Methods and apparatus for connecting shippers and carriers in the third party logistics environment via the internet
First Claim
1. In a system for matching carrier capacities with shipper loads via a wide area network, a method for identifying shipper loads, comprising:
- generating a search process according to at least one criterion specified by a carrier representative;
operating the search process without user intervention to identify at least one shipper load; and
transmitting a notification corresponding to the at least one shipper load to the carrier representative.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An online electronic marketplace in which carriers bid for loads tendered by shippers, and shippers purchase the most attractive transportation services. The system described herein efficiently matches loads and capacities, lowers transaction costs, and creates value through enhanced visibility to information resulting in efficient transportation and financial transactions. According to specific embodiments, the present invention combines a neutral marketplace patterned after a stock exchange, with the electronic format of an Internet auction site to create a trading system for the logistics industry.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In a system for matching carrier capacities with shipper loads via a wide area network, a method for identifying shipper loads, comprising:
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generating a search process according to at least one criterion specified by a carrier representative; operating the search process without user intervention to identify at least one shipper load; and transmitting a notification corresponding to the at least one shipper load to the carrier representative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a system for matching carrier capacities with shipper loads via a wide area network, a method for posting at least one unit of capacity for viewing by shipper representatives, the method comprising:
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in response to receiving a plurality of capacity parameters input by a carrier representative, generating a listing for the at least one unit of capacity, wherein the listing indicates the at least one unit of capacity is one of currently available and available at some future time; and posting the listing for the at least one unit of capacity for viewing by the shipper representatives. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification