Router utility for a parcel shipping system

• US 6,571,213 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG), Piney Bowes Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Altendahl, James R., Lent, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/475,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/34, 705/402, 705/401, 705/7, 235/375, 235/478.01
• US Class Current: 705/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

A router utility and corresponding method for routing a load of one or more shipments of parcels, for use in a system for managing shipping parcels that includes a shipping database and a planning engine that provides load information for the load indicating a load identifier. The router utility includes: an input module for providing the load identifier included in the load information, and an analyzer for providing a carrier and service list. The planning information from the shipping database is organized as a set of tables of field records, including: an address table, for indicating an address and a route identifier based on an address identifier; a shipment header table, for indicating charge terms corresponding to a load identifier and for indicating at least one address identifier; rate shop group tables, for indicating one or more routes (a carrier and service); a route identifier priority table, for indicating priority for determining a route identifier based on charge terms; and routing instruction set tables, for indicating instructions for determining a route identifier or a rate shop group based on a route identifier. The routing instruction set tables can include condition fields which the router evaluates in determining what routing instructions to use. In addition, all records of the rate shop group tables applicable to a shipment are evaluated in combination and set logic can then be used in specifying a group of carriers and services to rate shop.

Claims

1. A router for routing a load of one or more shipments of parcels, the router for use in a system for managing shipping parcels, the system including a shipping database and a planning engine that provides load information for the load indicating a load identifier, the router comprising:

a) an input module, responsive to the load information, for providing the load identifier included in the load information; and

b) an analyzer, responsive to the load identifier, and further responsive to planning information from the shipping database, for providing a carrier and service list;

wherein the planning information from the shipping database is organized as a set of tables of records, each record including one or more fields, and each record using at least one field as an index, the set comprising the following tables;

i) an address table, for indicating an address and a route identifier based on an address identifier;

ii) a shipment header table, for indicating charge terms corresponding to a load identifier, and for indicating at least one address identifier;

iii) rate shop group tables, for indicating one or more routes, each route including a carrier and service;

iv) a route identifier priority table, for indicating priority for determining a route identifier based on charge terms; and

v) routing instruction set tables, for indicating instructions for determining a route identifier or a rate shop group, based on a route identifier.

2. A router as in claim 1, wherein the routing instruction set tables include a table of records with the following fields:

a) condition fields, for indicating a condition;

b) a label field, for indicating a label identifying another record in the table;

c) carrier/service fields, for indicating as a routing instruction a carrier, a service, or a carrier and a service; and

d) a rate shop group field, for indicating as a routing instruction a rate shop group identifier;

wherein the router applies a particular routing instruction based on whether one or more conditions corresponding to the routing instruction are true, the correspondence being made either through a label field or by including the routing instruction in a record including one of the one or more conditions.

3. A router as in claim 2, wherein the rate shop group tables include a rate shop list table having one or more records corresponding to a same rate shop group identifier, and wherein the router interprets all of the records corresponding to the same rate shop group identifier in combination, thereby enabling the use of set logic in indicating a group of carriers and services to rate shop.

4. A method for routing a load of one or more shipments of parcels, the method for use in a system for managing shipping parcels, the system including a shipping database and a planning engine that provides load information for the load indicating a load identifier, the method comprising the steps of:

a) obtaining the load identifier from the load information;

b) obtaining planning information from the shipping database based on the load identifier; and

c) providing a carrier and service list based on the planning information;

wherein the planning information from the shipping database is organized as a set of tables of records, each record including one or more fields, and each record using at least one field as an index, the set comprising the following tables;

i) an address table, for indicating an address and a route identifier based on an address identifier;

ii) a shipment header table, for indicating charge terms corresponding to a load identifier, and for indicating at least one address identifier;

iii) rate shop group tables, for indicating one or more routes, each route including a carrier and service;

iv) a route identifier priority table, for indicating priority for determining a route identifier based on charge terms; and

v) routing instruction set tables, for indicating instructions for determining a route or a rate shop group, based on a route identifier.

5. A method as in claim 4, wherein the routing instruction set tables include a table of records with the following fields:

a) condition fields, for indicating a condition;

b) a label field, for indicating a label identifying another record in the table;

c) carrier/service fields, for indicating as a routing instruction a carrier, a service, or a carrier and a service; and

d) a rate shop group field, for indicating as a routing instruction a rate shop group identifier;

wherein the router applies a particular routing instruction based on whether one or more conditions corresponding to the routing instruction are true, the correspondence being made either through a label field or by including the routing instruction in a record including one of the one or more conditions.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the rate shop group tables include a rate shop list table having one or more records corresponding to a same rate shop group identifier, and wherein the router interprets all of the records corresponding to the same rate shop group identifier in combination, thereby enabling the use of set logic in indicating a group of carriers and services to rate shop.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the steps of obtaining planning information and providing a carrier and service list include the steps of:

a) obtaining the load identifier from the load information;

b) checking the load record corresponding to the load identifier from the load table to determine if the carrier or service are specified, and if so then providing the specified carrier or service as the carrier service list;

c) checking the load record to determine if a rate shop group is specified and if so providing as the carrier service list the carriers and services indicated by the specified rate shop group;

d) checking the load record from the load table to determine if a route identifier is specified, and if so analyzing the routing instruction set tables based on the specified route identifier to determine a carrier or service or a rate shop group and providing as the carrier list the so-determined carrier or service or rate shop group; and

e) checking the charge terms of the shipment header and referring to the route priority table to determine what entity to give priority in using a route identifier, and checking the address table based on the priority indicated in the route priority table for a route identifier, and if a router identifier is thereby determined, then analyzing the routing instruction table based on the so-determined route identifier and providing a carrier service list based on the analysis.