Methods for processing shipping documentation sent from a vehicle

• US 8,275,676 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Ralph L., Naghshineh, Steve F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/289,258
• Publication Number:
  US 20120054077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The present invention automates the process of receiving transportation documentation and producing advance loading manifests therefrom to optimize load planning and dynamic product shipment and delivery control. Methods provide for receipt of the transportation documentation, initial preparation, and transmission of the documentation from on board a vehicle or while the vehicle is in transit.

Claims

1. A method for processing shipping documentation data sent from a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:

receiving at the remote processor, one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the vehicle, wherein the shipping documentation data comprises scanned image data scanned by the mobile data transmission device onboard the vehicle; and

generating a loading manifest utilizing the shipping documentation data in advance of the arrival of the vehicle, wherein the loading manifest dictates further transport of the cargo on another vehicle,

wherein the remote processor performs the acts of receiving the wireless signals and generating the loading manifest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on an electronic shipping form displayed by the mobile data transmission device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the shipping documentation data is further based at least in part on information entered into the electronic shipping form by a user via the mobile data transmission device, and a signature of the user via the mobile data transmission device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising comparing and combining the shipping documentation data with similar shipping documentation data of other cargo to be delivered from an interim destination, and preparing loading manifests to optimize loads to be shipped on at least one other vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more wireless signals represent a plurality of packets corresponding to the shipping documentation data; and

the method further comprises assembling individual packets of the plurality of packets into the shipping documentation data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising wireless sly transmitting a number associated with each received individual packet of the plurality of packets to the mobile data transmission device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

validating that the shipping documentation data is received without a transmission defect; and

requesting at least a portion of the shipping documentation data from the mobile data transmission device if a transmission defect is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving vehicle information from the mobile data transmission device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle information comprises at least one of:

engine temperature, oil pressure, fluid levels, tire pressure, weather condition information, speed of travel, direction of travel, and vehicle location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the shipping documentation data is a scanned image of a shipping document;

the loading manifest is prepared by routing at least portion of the scanned image to one or more image processing utilities.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more image processing utilities include at least one of:

a classification process to identify and classify at least a portion of the scanned image;

an image enhancement process to selectively modify image quality of the scanned image;

an optical character recognition process to create an electronic text representation of the scanned image; and

a work-flow process to route at least a portion of the image to one or more queues for work processing.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the shipping documentation data to a customer at a customer request.

13. A method for processing shipping documentation data sent from a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:

receiving by the remote processor, one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data associated with cargo, the one or more wireless signals sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the vehicle, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on a scanned image of a shipping document scanned from a portable document scanner associated with the mobile data transmission device; and

prior to the vehicle arriving at a terminal, utilizing the shipping documentation data to;

prepare a loading manifest that references the cargo, wherein the loading manifest dictates further transport of the cargo on another vehicle; and

extract billing information from the shipping documentation data and prepare at least one billing document associated with the cargo based at least in part on the extracted billing information, wherein the acts of preparing a loading manifest, extracting billing information and preparing at least one billing document are performed by the remote processor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein shipping documentation data is based at least in part on an electronic shipping form.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the shipping documentation data is further based at least in part on information entered into the electronic shipping form by a user via the mobile data transmission device, and a signature of the user via the mobile data transmission device.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the one or more wireless signals represent a plurality of packets corresponding to the shipping documentation data; and

the method further comprises assembling individual packets of the plurality of packets into the shipping documentation data.

17. A remote processing system for processing shipping documentation data sent from a transportation vehicle to a remote processor, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a set of executable instructions residing on the processor capable of dynamically receiving one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data associated with cargo, the one or more wireless signals sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the transportation vehicle, wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on a scanned image of a shipping document scanned from a portable document scanner associated with the mobile data transmission device; and

prior to the transportation vehicle arriving at a terminal, utilizing the shipping documentation data to;

prepare a loading manifest that references the cargo, wherein the loading manifest dictates further transport of the cargo on another vehicle; and

extract billing information from the shipping documentation data and prepare at least one billing document associated with the cargo based at least in part on the extracted billing information;

wherein the acts of prepare a loading manifest, extract billing information and prepare at least one billing document are performed by the processor.

18. A remote processing system for processing shipping documentation data sent from a vehicle to a remote processor, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory; and

a set of executable instructions residing on the processor capable of dynamically receiving at the remote processor, one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data sent from a mobile data transmission device that is onboard the vehicle, wherein the shipping documentation data comprises scanned image data scanned by the mobile data transmission device onboard the vehicle; and

generating billing information in advance of the arrival of the vehicle, wherein the billing information is based at least in part on the shipping documentation data,

wherein the remote processor performs the acts of receiving the wireless signals and generating the billing information.