Unified Shipment View Interface With Carrier Status Normalization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing shipping management systems fail to provide a unified view of shipments across multiple carriers due to inconsistencies in tracking information and exception management, leading to incomplete data integration and manual, subjective data comparison, and the inability to express BPM rules across carrier networks.

Innovation Solution

A shipping management system with carrier-specific mapping rules and normalized status codes, coupled with a processor and user interface, provides a unified view of shipments by mapping and normalizing data from multiple carriers, allowing for automated exception management and integrated BPM rules.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple carrier-specific systems are used to track shipments, then comprehensive carrier coverage is achieved, but data consistency and unified tracking view deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier coverageVSAvoidtracking information consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a normalization layer as an intermediary between multiple carrier systems and the unified tracking interface. This normalization layer translates diverse carrier-specific tracking data formats into a standardized representation, enabling consistent tracking views across different carriers without losing adaptability to various carrier systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a universal tracking interface that works across multiple carriers by implementing common data models and standardized exception categories. This universal layer allows the same interface to handle different carrier systems while maintaining data consistency through standardized exception management

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If manual data comparison is used to compare shipment data across carriers, then flexibility in analysis is maintained, but time consumption and labor effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata analysis flexibilityVSAvoiddata comparison time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical data comparison with automated computer-based processing. The system automatically retrieves, normalizes, and compares shipment data across carriers using software algorithms, eliminating the need for manual data gathering and comparison while maintaining analytical flexibility through configurable comparison criteria

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If carrier-specific exception management is used, then carrier-specific nuances are captured, but cross-carrier exception identification capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier-specific exception handlingVSAvoidexception identification efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system transforms carrier-specific exception parameters into standardized exception categories through parameter mapping. Different carriers' exception codes and descriptions are converted into common exception types (e.g., delivery delays, damaged goods, lost shipments), enabling cross-carrier exception identification while preserving carrier-specific details in the underlying data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Device complexity

If incomplete shipment data is provided by carriers, then carrier system simplicity is maintained, but unified shipment view completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecarrier system complexityVSAvoidshipment data completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary data enrichment by automatically supplementing incomplete carrier-provided shipment data with additional information from multiple sources. This includes fetching supplementary tracking data, inferring missing information from available data patterns, and aggregating data from multiple carriers to create a complete unified shipment view without increasing carrier system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12462215B2Unified view operator interface system and method

Publication Date: 2025.11.04 CONVEY INC

AI summary

A shipping management system comprises a memory configured with a set of carrier-specific mapping rules for a plurality of carriers. The system includes a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions executable by a processor to: apply carrier-specific mapping rules to carrier-specific records received from the respective carrier to map status codes or descriptions in the carrier-specific records from the respective carrier to generate normalized shipping information for shipments, the normalized shipping information comprising normalized status codes; store the normalized shipping information in association with the user account; receive a request for shipments associated with the user account; and generate an unified view user interface to present a unified view of shipments associated with the user account, the unified view comprising normalized statuses or descriptions for shipments across the plurality of carriers and controls to allow a user to request additional data on individual shipments.