Methods and systems for readily accessing commodity information

• US 8,306,871 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trace Produce LLC
• Original Assignee: Trace Produce LLC
• Inventors: Farmer, James G., Farmer, Charles W., Farmer, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jung, Allen J
• Application Number:
  US12/581,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705/26.61
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A commodity inspection method, including gathering inspection information from a commodity lot; collecting grower, field, and packing information associated with the commodity lot; recording purchase orders associated with the commodity lot; assigning a trace code to each of the purchase orders; entering the inspection information, the grower, field, and packing information, the purchase orders, and the trace codes into a central database; updating a content of a web-based application with the inspection information, the grower, field, and packing information, the purchase orders, and the trace codes within the central database; and allowing the customer to access the inspection information, and the grower, field, and packing information, by entering one of the trace codes into the web-based application. According to one embodiment, each of the purchase orders associated with the commodity lot is linked within the web-based application and incorporates Global Standards One (GS1) standards.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for allowing a customer to access information related to a commodity inspection method, comprising:

gathering inspection information from a commodity lot;

collecting grower, field, and packing information associated with said commodity lot;

recording purchase orders associated with said commodity lot;

assigning, by a computer, a trace code to each of said purchase orders, said trace code being associated with said gathered inspection information and said grower, field, and packing information;

entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packing information, said purchase orders, and said trace codes into a central database;

updating, by a computer, a content of a web-based application with said inspection information, said grower, field, and packing information, said purchase orders, and said trace codes within said central database; and

allowing said customer, by a computer, to access said inspection information, and said grower, field, and packing information, by entering one of said trace codes into said web-based application;

wherein each of said purchase orders associated with said commodity lot is linked within said web-based application.

2. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, further comprising creating an account in said central database in order to enter said inspection information, said grower, field, and packaging information, and said trace codes into said database, said account being associated with a facility identification code.

3. The commodity inspection method of claim 2, wherein said facility identification code is incorporated into a barcode.

4. The commodity inspection method of claim 2, wherein said facility identification code is incorporated into a Global Trade Identification Number.

5. The commodity inspection method of claim 4, wherein said Global Trade Identification Number comprises digits representing at least a Company Prefix and a reference number.

6. The commodity inspection method of claim 2, wherein said facility identification code is associated with a shipper account.

7. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packaging information, and said trace codes into said database comprises:

acquiring video of said commodity;

dynamically uploading said video to a local database;

assigning said video to a data file associated with said trace code;

assigning a date and a time stamp to said data file;

compressing said data file; and

uploading said data file to a web-based central database.

8. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packaging information, and said trace codes into said database comprises first entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packaging information, and said trace codes into data storage device and second uploading said inspection information, said grower, field, and packaging information, and said trace codes to a corresponding website account, according to Internet availability.

9. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein a lot code associated with a product is assigned to at least one lot record within said database, depending on a source location of contents of said product.

10. The commodity inspection method of claim 9, wherein said lot code is assigned to a plurality of lot records within said database when said lot records represent product originating from a single location.

11. The commodity inspection method of claim 9, wherein a plurality of lot records within said database are assigned to a new lot record when said, contents of said product originate from different source locations, such that said lot code is assigned to said new lot record.

12. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, wherein when a first company packs a product with a label of a second company, said second company assigns a company number to said first company within internal systems of said second company.

13. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, further comprising linking a plurality of videos to an individual lot, such that all of said videos are accessible upon searching for a lot code of said individual lot.

14. The commodity inspection method of claim 1, further comprising printing a lot code associated with said commodity lot is on stickers and attaching said stickers to each individual item of said commodity lot.

15. The commodity inspection method of claim 14, wherein said stickers are attached to said individual items of said commodity lot as said individual items pass through a packing line sizer comprising labeling machines.

16. A computer-implemented method for allowing a customer to access information related to a commodity inspection, comprising:

gathering inspection information from a commodity lot;

collecting grower, field, and packing information associated with said commodity lot;

recording purchase orders associated with said commodity lot;

assigning, by a computer, a trace code to each of said purchase orders, said trace code being associated with said gathered inspection information and said grower, field, and packing information;

entering said inspection information, said grower, field, and packing information, said purchase orders, and said trace codes into a central database;

updating, by a computer, a content of a web-based application with said inspection information, said grower, field, and packing information, said purchase orders, and said trace codes within said central database; and

allowing said customer, by a computer, to access said inspection information, and said grower, field, and packing information, by entering one of said trace codes into said web-based application;

wherein each of said purchase orders associated with said commodity lot is linked within said web-based application; and

wherein a shipper packing said purchase orders in a label of a separate brand owner labels said purchase orders with an identification code of said separate brand owner, and said separate brand owner assigns a company number to said shipper that represents said shipper in a record of said separate brand owner.