Logistics system and method

• US 6,879,962 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Smith
• Original Assignee: Joseph Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Joseph D., Nguyen, Thien K., Higgs, Austin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, AKIBA KANELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/396,287
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/6, 705/8, 705/1, 705/500, 705/22, 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• 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 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A logistics method is disclosed that provides logistics computer programming for controlling a plurality of transports to supply a plurality of delivery locations from one or more bases. Each of the bases and delivery locations are in communication with a central database, preferably an Internet server database, that contains updated logistics information. The central database is preferably automatically updated at selectable intervals as to transport location, destination, fuel level, speed, and heading. Manifests may be originated at the respective delivery location or at an associated base and are stored in the central database. Each material on the manifest is associated with information such as the authorized vendor, a description, storage preferences, units, hazardous designations and additional information if the material is hazardous. Given information about each transport such as load capacity, fuel level, location intelligence, and the like that is stored in the central database and information about the materials, manifest status, and other factors, potential least cost delivery routes using capable transports can be automatically produced for selection by an operator. The logistics computer programming automatically designates where each manifested material is stored on the transport. The computer programming associates a status designation with each manifest such as outstanding, staged, printed, loaded, unloaded, and cancelled. Each manifest is also associated with a priority which may range from emergency to routine. Updated logistics information concerning materials, manifests, vendors, transports, delivery locations, and operating companies is available from the central database.

Claims

1. A logistics method for a plurality of transports operating to supply a plurality of delivery locations from a plurality of bases using logistics computer programming, comprising:

providing respective computers at said plurality of bases and at said plurality of delivery locations;

providing a central database for said respective computers, each of said respective computers operable for communication with said central database, said logistics computer programming being operable for providing updated logistics information to said central database from said respective computers;

automatically communicating at selected intervals with said plurality of transports to provide transport location intelligence so as to be operable for automatically communicating at any geographical position for each of said plurality of transports while traveling between said plurality of bases and said plurality of delivery locations;

automatically storing said transport location intelligence in said central database;

storing transport information relating to each of said plurality of transports in said central database; and

storing a list of materials in said central database, said materials being selectable from said list of materials to produce a second list of materials, said second list of materials comprising a manifest of manifested materials for delivery to one or more of said plurality of delivery locations by one of said plurality of transports.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said step of automatically communicating to provide transport location intelligence includes providing latitude and longitude information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said step of automatically communicating to provide transport location intelligence includes providing fuel level for a respective transport.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said step of storing transport information includes storing cost/mile and storage space available.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

originating said manifest from one of said plurality of bases or from one of said plurality of delivery locations, and

said logistics computer programming automatically determining a delivery route based on said cost/mile, said storage space available, and said manifest.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

originating said manifest at one of said plurality of bases or one of said plurality of delivery locations, and

updating said central database to include said manifest.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

said logistics computer programming associating a status with said manifest.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said status comprises a relationship to a shipment of materials in said manifest such that said shipment is outstanding, staged, loaded, unloaded, or canceled.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

said logistics computer programming displaying a main screen with a geographical map that includes at least one base from said plurality of bases and selectable delivery locations assigned to said based from said plurality of delivery locations, said logistics computer programming being operable for displaying one or more delivery routes for one or more of said plurality o transports on said geological map.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating each of said materials with vendor information,

storing said vendor information in said central database, and

said logistics computer programming storing interconnected tables at said central database related to said materials, said vendors, said plurality of delivery locations, and an operating company.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating said list of materials with a hazardous or a non-hazardous designation for each material.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

associating with each hazardous material a hazardous I.D, a DOT name, and an emergency number.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating said list of materials with a type of storage required.

14. A logistics method for a plurality of transports to supply a plurality of delivery locations from one or more bases using logistics computer programming, comprising:

providing respective computers at said one or more bases and at said plurality of delivery locations;

providing a central database for said respective computers, each of said respective computers being operable for communication with said central database, said logistics computer programming being operable for providing updated logistics information to said central database from said respective computers;

storing transport information relating to each of said plurality of transports in said central database;

storing a list of materials in said central database, said materials being selectable to produce a manifest with manifested materials for delivery to one or more of said plurality of delivery locations by one of said plurality of transports;

selectively originating said manifest from at least one of said plurality of delivery locations or said one or more bases by selecting from said list of materials to produce a second list of materials for delivery to said at least one of said plurality of delivery locations;

associating a delivery status with said manifest; and

updating said central database to include said manifest.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said delivery status associated with said manifest indicates when said manifest is outstanding, loaded, or unloaded.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said delivery status associated with said manifest indicates when said manifest is staged or cancelled.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

updating said central database when said delivery status changes.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

associating a priority status with said manifest.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

associating with each manifested material a vendor for said manifested material, a count, and a weight.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

associating with each manifested material a storage place where said material is placed on said one of said plurality of transports such that a plurality of different storage places are designated on said one of said plurality of transports.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

said computer logistics programming automatically selecting said storage place from said plurality of different storage places.

22. A logistics method for a plurality of transports to supply a plurality of delivery locations from one or more bases using logistics computer programming, comprising:

providing respective computers at said one or more bases and at said plurality of delivery locations;

providing a central database for said respective computers, each of said respective computers being in communication with said central database, said logistics computer programming being operable for providing updated logistics information to said central database from said respective computers;

storing transport information relating to each of said plurality of transports in said central database;

storing a list of materials, said materials being selectable to produce a manifest with manifested materials for delivery to one or more of said plurality of delivery locations by one of said plurality of transports;

storing delivery location information in said central database related to each of said plurality of delivery locations;

automatically determining a route for delivering said manifested materials.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

automatically selecting a most economical transport from said plurality of transports having capabilities for carrying said manifested materials to said one or more of said plurality of delivery locations from said plurality of transports.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

manually selecting a transport listed in said logistics computer programming, and automatically determining an economical route for delivering said manifested materials using said selected transport.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

automatically pricing out associated deliveries of said manifested materials.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

automatically determining a plurality of possible routes for selection.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein:

each manifested material is associated with a location to which it is to be delivered.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising;

automatically communicating with said plurality of transports to provide transport location intelligence so as to be operable for automatically communicating at any geographical position for each of said plurality of transports while traveling between said plurality of bases and said plurality of delivery locations.

29. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

originating said manifest at one of said plurality of delivery locations or said one or more bases, and

updating said central database to include said manifest.

30. A logistics method for a plurality of transports to supply a plurality of delivery locations from one or more bases using logistics computer programming, comprising:

providing for respective computers at said one or more bases and at said plurality of delivery locations;

providing a central database for said respective computers, each of said respective computers being in communication with said central database, said logistics computer programming being operable for providing updated logistics information to said central database from said respective computers;

storing transport information relating to each of said plurality of transports in said central database, said transport information including daily cost and cost/mile information;

storing a list of materials, said materials being selectable from said list of materials to produce a second list of materials comprising a manifest with manifested materials for delivery to one or more of said plurality of delivery locations by one of said plurality of transports;

storing delivery location information in said central database related to each of said plurality of delivery locations; and

storing a list of manifests in said central database relating to deliveries for said plurality of delivery locations.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising;

automatically communicating with at least one of said plurality of transports to provide transport location intelligence so as to be operable for automatically communicating at any geographical position for each of said plurality of transports while traveling between said plurality of bases and said plurality of delivery locations.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

originating said manifest at one of said plurality of delivery locations or bases, and

updating said central database to include said manifest.

33. A monitoring system for use with a plurality of containers having cargo therein on behalf of a plurality of clients having a plurality of client computers, any one of said plurality of clients being associated only with specifically-designated of said plurality of containers, said method comprising:

a computer network server operable for communicating with said plurality of client computers;

a database operable for storing information relating to each of said containers and said cargo therein;

a wireless communication transmitter associated with each of said plurality of containers for providing container location intelligence for each of said containers, said container location intelligence being stored in said database; and

said plurality of client computers being operable for accessing information from said database to determine container location intelligence and a respective listing of cargo for each of said plurality of clients only for said containers designated as being associated with each particular client.

34. The monitoring system of claim 33, wherein:

said computer network server is operable for communicating with said plurality of client computers over an Internet connection.

35. The monitoring system of claim 33, further comprising:

said plurality of client computers being operable for producing a map showing thereon a geographic picture that locates one or more containers.

36. The monitoring system of claim 33, wherein:

each of said plurality of client computers being operable for selectively communicating with one or more of said plurality of containers with which said client is associated.