Systems and methods for virtual inventory management
First Claim
1. A virtual inventory system that bypasses distribution centers in a supply chain by using an integrated global shipment system of a carrier, said integrated global shipment system comprising:
- one or more processors connected to one or more respective memories, the processors configured for executing;
(1) a shipping client application stored in one or more said memories configured for processing a shipment request from a supplier to generate shipping data associated with shipment of goods to a destination country;
(2) a shipment entry application stored in one or more said memories configured for receiving and preparing said shipping data to ship said shipment of goods;
(3) a shipment consolidating application stored in one or more said memories configured for generating a data file associated with a consolidated freight shipment to be shipped to said destination country, said shipment consolidating application configured for consolidating said shipment of goods with one or more shipments of goods that are to be shipped to said destination country;
(4) a transportation application stored in one or more said memories configured for managing transportation of said consolidated freight shipment to said destination country;
(5) a shipment deconsolidating application stored in one or more said memories configured for processing said data file after said consolidated freight shipment is transported to said destination country, said shipment deconsolidating application configured for processing said data file to separate said consolidated freight shipment into one or more child shipments and generate a dispatch plan for said one or more child shipments, each of said one or more child shipments comprising a plurality of packages associated with said one or more shipments of goods of said consolidated freight shipment, and each of said one or more child shipments to be shipped to a respective consignee location;
(6) an end-delivery application stored in one or more said memories configured for managing delivery of said resulting child shipments to respective consignee locations; and
(7) a shipment visibility application stored in one or more said memories configured for providing an integrated interface for said supplier to track status of said shipment of goods.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is an integrated global shipment system that provides end-to-end visibility of the movement of a package. The integrated global shipment system employs a shipment consolidating application for integrating one or more freight tracking systems with one or more end-delivery systems. As a result, shippers are provided with complete visibility of the movement of their shipments of goods from an origin country to a destination country and till the final consignees. In addition, the integrated shipment system significantly decreases the cost of managing inventories by providing a virtual inventory solution. Under this virtual inventory solution, suppliers are able to bypass distribution centers and delay allocation of goods until after the importation of goods into a destination country.
157 Citations
3 Claims
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1. A virtual inventory system that bypasses distribution centers in a supply chain by using an integrated global shipment system of a carrier, said integrated global shipment system comprising:
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one or more processors connected to one or more respective memories, the processors configured for executing; (1) a shipping client application stored in one or more said memories configured for processing a shipment request from a supplier to generate shipping data associated with shipment of goods to a destination country; (2) a shipment entry application stored in one or more said memories configured for receiving and preparing said shipping data to ship said shipment of goods; (3) a shipment consolidating application stored in one or more said memories configured for generating a data file associated with a consolidated freight shipment to be shipped to said destination country, said shipment consolidating application configured for consolidating said shipment of goods with one or more shipments of goods that are to be shipped to said destination country; (4) a transportation application stored in one or more said memories configured for managing transportation of said consolidated freight shipment to said destination country; (5) a shipment deconsolidating application stored in one or more said memories configured for processing said data file after said consolidated freight shipment is transported to said destination country, said shipment deconsolidating application configured for processing said data file to separate said consolidated freight shipment into one or more child shipments and generate a dispatch plan for said one or more child shipments, each of said one or more child shipments comprising a plurality of packages associated with said one or more shipments of goods of said consolidated freight shipment, and each of said one or more child shipments to be shipped to a respective consignee location; (6) an end-delivery application stored in one or more said memories configured for managing delivery of said resulting child shipments to respective consignee locations; and (7) a shipment visibility application stored in one or more said memories configured for providing an integrated interface for said supplier to track status of said shipment of goods. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A virtual inventory management system comprising:
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one or more processors connected to one or more respective memories, the processors configured for executing; a shipment entry system stored in said one or more memories configured for a carrier to receive a request from a shipper for a shipment of goods, said request identifying at least a destination country where said goods need to be shipped; a shipment consolidating system stored in said one or more memories configured to receive and process shipping data associated with said shipment of goods, and to generate data of a consolidated freight shipment, said consolidated freight shipment comprising said shipment of goods from said shipper with one or more shipments of goods to be shipped to said destination country; a shipment transportation system stored in said one or more memories configured to transport said consolidated freight shipment to said destination country; an instruction system stored in said one or more memories configured for said carrier to receive one or more initial or updated specific consignee locations from said shipper after said consolidated freight shipment begins transport to said destination country via said shipment transportation system; a shipment de-consolidating system stored in said one or more memories configured to separate said consolidated freight shipment into one or more child shipments after said consolidated freight shipment is transported to said destination country based on said one or more specific consignee locations, each of said one or more child shipments comprising a plurality of packages associated with said one or more shipments of goods of said consolidated freight shipment; an end-delivery system stored in said one or more memories configured to deliver said child shipments to said one or more specific consignee locations within said destination country; and an integrated interface stored in said one or more memories for said shipper to track status of said child shipments within said shipment transportation system as well as said end-delivery system.
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Specification