:

one or more applications configured to enter said information into a central database, said information comprising inspection information corresponding to said order of said commodity and at least one or more of sales information, shipping information, packout information, inventory information, and tracing information corresponding to said order of said commodity; and

one or more applications configured to allow a customer to access said information in said central database via a web-enabled terminal.

19. The web-based application of claim 18, further comprising:

a number of web pages configured to display said information related to said order of said commodity.

20. The web-based application of claim 18, wherein said commodity comprises at least one or more of a produce, grain, meat, and livestock.