Bulk terminal automation system

• US 6,370,515 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DTN, LLC (TBG AG)
• Original Assignee: Diamond Control Systems, Inc. (TBG AG)
• Inventors: Diamond, Travis A., Diamond, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US09/332,494
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/29, 705/22-23
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

A bulk terminal automation system for automating and coordinating delivery operations of bulk shipping terminals. Data entry relating to customer transport requests, and driver and vehicle access data are entered at the central office, and then transmitted from the central office, through a global computer network, and to a local database located in a bulk shipping terminal, which is located remotely form the central office. Local data is collected at the bulk shipping terminal through a local network. The local data includes information relating to driver access inputs, loads collected, bills of lading, storage levels and metered units of bulk materials which are dispensed. The locally collected data is periodically transmitted to the central office and stored in a central office database which is configured in a relational database arrangement. Inventory and load shipment reconciliation reports are complied at the central office, rather than requiring redundant processing capability at separate bulk shipping terminals. The data stored in the relational database is accessed through various service modules which process the data to provide specialized reports according to various customer data requests. Customers may request standardized reports, or specialized data reports may be selectively customized by the customer. The reports generated from the central database are transmitted from the central office to the customer through the global computer network. The data reports may combine data from several terminals to provide regional data relating to consumer use and customer load shipment distribution.

Claims

1. A method for automating and coordinating delivery operations of a bulk shipping terminal, comprising the steps of:

providing a local computer network disposed at the bulk shipping terminal, the local computer network including a local CPU and a local database, a data collection network which includes data collection units and a subscriber input device, and the local computer network further including a local data transfer connection between said local CPU at the bulk shipping terminal and a global computer network;

providing a central office having a central database configured in a relational database format, wherein data from the local database is received via the global computer network and later selectively retrieved from the central database, and further providing a remote data transfer connection between the central office and the global computer network;

collecting data from the data collecting units via the data collection network, and then storing the collected data locally in the local database;

entering subscriber input data to request driver access to bulk goods stored in the bulk shipping terminal, and storing the subscriber inputs in the local database;

comparing the input data to stored transport request data to determine whether to allow the driver access to the bulk goods;

storing loading data and inventory data in the local database;

transmitting the loading and inventory data from the local database, through the global computer network, and to the central office;

storing the transmitted loading and inventory data in the central database; and

providing selected data compilations made at the central office to various customers in response to corresponding customer requests and according to respective customer selected data formats.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

entering the transport request data relating to driver access, customer shipments, and customer delivery requirements at the central office for storage in the central database;

downloading the transport request data relating to driver access, customer shipments, and customer delivery requirements through the global computer network to the local CPU in the bulk shipping terminal; and

storing the downloaded transport request data in the local database.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of providing selected data compilations further comprises the acts of relating the transmitted loading and inventory data to the transport request data initially stored in the central database.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of the customers making the customer requests for selected data compilations via the global computer network.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selected data compilations are automatically customized in response to the customer requests made via the global computer network.

6. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of:

providing for changing the access information for drivers and customer order data at the central office.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected data compilations are delivered via the global computer network.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second local computer network disposed at a second, remote shipping terminal, which is remotely disposed from the bulk shipping terminal set forth above, the second local computer network including a second local CPU and a second local database, second data collection units and a second subscriber input device, and a second local data transfer connection between said second local CPU at the second bulk shipping terminal and a global computer network; and

transferring transport request data and the loading and inventory data between the second remote shipping terminal and the central office via the global computer network; and

wherein the step of providing selected data compilations includes compiling data from both the local shipping terminal and the second remote shipping terminal.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of the customers making the customer requests for selected data compilations via the global computer network.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the selected data compilations are automatically customized in response to the customer requests made via the global computer network.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the selected data compilations are delivered via the global computer network.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a local computer network further comprises the step of:

providing one or more metering devices disposed with a storage container for bulk goods and responsive to the local CPU for regulating an amount of additive material to be added to the bulk goods.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a metering device comprises an additive injector.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data collection network includes data collection units for metering levels of stored and dispensed bulk materials.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data collection units include one or more tank gauging sensors.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subscriber input device comprises a card reader coupled to the local CPU via an I/O controller and disposed at an entrance to a facility of the bulk shipping terminal.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing a central office further comprises the step of:

enabling bidirectional data exchange between the local database and the central office database over the global computer network.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of enabling comprises the step of:

providing for the transfer of data between the local database and the central office database over the global computer network under the control of either the local computer network disposed at the bulk shipping terminal or a computer disposed at the central office.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of enabling comprises the step of:

providing periodic data exchange between the local database and the central office database.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of collecting data comprises the step of:

retrieving bulk goods delivery data including quantity and blend data.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the bulk goods comprise a fuel product and the step of retrieving comprises the step of:

acquiring volume data for one or more of primary fuel, secondary fuel, primary additive, secondary additive and other additives.

22. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

responsive to the step of comparing the input data, allowing the driver access to the bulk goods;

monitoring a loading operation of bulk goods to a trailer operated by the driver allowed access to the bulk goods; and

receiving input data from an exit location conveying departure data of the trailer from the bulk shipping terminal.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of allowing the driver access to the bulk goods comprises the steps of:

presenting a driver'"'"'s access card to a card reader at an entry gate to the shipping terminal; and

entering a driver'"'"'s access PIN code at the entry gate card reader.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of allowing driver access to the bulk goods comprises the steps of:

following entrance to the shipping terminal, presenting a driver'"'"'s access card to a card reader at a loading rack;

entering a driver'"'"'s PIN code at the loading rack card reader; and

entering transport data including one or more of a truck number, trailer data and customer data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of entering trailer data comprises the step of:

entering one or more of a trailer number, a trailer tank level and a truck/trailer weight.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of allowing driver access to the bulk goods comprises the steps of:

loading the bulk goods;

presenting the driver'"'"'s access card to a card reader at an exit gate from the shipping terminal; and

entering the driver'"'"'s access PIN code at the exit gate card reader.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing loading data in the local database further comprises the step of:

monitoring bulk goods loading data, and storing data for actual bulk goods loaded.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the bulk goods comprise a fuel product and the step of monitoring comprises the step of:

acquiring volume data for one or more of primary fuel, secondary fuel, primary additive, secondary additive and other additives.

29. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected data compilations include inventory information collected within the bulk shipping terminal.

30. The method according to claim 29, further including the step of:

issuing a failure notification when the inventory information indicates a discrepancy exists between an actual value and an expected value of the inventory information.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selected data compilations include reconciliation reports of products stored in and removed from the bulk terminal.

32. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

printing a bill of lading for bulk goods loaded at the bulk terminal for issue to a driver receiving access for loading the bulk goods.

33. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a third local computer network disposed at a third, remote location and including a third local CPU, a third local database and a third local data transfer connection between the third local CPU and a global computer network;

wherein

the third local computer network comprises a customer terminal selected from the group including a common carrier, a service station operator, a corporate office, a marketing department and an exchange partner.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the step of providing further comprises the steps of:

enabling the transfer of data between a customer terminal and the central office;

storing customer data transferred to the central office in the central database; and

providing for selective access of customer data in the central database by a customer terminal.