Patent Application
20050006469
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to use of data used to identify products, known as “Universal Product Codes (“UPCs”)” or “Electronic Product Codes” (“EPCs”). The invention also pertains to technologies for providing and scanning data on products, such as barcodes or radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags. Furthermore, the invention relates to shipment of packages containing products and related technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
EPCs are identifiers that are associated with products, and are used to uniquely identify the products, much like serial numbers. EPCs can be provided on products in the form of optically-scannable indicia such as one- or two-dimensional barcodes, MaxiCode® indicia or other optically-readable forms. Alternatively, or in addition to use of optically-readable indicia, EPCs can be provided on products in electromagnetically-readable forms, such as in magnetic strips, radio-frequency identifiers (RFIDs), and the like.
Although there have been attempts to standardize use of EPCs in various industries, the fact remains that EPCs generally have no meaning to entities involved with the product outside of the entity that produced the EPC, normally the product manufacturer. Thus, if a manufacturer uses an EPC to designate a particular product, this code cannot generally be used by others involved with the product, such as the distributor, retailer, end user, recycler, etc., because these other entities are not generally equipped with appropriate equipment to read the manufacturer's EPCs. Even if such entities had the appropriate equipment, due to the lack of accepted standards, the data in the EPC generally could not be interpreted without further information from the entity that produced the EPC indicating the data protocol used in the EPC. Accordingly, important information such as the location of particular products in the commercial stream, shipment time of products from one location to another, inventories at points along the distribution chain and at retailer locations, the status and location of products returned by end users, and other information about the products, is generally lost by virtue of the fact that other entities in the commercial stream of the products do not generally have the equipment to scan the EPC codes on the products and provide the scanned data to other entities. It would be desirable to permit a manufacturer and other authorized entities involved in the supply or distribution chains related to the product with visibility as to the products' status as it progresses in its stream of commerce.
Package shipment carriers such as United Parcel Service®, Inc. corporation currently provide tracking numbers for tracking packages shipped by a sender to a receiver using a carrier's shipping infrastructure. As presently implemented, each label used for shipping a package has a package identification number that identifies the package uniquely. A person, generally the package sender, can log in to a server application using a web browser, and enter the package identification number to determine the status of the shipment. However, the package identification number is not meaningful to the sender: it provides no information as to what product or object in the context of the sender's business is related to the corresponding package. This means that once the sender ships a package containing its product, visibility as to what the sender has shipped and the status of such packages during shipment is generally lost. This problem is greatly multiplied when the sender has products in numerous packages in transit to various receivers at any one time. Thus, there is a need for a technology that will enable a sender, and possibly other entities in the process such as a receiver, supplier, distributor, retailer, or end user, to have visibility to products during shipment from sender to receiver.
The invention, in its various embodiments, overcomes the disadvantages noted hereinabove with respect to previous technologies, and achieves advantages heretofore not possible.
A method in accordance with one embodiment of the invention can comprise receiving object identification data that uniquely identifies an object. An object can be one or more products, a box or container of products, or a certain number or lot of boxes or containers with products, and it can be defined by the sender in a context that is most useful to the sender in its business operations. The method can further comprise obtaining package identification data that uniquely identifies a package to be transported from a sender to a receiver by using the shipping and storage infrastructure of a carrier. The method comprises linking object identification data to package identification data. This linking makes it possible for the sender to track the object associated within the package within the infrastructure of the carrier that transports the package from the sender to the receiver. As the package passes through one or more portals within the carrier's network, scanner(s) associated with the portal(s) scan the package identification data and generate event data. The event data can comprise description data that describes the event, location data identifying where the event occurred, and date and time data indicating when the event occurred. This data can be reported from each portal's scanner to a carrier computer system for storage in association with the linked object identification data and package identification data as the package progresses through portal(s) of the carrier's transport and storage network 18. The data record of events related to the object can thus be obtained, optionally tagged, and uploaded to a computer system for access by computer systems of entities involved with the product, such as suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers, end users, recyclers, etc., for more efficient operation of their businesses. Other related methods, systems and articles are herein disclosed.
These together with other objectives and advantages of the invention will hereinafter be described in detail in connection with the following drawings in which like numbered elements refer to like parts throughout the several views.
The invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this disclosure. In the drawings, like numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout the several views.
As used herein, the following words have the following meanings:
“And/or” means either or both of the things immediately preceding and following.
“Application” is a computer program or code executed by a computer, that is designed to carry out a specific task(s).
“Browser Application” is software executed by a computer to access resources via the World Wide Web (WWW), WWW 2, WWW3, Internet, Internet2, Internet3 or other public networks. Microsoft® Explorer version 6.x and Netscape® version 7.x are examples of browser applications.
“Computer” can be any device capable of receiving input data, processing that data, and generating output data therefrom. The computer can be a mainframe, miniframe, server, personal computer (PC), or personal digital assistant (PDA), for example. Such computers can be obtained from numerous manufacturers, including Dell® Corporation, Round Rock, Tex.; Hewlett-Packard® Corporation; Palo Alto, Calif.; Gateway® Corporation, San Diego, Calif.; International Business Machines® Corporation, and numerous others.
“Computer system” refers to any network or other such system, that includes one or more computers and any associated data storage units.
“Data Storage Unit” or “Memory” refers to read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), hard disk data storage unit, and other such devices.
“Entity” refers to any person, business, or organization involved in shipment of an object.
“Input Device” can be a keyboard, mouse, pen, stylus or other device used to input data into a computer.
“Object” can be a product, a group of products, a container or box of products, a palate or crate of boxes of products, or any other defined unit of product(s). The object is normally defined by the sender of a package, although this does not exclude the possibility of others defining what the object is.
“Operating System” enables a processor of a computer to communicate with other elements of a computer. The operating system can be DOS, Windows® 95, Windows® 98, Windows® 2000, Windows® NT, OS/2, OS/360, OS/400, iSeries, eSeries, pSeries, zSeries, UNIX, LINUX, and numerous others.
“Output Device” refers to a device such as a monitor, for generating a display of a computer.
“Package” is broadly defined herein to include any container that can contain a product. Package thus includes a box, envelope, mailer, tube, box, crate, trunk, palate, shipping container, or anything else that can be used to enclose a product(s) to transport it from one place to another.
“Product” is broadly defined to include any manufactured unit, optionally including a package or container therefor.
“(s)” after a word means one or more things defined by the word.
In
The package 13 contains a product 21. In the specific example of
To be able to detect and identify the object 20 as it progresses through portals 91, 92, . . . , 9N, object identification data 23 can be associated with the object 20. The object identification data 23 can be in an optically-scannable or electromagnetically-scannable format. It can be a sticker, tag, label, printing, chip or other such item affixed to the product 21. For example, the object identification data 23 can be in the form of a one- or two-dimensional bar code, a magnetic strip, RFID tag or chip, or other such item. Normally, it is the sender 15 that affixes the object identification data 23 to the object 20, although this does not exclude the possibility of other entities performing this function.
In
Alternatively, UPSCampusShip™ or UPSInternet™ browser-accessible website services provide the capability to generate a shipping label 25 on-line. In this case, computer 3 of the carrier's computer system 2 interacts with the sender 15 over network 11 to generate a shipment label 25 with package identification data 27 thereon. The sender 15 downloads the shipment label 25 with package identification data 27 from the carrier computer system 2, outputs it with a printer 59, and attaches it to the package 13 for shipment.
As yet another alternative, the shipping label 25 and associated package identification data 27 can be generated by self-service equipment at a carrier store, and attached to the package 13. Regardless of the specific method by which the shipment label 25 and associated package identification data 27 are generated, the package identification data can be used for tracking the package 13 through the portals 91, 92, . . . , 9N as the carrier 19 receives the package from the sender 15, transports its through its internal transport and storage infrastructure 18, and delivers the package to the receiver 17. Many commercial package carriers use package identification data, or tracking numbers, to provide the ability to track packages both internally in their own operations, as well as externally so that customers can access the carrier's website to determine the status of a package. However, visibility to the sender 15 of the products sent in a package 13 is generally lost to the sender once the package 13 is provided to the carrier 19 for transport to the receiver 15.
Importantly, to overcome this problem, the computer 3 of the system 2 can link the package identification data 27 to the object identification data 23 identifying the product 21 in the package 13. The linked association between the object identification data 23 and the package identification data 27 can be stored by the computer 3 in a database 29 of the data storage unit 5. Linkage of the object identification data 23 and the package identification data 27 provides visibility to the sender 15 as to what objects 24 are being transported in the carrier's transport and storage network 18, and also the location and status of such objects. More specifically, as the package 13 is transported through the transport network 18 of the carrier 19, the package 13 passes through portals 91, 92, . . . , 9N along the way. The portals are located in the carrier transport and storage network 18 so that passage of the package 13 through a portal signifies a certain event. For example, the portals can be arranged in the transport network as shown in Table 1:
Thus, as shown in
The object identification data 23 can be provided by the sender 15 to the carrier 19 over communications network 11. For example, if the sender 15 uses shipping labels 25 with pre-printed package identification data 27 and packs the product 21 in the package 13 itself before the carrier 19 receives the package, then the sender 15 can provide the package identification data 27 and the object identification data 23 to the carrier 19 via network 11. This can be done by the sender 15 uploading a data file containing one or more associated records of object identification data 23 to respective package identification data 27 to the computer 3 of system 2. Alternatively, the computer 3 can obtain the association of package identification data 27 to respective object identification data 23 if one or more of the scanners 71, 72, . . . , 7N are capable of reading both sets of data. For example, in
In
The shipping coordinator 51 operates unit 53. The coordinator 51 can use the unit 53 to generate a shipping label 25 with package identification data 27. As previously described, the process of generating a shipping label 25 can be performed in a variety of different ways. For example, the unit 53 can be a typewriter, word processor, or computer for producing the shipping label 25 by directly printing information such as the receiver's name and address on a shipping label pre-printed with package identification data 27 thereon. Alternatively, the unit 53 operated by coordinator 51 can be a computer running a web browser, enabling the coordinator to interact via sender computer 23 with computer 3 of carrier system 2 over network 11, optionally via computer 55 internal to the sender 14 that serves as a gateway or point-of-presence on network 11. The computer 55 can also be connected to data storage unit 57 which can store applications for implementing the business processes required for operation of the sender's manufacturing operations and business. In any case, through interaction of computer 53 accessing computer 3 to execute an application such as can be provided by UPSCampusShip™ or UPSInternet™ web-based services, the coordinator 51 can generate a shipping label 25 including package identification data 27. The computer 3 generates package identification data 27, incorporates same into an electronic shipping label 25 which is downloaded in “soft” form to the computer 53 via communications network 11. The coordinator 51 operates the computer 53 to output the shipping label 25 with package identification data 27 from printer 59. Shipping coordinator 51 affixes the shipping label 25 with package identification data 27 on the package 13 containing products 21. The shipping coordinator 51 then provides the package 13 to the carrier 19. This can be done by leaving the package at a drop location, carrier store, or service center for pick-up, by telephoning the carrier 19 to request pick-up at the sender's location, for example.
The package 13 transits through the portal 91, which can be associated with a hand-held or truck-mounted scanner 71 used to read package identification data 27, and optionally also object identification data 23. In addition, the scanner 71 and/or computer 3 can timestamp such data with data indicating the date and time of the corresponding event, in this case “package pickup.” The event can either be explicitly designated by the worker 61 by inputting data indicating such event via the hand-held unit 71. Alternatively, the computer 3 can be programmed to determine that the event associated with the package identification data 27, and optionally also object identification data 23, is the first event 31 “package pickup” by virtue of the fact it is the first occasion on which the computer 3 has received the package identification data 27 uniquely associated with the package 13. As yet another alternative, in the case of dispatching a vehicle 67 to pickup the package 13, the computer 3 has stored data scheduling the pickup, and thus can determine that the scanned data is associated with the event “package pickup” by reference to this data stored in unit 5 in association with the package identification data 13. Other alternatives for identifying event data may occur to those of ordinary skill in this technology.
To provide a specific example associated with the “package pickup” event, at portal 91, worker 61 takes the package 13 and scans the shipping label 25, and more particularly, the package identification data 27, with the scanner 71 which generates a wireless signal provided to transceiver network 67. The transceiver network 67 can be a public or private network of cellular telephone or wireless transceivers, base stations, and switching offices, as is well-known in the telecommunications industry. Optionally, the scanner 71 can be equipped with an electro-magnetic reader that does not require line-of-sight, and is thus capable of reading the object identification data 2111, 2112 inside of the package 131. For example, although this is not the case in the example of
The scanner 63 scans and transmits the package identification data 35, optionally with object identification data 21, to the transceiver 67. Alternatively, the shipping label 25, and more specifically, its package identification data 27 can be read by scanner 65 provided on the back of delivery truck 67 as the package 13 is loaded therein. Scanner 71 can wirelessly transmit the package identification data 27, and optionally also the object identification data 23 if capable of reading it, to the transceiver network 67. The transceiver network 67 supplies the package identification data 27 and any accompanying object identification data 23 to the computer 3 which timestamps and stores such data in the data storage unit 5. Alternatively, the object identification data 23 can be provided to the computer 3 with associated package identification data 27 in a data file uploaded from the sender 15 with the computer 53 via network 11. The computer 3 stores the package identification data 27 in linked association with the object identification data 23. This enables the sender 15 to use the unit 53 of computer system 49 to access event data 31 pertaining to the object(s) 20 in which it is interested. This information is significantly valuable to the sender 15, in addition to others who may be involved with or interested in the product, including suppliers of materials required to make or contain the product, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers of the product, and analysts and consultants that may be interested in the product, and recyclers of the product or containers therefor.
The short-haul vehicle 67 proceeds to portal 92 at the entrance or intake side of distribution hub or warehouse 69. As the package 13 with contained products 21 passes within range of the scanner 72, its package identification data 27 is scanned and transmitted to the carrier's computer 3. This can be accomplished by wireless transmission via transceiver network 67 and network 11, if the scanner 72 is suitably adapted for this purpose, or alternatively, by a computer 71 associated with the distribution hub 69. The computer 71 is connected to the scanner 72 and the computer 3 via network 11, and can receive package identification data 27 scanned by the scanner 72 and transmit same to the computer 3 via the network 11. In addition, the scanner 72 can transmit data uniquely identifying the scanner 72 along with the package identification data 271. This could be an internet protocol (IP), media access control (MAC), data link control (DLC), or other address or data associated with the scanner 72. Because the location of the scanner 72 is static in this case (i.e., fixed to the entrance of hub 69), the event data 312 associated with this scanner is invariant, “package received at pickup distribution hub.” Thus, although the scanner 72 can be programmed to transmit data explicitly indicating the event data 312, the computer 3 can alternatively be programmed to recognize the event data 312 associated with the portal 92 by virtue of data identifying the scanner 72 which is transmitted from such unit to the computer 3.
The object 20, which in this example is package 13 containing products 21, can be stored in the distribution hub 69 for virtually any length of time, as may be desired by the sender 15 and the receiver 17. The term of storage of the package can be for only so long as is necessary to arrange for transport the rest of the way to the receiver 17. Alternatively, the packaged products can be stored on a long-term basis from days to years, or until required by the receiver 17. Thus, in addition to service offering immediate shipment of the products, the hub 69 can serve as a warehousing capability provided by the carrier 13 for the sender 15 or receiver 17.
In any case, when it is desired to ship the package 13 to the receiver 17, the package transits through portal 93 at the exit to the hub facility 69. Vehicle 73 can be used to retrieve the package 131 from the hub facility 69. As the package 131 passes through portal 93, the scanner 73 positioned adjacent the hub exit scans the package identification data 271 and transmits this data to the computer 3, either wirelessly via networks 11, 69 or via computer 71. Computer 71 can be a dial-up client, gateway from a network internal to the hub facility, or a point-of-presence on the network 11. The scanner 73 can transmit identification data uniquely identifying itself to the computer 3. Because in this case the position of the scanner 73 is static at the exit door of the hub facility 69, the computer 3 can be programmed to recognize that the event data 313 associated with the portal 93 is “package exited pickup distribution hub” upon determining that the package identification data 271 has been reported by the scanner 73 by the data identifying such scanner. Upon receipt of such data, the computer 3 can timestamp the event data 313 so that it includes the date and time at which the package 13 exited distribution hub 69. Alternatively, the scanner 73 can explicitly generate and transmit event data 313 indicating the event, including data identifying the event and the location, date, and time thereof. The computer 3 thus receives and/or generates the event data 313 including the description, date, and time of the event is “package exited pickup distribution hub” and stores same in correspondence with the package identification data 27 in the data storage unit 5. Because the package identification data 27 is linked to the object identification data 21, visibility as to the status of the package within the carrier network 19 is available to the sender 15, receiver 17, and/or others involved with the product.
For long-haul shipment, the package 131 can be placed in a shipment container 75 for protection and handling during shipment. The vehicle 73 then lifts the shipment container 75 with package 131 and loads same onto long-haul transport vehicle 77. The vehicle 77 can be an aircraft, train, trailer truck, water-borne vessel, or other means for transporting the shipment container 75 with package 131 over relatively long distances. As the package 131 is moved from hub facility 69 to be loaded on the vehicle 77, the package 131 passes through portal 94 and the package identification data 271 is scanned by scanner 74. The scanned data can be transmitted directly by wireless network 67 and/or network 11 to the computer 3. Alternatively, the scanner 94 can be connected to computer 74, which transmits such data to the computer 3 via network 11. In either case, the scanner 74 can also transmit data uniquely identifying such scanner. If the scanner 74 is fixed at a location, then the computer 3 can be programmed to retrieve data from the unit 5 which indicates that the event data 314 associated with portal 94 includes the description “package on long-haul transport” or the like along with the location. The computer 3 can also timestamp the package identification data 27 received from the scanner 74 with the date and time, and store in the storage unit 5 this data, along with the description data, as event data 314. Alternatively, any or all of the description data, location data, date and time data, can be generated by the scanner 74 and/or computer 79 and transmitted to the computer 3 for storage in the unit 5 in association with the package identification data 27.
The package 13 containing products 21 is transported on long-haul transport vehicle 77 to a location relatively near the receiver 17. As the package 131 is off-loaded from the vehicle 77, the package transits through portal 95 at which the scanner 75 scans the package identification data 271. As similarly described with respect to other portals and their scanners, scanner 75 transmits the scanned package identification data 271, optionally along with event data 315, wirelessly via networks 11, 67, or via computer 81 connected to scanner 75 and network 11, to provide such data to the computer 3. Alternatively, one or more items of the event data 315 can be generated by the computer 3 directly or by retrieving such data from the unit 5. The event data 315 generally comprises data identifying a description of the event, such as “package off long-haul transport,” as well as other data such as the location at which the event occurred (i.e., the location of portal 95), and the date and time of the event. The computer 3 stores the event data 315 in association with the package identification data 271 as a part of the record pertaining to events related to the package 131 as it progresses through the transport and logistics network 18 of the carrier 19.
Vehicle 83 can be used to off-load the shipping container 75 holding package 13 from the long-haul transport vehicle 77. The vehicle 83 transports the package 13 to distribution hub 85 for temporary or long-term storage. As the package 13 transits through the portal 96 at which the scanner 76 is located, such scanner detects the package identification data 27 and transmits same to the computer 3. In addition, the scanner 76 can transmit to the computer 3 some or all of event data 316 including a description of the related event such as “package arrived at receive distribution hub,” the date and time of the event, and the location of the event. Alternatively, either the scanner 76 or the computer 87 can generate and provide data uniquely identifying such units or one or more addresses associated therewith, to the computer 3. The computer 3 can use such data to generate some or all event data 316 by virtue of established association of such unit identity or address with data stored in the unit 5. The scanner 76 can transmit such data wirelessly via networks 11, 67. Alternatively, the scanner 76 can transmit such data to the computer 3 via the computer 87 and network 11. The computer 3 stores the event data 316 in association with package identification data 27 in the data storage unit 5.
The package 13 containing products 21 can be stored on a long-term or short-term basis in the distribution hub 85, as desired by the sender and/or receiver of the package. At the appropriate time, as may be determined by the sender 15 and/or the receiver 17, the package 13 is picked up by worker 89 and/or vehicle 91 at the hub facility 85 for delivery to the receiver 17. As the worker 89 and/or vehicle 91 transporting package 131 exits the hub facility 85, the package passes through portal 97 associated with the exit of such hub facility. The scanner 77 scans and transmits the package identification data 271 to the computer 3 via the networks 67, 11. Alternatively, the computer 87 associated with the distribution hub 85 can be connected to receive some or all of this data from the scanner 77, and can also be connected to transmit same to the computer 3 via the network 11. In addition to the package identification data 271, the scanner 77 and/or computer 87 can generate and transmit event data 317 to the computer 3. Alternatively, the computer 3 can generate or retrieve the event data 317 from the unit 5 based upon identification or address data that uniquely identifies the scanner 77 and/or computer 87. Such data can be transmitted from the scanner 77 and/or computer 87 to the computer 3 along with the package identification data 271. The computer 3 can be programmed to recognize that the data identifying the scanner 77 and/or computer 87 is associated with a particular event or portal, namely, event data 317 and portal 97. The computer 3 can then retrieve corresponding event data 317 from the data storage unit 5 based on the identity or address of the scanner 77 and/or computer 87, or may simply be programmed to recognize such data as associated with the corresponding event data 317. Regardless of how it is generated or determined, the event data 317 can include alphanumeric data describing the event, for example, “package exited receive distribution hub,” along with the date and time of the event indicated by timestamp generated by either the computer 3, the scanner 77, or the computer 87 of the hub facility 85.
The worker 89 and/or short-haul vehicle 91 transports the package 131 containing products 2111, 2112 through the last portal 98 signifying delivery to the receiver 17. The worker 89 scans the package identification data 271 with hand-held scanner 78. Alternatively, when the worker 89 extracts the package 131 from the hold of vehicle 91, a scanner 78 mounted on the vehicle can scan the package identification data 27 from the shipping label 25 of the package. The scanned package identification data 27, optionally with event data 318 generated by the scanner or entered by the worker 89 into the scanner with its keypad, is transmitted to the computer 3 preferably wirelessly via network 11 for storage in the data storage unit 5. Alternatively, the computer 3 can generate or retrieve the event data 318 from some other data received from the scanner 78. This data could be such as to identify the scanner or an address associated therewith, such as the source or logical address inherent in many data transmission protocols. The computer 3 stores the received event data 318 in association with the package identification data 271 in the data storage unit 5. The process is completed by delivery of the package 131 to the receiver 17.
Upon completion of the package delivery process, the database 29 of the database storage unit 5 contains a complete record of the events related to the package transported through the carrier's logistics network. More specifically, the database 29 comprises event data 311-318 stored in association with package identification data 27. In addition, because the object identification data 2311, 2312 is stored in linked association with the package identification data 271, the status of respective objects 20 at any point in time while progressing through the carrier's logistics network can be determined by the sender 15 accessing the carrier computer system 2 using its own computer system 49.
The computer 3 can be programmed to upload data contained in the database 29 to computer system 93 so that such data can be accessed by others besides the carrier 19. More specifically, the computer 3 can retrieve data indicating the network address of the computer 95. The computer 3 can be programmed to retrieve this network address periodically or after receiving event data 31 from a scanner 7 pertaining to the product 21. The computer 3 transmits the object identification data 23 using the network address to the computer system 93 along with corresponding event data 311-318 to the computer system 93. The computer system 93 comprises computer 95 and data storage unit 97. The computer 95 receives the object identification data 23 and retrieves a corresponding network address from the data storage unit 93. The computer 95 next uploads the object identification data 23 and corresponding event data 311-318 to the computer system 99. The computer system 99 comprises a computer 101 and data storage unit 103. The computer 99 is programmed to receive the object identification data 2311, 2312 and corresponding event data 311-318, and to store this data in the unit 103 so that it can be accessed by others interested in the product 31. Prior to storage, the computer 101 can tag this data using eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) tags or the like to permit the data to be recognized by different kinds of computer systems and applications that can used by entities interested in the object 20 to access the data.
In
The sender 15 prints and attaches the shipping label 25 to the package 13 and provides same to the carrier 19. As the package 13 progresses through the carrier's transport and storage logistics network, the package 13 is scanned by scanners 71, 72, . . . , 7N as it passes through respective portals 91, 92, . . . , 9N. The scanners 71, 72, . . . , 7N report the package identification data 27 and optionally also respective event data 311, 312, . . . , 31N to the computer 3. Alternatively, the computer 3 can be programmed to determine the event data 311, 312, . . . , 31N by identification or address data indicating the specific one of the scanners 71, 72, . . . , 7N reporting the package identification data 27. The computer 3 stores the event data 311, 312, . . . , 31N in association with the package identification data 27 in the database 29. Because the object identification data 23 is linked to the package identification data 27, the event data 31 related to the package 13 can be readily determined.
Alternatively, as opposed to the computer system 93 receiving the object identification data 27, package identification data 23, and event data 311-31N from the carrier computer system 2 and transmitting same to the PCL computer system 99 for storage, the ONS computer system 93 can operate in the following manner. Upon receiving the object identification data 27 from the carrier computer system 2, the ONS computer system 93 retrieves a corresponding network address 111 from the database 113 and transmits same back to the carrier computer system 2. The carrier computer system 2 then uses the received network address 111 to transmit corresponding object identification data 23, package identification data 27, event data 311-31N, and respective tags 115, 117, and 1191-119N to the PML computer system 99. The PML computer system 99 receives the tagged object identification data 23, package identification data 27, and event data 311-31N, and stores same in the database 114. Through the use of the tags 115, 117, and 1191-119N, the object identification data 27, package identification data 23, and event data 311-31N can be read and interpreted by business applications of computer systems ed to access such data.
The tags 115, 117, and 1191-119N can be in XML format, as shown in Table 2.
Thus, the tags <product_id_data> </product_id_data> indicate that the data “F127.C238.DF1B.17CC” is object identification data 27; the tags <package_id_data> </package_id_data> indicate that the alphanumeric character string “1ZE263730197073389” is package identification data 23; the tags <event—1> </event—1> indicate that the data between the tags is first event data 1191, and the tags <description> </description> indicate that the character string “package pick up” is a description of the first event, tags <location> </location> indicate that “service center 5—Atlanta, Ga.” is a location at which the first event occurred, and the tags <date_time> </date_time> associated with “Feb. 28, 2003—11:14 AM” indicate the date and time on which the event occurred. Similarly, the tags <event_N> </event_N> indicate that the data between these tags is associated with the Nth event related to the package 13, the <description> </description> tags indicate that the character string “package delivered” is a description of the Nth event, the tags <location> </location> indicate that the alphanumeric character string “Harry Jones, 504 Windy Way, Seattle, Wash. 98101” is the location at which the Nth event occurred, and the tags <date_time> </date_time> indicate that the alphanumeric character string “Mar. 1, 2003—10:02 AM” is a date and time at which the event occurred. If the business applications of computer systems are programmed to recognize the tags 115, 117, 1191-119N, then they can retrieve and process the corresponding tagged data 27, 23, 311-31N for use in such applications. Thus, the tags permit the data to be accessed and used by such business applications for improved operation of businesses involved with the product 13.
It should be appreciated that the relationship between the package 13, object 20, and product 21, must be established. This relationship can be established as: (1) the object 20 directly relates to an individual product 21 within a package 13, as shown in
In
The same is true of the supplier 123 which in this example manufactures containers 21 used by the sender 15 to contain its product 21. The computer system 131 of the supplier 123 can be connected to any or all of the computer systems 49, 93 and/or 99 to receive the tagged object identification data 23, package identification data 23, and event data 31. Supplier 123 can thus produce the containers 35 using machine 133 at a rate determined by a business application executed on the computer system 131.
Similarly, the supplier 125 manufactures ingredients or materials 43, 45 for making product 13. The computer system 135 of the supplier 125 can be connected to any or all of the computer systems 49, 93 and/or 99 to receive the tagged object identification data 23, package identification data 23, and event data 31. A business application executed on computer system 135 of the supplier 125 can be used to determine when and/or at what rate the ingredients or materials 43, 45 should be manufactured based on the tagged data. In addition, the supplier 125 can determine how many containers for the materials 43, 45 are being recycled or returned for use in determining the number of containers it needs to order.
As shown in
Although the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments and examples, it is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments and examples disclosed. Thus, in addition to claiming the subject matter literally as defined in the appended claims, all modifications, alterations, and equivalents to which the applicant is entitled by law, are herein expressly reserved by the following claims.
