Methods for Processing and Transferring Shipping Documentation Data from a Vehicle

• US 20120054078A1
• 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 8,321,307 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/34
• 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 and transferring shipping documentation data from a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:

presenting an electronic shipping document on a mobile data transmission device associated with the vehicle;

receiving user-inputted information corresponding to the electronic shipping document using the mobile data transmission device;

converting the electronic shipping document, and the user-inputted information into one or more wireless signals; and

wirelessly transmitting the one or more wireless signals corresponding to the electronic shipping document and the user-inputted information from a vehicle'"'"'s mobile location using the mobile data transmission device to the remote processor for further processing of the electronic shipping document.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a customer acceptance corresponding to the electronic shipping document using the mobile data transmission device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the user-inputted information and the customer acceptance are received from a display device of the mobile data transmission device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-inputted information is received from at least one of a mouse device and a keyboard.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-inputted information comprises at least one of driver comments and customer-entered information associated with the electronic shipping document.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic shipping document is a bill a lading.

7. A method for transferring shipping documentation data from a vehicle to a remote processor for further processing, 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 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.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

prior to the 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.

9. The method of claim 7, 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.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on an electronic shipping document.

11. The method of claim 10, 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.

12. The method of claim 7, 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.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a number associated with each received individual packet of the plurality of packets to the mobile data transmission device.