Registers – Systems controlled by data bearing records
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-09
2001-04-24
Lee, Michael G. (Department: 2876)
Registers
Systems controlled by data bearing records
C705S001100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220509
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an improved parcel trace system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
shows a conventional parcel trace system. A parcel delivery service provider, for example, Federal Express, UPS or DHL, assigns a unique parcel identification, known as an Air Bill number, to each parcel. This is done by providing to a client two-part blank forms, each including a unique pre-printed bar code, corresponding to the Air Bill number, on each part of the form. One part of a form is attached to the parcel, while the client retains the other part of the form including a copy of the barcode affixed to the parcel. The parcel identification barcode is scanned at a number of locations worldwide at each stage of delivery to track its progress. The barcode scanner communicates with a host computer
10
to transmit the parcel ID to the host computer. The parcel ID and its location information are transmitted by the host computer
10
to one or more web servers
60
(only one shown) each including a database table
20
maintained by the service provider.
The client, running a web browser
90
, is able to link through the Internet
40
to the service provider web server
60
, and thus the database table
20
, by specifying a URL (universal resource location). The URL usually points to a HTML file which is transmitted to the client who is then prompted to enter the unique parcel ID and optionally the client ID, for security reasons. These are transmitted to the service provider web server
60
and used as search criteria by the service provider, which returns the current location of the client's parcel to the browser
90
for display.
A problem exists where a large client may use a variety of delivery service providers, each with different web pages, to send multiple parcels. It is a time consuming exercise to track these parcels, with separate parcel identifications to be entered for each parcel, and separate service provider web pages to be accessed.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a parcel trace system capable of accommodating single-point tracking by a client of a plurality of parcels being handled by a number of different delivery service companies.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a parcel trace system for tracing parcels handled by a service provider for a plurality of clients, said system including relay means adapted to communicate with said clients across a first network and with a server database, said server database being adapted to store a plurality of parcel objects, each parcel object including a parcel identifier attribute and a parcel location attribute, said server database further including a first network address attribute for said clients and wherein said relay means is responsive to a change in state of said parcel location attribute to relay said change in state of said parcel location attribute across said first network to a client for whom said parcel is being handled.
In a second aspect, the invention provides a parcel trace system for tracing parcels handled by a plurality of service providers for a client, said system including a client database controller and a client database, said client database including a plurality of parcel objects, each parcel object corresponding to a parcel being handled for said client and including a parcel identifier and a parcel location attribute, said client database controller being adapted to communicate across a first network with a plurality of relay means, each associated with a respective service provider, and across a second network with said client, each relay means being responsive to a change in state of a parcel location handled by an associated service provider to relay said change in state to said client database controller across said first network, said client database controller being responsive to receipt of said change in state of parcel location to write said change of state to said client database, said client database controller being further responsive to parcel location requests from said client across said second network to return a parcel location and a parcel identifier for any parcels requested by said client.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5631827 (1997-05-01), Nicholls et al.
patent: 5804803 (1998-09-01), Cragun et al.
patent: 5869819 (1999-02-01), Knowles et al.
patent: 5970472 (1999-10-01), Allsop et al.
patent: 6047053 (2000-04-01), Miner et al.
patent: 6047264 (2000-04-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 6070793 (2000-06-01), Reichl et al.
patent: WO 97/08628 A1 (1997-06-01), None
Dougherty Anne Vachon
Franklin Jamara A.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lee Michael G.
Shofi David M.
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