Methods and Systems for Accessing Information Related to an Order of a Commodity

• US 20080262923A1
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fort Boise Produce Co., Trace Produce LLC
• Original Assignee: Trace Produce LLC
• Inventors: Farmer, James G., Farmer, Joseph W., Farmer, Charles W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,229,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Methods of allowing a customer to access information related to an order of a commodity include gathering inspection information from a commodity lot, collecting grower, field, and packing information associated with the commodity lot, recording purchase orders associated with the commodity lot, assigning a trace code to each of the purchase orders, entering the inspection information; the grower, field, and packing information; the purchase orders; and the trace codes into a database maintained through online accounts. Many members of a supply chain are entitled to accounts that are linked, each account being given limited access to other accounts, thereby allowing the customer to access the inspection information, and the grower, field, and packing information, by entering one of the trace codes into the web-based application. According to one exemplary embodiment, each of the purchase orders associated with the commodity lot is linked within the web-based application.

Claims

1. A commodity inspection method, comprising:

gathering inspection information from each commodity lot;

collecting origin information and packing information associated with each said commodity lot;

assigning a trace code to each of said commodity lots;

entering said inspection information, said origin information, and said trace codes into one or more servers;

allowing customers to access said inspection information, and said origin information and packing information, by entering one of said trace codes into said web-based application.

2. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein said servers are accessed through an online account, wherein said account is part of a web-based application allowing individual accounts to be created by one or more members of the supply chain;

said member of the supply chain being able to enter said inspection information, said origin information, and packing information, and said trace codes into said account;

3. The commodity inspection method of claim 2, wherein each of said accounts may grant limited or no access to another account, wherein an account with access to the account of another member of the supply chain is allowed, on a basis ranging from no access to full access, to view, edit, and/or add information to said inspection information, said origin information, and packing information, and said trace codes.

4. The commodity inspection method of claim 3, wherein said account holders are able to send information of any form to other account holders.

5. The commodity inspection method of claim 4, wherein said inspection, origin information, and packing information comprises one or more of a:

textual description, photograph, video, audio commentary, and/or other multimedia display of one or more of the following;

the source of said commodity, the grower of said commodity, the packing facility where said commodity is processed, method of shipment of said commodity, storage locations and facilities, and/or any other member of the supply chain that may be relevant to the commodity.

6. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein assigning a trace code to each of said purchase orders 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.

7. The commodity inspection method of claim 6, wherein said tracking ID comprises a United States Department of Agriculture positive lot identification number (USDA PLI number).

8. The commodity inspection method of claim 6, wherein said tracking ID comprises a radio-frequency identification tag (RFID).

9. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, further comprising allowing said customer to access each of said purchase orders associated with said commodity lot by entering one of said trace codes into said web-based application.

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

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said gathering inspection information from a commodity lot comprises:

separating a representative sample from said commodity lot;

recording observational information about said representative sample; and

photographing or videotaping said representative sample.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein furthermore said customer may also be presented with audit, inspection, and certification information preformed by government agencies and/or independent third party auditors, inspectors or certifiers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a repacker may be accounted for if a trace code is entered by said customer wherein said trace code is associated with a commodity that has been repacked;

wherein said customer would be presented with information related to said repacker such as textual descriptions, photos, videos, and/or other multimedia displays.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said customer is a distributor or supplier;

wherein, said distributor or supplier may continue to utilize said trace code through said web-based application or a second web-based application to trace said commodity associated with said trace code to its final destination, such as an individual store, hospital, school, or restaurant.

15. A commodity tracking method, comprising:

assigning a trace code to a commodity lot or an individual commodity;

wherein upon entering in said trace code associated with said commodity into a web-based application, videos and/or links to videos related to said commodity are displayed to said customers.

16. The commodity tracking method of claim 15, wherein said videos and/or links to videos related to said commodity include videos showing surrounding crops, infrastructures, businesses, fields, farms, ranches, water distribution systems, aerial videos, or other videos providing information relative to the commodity.

17. The commodity tracking method of claim 15, wherein said videos are advertisements.

18. The commodity tracking method of claim 17, wherein said videos are hosted by a third party video hosting service.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

determining a general geographic location of said customer; and

presenting a geographically specific directed marketing campaign to said customer in response to one of said trace codes;

wherein said geographically specific directed marketing campaign is configured to present said customer with advertisements geographically related to said customer'"'"'s general geographic location and related to said commodity.

20. A commodity inspection method, comprising:

gathering inspection information from a commodity lot, including a photograph of a portion of said commodity lot;

collecting grower, field, and packing information associated with said commodity lot;

recording purchase orders associated with said commodity lot;

assigning a trace code to each of said purchase orders;

marking each commodity of said commodity lot with said trace code;

entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packing information, said purchase orders, and said trace codes into an online account;

allowing a customer to access said inspection information, and said grower, field, and packing information, by entering one of said trace codes into said web-based application, wherein each of said purchase orders associated with said commodity lot are linked within said web-based application;

allowing said customers to create an account, wherein each account holder is able to give limited access to their account to other account holders, allowing them, on a limited basis, to view, edit or add to, said inspection information, and said grower, field, and packing information;

determining a general geographic location of said customer; and

presenting a geographically specific directed marketing campaign to said customer in response to one of said trace codes;

wherein said geographically specific directed marketing campaign is configured to present said customer with advertisements geographically related to said customer'"'"'s general geographic location and related to said commodity.