Freight rate manager
First Claim
1. A system for processing data associated with a freight shipment, comprising:
- one or more computer processors configured to;
execute a rate sheet input module capable of accepting a plurality of rate sheets wherein each rate sheet specifies published freight rates and each rate sheet is associated with one of a plurality of freight carriers and is respectively structured according to one of a plurality of formats, the rate sheet input module receiving and storing a rate sheet associated with a specific freight carrier of a plurality of freight carriers and structured according to a specific format of the plurality of formats;
execute a rate sheet analyzer module adapted to interface with a template storage module storing a plurality of templates, wherein a specific template of the plurality of templates is associated with the specific freight carrier and is structured according to the specific format of the plurality of formats to interpret the rate sheet, the rate sheet analyzer module producing an output by;
(a) selecting the specific template of the plurality of templates by matching the specific freight carrier associated with the rate sheet with the specific freight carrier associated with the specific template; and
(b) interpreting the rate sheet by applying the specific template to the rate sheet; and
execute a rule generation module, the rule generation module receiving the output from the rate sheet analyzer module and generating computer code based on the output, wherein when the code is executed, the code generates a freight charge associated with the freight carrier.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A freight rate manager provides rules for calculating freight rates for use in delivering real-time costing information. The freight rate manager includes a rate sheet input module for accepting data describing a rate sheet. A rate sheet analyzer analyzes the rate sheet to identify potential errors and compares the rate sheet against rate sheet templates. If a template matches the rate sheet, then the rate sheet analyzer interprets the rate sheet according to the template. If the rate sheet analyzer does not find a matching template, a communications module sends the rate sheet to another location or otherwise stores the rate sheet for analysis. An accessorial charges module accepts information about accessorial charges. The outputs of the rate sheet analyzer and the accessorial charges module are provided to a rule generator which generates rules for calculating freight rates given the rates in the rate sheet and the accessorial charges.
93 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A system for processing data associated with a freight shipment, comprising:
one or more computer processors configured to; execute a rate sheet input module capable of accepting a plurality of rate sheets wherein each rate sheet specifies published freight rates and each rate sheet is associated with one of a plurality of freight carriers and is respectively structured according to one of a plurality of formats, the rate sheet input module receiving and storing a rate sheet associated with a specific freight carrier of a plurality of freight carriers and structured according to a specific format of the plurality of formats; execute a rate sheet analyzer module adapted to interface with a template storage module storing a plurality of templates, wherein a specific template of the plurality of templates is associated with the specific freight carrier and is structured according to the specific format of the plurality of formats to interpret the rate sheet, the rate sheet analyzer module producing an output by; (a) selecting the specific template of the plurality of templates by matching the specific freight carrier associated with the rate sheet with the specific freight carrier associated with the specific template; and (b) interpreting the rate sheet by applying the specific template to the rate sheet; and execute a rule generation module, the rule generation module receiving the output from the rate sheet analyzer module and generating computer code based on the output, wherein when the code is executed, the code generates a freight charge associated with the freight carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of determining a charge associated with a freight shipment comprising:
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receiving freight data associated with freight to be shipped; receiving data representative of a rate sheet, the rate sheet specifying published freight rates associated with a freight carrier; storing the rate sheet; selecting a template from a template storage module, via one or more computer devices executing a rate sheet analyzer module, by matching a first freight carrier associated with the template with a freight carrier indicated in the rate sheet; retrieving the template from the template storage module to interpret the rate sheet, the template storage module storing a plurality of templates wherein each template is adapted to respectively interpret a particular rate sheet; producing output, via the one or more computer devices executing the rate sheet analyzer to interpret the rate sheet by applying the template to the rate sheet; generating computer code based on the output via the one or more computer devices executing a rule generation module; and generating a freight charge, via the one or more computer devices, by executing the computer code. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A computer-readable medium product containing code executable by a computer processor for determining a freight charge comprising computer- readable program instructions adapted for:
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accepting a plurality of rate sheets associated with a plurality of carriers wherein each rate sheet specifies published freight rates and each rate sheet is respectively structured according to one of a plurality of formats; receiving a specific rate sheet associated with a specific freight carrier and structured according to a specific format of the plurality of formats; storing a plurality of templates wherein a specific template of the plurality of templates is adapted to interpret the specific rate sheet; selecting the specific template of the plurality of templates to interpret the specific rate sheet by matching a first freight carrier associated with the specific template of the plurality of templates with the specific freight carrier associated with the specific rate sheet; producing output by interpreting the specific rate sheet based on the specific template; and generating computer code based on the output, wherein when the code is executed, the code generates the freight charge associated with the freight carrier. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification