Automated product shipment with carrier quality feedback

• US 9,269,065 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2009
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Erie, Clinton William, Lee, Jason Scott, Paske, Ryan T., Wilson, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Allen J
• Application Number:
  US12/644,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20110153513A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,254 Days
• Field of Search: 700/216
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08345 Pricing

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for shipping products that include (a) sending requests for quotations by electronic transmission to a plurality of selected carriers based upon customer order specifications, available delivery options and a carrier quality database; (b) selecting a carrier quotation based upon quotations received by electronic transmission and the carrier quality database and updating the carrier quality database with the selected carrier and quotation; (c) preparing the product shipment including using an optical scanner to measure shipment dimensions and a weight scale to measure shipment weight of the product shipment; and (d) if the measured dimensions and weight do not conform to the selected quotation, repeating steps (b) and (c) with measured shipment dimensions and weight or, if the measured dimensions and weight do conform to the selected quotation, notifying carrier to ship the product.

Claims

1. A method of shipping products using a processor connected to a network comprising the steps of:

sending by the processor requests for quotations by electronic transmission to a plurality of selected carriers;

selecting by the processor a carrier quotation based upon quotations received by electronic transmission and a carrier quality database and updating the carrier quality database with the selected carrier and quotation;

preparing the product shipment including using an optical scanner connected to the processor to measure product shipment dimensions and a weight scale connected to the processor to measure product shipment weight; and

if the measured product shipment dimensions and weight do not conform to the selected quotation, repeating the sending step, the selecting step and the preparing step with measured shipment dimensions and weight or, if the measured product shipment dimensions and weight do conform to the selected quotation, notifying carrier to ship the product.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon a customer order specification.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon available delivery options.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon data in the carrier quality database.

5. A method according to claim 1 further including a step of updating the carrier quality database with actual delivery results received from the carrier.

6. A method according to claim 1 further including a step of updating the carrier quality database with feedback received from the customer.

7. A system for shipping products to customers comprising:

a network providing electrical transmission of message communications with at least one customer and with a plurality of carriers;

a shipping data processor connected to said network and further connecting to an optical scanner and a weight scale and having a memory containing a carrier quality database and a program of instructions for communicating with the customer and the plurality of carriers to assemble a customer product shipment and select one of the plurality of carriers to convey the product shipment to the customer and wherein the program of instructions perform the steps of;

sending by the processor requests for quotations by electronic transmission to a plurality of selected carriers;

selecting by the processor a carrier quotation based upon quotations received by electronic transmission and a carrier quality database and updating the carrier quality database with the selected carrier and quotation;

preparing the product shipment including using an optical scanner connected to the processor to measure product shipment dimensions and a weight scale connected to the processor to measure product shipment weight; and

if the measured product shipment dimensions and weight do not conform to the selected quotation, repeating the sending step, the selecting step and the preparing step with measured shipment dimensions and weight or, if the measured product shipment dimensions and weight do conform to the selected quotation, notifying carrier to ship the product.

8. A system for shipping products to customers according to claim 7 wherein said network is further connected to a customer data processor.

9. A system for shipping products to customers according to claim 7 wherein said network is further connected to a plurality of carrier data processors.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored thereon, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of:

(a) sending requests for quotations on a network by electronic transmission to a plurality of selected carriers based upon customer order specifications, available delivery options and a carrier quality database;

(b) selecting a carrier quotation based upon quotations received by electronic transmission from the network and the carrier quality database and updating the carrier quality database with the selected carrier and quotation;

(c) preparing the product shipment including using an optical connected to the processor to measure product shipment dimensions and a weight scale connected to the processor to measure product shipment weight; and

(d) if the measured dimensions and weight do not conform to the selected quotation, repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) with measured product shipment dimensions and weight or, if the measured dimensions and weight do conform to the selected quotation, notifying carrier to ship the product.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 further including a step of updating the carrier quality database with actual delivery results received from the carrier.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 further including a step of updating the carrier quality database with actual delivery results received from the customer.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon a customer order specification.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon available delivery options.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the sending step includes a step of selecting the carrier based upon data in the carrier quality database.