Patent ID: 7837105
Filing Date: 2010-11-23
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of rapidly translating an original shipping document regarding one or more shipment items being shipped, tracked and delivered to a final destination using a Web-based shipping, tracking and delivery information network having a first scanning point, subsequent scanning points, one or more digital image processing application servers and a shipping information relational database management system (RDBMS), said method comprising the steps of: (a) at a point of shipment pickup, capturing a digital image of an original shipping document in connection with a shipment, and generating a corresponding digital image file having a header and a name; wherein said original shipping document contains shipping information and is indexed with an original bar-coded shipment tracking number; (b) automatically reading the original bar-coded shipment tracking number graphically represented in said original shipping document and generating a character data string representative of said original bar-coded shipment tracking number; (c) automatically encoding said character data string into the header and/or name of said corresponding digital image file; (d) while the shipment is being delivered to the first scanning point in said Web-based shipping, tracking and delivery network, transmitting said digital image file over a wireless communication link to said one or more digital image processing application servers, and processing said digital image so that shipping information contained in said digital image is automatically abstracted/recognized, and loaded into said shipping information RDBMS maintained on said Web-based shipping, tracking and delivery network; (e) when the shipment arrives at said first scanning point, reading the original bar-coded shipment tracking number, and using said original bar-coded shipment tracking number to access corresponding shipping information maintained in said shipping information RDBMS; (f) automatically generating a unique network-assigned shipping label for said shipment; and (g) applying said unique network-assigned shipping label to the shipment items of said shipment at said first scanning point, for use in managing future services supported on said network.