AU737282B3 - System and method for matching job orders with job bids - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address of Service: Invention Title: P O PORTS LIMITED ACN 000 049 301 Andrew Richard Burgess; Peter Raymond Matthews; Anthony James Clinton; Carolyn Jody Irvine; Gary John Want; Gerry Mehmet; William John Holdman; Murray Osborne; Kevin Wayne Phillips and Mark Easton BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MATCHING JOB ORDERS WITH JOB BIDS" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- -2- FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a container transport ording system and in particular to a container transport ordering system for matching job orders for the transportation of containers with job bids for those job orders.

The system has been developed primarily for matching job orders with job bids in a backload market in which customers can place backload job orders over the internet, in which truck drivers can bid for those backload jobs using WAP enable mobile phones, and in which those job orders can be matched with the job bids to effectively create a backload market. That is, the invention has been developed primarily for use with road vehicles carrying container cargo and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

BACKGROUND

The movement of containers and the utilisation of a trucking fleet is a complex operation. In most cases, a container taken from a port or container park to a customer location is priced on the two way journey. However, in most cases the truck is empty on the return journey. An opportunity exists to utilise this situation by providing a system and method which enables a truck to obtain ajob to move a container back to the port or container park. This operation is known as "backloading" and allows an operator to discount the haulage rate as the return journey was priced as part of the original job. The problem faced by the inventors was to develop a system and method which could receive the details of a customer's container delivery order and which could locate and coordinate a truck to pick up the container and deliver it to the desired destination at a competitive I price.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for matching job orders with job bids which will overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of these deficiencies of the prior art.

THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a container transport ordering system for matching job orders for the transportation of containers with job bids for those job orders, the system including a controlling server in communication with: ajob order entry interface, wherein the server serves web pages to the interface and receives respective job order messages from the interface via an extranet network communication system, each job order message including pickup location information for a respective container and delivery location information for that container; a job control and allocation interface, wherein the server serves web pages to the interface and receives job allocation message from the interface via a wide area network; ajob database which stores job order information and job bid information and exchanges that information with the controlling server; a wireless communication gateway wherein the server serves WML compatible pages to the gateway and the gateway forwards job messages to the server via an intranet network communication system; and wherein the wireless communication gateway is in communication with: a mobile communication device wherein the gateway serves WAP compatible pages to the mobile communication device and receives job order message from the device via a wireless communication system.

Preferably the mobile communication device displays ajob viewing and bidding interface.

-4- Preferably, the gateway-converts the WML compatible pages to the WAP compatible pages.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the system for matching job orders with job bids according to the invention; Figure 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the method of matching job orders with job bids according to the invention; Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the job order entry interface and job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 4 is a screen dump of the customer login screen of the job order entry interface according to the invention; Figure 5 is a screen dump of the order placement page of the job order entry interface according to the invention; Figure 6 is a screen dump of order placement success message according to the invention; Figure 7 is a screen dump of the allocator login screen of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 8 is a screen dump of the main menu screen of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 9 is a screen dump of the job control list page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 10 is a screen dump of the new job records list page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 1.1 is a screen dump of the new job allocation page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 12 is a screen dump of the new job allocation recognition page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 13 is a screen dump of the summary biddable job list page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 14 is a screen dump of the biddable job information page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 15 is a screen dump of the bid detail screen of the job order entry interface according to the invention; -6- Figure 16 is a screen dump of the successful allocation message of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figure 17 is a screen dump of the manual allocation page of the job control and allocation interface according to the invention; Figures 18 through 32 are front views of a mobile communication device displaying the following screens of the job viewing and bidding interface: Figure 18: login screen; Figure 19: main menu screen; Figure 20: main menu screen with "list jobs in zone" link highlighted; Figure 21: available jobs screen; Figure 22: job bidding screen; Figure 23: bid recognition screen; Figure 24: main menu screen with the "allocated jobs" link highlighted; Figure 25: allocated job list screen; Figure 26: specific allocated job menu screen; Figure 27: client information screen Figure 28: destination information screen Figure 29: container information screen Figure 30: main menu screen with the "complete jobs" link highlighted; Figure 31: complete job list screen Figure 32: completion recognition screen Referring to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the system for matching job orders with job bids is shown in Figure 1. The system includes a controlling server 1 -7in communication with ajob entry interface 2, ajob control and allocation interface, ajob database 3 and a wireless communication gateway 4. The wireless communication gateway 4 is in communication with a mobile communication device 5. In use, the server 1 serves web pages 6 to the job order entry interface 2 via an extranet network communication system 7. In the preferred embodiment the extranet network communication system is the internet. Alternative communication systems are also envisaged. In the preferred embodiment, the job order entry interface 2 is an internet compatible web browser which allows a customer to view the web pages 6 which have been served to the interface 2 from the server 1. The server 1 serves web pages to the control and allocation interface via a wide area network system. In the preferred embodiment, the web pages are HTML pages.

The job database 3 stores job order information 9 and job bid information 10 and exchanges that information with the controlling server 1. The database also includes customer identification information 11, allocator identification information and driver identification information 12. Each type of information includes login names and passwords corresponding to each customer, allocator and driver, respectively. The server 1 is able to access the database 3 to store and retrieve information in a dynamic manner.

The server 1 serves WML compatible pages 13 to the-wireless communication gateway 4 via an intranet network communication system 14. The server 1, in turn, receives job bid messages 15 from the gateway 4 via the network 14.

The gateway 4, having received the WML compatible pages 13 from the server 1, converts them into WAP compatible pages 16 and serves them to the mobile communication device 5 via a wireless communication system 17. The mobile -8communication device is a WAP enabled mobile phone. Alternative devices capable of receiving WAP compatible pages are also envisaged.

The wireless communication system 17 includes an extranet network communication system 7, an internet gateway 18, and a wireless network 19. In the preferred embodiment, the wireless communication system is the intemrnet, the internet gateway is an internet service provider connection and/or modem and the wireless network 19 is a GSM phone network. In addition, the mobile communication device displays ajob viewing and bidding interface 20 which allows the device to forward the job bid message 15 to the gateway 4 via the wireless communication system 17, whereupon the gateway 4 forwards the job bid message 15 to the server 1.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown the preferred method of matching job orders with job bids according to the invention. The preferred method includes the steps of receiving 21 a job order message 22 from the job order entry interface 2 via the extranet communication system 7. The job order message includes information such as customer identification information, pickup location information and delivery location information.

The method then involves storing 23 at least part of the allocated job order message in a biddable job order list 24. The list is geographically divided into a number of zones according to where the container or cargo needs to be picked up from. For each zone the list 24 includes a number of biddable job records 26 which contain information extracted from the job order message 22.

The method then involves displaying 26 at least part of the biddable job order list 24 on the mobile communication device 5. As mentioned earlier, the communication device is preferably a WAP enabled mobile telephone. The phone is preferably owned -9by a truck driver interested in placing a bid corresponding to a backload job order which a customer has placed via the interface 2. The method then involves receiving 27 a job bid message 15 corresponding to the job order message 22 from the mobile communication device 5. The method then involves matching 28 the job bid message with the job order message 22 to create a matched job record 29. The method then involves forwarding 30 ajob confirmation message 31 to both the mobile communication device 5 and the job order entry interface 2.

A more specific description of the job order entry interface 2 will now be described with reference to Figures 3 through 17.

Figure 3 provides an overview of the job order entry interface and job control and allocation interface. The job order entry interface shows a customer login screen 32 which is linked to a job order placement screen and a successful job order placement message.

The job control and allocation interface shows an allocator login screen which is linked to the main menu screen 33 which is linked to a driver management screen 34 in which new and existing driver identification information may be added and amended respectively. The main menu screen 33 is also linked to a daily reports list and a job control screen. The job control screen can be viewed with an all jobs screen or filtered to a biddable job order list screen. Each screen may be drilled to show detailed job information for specific jobs. New jobs may be checked before allocation into the biddable job order list. The biddable job order list is drilled to a bid detail screen from which allocation is made either automatically or manually.

Referring to Figure 4, customers who wish to place backload job orders 22 via the job order entry interface 2 are initially presented with this login screen 32. The screen includes a customer name entry field 38, a customer password entry field 39, a credit card number entry field, a credit card customer name entry field and a credit card expiration date entry field. An approved customer will type their customer name and password into the customer name entry field and customer password entry field then they can then press the login button 40. The server 1 then accesses the customer identification information 11 in the job database 3 and, if the supplied customer user name and password matches the stored customer user name and password, then the interface 2 displays the order placement screen 35 as shown in Figure 5. New customers may enter their credit card details into the credit card number entry field, credit card customer name entry field and credit card expiration date entry field then they can press the login button. The server then stores this information on the job database for credit review by the allocator, and the interface displays the order placement screen as shown in Figure This screen 35 allows a customer to add new job orders and has a number of fields including a customer name field 41, a release number field, a customer contact person field, a contact e-mail field, a contact phone number field, a completion date field, a container size field 46, a container details field 47, a pickup address field 49, a delivery address field, a ship vessel field, a receival cut-off field, a special equipment field, a delivery time field, a destination contact field and a destination phone number field.

Once the customer has filled in all the relevant details in the order placement screen the interface 2 sends a job order message 22 containing the entered information to the server 1. As mentioned earlier, the server 1 then performs the step of storing 23 the job order message 22 ready for review by the allocator. A confirmation message shown in Figure 6 notifies the job submission has been sent and will be processed by the allocator.

-11- Allocators entering the system are initially presented with a login screen show in Figure 7. The screen includes a user name entry field and a user password entry field.

Once the allocator has typed their user name and password into those fields they can then press the login button. The server then accesses the user identification information in the job database and, if the supplied username and password matches the stored allocator user name and password, then the interface displays the main menu screen.

Through the main menu screen 33 shown in Figure 8, the allocator is able to access all job records, which may be filtered according to status as new, all, open, confirmed or completed jobs as shown in Figure 9. This screen 36 displays all the job records 26 that are currently listed for the particular day. Each job record 26 includes ajob identification number 52, a summary line, a number of bids indicator 55 and a status indicator 56. The summary line includes the customer code, destination code, VBS slot and container description.

Figure 10 shows new job records. Each newjob record contains ajob identification number, a summary line showing a client code, a destination code, and container description. By clicking the job identification link the allocator accesses a new job screen as shown in Figure 11 where he or she enters the zone category, a VBS slot number and presses the add new button. Upon pressing this button the job is added to the Backload system database as a biddable job record, with a screen as shown in Figure 12 advising of success.

To allocate a job, the allocator from the filters will choose open jobs to see the screen at Figure 13. For each biddable job record, this screen displays a job identification number, a summary line (showing client code, destination code, VBS slot and container -12description) and the number of bids placed. By highlighting the job identification number, the allocator may view detailed job information as shown in Figure 14. This screen displays the job identification number, client code, container description, client address, destination address, additional address, container details, number of containers, job status, date submitted, zone number, VBS slot, bid price and driver identification number (if the job has been allocated).

From the open jobs screen at Figure 13, the allocator highlights the number of bids placed to view further information on bids. This bid detail screen as shown in Figure will show the bids placed for a particular job, including the driver identification information, the bid amount (not currently shown for testing reasons), a bid date and an allocate button. Using this screen the allocator is able to view all the bids that have been placed for a particular job.

Jobs may be allocated based on best price, knowledge about a bidders work history, or a bidders current geographic location. By selecting the allocate button, the allocator is able to accept a particular bid, thereby matching the job bid message with the job order message. Figure 16 shows the message to the allocator that there has been a successful match. The winning bidder receives a successful message with the job identification number and the summary line information. Losing bidders receive an unsuccessful message.

Should no bids be received for a job, or should the allocator wish to allocate the job to a non-bidding driver, he or she has the option to manually allocate a job. Referring to Figure 15, the allocator presses the manual button to see all subcontractor drivers as shown in Figure 17. For each driver the screen lists the driver identification information, an -13information symbol that displays any relevant information in a comments box when the cursor is placed on it, a bid price field (not currently shown for testing reasons) and an allocate button. The allocator may allocate the job to a particular driver by entering a bid price into their bid price field and clicking on the allocate button. As with previous allocations, Figure 16 shows the message to the allocator that there has been a successful match, and any losing bidders receive an unsuccessful message while the allocated driver receives a successful message with the job identification number and summary information.

Referring briefly to Figure 2, once the system has received 21 the job order message 22 and the allocator has released it to the biddable job order list 24, the system then displays 26 the biddable job order list 24 on a truck driver's mobile phone 5. A truck driver who is out finishing ajob is then able to use his mobile phone 5 to view available jobs and place bids in order to receive a backload job. The job viewing and bidding interface 20 on the phone 5 is described below with reference to Figures 18 through 32.

Using his WAP enabled mobile phone 5, the truck driver is able to connect to the internet and, as shown in Figure 18, the job viewing and bidding interface 20 displays a login screen 62. Referring briefly to Figure 1, this login screen 62 reached the interface after the server 1 served a WML compatible page 13 to the wireless communication gateway 4 which converted the WML compatible page 13 to a WAP compatible page 16 and served it to the mobile phone 5 via the wireless communication system 17.

Referring to Figure 18, WAP enabled mobile phone is programmed to automatically supply the user name, thus the login screen shows only a four digit Personal Identification Number entry field and login. Once the driver enters his or her PIN, he or she highlights login and presses the submit button. The system then -14compares the supplied information with the driver identification information 12 stored in the job database 3. If the user name and PIN supplied matched those stored in the database 3, the interface 20 then displays a main menu screen as shown in Figure 19.

Using this menu screen 65 the driver is able to view any jobs that are available in each zone, any jobs that the driver has been allocated, and any jobs that the driver will complete. If the particular driver does not have any allocated jobs or complete jobs, then only the available jobs link 67 will be displayed on the screen Referring to Figure 20, if the driver wishes to view the available jobs in a geographical zone, he or she enters the zone number, and then highlights the list jobs in zone link and presses submit. It will be appreciated that different submit buttons 70 will be available for different models of phones As shown in Figure 21, once the driver presses the submit button, the system serves an available jobs screen 71 via the interface 20. For every available job within the selected zone, that screen 71 shows a summary line with the client code, destination code, VBS slot, container size, container type, and contents type. If the driver wishes to obtain further details on, or bid for a particular job, he highlights the summary line as shown in Figure 13 and presses the submit button The driver is then presented with ajob bidding screen which is shown in Figure 22.

This screen includes a summary line, a bid amount entry field, and a PIN security check.

Once the driver enters the bid amount and PIN, the interface 20 then sends this information as a job bid message 15 via the wireless communication system 17, the wireless communication gateway 4 and the extranet communication network 14 to the server 1.

Referring to Figure 23, once a bid message 15 has been sent, the interface displays a bid recognition screen 79 which includes a message confirming successful lodgement of the bid. By selecting the menu link 80, the interface 20 then presents the main menu screen Once the system has matched ajob bid message 15 with ajob order message 22, the job viewing and bidding interface 20 on the mobile phone 5 receives and displays an SMS message advising him that his bid was successful and that the job has been allocated to him. In a similar way, the interfaces 20 on the mobile phones 5 of other drivers receive and display messages indicating that their bids have been unsuccessful.

The successful driver can then connect via the job information link 68 on the main menu screen 65 as shown in Figure 24 to view the allocated job list screen 81 shown in Figure 25. That screen includes the job identification number 52, summary line, a more information link and a menu link 80. By selecting the more information link, the interface 20 displays a specific allocated job screen 82 as shown in Figure 26.

That screen includes links to the client address, the destination address, the container information and a menu link. By selecting the links to the client address, destination address or container information the driver is presented with the delivery information screens as shown in Figures 27, 28 and 29 respectively.

All of the delivery information can be printed out by the system using a portable laser printer connected to the mobile phone 5 using appropriate infra red or cable communication links.

-16- In this preferred embodiment, a driver can only have a maximum of two accepted jobs at a time, in order to ensure that accepted jobs are completed and that the server 1 is notified of the completion via the mobile communication device Once the driver has delivered the container he or she will complete the job.

Through the main menu, as shown in Figure 30, the driver is able to access the complete jobs screen. This screen lists all allocated jobs, as seen in Figure 31, with ajob identification number and a summary line. The driver completes the job by highlighting the job identification number and pressing submit. Once received by the server 1 a message is sent notifying the driver of the successful receipt as shown in Figure 32.

It will be appreciated that the above preferred embodiment provides a system and method for producing a backload market in which customers can place backload job orders over the internet, in which truck drivers can bid for those backload jobs using WAP enable mobile phones, and in which those job orders can be matched with the job bids to effectively create a backload market Although the invention has been described with reference to specific examples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

Claims (3)

1. A container transport ordering system for matching job orders for the transportation of containers with job bids for those job orders, the system including a controlling server in communication with: ajob order entry interface, wherein the server serves web pages to the interface and receives respective job order messages from the interface via an extranet network communication system, each job order message including pickup location information for a respective container and delivery location information for that container; a job control and allocation interface, wherein the server serves web pages to the interface and receives job allocation message from the interface via a wide area network; a job database which stores job order information and job bid information and exchanges that information with the controlling server; a wireless communication gateway wherein the server serves WML compatible pages to the gateway and the gateway forwards job messages to the server via an intranet network communication system; and wherein the wireless communication gateway is in communication with: a mobile communication device wherein the gateway serves WAP compatible pages to the mobile communication device and receives job order message from the device via a wireless communication system.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the mobile communication device displays ajob viewing and bidding interface. -18-

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the gateway converts the WML compatible pages to the WAP compatible pages. Dated this 28th Day of March, 2001 P O PORTS LIMITED Attorney: JOHN B. REDFERN Fellow Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia of BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS