Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Distributed data processing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-15
2002-10-01
Sheikh, Ayaz (Department: 2155)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Distributed data processing
C709S238000, C705S001100, C705S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06460069
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to communicating the content of paper documents via a distributed computer system, such as the global Internet. More particularly described, the present invention supports the collection of document images at a remote data collection site and the authorized transmission of these document images to a designated data processing site via a distributed computer network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Large truckload carriers rely upon hundreds and, in some cases, thousands of drivers to support the transportation of goods to sites located throughout the North American continent. A driver is typically assigned a shipping load and related documents and a shipper must obtain the signature of the consignee as evidence of load delivery. The transportation company can not bill the receiving party for transportation of the shipping load until the billing location of the transportation company receives the signed shipping documents. Consequently, the billing location of the transportation company requires the delivery of the signed shipping documents as quickly as possible to avoid a billing delay and a possible delay of payment collection.
The transportation industry has recognized that the billing process for transportation services can be expedited if signed shipping documents can be received from a driver as quickly as possible upon delivery completion. For example, a driver can drop off documentation at one of the transportation company's terminals typically located throughout the country. Although the delivery of the documentation to a terminal results in the delivery of the original signed documentation to the transportation company, these terminals typically operate in diverse geographical locations that may prevent convenient or efficient access by a driver. Moreover, only selected transportation companies operate a network of terminals that can accept such documentation from drivers. Consequently, the transportation industry has searched for other methods for delivering shipping documentation by drivers to a billing location of the transportation company.
Another approach to the delivery of shipping documentation is the use of conventional mail delivery options to forward the shipping documentation from a driver to a transportation billing center. For example, transportation industry members have instructed drivers to forward shipping documents to a transportation billing center via an overnight mail delivery service. Nevertheless, this mail delivery approach requires at least a single business day to achieve the delivery of the required shipping documentation. Once delivered to the transportation billing center, the shipping documents are manually handled on an individual basis to initiate billing operations. In view of the delays associated with conventional mail delivery of shipping documentation, members of the transportation industry have searched for a more efficient document delivery system to expedite their billing operations.
Another alternative document delivery approach is the use of facsimile transmission systems that enable a driver to “fax” shipping documents from an imaging center to a transportation billing center. Imaging centers are typically located at locations convenient to drivers, such as truck stops or freight terminals. Although a facsimile transmission of a shipping document can be quickly completed, the transportation industry has recognized that this document delivery mechanism suffers from quality control problems. Faxed documents can arrive at a transportation billing center in poor or illegible condition in the absence of quality control measures. Moreover, faxed documents must be manually handled on an individual basis because they arrive at the billing center without any index data that links the shipping document facsimile with certain shipment particulars required for the billing process.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need within the transportation industry for a document delivery system that supports the efficient and proper delivery of accurate document information from drivers to designated transportation billing centers. There is a further need for a document delivery system that would enable a transportation company to initiate the billing process immediately upon receipt of the shipping document information to minimize the account receivable period. There is a further need in the transportation industry for a document delivery system that allows drivers to efficiently transmit document information and related shipment index data to a transportation billing center to support an expedited billing process. The present invention addresses these and other needs of the prior art by allowing drivers to scan shipping documents, to obtain related index information, and to transmit the combination of document images and index information from a data collection site to the appropriate data processing site via a distributed computer network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a data communication system for communicating collected information between multiple data collection systems and one or more data processing systems via a distributed computer network, such as the global Internet or a frame network. A central control system, connected to the distributed computer network, can authorize the transmission of collected information from a data collection system to a designated data processing system. The central control system can assign the designated data processing system to receive the collected information based upon an identifying characteristic for the source of information collected by the data collection system. The collected information typically comprises one or more images of documentation, which can be generated in response to scanning the document based upon the color of that document. The collected information transmitted by the data collection system can be supplemented with additional information to support subsequent processing operations, including indexing data related to document images generated at the data collection system.
Prior to initiating a communication of collected information, data source information can be input at a data collection system to support a verification task. This information typically identifies the identity and affiliation of the data source. The data source information can be transmitted via the distributed computer network to the central control system. Upon receipt, an inquiry can be conducted at the central control system to determine whether the data source is authorized to communicate with a particular data processing system. If so, the central control system transmits an authorization message, typically comprising the address of the designated data processing system and index information, to the data collection system. Based on this authorization, an end user is prompted at the data collection system to input requested information, such as document information. For example, the end user can input a document into the data collection system by the use of a conventional scanner. To ensure a high quality document image, the scanner parameters are automatically set prior to document image generation based upon the color of the document to be scanned. In turn, the data collection system can transmit the document information and index information to the designated data processing system via the distributed computer network.
For one aspect of the present invention, the data communication system can support the collection and delivery of documentation used by the transportation industry to document the delivery of a shipment and to support invoicing of the recipient of that shipment. For this transportation industry application, a data collection system can be housed within a kiosk installation and located in numerous truck stops and transportation terminals throughout a selected geographical area. Upon completion of a shipment delivery, a driver can complete the necessary shipping documentation that serves as evidence of the
Berlin Leslie
Hawkins Russell
Jagodzinski Tim
Ullery Matt
Jean Frantz B.
King & Spalding
Pegasus TransTech Corporation
Sheikh Ayaz
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