Dynamic and predictive information system and method for shipping assets and transport

• US 7,755,518 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Darden, Sr.
• Original Assignee: Nu-State Energy Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Hersh, Richard, Darden, Michael J., Urbanowicz, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout; Brent
• Application Number:
  US12/134,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/439, 340/539.13, 340/426.19, 340/825.28, 705/1, 705/7, 705/8, 705/13, 705/9, 705/28, 701/200, 701/213, 701/300, 707/2, 700/216, 700/228, 235384-385, 235/376
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• 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 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

The dynamic, predictive information system and method assigns shipping assets (drivers-tractors-trailers) from carriers to transport orders by shippers. Computer databases hold shipping asset data. Specific transport orders are electronically joined to specific driver-tractor-trailer combinations. A search and sort routine produces resulting records based upon proximity, trailer type, proximity of the joined driver-trailer combination, carrier service region and pick-up and delivery date constraints. The sort is by price or performance indicators which are pre-selected shipper ranges matched to historical shipping data from carriers. The system books the carrier, the driver-tractor-trailer combination and the shipper to transport order with an electronic communications phase. In a truck lane scenario, the system joins a specific driver and a specific tractor and a non-specific trailer to a specific transport order. GPS data and electronic shipping document data from PDAs with the drivers is logged into the system and is viewable by the participants.

Claims

1. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets to goods subject to transport orders in a computer system, said shipping assets including a plurality of drivers, tractors and trailers from a plurality of carriers and said goods subject to a plurality of said transport orders from a plurality of shippers, comprising:

maintaining a database in said computer system with data representing respective shipping assets associated with corresponding carriers some of which are lane route carriers, each lane carrier having at least one terminal from which respective shipping assets originate and route lanes between a corresponding lane carrier terminal and a corresponding termination location and a respective pricing schedule;

said computer system electronically accepting a specific transport order for goods from one shipper, said specific transport order having ship from origin and a ship to destination geographically proximal to respective terminals and termination locations for a sub-plurality of carriers;

said computer system electronically joining, for said specific transport order and for each carrier of said sub-plurality of carriers, a respective combination of a driver, a tractor and a trailer able to transport said goods;

said computer system electronically selecting, sorting and displaying by price, carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon a plurality of search criteria including close proximity of corresponding terminals and termination locations to ship origin and ship destination, and pick-up and delivery constraints;

in conjunction with an electronic communication with one of the selected carriers and said one shipper, said computer system booking and electronically logging said one selected carrier and the associated joined driver-tractor-trailer combination to fill said transport order for said goods.

2. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carriers are commercially independent of each other.

3. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein a further sub-plurality of drivers are permanently assigned to a respective further sub-plurality of tractors, which are designated as permanently joined driver-tractor combinations, and wherein electronically selecting said sub-plurality of carriers includes a search for the close proximity permanently joined driver-tractor combinations to said ship origin.

4. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein electronically joining occurs automatically without user intervention.

5. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein said electronic communication includes email notification or instant messaging service notification.

6. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein said selecting, sorting and display results in a posting of specific shipping assets for respective carriers and the method includes multiple postings for the same specific shipping asset.

7. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 1 wherein electronically joining joins a specific driver and a specific tractor but joins a non-specific trailer for said sub-plurality of carriers.

8. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 2 wherein a further sub-plurality of drivers are permanently assigned to a respective further sub-plurality of tractors, which are designated as permanently joined driver-tractor combinations, and wherein electronically selecting said sub-plurality of carriers includes a search for the close proximity permanently joined driver-tractor combinations to said ship origin.

9. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 8 wherein electronically joining occurs automatically without user intervention.

10. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 9 wherein said electronically selecting, sorting and displaying includes a user activated sort by historic performance rating which includes one or both of historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

11. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 10 wherein said electronic communication includes email notification or instant messaging service notification.

12. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 11 wherein said selecting, sorting and display results in a posting of specific shipping assets for respective carriers and the method includes multiple postings for the same specific shipping asset.

13. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 12 wherein electronically joining joins a specific driver and a specific tractor but joins a non-specific trailer for said sub-plurality of carriers.

14. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 10 wherein said electronically selecting, sorting and displaying includes a user activated sort by historic performance rating which includes one or both of historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

15. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets to goods subject to transport orders in a computer system, said shipping assets including a plurality of drivers, tractors and trailers from a plurality of carriers and said goods subject to a plurality of said transport orders from a plurality of shippers, some drivers and tractors and trailers having global positioning units which locate said tractor and trailer shipping assets and personal data assistants which electronically display and capture electronic shipping documents and data relative to said electronic shipping documents, the method comprising:

maintaining a database in said computer system with data representing respective shipping assets associated with corresponding carriers, and data relative to each carrier having at least one terminal from which respective shipping assets originate and transport service areas and a respective pricing schedule, and data from global positioning units of drivers and tractors and trailers and data from personal data assistants which electronically document said electronic shipping documents;

said computer system electronically accepting a specific transport order for goods from one shipper, said specific transport order having ship from origin and a ship to destination geographically proximal to respective service areas for a sub-plurality of carriers;

said computer system electronically joining, for said specific transport order and for each carrier of said sub-plurality of carriers, a respective combination of a driver, a tractor and a trailer able to transport said goods;

said computer system electronically selecting, sorting and displaying by price, carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon proximity of corresponding terminals to ship origin and pick-up and delivery constraints;

in conjunction with an electronic communication with one of the selected and displayed carriers and said one shipper, said computer system booking and electronically logging said one selected carrier and the associated joined driver-tractor-trailer combination to fill said transport order for said goods; and

said computer system electronically accepting data from the joined driver-tractor-trailer combination for the one selected carrier and corresponding global positioning unit and personal data assistant to electronically document transit of the fulfillment of said transport order for said goods.

16. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein said carriers are commercially independent of each other.

17. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein said global positioning unit is coupled to a respective personal data assistant and the coupled global positioning unit-personal data assistant is removably mounted in a respective tractor.

18. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein electronically joining occurs automatically without user intervention.

19. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electronically selecting, sorting and displaying includes a user activated sort by historic performance rating which includes one or both of historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

20. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein said electronic communication includes email notification or instant messaging service notification.

21. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 15 wherein said selecting, sorting and display results in a posting of specific shipping assets for respective carriers and the method includes multiple postings for the same specific shipping asset.

22. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 16 wherein said global positioning unit is coupled to a respective personal data assistant and the coupled global positioning unit-personal data assistant is removably mounted in a respective tractor.

23. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 22 wherein electronically joining occurs automatically without user intervention.

24. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 23 wherein said electronically selecting, sorting and displaying includes a user activated sort by historic performance rating which includes one or both of historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

25. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 24 wherein said electronic communication includes email notification or instant messaging service notification.

26. A method for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 25 wherein said selecting, sorting and display results in a posting of specific shipping assets for respective carriers and the method includes multiple postings for the same specific shipping asset.

27. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets to goods subject to transport orders, said shipping assets including a plurality of drivers, tractors and trailers from a plurality of carriers and said goods subject to a plurality of said transport orders from a plurality of shippers, comprising:

a central computer linked, via a communications network, to a plurality of user computers, said corresponding user computers under the control of said respective carriers of said plurality of carriers and respective shippers of said plurality of shippers;

a database on said central computer with data representing respective shipping assets associated with corresponding carriers some of which are lane route carriers, each lane carrier having at least one terminal from which respective shipping assets originate and route lanes between a corresponding lane carrier terminal and a corresponding termination location and a respective pricing schedule, said database containing data representing respective terminals, route lanes and termination locations and pricing schedules for corresponding carriers;

means for electronically accepting a specific transport order for goods from a respective use computer for one shipper, said specific transport order having ship from origin and a ship to destination geographically proximal to respective terminals and termination locations for a sub-plurality of carriers;

at said central computer, a search engine for locating in said database and means for electronically joining, for said specific transport order and within said sub-plurality of carriers, a respective combination of a driver, a tractor and a trailer able to transport said goods subject to said transport order;

a further search engine at said central computer electronically selecting and sorting by price, carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon close proximity of corresponding terminals and termination locations to ship origin and ship destination, and pick-up and delivery constraints;

means for displaying to said users via said central computer and user computers over said communications network the selected and sorted sub-plurality of carriers and respective pricing for respective carriers in said sub-plurality of carriers; and

an electronic communications means, operable with a user computer for a selected carrier of said sub-plurality of carriers and a user computer for said one shipper with said specific transport order, for booking and electronically logging said one selected carrier and the associated joined driver-tractor-trailer combination to fill said transport order for said goods.

28. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 27 wherein said carriers are commercially independent of each other.

29. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 27 wherein said database includes data representing historic performance for said shippers including historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data and said further search engine sorts carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon one or the other or both said historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

30. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 27 wherein said electronic communication means includes an email system or an instant messaging system.

31. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 28 wherein said database includes data representing historic performance for said shippers including historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data and said further search engine sorts carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon one or the other or both said historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

32. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 31 wherein said electronic communication means includes an email system or an instant messaging system.

33. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets to goods subject to transport orders, said shipping assets including a plurality of drivers, tractors and trailers from a plurality of carriers and said goods subject to a plurality of said transport orders from a plurality of shippers, some drivers and tractors and trailers having global positioning units which locate said tractor and trailer shipping assets and personal data assistants which electronically display and capture electronic shipping documents and data relative to said electronic shipping documents, the system comprising:

a central computer linked, via a communications network, to a plurality of user computers, said corresponding user computers under the control of said respective carriers of said plurality of carriers and respective shippers of said plurality of shippers;

said central computer further linked, via a communications network, to the plurality of global positioning units and personal data assistants such that location data and electronic shipping document data is shared with said central computer and with said user computers;

a database on said central computer with data representing respective shipping assets associated with corresponding carriers, and data relative to each carrier having at least one terminal from which respective shipping assets originate and transport service areas and a respective pricing schedule, and data from global positioning units of drivers and tractors and trailers and data from personal data assistants which electronically documents said electronic shipping documents;

means for electronically accepting a specific transport order for goods from one shipper, said specific transport order having ship from origin and a ship to destination geographically proximal to respective service areas for a sub-plurality of carriers;

at said central computer, a search engine for locating in said database and means for electronically joining, for said specific transport order and for carriers in said sub-plurality of carriers, a respective combination of a driver, a tractor and a trailer able to transport said goods;

a further search engine at said central computer electronically selecting and sorting by price, carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon close proximity of corresponding terminals and termination locations to ship origin and ship destination, and pick-up and delivery constraints;

means for displaying to said users via said central computer and user computers over said communications network the selected and sorted sub-plurality of carriers and respective pricing for respective carriers in said sub-plurality of carriers; and

an electronic communications means, operable with a user computer for a selected carrier of said sub-plurality of carriers and a user computer for said one shipper with said specific transport order, for booking and electronically logging said one selected carrier and the associated joined driver-tractor-trailer combination to fill said transport order for said goods; and

means for electronically accepting data from the joined driver-tractor-trailer combination for the one selected carrier and corresponding global positioning unit and personal data assistant to electronically document transit of the fulfillment of said transport order for said goods.

34. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 33 wherein said carriers are commercially independent of each other.

35. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 33 wherein said global positioning unit is coupled to a respective personal data assistant and the coupled global positioning unit-personal data assistant is removably mounted in a respective tractor.

36. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 33 wherein said database includes data representing historic performance for said shippers including historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data and said further search engine sorts carriers within said sub-plurality of carriers based upon one or the other or both said historic on-time delivery data and adverse delivery event data.

37. An information processing system for electronically assigning shipping assets as claimed in claim 33 wherein said electronic communication means includes an email system or an instant messaging system.