Electronic apparatus for managing logistics information and method therefor

Abstract

Disclosed are an electronic apparatus for managing logistics information and a method therefor. A logistics information management method performed by an electronic apparatus, according to one disclosed embodiment, may comprise the steps of: transmitting, to a first terminal of a seller, item order information comprising information about an ordered item and an intermediate logistics center; checking, through communication between the first terminal, and a second terminal of the intermediate logistics center, whether there is an error in a first procedure for item delivery from the seller to the intermediate logistics center; and when there is no error in the first procedure, checking, through communication between the second terminal, and a third terminal of the final logistics center, whether there is an error in a second procedure for item warehousing from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center.

Description

Electronic device for managing logistics information and method thereof

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and method for managing logistics-related information resulting from item delivery when a seller delivers an item to a purchaser.

[0002] When a seller delivers an item to a buyer, various issues can arise regarding its delivery. Delivery may not be completed on time due to traffic congestion, supply chain issues, or other factors. Unexpected additional costs may arise due to increased expedited shipping fees or insurance premiums.

[0003] Above all, because sellers previously had to directly ship or ship items to each final logistics center, if sales of items delivered to some final logistics centers were too low, there were cases where the seller's cost burden was excessive and delivery was not carried out normally. For example, if a seller delivers 10,000 items with a unit price of 10,000 won to Center A and 10 items to Center B, the sales generated from delivering to Center A would be 100 million won, while the sales generated from delivering to Center B would only be 100,000 won. However, if the shipping fee paid by the seller to deliver the items was 200,000 won per center, the seller would actually incur a loss if they delivered to Center B, so they would give up delivering to Center B.

[0004] In this regard, reference can be made to prior literature such as KR2326916B1.

[0005] The present disclosure is proposed to solve the above-described problems and to reduce excessive logistics costs that occur when a seller directly delivers items to multiple logistics centers.

[0006] The technical problems to be achieved by the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems described above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following examples.

[0007] A logistics information management method according to the present disclosure may include the steps of transmitting item order information including information on ordered items and an intermediate logistics center to a first terminal of a seller; checking whether there is an error in a first procedure for delivering items from the seller to the intermediate logistics center through communication between the first terminal and a second terminal of the intermediate logistics center; and, if there is no error in the first procedure, checking whether there is an error in a second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication between the second terminal and a third terminal of the final logistics center.

[0008] In one embodiment, the logistics information management method may further include a step of transmitting a message indicating that the second procedure cannot be performed when there is an error in the first procedure to at least some of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal.

[0009] In one embodiment, the logistics information management method may further include a step of adding inventory information generated as the ordered item is received at the final logistics center to a database where inventory information of the final logistics center is stored, if there is no error in the second procedure.

[0010] In one embodiment, the item order information may be such that all ordered items are matched with one final logistics center.

[0011] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the first procedure may include the step of receiving item delivery reservation information from the first terminal to the intermediate logistics center; and the step of receiving an unloading record of the item delivered by the seller from the second terminal.

[0012] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the first procedure may include the step of receiving, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether an item that does not correspond to a pre-designated stock keeping unit (SKU) is loaded on a pallet unloaded at the intermediate logistics center; and the step of determining that an error in the first procedure has occurred if an item that does not correspond to the pre-designated SKU is loaded on the pallet according to the verification result.

[0013] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the first procedure may include the step of receiving, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether the item delivered to the intermediate logistics center is an item delivered by a seller who can use the intermediate logistics center and an item that falls under a category that can be handled by the intermediate logistics center; and, if the item delivered to the intermediate logistics center is an item delivered by a seller other than a seller who can use the intermediate logistics center or an item that falls under a category that cannot be handled by the intermediate logistics center according to the verification result, the step of determining that an error in the first procedure has occurred.

[0014] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the first procedure may include the step of receiving, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether a pallet or item unloaded at the intermediate logistics center is damaged; and, if the pallet or item is damaged, the step of determining that an error has occurred in the first procedure.

[0015] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving a loading record of the item delivered by the seller toward the final logistics center from the second terminal; and the step of receiving a receipt record of the item toward the final logistics center from the third terminal.

[0016] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving, from the second terminal or the third terminal, a verification result as to whether a sorting operation has been performed on items with different SKUs loaded on a pallet among pallets loaded toward the final logistics center and having multiple SKUs designated thereon; and the step of determining that an error in the second procedure has occurred if the sorting operation has not been performed.

[0017] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether the item delivered to the final logistics center violates a predefined receiving regulation; and the step of determining that an error in the second procedure has occurred if the item delivered to the final logistics center violates the receiving regulation.

[0018] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether the pallet or item unloaded at the final logistics center is damaged; and, if the pallet or item is damaged, the step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure.

[0019] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether there is an item among the ordered items that has not been unloaded at the final logistics center; and the step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure if there is an item among the ordered items that has not been unloaded at the final logistics center.

[0020] In one embodiment, the step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure may include the step of receiving, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether there is an unordered item among the items unloaded at the final logistics center; and, if there is an unordered item, the step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure.

[0021] In one embodiment, the logistics information management method may further include a step of confirming, through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal, whether the interval from the time the item arrives at the intermediate logistics center to the time it is unloaded at the final logistics center is less than or equal to a reference time; and a step of classifying at least some of the first procedure or the second procedure of the item as an issue case if the interval exceeds the reference time.

[0022] In one embodiment, the logistics information management method may further include: receiving a confirmation request related to a delay in the receipt of the ordered item from the first terminal; confirming a reason for the delay in receipt through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal; and notifying the first terminal of the reason for the delay in receipt. Specifically, the step of confirming the reason for the delay in receipt may include: confirming a current delivery status of the item for which the delay in receipt occurred; calculating a time for which the item for which the delay in receipt occurred has stayed at the intermediate logistics center based on the current delivery status; confirming a reason for the delay in receipt by communicating with the second terminal when the time for which the delay in receipt occurred is greater than a predetermined time; and confirming a reason for the delay in receipt by communicating with the third terminal when the time for which the delay in receipt occurred is less than a predetermined time.

[0023] An electronic device for managing logistics information according to the present disclosure includes a memory and a processor for storing instructions, wherein the processor is connected to the memory and transmits item order information including information on ordered items and an intermediate logistics center to a first terminal of a seller, and through communication between the first terminal and a second terminal of the intermediate logistics center, checks whether there is an error in a first procedure for delivering items from the seller to the intermediate logistics center, and when there is no error in the first procedure, checks whether there is an error in a second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication between the second terminal and a third terminal of the final logistics center.

[0024] Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

[0025] According to the present disclosure, by setting up an intermediate logistics center where items are delivered, and mediating, processing, and communicating logistics information between a first terminal of the seller, a second terminal of the intermediate logistics center, and a third terminal of the final logistics center, it is possible to reduce excessive logistics costs that occur when a seller directly delivers items to multiple logistics centers.

[0026] The effects of the invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for logistics information management according to one embodiment.

[0028] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system for managing logistics information according to one embodiment in a relationship between a seller, an intermediate logistics center, a final logistics center, and an electronic device.

[0029] Figure 3 shows a flowchart of a logistics information management method according to one embodiment.

[0030] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a logistics information management method according to an additional embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5 shows a flowchart for an example of classifying some procedures into issue cases based on logistics delivery time.

[0032] Figure 6 shows a flowchart for an embodiment of checking the reason for delay in receiving an item.

[0033] Figure 7 shows a block diagram of another electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0034] Hereinafter, specific embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The following detailed description is provided to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the methods, devices, and / or systems described herein. However, these are merely examples, and the disclosed embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0035] In describing the embodiments, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the disclosed embodiments, the detailed description will be omitted. In addition, the terms described below are terms defined in consideration of functions in the disclosed embodiments, and this may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user or operator. Therefore, the definitions should be made based on the contents throughout this specification. The terminology used in the detailed description is only for the purpose of describing the embodiments and should never be limited. Unless clearly used otherwise, the singular form includes the plural form. In this description, expressions such as "comprises" or "having" are intended to indicate certain features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof, and should not be construed to exclude the presence or possibility of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, elements, parts or combinations thereof other than those described.

[0036] The terms used in the embodiments have been selected from widely used and common terms, taking into account the functions of the present disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on the intentions of those skilled in the art, precedents, the emergence of new technologies, etc. Furthermore, in certain cases, terms may be arbitrarily selected by the applicant, in which case their meanings will be described in detail in the relevant description. Therefore, the terms used in this disclosure should not be defined simply as names of terms, but rather based on the meanings of the terms and the overall content of the present disclosure.

[0037] When a part of the specification is said to "include" a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of other components, unless otherwise specifically stated. Furthermore, terms such as "part," "module," etc., used in the specification refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented in hardware or software, or a combination of hardware and software, and, unlike the illustrated examples, may not be clearly distinguished in their specific operations.

[0038] The expression "at least one of a, b, and c" described throughout the specification may encompass 'a alone', 'b alone', 'c alone', 'a and b', 'a and c', 'b and c', or 'all of a, b, and c'.

[0039] The "terminal" mentioned below may be implemented as a computer or portable terminal that can connect to a server or other terminal via a network. Here, the computer includes, for example, a notebook, desktop, laptop, etc. equipped with a web browser, and the portable terminal may include, for example, a wireless communication device that guarantees portability and mobility, and may include all types of handheld-based wireless communication devices such as communication-based terminals such as IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), smartphones, tablet PCs, etc.

[0040] In the following description, the terms “transmission,” “communication,” “sending,” “receiving,” or other similar meanings of signals or information include not only direct transmission of signals or information from one component to another, but also transmission via another component.

[0041] In particular, "transmitting" or "sending" a signal or information as a single component indicates the final destination of the signal or information, not the direct destination. The same applies to "receiving" a signal or information. Furthermore, in this specification, "relating" two or more pieces of data or information means that, upon acquiring one piece of data (or information), at least a portion of the other piece of data (or information) can be acquired based on that piece of data (or information).

[0042] Additionally, while terms such as first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used to distinguish one component from another.

[0043] For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component could be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a first component.

[0044] In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical details that are well known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains and are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to avoid obscuring the gist of the present invention by omitting unnecessary explanations and to convey the gist more clearly.

[0045] For the same reason, some components in the attached drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted. Furthermore, the dimensions of each component do not entirely reflect its actual size. Identical or corresponding components in each drawing are assigned the same reference numbers.

[0046] The advantages and features of the present invention, and the methods for achieving them, will become clearer with reference to the embodiments described in detail below together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided only to ensure that the disclosure of the present invention is complete and to fully inform those skilled in the art of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0047] It will be appreciated that each block of the flowchart drawings and combinations of the flowchart drawings can be performed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be installed in a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, such that the instructions, when executed by the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment, create a means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s). These computer program instructions can also be stored in a computer-available or computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to perform the functions in a specific manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-available or computer-readable memory can produce an article of manufacture that includes instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s). Since the computer program instructions may be installed on a computer or other programmable data processing device, a series of operational steps may be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing device to create a computer-executable process, and the instructions that cause the computer or other programmable data processing device to perform the steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s) may also provide steps for performing the functions described in the flowchart block(s).

[0048] Additionally, each block may represent a module, segment, or portion of code that contains one or more executable instructions for performing a specific logical function(s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementation examples, the functions described in the blocks may occur out of order. For example, two blocks depicted in succession may actually be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on their respective functions.

[0049] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present disclosure. However, the present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The methods illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6 may be performed, for example, by an electronic device (110) described with reference to FIG. 7. The electronic device (110) is an exemplary device for managing logistics information in the present disclosure, and may be a single device, but depending on the embodiment, it may also be a system composed of multiple sub-devices that communicate with each other via a wired or wireless network.

[0050] According to the existing embodiment, a seller delivering an item had to directly deliver one or more SKU items to multiple final distribution centers based on the received item order information. To this end, the electronic device (110) had to transmit item order information to the seller requesting that a first SKU item be delivered to a first distribution center, a second distribution center, and a third distribution center in a first quantity, a second quantity, and a third quantity, respectively, of a second SKU item be delivered to a fourth distribution center and a fifth distribution center in a fourth quantity and a fifth quantity, respectively, of a third SKU item be delivered to a sixth distribution center in a sixth quantity. Next, the seller to deliver the item had to directly deliver the first SKU item in the first quantity, the second quantity, and the third quantity to the first logistics center, the second logistics center, and the third logistics center, respectively, based on the received item order information, directly deliver the second SKU item in the fourth quantity and the fifth quantity to the fourth logistics center and the fifth logistics center, respectively, and directly deliver the third SKU item in the sixth quantity to the sixth logistics center.

[0051] However, when sellers directly deliver items to final distribution centers located nationwide, the problem arises that the logistics costs borne by the seller are high, as numerous vehicles must be used to deliver items to each final distribution center. Therefore, in this disclosure, a cross-docking logistics method is introduced. Instead of directly delivering items to all distribution centers, suppliers simply deliver items to a designated distribution center. Items delivered to the designated distribution center are then transferred directly to the final distribution center without requiring a warehousing process.

[0052] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a system for logistics information management according to one embodiment.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 1, the system may include at least some of an electronic device (110), a set of vendors (120), an intermediate logistics center (130), and a set of final logistics centers (140). The system illustrated in FIG. 1 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that, in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 1, other general-purpose components may be included.

[0054] The electronic device (110) is a device that configures and provides various information. The electronic device (110) can provide the configured information in a form that can be confirmed by a seller set (120), an intermediate logistics center (130), or a final logistics center set (140). In the present disclosure, a 'seller' is an entity that receives an order and delivers an item to a logistics center, and a device that operates to process information of the entity, and a 'final logistics center' is an entity where an item delivered by a seller is received and a device that operates to process information of the entity. In addition, an 'intermediate logistics center' is an entity where an item delivered by a seller is delivered before being received at a 'final logistics center', and a device that operates to process information of the entity. A logistics center that is set up so that a 'seller' directly delivers an item in order to deliver an item according to a cross-docking method, such as an 'intermediate logistics center', may be referred to as a cross-dock (X-dock) logistics center, but the term referring thereto is not limited to the above.

[0055] In FIG. 1, the seller set (120) may be a cluster including one or more sellers, and the final logistics center set (140) may be a cluster including one or more final logistics centers. The number of sellers belonging to the seller set (120) and the number of final logistics centers belonging to the final logistics center set (140) may be the same, or may be different depending on the embodiment. For convenience of explanation, FIG. 1 illustrates that the seller set (120) includes M sellers, which are greater than 2, and the final logistics center set (140) includes N final logistics centers, which are greater than 2. However, in some cases, M and N may be 1 or 2.

[0056] Seller 1 (120-1), Seller 2 (120-2) to Seller M (120-M) included in the seller set (120) may each include one or more terminals, and terminals belonging to different sellers as well as terminals belonging to the same seller may be spatially separated from each other. Similarly, final logistics center 1 (140-1), final logistics center 2 (140-2) to final logistics center N (140-N) included in the final logistics center set (140) may each include one or more terminals, and terminals belonging to different final logistics centers as well as terminals belonging to the same final logistics center may be spatially separated from each other. Meanwhile, the intermediate logistics center (130) may also include one or more terminals, and terminals belonging to the intermediate logistics center (130) may also be spatially separated from each other.

[0057] The electronic device (110) may generate item order information based on item purchase information input from a customer terminal using an item sales service, or may receive item order information from any one of the final logistics centers belonging to the final logistics center set (140). Subsequently, the electronic device (110) may transmit the item order information to the seller who will deliver the item, and may then mediate or process logistics information related to loading, delivery, unloading, and warehousing of the delivered item between the seller who will deliver the item, the intermediate logistics center, and the final logistics center where the item will be received.

[0058] Each of the electronic device (110), the set of sellers (120), the intermediate logistics center (130), and the set of final logistics centers (140) can communicate through a network to transmit and receive logistics information related to ordering, loading, delivery, unloading, and warehousing of items. At this time, the network includes a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a value-added network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof, and is a comprehensive data communication network that enables each network component illustrated in FIG. 1 to communicate smoothly with each other, and may include wired Internet, wireless Internet, and a mobile radio communication network. Wireless communication may include, but is not limited to, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, Zigbee, WFD (Wi-Fi Direct), UWB (ultra-wideband), infrared communication (IrDA, infrared Data Association), NFC (Near Field Communication), etc.

[0059] Meanwhile, logistics information transmitted and received between the electronic device (110), the seller set (120), the intermediate logistics center (130), and the final logistics center set (140) may be stored in a database (not shown) provided within each entity or linked to each entity externally. The database is a data structure implemented in a predetermined storage space and may include a relational database such as MySQL, Oracle, Mssql, a non-relational database such as Redis, MongoDB, CouchDB, an open source search engine such as Elasticsearch, and a combination thereof.

[0060] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a system for managing logistics information according to an embodiment in the relationship between a seller, an intermediate logistics center, a final logistics center, and an electronic device. Hereinafter, an example will be described in which an order for item A is requested from final logistics center 1 (140-1) and seller 1 (120-1) delivers the item A. For convenience of explanation, in FIG. 3, seller 1 (120-1) is illustrated as having X first terminals, which are greater than 2, and final logistics center 1 (140-1) as having Y third terminals, which are greater than 2; however, in some cases, X and Y may be 1 or 2.

[0061] When the final logistics center 1 (140-1) requests an order for Item A, the electronic device (110) may receive item order information for Item A from the final logistics center 1 (140-1) and transmit it to Seller 1 (120-1). Seller 1 (120-1) may include a first terminal #1 for confirming that Item A is packaged, a first terminal #2 for confirming the stock keeping unit (SKU) of the packaged Item A, and a first terminal #X for confirming that Item A, whose SKU has been confirmed, has been loaded onto a pallet and loaded onto a delivery vehicle. The electronic device (110) may receive information related to the packaging, SKU confirmation, pallet loading, or unloading of Item A from at least some of the first terminals, and may transmit at least some of the information as is or in a processed form to the second terminal of the intermediate logistics center (130).

[0062] The second terminal of the intermediate logistics center (130) can confirm that Item A has arrived at the intermediate logistics center (130), that Item A has been loaded onto a pre-allocated pallet, and that the pallet loaded with Item A has been loaded onto a delivery vehicle heading to the final logistics center 1 (140-1). The electronic device (110) can receive information related to the arrival of Item A, pallet loading, or unloading from the second terminal, and transmit at least some of the information as is or in a processed form to the third terminal of the final logistics center 1 (140-1). Although FIG. 2 illustrates one second terminal, the intermediate logistics center (130) may include a plurality of second terminals depending on the embodiment.

[0063] The final logistics center 1 (140-1) may include a third terminal #1 for confirming the arrival of an item, a third terminal #2 for confirming whether the arrived item is defective, damaged, or missing, and a third terminal #Y for confirming the receipt of item A when the arrived item is confirmed to be a normal item A. The electronic device (110) may receive information related to the arrival, unloading, defect, damage, missing, or receipt of item A from at least some of the third terminals, and may transmit at least some of the information as is or in a processed form to the first terminals or the second terminal.

[0064] FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of a logistics information management method according to one embodiment. The method illustrated in FIG. 3 is described below as being performed by the electronic device (110) described above. However, this is merely exemplary, and the method illustrated in FIG. 3 may be performed by other devices, or by a combination of the electronic device (110) and a separate device. This also applies to the methods illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6 described below.

[0065] In step S310, the electronic device (110) can transmit item order information including information about the ordered item and the intermediate logistics center to the seller's first terminal.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may transmit item order information in which all ordered items are matched with a single final logistics center to the seller's first terminal. For example, the electronic device (110) may group items whose final delivery locations are set to the same final logistics center into a single order and transmit information (item order information) about the corresponding order to the first terminal. Previously, the seller had to check the order details for each item and take care not to load items with different final logistics centers on the same pallet. However, by including items with the same final logistics center in a single order, the seller can recognize that a specific order is matched with a specific final logistics center and only need to check the intermediate logistics center during the loading, unloading, etc., thereby improving convenience for the seller.

[0067] At step S320, the electronic device (110) can check for errors in the first procedure for delivering items from the seller to the intermediate logistics center through communication between the first terminal and the second terminal of the intermediate logistics center. The first procedure may include at least some of the following procedures: a procedure for checking items on the seller side, a procedure for packing items, a procedure for loading items onto pallets, a procedure for loading pallets onto delivery vehicles, a procedure for unloading pallets from delivery vehicles on the intermediate logistics center side, a procedure for checking pallets, and a procedure for checking items.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) can receive item delivery reservation information from a first terminal to an intermediate logistics center and receive an unloading record of an item delivered by a seller from a second terminal, thereby checking whether there is an error in the first procedure. In the present disclosure, a terminal belonging to a seller or a logistics center can generate data through the operation of a process included in each terminal and transmit the data to another terminal, or can obtain data by scanning an identification code attached to an item or pallet through a scanning unit provided in each terminal and transmit the data to another terminal.

[0069] Meanwhile, the item delivery reservation information may include at least some of the following: information about the delivery vehicle, information about the time of loading the item onto the delivery vehicle, information about the departure time of the delivery vehicle, information about the arrival time of the delivery vehicle, and information about the type and quantity of the item to be delivered. Furthermore, the unloading record may include at least some of the following: information about the time the item arrived at the intermediate logistics center, information about the time the item was unloaded, information about the type and quantity of the unloaded item, and information about the delivery vehicle. For example, the electronic device (110) may compare the item delivery reservation information received from the first terminal with the unloading record received from the second terminal, and if there is any mismatch, determine that an error has occurred in the first procedure.

[0070] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) receives, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether an item that does not correspond to a designated stock keeping unit (SKU) is loaded on a pallet unloaded at an intermediate logistics center, and if an item that does not correspond to the designated SKU is loaded on the pallet according to the verification result, it can be determined that an error has occurred in the first procedure.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) receives, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether an item delivered to the intermediate logistics center is an item delivered by a seller who can use the intermediate logistics center and an item that falls under a category that can be handled by the intermediate logistics center, and if, according to the verification result, the item delivered to the intermediate logistics center is an item delivered by a seller other than a seller who can use the intermediate logistics center or an item that falls under a category that cannot be handled by the intermediate logistics center, it can be determined that an error has occurred in the first procedure.

[0072] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether a pallet or item unloaded at an intermediate logistics center is damaged, and if the pallet or item is damaged, determine that an error has occurred in the first procedure. Furthermore, the electronic device (110) may return the damaged item to the seller and transmit at least a portion of the order information, SKU information, quantity, delivery identification number, and damage details related to the damaged item to the third terminal of the final logistics center.

[0073] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) can control the second terminal or the third terminal to computerize the damaged item to be stored in the final logistics center at the request of the third terminal, and to move the computerized inventory from the final logistics center to the intermediate logistics center so that the damaged item is processed at the intermediate logistics center.

[0074] At step S330, if there is no error in the first procedure, the electronic device (110) can check whether there is an error in the second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication with the second terminal and the third terminal of the final logistics center. The second procedure may include at least some of the procedures for loading pallets onto a delivery vehicle at the intermediate logistics center, the procedures for unloading pallets from a delivery vehicle at the final logistics center, the procedures for checking pallets, the procedures for checking items, and the procedures for receiving items.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive a loading record of an item delivered by a seller from a second terminal toward a final logistics center, and may receive a receipt record of an item to a final logistics center from a third terminal, thereby checking whether there is an error in the second procedure. Specifically, the loading record may include at least some of information about the time the item was loaded from an intermediate logistics center, information about the type and quantity of the loaded item, and information about the delivery vehicle. In addition, the receipt record may include at least some of information about the time the item arrived at the final logistics center, information about the time the item was unloaded, information about the type and quantity of the unloaded item, information about the type and quantity of the received item, and information about the delivery vehicle. For example, the electronic device (110) may compare the corresponding information between the loading record received from the second terminal and the receipt record received from the third terminal, and if there is any mismatch, determine that an error has occurred in the second procedure.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive, from the second terminal or the third terminal, a verification result as to whether a sorting operation has been performed on items with different SKUs loaded on a pallet among pallets loaded toward the final logistics center, for which multiple SKUs are designated, and if the sorting operation has not been performed, it may be determined that an error has occurred in the second procedure.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether an item delivered to the final logistics center violates a predefined receiving regulation, and if the item delivered to the final logistics center violates the receiving regulation, it may be determined that an error has occurred in the second procedure.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive, from a third terminal, a verification result as to whether a pallet or item unloaded at the final logistics center is damaged, and if the pallet or item is damaged, determine that an error has occurred in the second procedure. Furthermore, the electronic device (110) may share at least some of the order information, SKU information, quantity, delivery identification number, and damage details related to the damaged item with terminals included in the final logistics center, process the damaged item as damaged after receiving it at the final logistics center, and calculate and bill the cost to be charged for the damaged item to an entity set as responsible for delivery from an intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center.

[0079] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive, from the third terminal, a verification result as to whether there are any ordered items that have not been unloaded at the final logistics center, and if there are any ordered items that have not been unloaded at the final logistics center, the electronic device (110) may determine that an error has occurred in the second procedure. Furthermore, the electronic device (110) may determine that the item that has not been unloaded at the final logistics center is lost, and if there is a history of receiving scan information for the item from the second terminal, the electronic device may define the item as having been lost during the delivery process from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center, and if there is no history of receiving scan information, the electronic device may define the item as having not been delivered by the seller.

[0080] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may receive a verification result from the third terminal as to whether there are any unordered items among the items unloaded at the final logistics center, and if there are any unordered items, it may determine that an error has occurred in the second procedure. Furthermore, the electronic device (110) may determine that the unordered items have been misdelivered, and may transmit a command to the second terminal or the third terminal so that one of the following options is executed. The first option has the advantage of not requiring computer processing, the second option has the advantage of not affecting the lead time and not incurring additional costs, and the third option has the advantage of allowing post-processing for SKU items that cannot be handled at the logistics center storing the missing items without incurring additional costs.

[0081] i) Option 1: Transfer the missing items to the final logistics center, and charge the cost incurred during this process to the intermediate logistics center.

[0082] ii) Option 2: The logistics center storing the missing item shares the item-related information with the final logistics center, and after the final logistics center processes the computerized receipt, the computerized inventory is moved from the final logistics center to the logistics center storing the item.

[0083] iii) Option 3: The logistics center storing the missing item shares the item-related information to the logistics information platform, terminates the existing order for the item, creates a new order by designating the logistics center storing the missing item as the final logistics center, and processes the receipt at that logistics center.

[0084] Figure 4 shows a flowchart of a logistics information management method according to an additional embodiment.

[0085] At step S410, the electronic device (110) can transmit item order information including information about the ordered item and the intermediate logistics center to the seller's first terminal.

[0086] At step S420, the electronic device (110) can check whether there is an error in the first procedure for delivering an item from the seller to the intermediate logistics center through communication between the first terminal and the second terminal of the intermediate logistics center.

[0087] At step S430, if there is an error in the first procedure, the electronic device (110) may transmit a message indicating that the second procedure cannot be performed to at least some of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal. In one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may transmit information about an error case that occurred in the first procedure along with the message indicating that the second procedure cannot be performed.

[0088] At step S440, if there is no error in the first procedure, the electronic device (110) can check whether there is an error in the second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication with the second terminal and the third terminal of the final logistics center.

[0089] At step S450, if there is an error in the second procedure, the electronic device (110) may transmit a message indicating that the storage cannot proceed to at least some of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal. In one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may transmit information about an error case that occurred in the second procedure along with the message indicating that the storage cannot proceed.

[0090] At step S460, if there is no error in the second procedure, the electronic device (110) may add the inventory information generated as the ordered item is received at the final logistics center to the database where the inventory information of the final logistics center is stored. In one embodiment, when adding the inventory information of the newly received item, the electronic device (110) may tag the inventory information of the newly received item by generating an identification tag that can identify at least some of the time of receipt, the seller, and the intermediate logistics center, in order to distinguish it from the inventory information previously stored in the database.

[0091] Figure 5 shows a flowchart for an example of classifying some procedures into issue cases based on logistics delivery time.

[0092] At step S510, the electronic device (110) can, through communication with the second terminal and the third terminal, determine whether the interval between the time the item arrives at the intermediate logistics center and the time it is unloaded at the final logistics center is less than or equal to a reference time. In this disclosure, the "interval" may also be referred to as "lead time."

[0093] At step S520, if the interval between the identified points exceeds a reference time, the electronic device (110) can classify at least part of the item's first or second procedure as an issue case. This identifies procedures that require more than a certain amount of time, and by reflecting future improvements on these procedures, more efficient logistics services can be designed as more logistics services are provided.

[0094] At step S530, the electronic device (110) may not proceed with issue case classification for the first procedure and the second procedure of the item if the interval between the confirmed time points is less than the reference time.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may transmit a message guiding a procedure classified as an issue case to at least some of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal. According to another embodiment, the electronic device (110) may identify a detailed procedure in which a major cause of the issue case occurred by referring to a log received from the second terminal or the third terminal in relation to a procedure classified as an issue case. Specifically, the electronic device (110) may compare a preset expected time required for each detailed procedure with an actual time required for each detailed procedure, and determine that a major cause of the issue case occurred in a detailed procedure in which a deviation exceeds a certain level exists.

[0096] In one embodiment, the electronic device (110) may classify the first procedure as an issue case if the detailed procedure in which the main cause of the issue case occurred belongs to the first procedure, and may classify the second procedure as an issue case if the detailed procedure belongs to the second procedure.

[0097] Meanwhile, in addition to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the electronic device (110) can define an 'interval' by various criteria, and then, by comparing the 'interval' with the reference time, classify at least some of the first procedure or the second procedure as an issue case and utilize it for root cause analysis or feedback procedure.

[0098] Figure 6 shows a flowchart for an embodiment of checking the reason for delay in receiving an item.

[0099] At step S610, the electronic device (110) can receive a confirmation request related to a delay in receipt of an ordered item from the first terminal.

[0100] At step S620, the electronic device (110) can confirm the reason for the delay in delivery through communication with the second terminal and the third terminal.

[0101] According to one embodiment, the electronic device (110) checks the current delivery status of an item with delayed delivery, calculates the time that the item with delayed delivery has stayed at an intermediate logistics center based on the current delivery status, and if the time of stay is longer than a certain time, communicates with a second terminal to check the reason for delayed delivery, but if the time of stay is less than a certain time, communicates with a third terminal to check the reason for delayed delivery.

[0102] For example, the electronic device (110) can determine whether an item experiencing a delay in delivery has departed from an intermediate logistics center, has completed unloading at a final logistics center, or has completed delivery at the final logistics center, based on a request from a third terminal. Thereafter, the electronic device (110) can reference logs received from terminals related to the delivery of the item to determine the length of time the item has been in the intermediate logistics center. Depending on whether the length of time spent is longer than a certain amount of time, the electronic device (110) can communicate with a second or third terminal to determine the reason for the delay in delivery.

[0103] According to one embodiment, if the electronic device (110) determines that the item for which a delay in delivery has occurred is a high value item (HVI) based on the SKU of the item, or if the time for which the item has stayed in the intermediate logistics center exceeds a separate threshold, the electronic device (110) can confirm the reason for the delay in delivery through a separate hotline line rather than the existing communication line with the second terminal or third terminal.

[0104] At step S630, the electronic device (110) can inform the first terminal of the reason for the delay in receiving the product.

[0105] Figure 7 shows a block diagram of another electronic device according to one embodiment.

[0106] The electronic device (110) may include a memory (111) and a processor (113), according to an embodiment. The electronic device (110) illustrated in FIG. 7 only illustrates components related to the present embodiment. Therefore, it will be understood by those skilled in the art related to the present embodiment that other general components may be included in addition to the components illustrated in FIG. 7. According to an embodiment, the electronic device (110) may further include a transceiver (not illustrated) capable of communicating with an external electronic device as a device for performing wired / wireless communication. The external electronic device may be a terminal or a server. Additionally, the communication technologies used by the transceiver may include GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), CDMA (Code Division Multi Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G, WLAN (Wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), ZigBee, NFC (Near Field Communication), etc. In an embodiment, the transceiver may be included in a communication device.

[0107] The processor (113) can control the overall operation of the electronic device (110) and process data and signals. In an embodiment, the processor (113) may be included in a controller. The processor (113) may be composed of at least one hardware unit. In addition, the processor (113) may operate by one or more software modules generated by executing program codes stored in the memory (111). The processor (113) may include a memory, and the processor (113) may control the overall operation of the electronic device (110) and process data and signals by executing program codes stored in the memory.

[0108] The processor (113) transmits item order information including information about ordered items and an intermediate logistics center to the first terminal of the seller, and through communication between the first terminal and a second terminal of the intermediate logistics center, checks whether there is an error in the first procedure for delivering items from the seller to the intermediate logistics center, and if there is no error in the first procedure, checks whether there is an error in the second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication between the second terminal and a third terminal of the final logistics center.

[0109] The electronic device according to the above-described embodiments may include a processor, a memory for storing and executing program data, permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with an external device, a user interface device such as a touch panel, a key, a button, etc. The methods implemented as software modules or algorithms may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium as computer-readable codes or program instructions executable on the processor. Here, the computer-readable recording medium includes a magnetic storage medium (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), floppy disk, hard disk, etc.) and an optical reading medium (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD: Digital Versatile Disc)). The computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected to a network, so that the computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium may be readable by a computer, stored in a memory, and executed by a processor.

[0110] The present embodiment may be represented by functional block configurations and various processing steps. These functional blocks may be implemented by various hardware and / or software configurations that perform specific functions. For example, the embodiment may employ integrated circuit configurations such as memory, processing, logic, look-up tables, etc., which may perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Similarly, the present embodiment may be implemented in a programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, assembler, etc., including various algorithms implemented as a combination of data structures, processes, routines, or other programming configurations. Functional aspects may be implemented as algorithms that execute on one or more processors. Furthermore, the present embodiment may employ conventional techniques for electronic configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as "mechanism," "element," "means," and "composition" can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical or physical structures. These terms can also encompass a series of software routines, such as those associated with a processor.

[0111] The above-described embodiments can be implemented as artificial intelligence (AI) through a processor and memory of an electronic device. The processor may be composed of one or more processors, and one or more processors may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU, an AP, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics-only processor such as a GPU, a vision processing unit (VPU), or an AI-only processor such as an NPU. One or more processors may be controlled to process input data according to predefined operating rules or AI models stored in memory. Alternatively, if one or more processors are AI-only processors, the AI-only processor may be designed with a hardware structure specialized for processing a specific AI model.

[0112] The predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence models are characterized by being created through learning. Here, being created through learning means that the basic artificial intelligence model is learned by a learning algorithm using a plurality of learning data, thereby creating a predefined operation rules or artificial intelligence model set to perform a desired characteristic (or purpose). This learning may be performed in the electronic device itself on which the artificial intelligence according to the present disclosure is performed, or may be performed through a separate server and / or system. Examples of the learning algorithm include, but are not limited to, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning.

[0113] An artificial intelligence model may be composed of multiple neural network layers. Each of the multiple neural network layers has multiple weight values, and can perform neural network operations through operations between the operation results of the previous layer and the multiple weights. The multiple weights of the multiple neural network layers may be optimized based on the learning results of the artificial intelligence model. For example, the multiple weights may be updated so that the loss value or cost value obtained from the artificial intelligence model is reduced or minimized during the learning process. The artificial neural network may include, but is not limited to, a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), or a deep Q-network.

[0114] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and other embodiments may be implemented within the scope of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. In a logistics information management method performed by an electronic device, A step of transmitting item order information including information about ordered items and intermediate logistics centers to the seller's first terminal; A step of checking whether there is an error in the first procedure for delivering an item from the seller to the intermediate logistics center through communication between the first terminal and the second terminal of the intermediate logistics center; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of checking whether there is an error in the second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal of the final logistics center, if there is no error in the first procedure.

2. In paragraph 1, A logistics information management method further comprising a step of transmitting a message indicating that the second procedure cannot be performed when there is an error in the first procedure to at least some of the first terminal, the second terminal, or the third terminal.

3. In paragraph 1, A logistics information management method further comprising the step of adding inventory information generated as the ordered item is received at the final logistics center to a database where inventory information of the final logistics center is stored, if there is no error in the second procedure.

4. In paragraph 1, The above item order information is: A logistics information management method characterized in that all of the above ordered items are matched with one final logistics center.

5. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above first procedure is: A step of receiving item delivery reservation information from the first terminal to the intermediate logistics center; and A logistics information management method comprising a step of receiving an unloading record of an item delivered by the seller from the second terminal.

6. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above first procedure is: A step of receiving, from the second terminal, a verification result as to whether an item that does not correspond to a pre-designated stock keeping unit (SKU) is loaded on a pallet unloaded at the intermediate logistics center; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the first procedure when an item that does not correspond to the specified SKU is loaded on the pallet according to the verification result.

7. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above first procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result as to whether the item delivered to the intermediate logistics center from the second terminal is an item delivered by a seller who can use the intermediate logistics center and an item corresponding to a category that can be handled by the intermediate logistics center; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the first procedure if, based on the verification result, an item delivered to the intermediate logistics center is an item delivered by a seller other than a seller that can use the intermediate logistics center, or an item that falls under a category that cannot be handled by the intermediate logistics center.

8. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above first procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result from the second terminal as to whether a pallet or item unloaded at the intermediate logistics center is damaged; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the first procedure when the above pallet or item is damaged.

9. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a loading record of the item delivered by the seller from the second terminal toward the final logistics center; and A logistics information management method comprising a step of receiving a record of receipt of the item from the third terminal to the final logistics center.

10. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result as to whether a sorting operation has been performed on items with different SKUs loaded on a pallet among pallets loaded toward the final logistics center from the second terminal or the third terminal, wherein the pallet has multiple SKUs designated; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure if the above sorting operation is not performed.

11. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result from the third terminal as to whether the item delivered to the final logistics center violates the predefined receipt regulations; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure when an item delivered to the final logistics center violates the above-mentioned receipt regulations.

12. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result from the third terminal as to whether the pallet or item unloaded at the final logistics center is damaged; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure when the pallet or item is damaged.

13. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result from the third terminal as to whether there is an item among the ordered items that has not been unloaded at the final logistics center; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure if there is an item among the ordered items that has not been unloaded at the final logistics center.

14. In paragraph 1, The step of checking whether there is an error in the above second procedure is: A step of receiving a verification result from the third terminal as to whether there are any unordered items among the items unloaded at the final logistics center; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of determining that an error has occurred in the second procedure if the above-mentioned unordered item exists.

15. In paragraph 1, A step of confirming whether the interval from the time the item arrives at the intermediate logistics center to the time it is unloaded at the final logistics center is less than or equal to a reference time through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal; and A logistics information management method further comprising a step of classifying at least some of the first procedure or the second procedure of the item as an issue case when the interval exceeds the reference time.

16. In paragraph 1, A step of receiving a confirmation request related to a delay in receipt of the ordered item from the first terminal; A step of confirming the reason for the delay in the delivery through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal; and A logistics information management method further comprising a step of informing the first terminal of the reason for the delay in receiving the goods.

17. In paragraph 16, The steps to check the reason for the above delay in receipt are: A step for checking the current delivery status of the item for which the above delivery delay has occurred; A step of calculating the time that the item with the delay in delivery has stayed at the intermediate logistics center based on the current delivery status; If the above-mentioned stay time is longer than a certain time, a step of communicating with the second terminal to confirm the reason for the delay in the entry; and A logistics information management method, comprising a step of communicating with the third terminal to confirm the reason for the delay in receipt when the above-mentioned stay time is less than a certain time.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of paragraph 1 on a computer.

19. As an electronic device for managing logistics information, Includes a memory and a processor that stores instructions, The above processor is connected to the above memory, Transmits item order information, including information about the ordered item and the intermediate logistics center, to the seller's first terminal; Through communication between the first terminal and the second terminal of the intermediate logistics center, it is checked whether there is an error in the first procedure for delivering an item from the seller to the intermediate logistics center, An electronic device that, if there is no error in the first procedure, checks whether there is an error in the second procedure for receiving items from the intermediate logistics center to the final logistics center through communication between the second terminal and the third terminal of the final logistics center.

Images