Logistics management system having task-oriented user interface

• US 7,376,571 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Rasmus, Todd M., Racine, Sandra J., Jungers, Scott A., Jancik, Joann E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jabr; Fadey S.
• Application Number:
  US10/403,658
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 715/780, 715/710, 715762-764
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A logistics management system is described that includes a host computer that performs logistics management tasks for shipment items, and a user interface module that presents a user interface for the host computer. The user interface module generates a user interface having windows for performing the logistics management tasks. The user interface module generates each of the windows to include an item selection region to receive criteria for selecting one or more of items associated with the freight shipments, one or more activity regions to receive activity data for the activities, and an action input region to receive action input specifying one of the logistics management tasks. The host computing system processes the activity data captured with a single window to complete the specified logistics management task in response to the action input received from a user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a host computer configured to perform logistics management tasks for managing freight shipments, wherein each of the logistics management tasks requires completion of a corresponding set of activities by a remote user; and

a user interface module generating a user interface having a plurality of windows for accessing the host computer to perform the logistics management tasks,

wherein the user interface module generates each of the plurality of windows for performing the logistics management tasks to include an item selection region to receive criteria for selecting one or more of items associated with the freight shipments, one or more activity regions to receive activity data for the activities, and an action input region to receive action input specifying one of the logistics management tasks, and

wherein, in response to receiving the action data via one or more of the activity regions of a single one of the windows, the host computing system processes the activity data captured within the single one of the window to complete the one of the logistics management tasks specified within the action input region of the single one of the windows.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logistics management tasks include at least one of management of outbound freight, management of inbound freight, collecting and maintaining air waybill (AWB) charge information, tracking the status of shipments, maintaining bookings and allotments, providing rate and quote information, and providing flight reservations.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the activities include at least one of assigning an origin to a shipment, assigning a destination to a shipment, associating one or more participants with the shipment, completing an air waybill to the shipment, and completing routing details for the shipment.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module generates each of the windows of the user interface to include color-coded headers of a first color within each of the activity regions.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface module generates each of the windows of the user interface to include color-coded headers of a second color within the item selection region and the action region.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module hierarchically arranges the activity regions within the windows based on an order in which the remote user must complete the activities for the logistics management task.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module populates the activity regions based on data from a previously completed logistics management task.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module dynamically controls a navigation order for the activity regions based on a previously completed logistics management task.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module dynamically controls a navigation order for the activity regions of the windows based on shortcut menus that were used to navigate to the windows.

10. A method comprising:

generating a plurality of user interface windows for accessing a host computer to perform logistics management tasks for managing freight shipments;

presenting each of the user interface windows to include an item selection region;

receiving criteria for selecting one or more of items associated with freight shipments, one or more activity regions to receive activity data for activities, and an action input region to receive action input specifying a logistics management task; and

processing the activity data received in a single one of the windows in response to capturing the action input within the single one of the windows to perform each of the activities to complete the specified logistics management task.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the activity data comprises processing the activity data to perform activities to complete a logistics management tasks selected from a set of tasks including management of outbound freight, management of inbound freight, collecting and maintaining air waybill (AWB) charge information, tracking the status of shipments, maintaining bookings and allotments, providing rate and quote information, and providing flight reservations.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein processing the activity data comprises processing the activity data to perform activities selected from a set of activities that includes at least one of assigning an origin to a shipment, assigning a destination to a shipment, associating one or more participants with the shipment, completing an air waybill to the shipment, and completing routing details for the shipment.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein presenting a user interface window comprises presenting the user interface window to include color-coded headers of a first color within each of the activity regions.

14. The method of claim 10, presenting a user interface window comprises presenting the user interface window to include color-coded headers of a second color within the item selection region and the action region.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein presenting a user interface window comprises hierarchically arranging the activity regions within the window based on an order in which a user must complete the activities for the logistics management task.

16. The method of claim 10, presenting a user interface window comprises dynamically controlling a navigation order for the activity regions based on a previously completed logistics management task.

17. The method of claim 10, presenting a user interface window comprises dynamically controlling a navigation order for the activity regions of the window based on a shortcut menu that was used to navigate to the window from a previous window.

18. A system comprising:

a computing means for performing logistics management tasks to manage freight shipments, wherein each logistics management tasks requires completion of a corresponding set of activities;

a network interface means for generating a user interface having windows to receive data for performing the logistics management tasks; and

a display means for presenting the user interface to a user,

wherein the network interface means generates each of the windows to include an item selection region to receive criteria for selecting one or more of items associated with the freight shipments, one or more activity regions to receive activity data for the activities, and an action input region to receive action input specifying one of the logistics management tasks, and

wherein in response to receiving the action data via one of the windows the computing means processes the activity data captured within the single one of the windows to complete the specified logistics management task.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the logistics management tasks include at least one of management of outbound freight, management of inbound freight, collecting and maintaining air waybill (AWB) charge information, tracking the status of shipments, maintaining bookings and allotments, providing rate and quote information, and providing flight reservations.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the activities include at least one of assigning an origin to a shipment, assigning a destination to a shipment, associating one or more participants with the shipment, completing an air waybill to the shipment, and completing routing details for the shipment.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the network interface means includes first generation means for generating each of the windows of the user interface to include color-coded headers of a first color within each of the activity regions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the network interface includes second generation means for generating each of the windows of the user interface to include color-coded headers of a second color within the item selection region and the action region.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the network interface means includes arrangement means for hierarchically arranging the activity regions within the windows based on an order in which the user must complete the activities for the logistics management task.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the network interface means includes control means for dynamically controlling a navigation order for the activity regions based on a previously completed logistics management task.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the network interface means includes control means for dynamically controlling a navigation order for the activity regions of the windows based on shortcut menus that were used to navigate to the windows.