Electronic shipment planner

• US 7,003,720 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Librato, Inc. (SolarWinds Corp.)
• Original Assignee: ABF Freight Systems Incorporated (ArcBest Corp.)
• Inventors: Davidson, Robert A., Newcity, Michael, Goux, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): DESAI, RACHNA SINGH
• Application Number:
  US09/691,980
• Time in Patent Office: 1,951 Days
• Field of Search: 715/517, 715/526, 715/530, 715/501.1, 705/8, 705/11
• US Class Current: 715/236
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• 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 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An electronic shipment planner is adapted for electronically presenting shipment and scheduling information to a user. The shipment and scheduling information includes at least one shipment event date. The shipment planner is linked to a shipment data repository containing shipment and scheduling information. A system interface communicates with the shipment data repository. An interactive shipment data link is electronically associated with the shipment and scheduling information, and cooperates with the system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated shipment and scheduling information contained in the shipment data repository. A calendar display interface displays the shipment planner to the user in a calendar format, such that the interactive shipment data link is provided on the shipment event date associated with the shipment and scheduling information.

Claims

1. An electronic shipment planner adapted for electronically presenting shipment and scheduling information to a user, the shipment and scheduling information including at least one shipment event date, said shipment planner comprising:

a shipment data repository containing shipment and scheduling information for inbound freight, outbound freight, and third party freight;

a system interface communicating with said shipment data repository;

a calendar display interface for displaying said shipment planner to the user in a calendar format, said calendar format comprising a tabular register of days;

a plurality of interactive shipment data links contained within certain days displayed in said calendar display interface, and electronically associated with the shipment and scheduling information, said plurality of shipment data links cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated shipment and scheduling information contained in said shipment data repository, and said plurality of shipment data links comprising;

a plurality of inbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated inbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of outbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated outbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of third party freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated third party freight information from said shipment data repository;

said calendar display interface further comprising a first data code visually distinguishing all of said inbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, a second data code visually distinguishing all of said outbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, and a third data code visually distinguishing all of said third party freight data links contained within said tabular register of days;

whereby said shipment planner defines an interactive visual reference adapted to manage and track shipments.

2. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, and comprising shipment data input means communicating with said shipment data repository for loading shipment and scheduling information into said shipment data repository.

3. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, wherein said system interface comprises a Web browser.

4. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said shipment data links comprises a predetermined portion of the shipment and scheduling information.

5. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said shipment data links comprises a shipment reference code.

6. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 5, wherein said shipment reference code is selected from the group consisting of a bill of lading number and a purchase order number.

7. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third data codes comprise color-coding to readily distinguish between inbound, outbound, and third party shipments.

8. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 7, and comprising a legend for indicating the color-code for each inbound shipment, outbound shipment, and third party shipment.

9. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, and comprising a display options data repository containing format parameters for customizing the format of said calendar display interface.

10. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 9, and comprising a display options data interface communicating with said display options data repository for setting desired format parameters contained in said display options data repository.

11. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, and comprising an input device for selecting said interactive shipment data link from said calendar display interface.

12. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 11, wherein said input device comprises a computer mouse.

13. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, and comprising a report data repository containing profile parameters for displaying the shipment and scheduling information in a customized user report.

14. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 13, and comprising a report data interface communicating with said report data repository for setting desired profile parameters contained in said report data repository.

15. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 1, and comprising a personal event data repository containing personal event information of the user, the personal event information being associated with a personal event date.

16. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 15, and comprising a personal event data interface communicating with said personal event data repository for loading personal event information into said personal event data repository.

17. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 16, and comprising an interactive personal event data link electronically associated with the personal event information, and cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated personal event information contained in said personal event data repository.

18. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 17, wherein said personal event data link comprises a predetermined portion of the personal event information.

19. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 17, wherein said personal event data link comprises a title of the personal event information.

20. An electronic shipment planner adapted for electronically presenting shipment and scheduling information to a user, the shipment and scheduling information including at least one event date, said shipment planner comprising:

a shipment data repository containing shipment and scheduling information for inbound freight, outbound freight, and third party freight;

a system interface communicating with said shipment data repository;

a calendar display interface for displaying said shipment planner to the user in a calendar format, said calendar format comprising a tabular register of days;

a plurality of interactive shipment data links contained within certain days displayed in said calendar display interface, and electronically associated with the shipment and scheduling information, said plurality of shipment data links cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated shipment and scheduling information contained in said shipment data repository, and said plurality of shipment data links comprising;

a plurality of inbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated inbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of outbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated outbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of third party freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated third party freight information from said shipment data repository;

a personal event data repository containing personal event information of the user, the personal event information being associated with a personal event date;

a plurality of interactive personal event data links contained within certain days displayed in said calendar display interface, and electronically associated with the personal event information of the user, said plurality of personal event data links cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated personal event information contained in said personal event data repository;

said calendar display interface further comprising a first data code visually distinguishing all of said inbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, a second data code visually distinguishing all of said outbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, a third data code visually distinguishing all of the said third party freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, and fourth data code visually distinguishing all of said personal event data links contained within said tabular register of days;

whereby said shipment planner defines an interactive visual reference to manage and track shipments;

a legend for indicating the data code for each of said shipment data and personal event data links.

21. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, and comprising a personal event data interface communicating with said personal event data repository for loading personal event information into said personal event data repository.

22. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said shipment data links comprises a shipment reference code.

23. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 21, wherein said shipment reference code is selected from the group consisting of a bill of lading number and a purchase order number.

24. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said personal event data links comprises a predetermined portion of the personal event information.

25. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, wherein at least one of said personal event data links comprises a title of the personal event information.

26. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, and comprising a display options data repository containing format parameters for customizing the format of said calendar display interface.

27. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 20, and comprising a report data repository containing profile parameters for displaying the shipment and scheduling information in a customized user report.

28. An electronic shipment planner according to claim 27, and comprising a report data interface communicating with said report data repository for selecting desired profile parameters contained in said report data repository.

29. A computer readable memory medium, encoded with data representing a computer program, that can be used by a computer system to direct the computer system to execute a method for electronically presenting shipment and scheduling information to a user, the shipment and scheduling information including at least one shipment event date, the medium comprising:

a system interface communicating with a shipment data repository containing shipment and scheduling information;

a calendar display interface for displaying shipment and scheduling information to the user in a calendar format, said calendar format comprising a tabular register of days;

a plurality of interactive shipment data links contained within certain days displayed in said calendar display interface, and electronically associated with the shipment and scheduling information, said plurality of shipment data links cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated shipment and scheduling information contained in said shipment data repository, and said plurality of shipment data links comprising;

a plurality of inbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated inbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of outbound freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated outbound freight information from said shipment data repository;

a plurality of third party freight data links for accessing and retrieving associated third party freight information from said shipment data repository;

said calendar display interface further comprising a first data code visually distinguishing all of said inbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, a second data code visually distinguishing all of said outbound freight data links contained within said tabular register of days, and a third data code visually distinguishing all of said third party freight data links contained within said tabular register of days;

whereby said shipment planner defines an interactive visual reference adapted to manage and track shipments.

30. A computer readable memory medium according to claim 29, and comprising a display options data interface communicating with a display options data repository for selecting desired format parameters contained in said display options data repository.

31. A computer readable memory medium according to claim 29, and comprising a report data interface communicating with a report data repository for selecting desired profile parameters contained in said report data repository.

32. A computer readable memory medium according to claim 29, and comprising an interactive personal event data link electronically associated with personal event information of the user, and cooperating with said system interface as commanded by the user to access and retrieve the associated personal event information contained in a personal event data repository.