Methods for Processing Shipping Documentation Sent from a Vehicle

• US 20120054077A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Inventors: Naghshineh, Steve F., Roberts, Ralph L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,275,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The present invention automates the process of receiving transportation documentation and producing advance loading manifests therefrom to optimize load planning and dynamic product shipment and delivery control. Methods provide for receipt of the transportation documentation, initial preparation, and transmission of the documentation from on board a vehicle or while the vehicle is in transit.

Claims

1. A method for processing shipping documentation data sent from a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:

receiving one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the vehicle; and

prior to cargo associated with the shipping documentation data being removed from the vehicle, utilizing the shipping documentation data to prepare a loading manifest that references the cargo, wherein the loading manifest dictates further transport of the cargo on another vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein shipping documentation data is based at least in part on a scanned image of a shipping document scanned from a portable document scanner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on an electronic shipping document.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the shipping documentation data is further based at least in part on information entered into the electronic shipping document by a user via the mobile data transmission device, and a signature of the user via the mobile data transmission device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing and combining the shipping documentation data with similar shipping documentation data of other cargo to be delivered from an interim destination, and preparing loading manifests to optimize loads to be shipped on at least one other vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more wireless signals represent a plurality of packets corresponding to the shipping documentation data; and

the method further comprises assembling individual packets of the plurality of packets into the shipping documentation data.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising wireles sly transmitting a number associated with each received individual packet of the plurality of packets to the mobile data transmission device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating that the shipping documentation data is received without a transmission defect; and

requesting at least a portion of the shipping documentation data from the mobile data transmission device if a transmission defect is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving vehicle information from the mobile data transmission device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle information comprises at least one of:

engine temperature, oil pressure, fluid levels, tire pressure, weather condition information, speed of travel, direction of travel, and vehicle location.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the shipping documentation data is a scanned image of a shipping document;

the loading manifest is prepared by routing at least portion of the scanned image to one or more image processing utilities.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more image processing utilities include at least one of:

a classification process to identify and classify at least a portion of the scanned image;

an image enhancement process to selectively modify image quality of the scanned image;

an optical character recognition process to create an electronic text representation of the scanned image; and

a work-flow process to route at least a portion of the image to one or more queues for work processing.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the shipping documentation data to a customer at a customer request.

14. A method for processing shipping documentation data sent from a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:

receiving one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data associated with cargo, the one or more wireless signals sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the vehicle; and

prior to the vehicle arriving at a terminal, utilizing the shipping documentation data to;

prepare a loading manifest that references the cargo, wherein the loading manifest dictates further transport of the cargo on another vehicle; and

extract billing information from the shipping documentation data and prepare at least one billing document associated with the cargo based at least in part on the extracted billing information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on a scanned image of a shipping document scanned from a portable document scanner associated with the mobile data transmission device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein shipping documentation data is based at least in part on an electronic shipping document.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the shipping documentation data is further based at least in part on information entered into the electronic shipping document by a user via the mobile data transmission device, and a signature of the user via the mobile data transmission device.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the one or more wireless signals represent a plurality of packets corresponding to the shipping documentation data; and

the method further comprises assembling individual packets of the plurality of packets into the shipping documentation data.