Load planning tables for a parcel shipping system

• US 6,957,197 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Altendahl, James R., Lent, Steven R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/475,881
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/34, 705/402, 705/401, 705/60, 705/61, 235/435
• US Class Current: 705/61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A system for managing shipping parcels that includes a specially adapted set of load planning tables, or, from another aspect, a set of load planning tables for use with a system for managing shipping parcels. The system includes: a planning system for providing a rated route; and a shipping database for providing stored planning information and for providing a stored rated route for shipping the parcel. Some of the shipping database is organized as a set of load planning tables, including: a group table, for storing group identifiers, each group identifier used to identify a group of one or more parcels; a load table, for storing records of attributes associated with a load, which is in turn associated with a group; a stop table, for storing records of attributes associated with a stop, which is in turn associated with a load; a shipment header table, for storing records of attributes associated with a shipment, which is in turn optionally associated with a stop; and a cost table, for storing records of attributes associated with a component cost of a load, which is in turn associated with a load.

Claims

1. A system for managing shipping parcels, the system comprising:

a) a planning system, responsive to requests to plan shipping for a parcel, and responsive to stored planning information and to interactive planning information, for providing a rated route;

b) a shipping database, responsive to updates to planning information, for providing stored planning information, further responsive to a customer order including shipping requirements for the customer order, and further responsive to the rated route, for providing a stored rated route for shipping the parcel, the shipping database including a set of load planning tables, the set of load tables comprising;

i) a group table, for storing group identifiers, each group identifier used to identify a group of one or more parcels;

ii) a load table, for storing records of attributes associated with a load, which is in turn associated with a group, each record having a group identifier field and a load identifier field;

iii) a stop table, for storing records of attributes associated with a stop, which is in turn associated with a load, which is in turn associated with a group, each record having a group identifier field, a load identifier field, a stop identifier field, and a drop bill number field;

iv) a shipment header table, for storing records of attributes associated with a shipment, which is in turn optionally associated with a stop, which is in turn associated with a load, which is in turn associated with a group, each record having a group identifier field, a load identifier field, a bill number field that serves as a shipment identifier and optionally relates the record to a record in the stop table via the drop bill number field in records of the stop table, an origin identifier field, and a destination identifier field; and

v) a cost table, for storing records of attributes associated with a component cost of a load, which is in turn associated with a load, which is in turn associated with a group, each record having a group identifier field, a load identifier field, a field indicating a cost type, and a field indicating a cost amount,

wherein the set of load planning tables applies business rules to a consignee party, a shipper party and to a third party, such that a route priority table is used to determine a time of arrival, a party responsible for payment and a destination location and applies the business rules to events and subevents to determine delivery parameters.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the records of the load table also include fields for indicating a master load identifier, a carrier identifier, a tariff identifier, an origin and a destination.

3. A system as in claim 2, wherein each record of the load table also include a field for indicating a pro number, a field for an inbound/outbound indicator, a field indicating an origin, and a field indicating a destination.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the records of the stop table also include fields for indicating a drop load identifier, a drop distribution center identifier, and a parent load.