AUTOMATIC ERROR CORRECTION FOR INVENTORY TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS USED AT A SHIPPING CONTAINER YARD
First Claim
1. A method performed by at least one processor for correcting errors in a container inventory database, the container inventory database stored in a memory device readable by the at least one processor, the container inventory database being associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility, the method comprising:
- obtaining a first data record that comprises at least one of the following information;
a container ID, container properties, a position relative to a container, and a container cell location, wherein the first data record has been determined to have at least one error in the information by at least one of the following;
a processor for detecting errors in the container inventory database, a processor for detecting errors in the container inventory tracking system, and an operator of the container inventory tracking system;
setting a search criterion based on the first data record, wherein the search criterion specifies at least one of the following information;
container IDs, container properties, container cell locations, and a time duration;
querying the container inventory database using the search criterion and obtaining query results;
evaluating the query results to determine a match for the first data record, wherein the match is a data record in the query results, and wherein modifying the first data record based on the match can correct the error in the first data record; and
modifying the first data record based on the match to correct the error and reporting the modified first data record to the container inventory database.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method automatically detects and corrects errors in a container inventory database associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility. A processor in the inventory tracking system performs a method to detect errors; this method of error detection obtains a first data record, identifies an event (e.g., pickup or drop-off of a container, or movement of handing equipment) associated with the first record, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, and determines whether a data error has occurred through a checking process. To correct the errors, this method further sets search criteria based on the error detection results, queries the inventory tracking database using the set criteria, determines error candidates based on the query results, evaluates the error candidates to identify a match or matches among the error candidates, and corrects the error(s) by modifying the error detection results together with the identified match or matches.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method performed by at least one processor for correcting errors in a container inventory database, the container inventory database stored in a memory device readable by the at least one processor, the container inventory database being associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility, the method comprising:
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obtaining a first data record that comprises at least one of the following information;
a container ID, container properties, a position relative to a container, and a container cell location, wherein the first data record has been determined to have at least one error in the information by at least one of the following;
a processor for detecting errors in the container inventory database, a processor for detecting errors in the container inventory tracking system, and an operator of the container inventory tracking system;setting a search criterion based on the first data record, wherein the search criterion specifies at least one of the following information;
container IDs, container properties, container cell locations, and a time duration;querying the container inventory database using the search criterion and obtaining query results; evaluating the query results to determine a match for the first data record, wherein the match is a data record in the query results, and wherein modifying the first data record based on the match can correct the error in the first data record; and modifying the first data record based on the match to correct the error and reporting the modified first data record to the container inventory database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method performed by at least one processor for correcting errors in a container inventory database, wherein the container inventory database is provided in a memory device readable by the at least one processor, the container inventory database being associated with a container inventory tracking system of a container storage facility, the method comprising:
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obtaining a first data record and a set of second data records, wherein a data conflict has been detected between the first data record and the second set of data records; setting search criteria based on the first data record and the set of second data records, wherein the search criteria comprises a first search criterion corresponding to the first data record and a set of second search criteria with one second criterion corresponding to each of the second data records, querying the container inventory database and obtaining first query results corresponding to the first data records and second query results corresponding to the set of second data records; evaluating the first query results to determine a first match for the first data record, wherein the first match is a data record in the first query results, and wherein modifying the first data record based on the first match can resolve the data conflict, evaluating the second query results to determine a set of second matches, wherein the set of second matches comprises one second match for each of the second data records, and wherein modifying each of the second data records based on its corresponding second match can resolve the data conflict, deciding whether the first data record or the set of second data records should be corrected by comparing the first match with the set of second matches; modifying at least one of the following data records;
the first data record, the first match, the set of second data records, and the set of second matches, based on the decision; andreporting the modified data records to the container inventory database. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A container inventory tracking and error correction system, comprising
a container inventory tracking system that tracks containers in a container storage facility, provides inventory data associated with the containers and container handling equipment, and stores the inventory data in an inventory tracking database, an error detection module provided in a processor that obtains at least one first data record from the container inventory tracking system, identifies an event associated with the first inventory data, provides a list of error types based on the identified event, determines whether an error of any of the error types has occurred, and upon the detection of the error identifies second data records that are related to the error, and an error correction module provided in the processor that, upon the detection of the error, obtains the first data record and the second data records, sets search criteria based on the first data record and the second data records, queries the inventory tracking database with the search criteria, obtains query results, determines a first match for the first data record and second matches for the second data records from the query results, makes decision regarding whether the first data record or the second data records need to be corrected by comparing the first match with the second matches, modifies at least one of the first data record and the second data records based on the decision, and reports the modified data records to the inventory tracking database
Specification