Methods and systems for tracking a product or service within a supply

• US 8,949,147 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XPO Logistics Supply Chain Corporate Services, Inc. (XPO, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: New Breed Incorporated (XPO, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chowdhury, Ashfaque
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Asfand
• Application Number:
  US10/150,626
• Time in Patent Office: 4,645 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 700/115
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods and systems for the efficient tracking of a product or service within the product or service'"'"'s life cycle within a supply chain. Implementations of the present invention including at least one of a method, a process, a system, an apparatus, a computer-readable medium, and a data stream. The methods and systems of the present invention providing a user with the capability to track an item or order, shipment status, or to check an inventory quantity utilizing any one of a plurality of identification numbers. The methods and systems of the present invention also providing the user with the capability to track an item or order, shipment status, or to check an inventory quantity utilizing a partial identification number. The methods and systems of the present invention further providing for secure access via a globally-distributed computer network, such as the Internet. A graphical user interface is provided that is intuitive and user friendly.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a product or service within the product or service'"'"'s life cycle within a supply chain, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a processor programmed to receive data associated with the product or service from a client database, a warehouse database, and a carrier tracking database, wherein the data comprises a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records associated with a corresponding first identification number;

consolidating the data into a consolidated data table, wherein consolidating the data comprises creating an indexed catalog containing for each record a plurality of multi-character segments reflecting a portion of the first identification number;

receiving a second identification number associated with the product or service within the supply chain;

receiving, by a processor programmed to receive a searchable category associated with the second identification number;

dividing, by a processor programmed to divide the second identification number into a plurality of multi-character segments reflecting a portion of the second identification number;

searching the consolidated data table for data associated with the searchable category and the second identification number, wherein searching the consolidated data table comprises searching the indexed catalog using the plurality of multi-character segments associated with the second identification number; and

outputting the data associated with the searchable category and the second identification number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second identification number comprises a partial identification number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the searchable category comprises a searchable category selected from the group consisting of:

Item Availability, Company OrderNumber, Warehouse Order Number, Client Reference Number, Carrier Tracking Number, Carrier Tracking Status, Customer Orders, and Item Orders.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data associated with the product or service from the client database, the warehouse database, and the carrier tracking database comprises receiving the data from a plurality of sources.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the data in a roll-up data storage device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising storing the consolidated data table in the roll-up data storage device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the consolidated data table comprises searching the consolidated data table using a fuzzy logic technique.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the consolidated data table comprises searching the consolidated data table using a pattern matching technique.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein searching the consolidated data table comprises searching the consolidated data table using an exact matching technique.

10. A system for tracking a product or service within the product or service'"'"'s life cycle within a supply chain, the system comprising:

a server operable for receiving an identification number and a searchable category;

a roll-up data storage device operable for receiving data associated with the product or service from a client database, a warehouse database, and a carrier tracking database and consolidating the data into a consolidated data table, wherein the data comprises a plurality of records, each of the plurality of records associated with a corresponding first identification number and, wherein consolidating the data comprises creating an indexed catalog containing for each record a plurality of multi-character segments reflecting a portion of the first identification number, the roll-up data storage device further operable to receive a second identification number associated with the product or service within the supply chain;

means for dividing the second identification number into a plurality of multi character segments reflecting a portion of the second identification number; and

means for searching the consolidated data table for data associated with the searchable category and the second identification number associated with the category, wherein searching the consolidated data table comprises searching the indexed catalog using the plurality of multi-character segments associated with the second identification number.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second identification number comprises a partial identification number.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the searchable category comprises a searchable category selected from the group consisting of:

Item Availability, Company Order Number, Warehouse Order Number, Client Reference Number, Carrier Tracking Number, Carrier Tracking Status, Customer Orders, and Item Orders.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the roll-up data storage device is operable for receiving the data from one or more remote databases.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for storing the data associated with the product or service.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for storing the consolidated data table.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for searching the consolidated data table comprises fuzzy logic means for searching the consolidated data table.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for searching the consolidated data table comprises pattern matching means for searching the consolidated data table.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for searching the consolidated data table comprises exact matching means for searching the consolidated data table.