FREIGHT SERVICES MARKETPLACE SYSTEM AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating freight transactions comprising:
- receiving at least one freight service offering from each of a plurality of carriers using a website portal accessible from a communications network, wherein each of the freight service offerings is characterized by service parameters comprising a lane, a space, a transit time, an availability, and a price;
receiving a freight service request from a shipper using the website portal, wherein the freight service request is characterized by load parameters comprising an origin, a destination, a size, and a weight;
generating a compound service offering comprising more than one of the freight service offerings and having service parameters that accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request;
receiving, from the shipper, a selected compound service offering that is selected from the compound service offering generated to accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request;
reserving the selected compound service offering; and
dispatching the selected compound service offering.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer system and associated methods for implementing an online freight services marketplace. Freight service offerings posted to the marketplace by carriers are matched to freight service requests from shippers. Compound service offerings are formed from freight service offerings having service parameters (lane, space, transit time, availability, price, and status) that accommodate load parameters (origin, destination, size, and weight) of the freight service request. Compound service offerings selected by the shipper are provisioned and reserved for subsequent dispatch. Role-based access controls within the marketplace restrict visibility of confidential information, such as carrier pricing and shipper identity. Automatic freight transaction facilitation includes shipper payment processing and shipping document generation. Status tracking capability may be augmented with alert messaging and/or in-transit re-planning to minimize the impact of common issues that threaten to defeat a shipment in progress.
45 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating freight transactions comprising:
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receiving at least one freight service offering from each of a plurality of carriers using a website portal accessible from a communications network, wherein each of the freight service offerings is characterized by service parameters comprising a lane, a space, a transit time, an availability, and a price; receiving a freight service request from a shipper using the website portal, wherein the freight service request is characterized by load parameters comprising an origin, a destination, a size, and a weight; generating a compound service offering comprising more than one of the freight service offerings and having service parameters that accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request; receiving, from the shipper, a selected compound service offering that is selected from the compound service offering generated to accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request; reserving the selected compound service offering; and dispatching the selected compound service offering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product embodied in a computer-readable storage medium for facilitating freight transactions comprising:
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a data store, and a website portal accessible from a communications network and in data communication with the data store, the website portal configured to receive at least one freight service offering from each of a plurality of carriers, wherein each of the freight service offerings is characterized by service parameters comprising a lane, a space, a transit time, an availability, and a price; save the freight service offerings to the data store; receive a freight service request from a shipper, wherein the freight service request is characterized by load parameters comprising an origin, a destination, a size, and a weight; generate a compound service offering comprising more than one of the freight service offerings and having service parameters that accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request; receive, from the shipper, a selected compound service offering that is selected from the compound service offering generated to accommodate the load parameters of the freight service request; reserve the selected compound service offering; and dispatch the selected compound service offering. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification