Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for tracking material being transferred from a source to a destination by a carrier which comprises the steps of receiving a transmission from the source, the transmission being indicative of characteristics of the material. Also, a second transmission indicative of characteristics of the carrier is received. The carrier information is then associated with the supplier information. In another aspect, this information is used to estimate times for arrival of shipments, generate alarms for late arrivals and measure performance of suppliers and carriers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a tracking system for material, and more particularly, a tracking system for material which associates supplier information with carrier information. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Present manufacturers are subject to a competitive drive to reduce manufacturing cost. This cost, in part, is dependent upon lead time and inventory reduction. Lead time is the time requirement, from time of ordering, to ship a product to the customer. Large lead times increase the amount of time a manufacturer&#39;s product is with the manufacturer. This, in turn, reduces the amount of sales a company receives per unit time resulting in increased overall manufacturing cost. 
     Inventory is basically the amount of material or components, otherwise known as supplier goods, which a manufacturer retains on-hand for manufacturing purposes. Retaining a large inventory increases carrying cost which results in an overall increase in manufacturing cost. However, large inventories ensure that a manufacturer retains enough supplier goods for assembly. Contrarily, if a manufacturer does not have sufficient goods for assembly, the manufacturer may be forced to sit idle while awaiting a shipment from a supplier. This also results in an increase in lead time and manufacturing cost. A very common situation where a manufacturer is forced to sit idle occurs where a shipment of supplier goods is late in arriving to the manufacturer. To protect themselves from this situation, manufacturers typically retain a certain amount of buffer inventory to keep from running out of supplier goods. This buffer inventory is a predetermined amount of supplier goods above and beyond what the manufacturer actually needs during normal supplier delivery times. A manufacturer is, therefore, ensured that if a supplier shipment is late, the manufacturer can use the buffer inventory while awaiting supplier shipment. However, as discussed above, this buffer inventory increases inventory and corresponding manufacturing costs. 
     By accurately predicting the time which supplier goods are to arrive at the manufacturer, the buffer inventory and corresponding manufacturing costs can be reduced. As such, manufacturers have devised various material tracking systems to track supplier goods. More specifically, manufacturers have devised ways to track when shipments are to be delivered and the amount of and type of supplier goods which are contained in those shipments. 
     Suppliers issue a form to the manufacturer having supplier information. This supplier information usually includes the time and date of when material departed the supplier location. This information also usually includes the quantity and type of material being delivered. Manufacturers use this information to predict supplier delivery times by using the date and time of departure provided with the supplier information and combine it with a general knowledge of the time required to transport it from the supplier to the manufacturer. This combination is then used to determine an estimate of when the material is to arrive at the manufacturer. 
     While this method does provide an estimated time for receipt of material, the estimate provided is not very accurate. Typically, the date and time which the supplier lists on the supplier form is not the same date and time that the material actually leaves the supplier. This inaccuracy is sometimes due to suppliers not having accurate information relating to the actual departure times of the supplier goods. If a manufacturer uses this inaccurate information to estimate a time for arrival, the estimated time will be earlier than the actual time for arrival. As a result, manufacturers are then forced to rely on the buffer inventory to continue production. This results in manufacturers being required to, once again, carry an increased buffer inventory. 
     However, the carrier who transports the supplier goods provides information to the manufacturer which usually has accurate information relating to the actual time of departure. More specifically, the carrier who delivers the supplier goods issues a document to the manufacturer containing certain carrier information. This carrier information includes the source, destination and actual time the supplier goods depart the supplier. However, the carrier information usually does not include information specifically relating to the particular goods which the carrier is delivering. As such, the manufacturer can only determine that a shipment is departing from a supplier on a specific day and not what supplier goods are contained within the shipment from this information. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a method for associating the carrier information with the supplier information to obtain an accurate estimate of when supplier goods are to reach the manufacturer. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for associating carrier information with supplier information to obtain accurate time estimates of delivery from a supplier to a manufacturer. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for associating carrier information with supplier information to generate an alarm code for potential late shipments. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide performance measurements based upon a method for associating carrier information with supplier information and route plan. 
     In accordance with the broad teachings of this invention, a method for tracking material being transferred from a source to a destination by a carrier comprises the steps of receiving a transmission from the source, the transmission being indicative of characteristics of the material. Also, a second transmission indicative of characteristics of the carrier is received. The carrier information is then associated with the supplier information. In another aspect, this information is used to provide estimated arrival times for interested parties, generate alarms for late arrivals and measure performance of suppliers, carriers and other elements. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a material tracking system according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a material tracking system according to the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the interfacing of a material tracking system according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a schematic view of a material tracking system  10  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Material tracking system  10  generally includes supplier  12 , carrier  14 , and manufacturer  16 . Supplier  12  is a typical producer of components or raw material, hereinafter known as supplier goods, for use by manufacturer  16  to construct a final product. Such raw material or components could include, but are not limited to, iron ore for steel plants, accessories for automobile manufacturers or other typical supplier goods as is known in the art. However, supplier  12  could also include an intermediate location (as will be discussed) or the distributor of final components from a manufacturer. Such distributors of final components would include the shipment of a final product, such as an assembled automobile, to a sales location such as a dealer lot. Carrier  14  is a shipping company which employs specific shipping units  18  to move the supplier goods from one location to another. Shipping units  18 , although illustrated as trucks, can be any type of shipping vehicle including, but not limited to, planes, trains, water craft, or trucks. Manufacturer  16  is a manufacturer or producer of final components (as is known in the art) such as, but not limited to, an automobile manufacturer, steel producer, or other industrial platform. 
     Tracking system  20  is a computer, group of manufacturing personnel, or other medium designed to track the flow of supplier goods from supplier  12  to manufacturer  16 . To communicate with supplier  12 , carrier  14  and manufacturer  16 , tracking system  20  uses supplier communicative link  22 , carrier communicative link  24 , and manufacturer communicative link  26 . Each link  22 ,  24 , and  26  provides conduits for specific information to be transferred from supplier  12 , carrier  14 , and manufacturer  16  respectively which tracking system  20  then uses to track the flow of supplier goods being delivered from supplier  12  to manufacturer  16 . 
     Manufacturer  16  provides a need time through communicative link  26  to tracking system  20 . This need time specifies a time and date when manufacturer  16  must receive supplier goods from supplier  12 . 
     Route plan system  36  communicates with tracking system  20  to provide specific time-in-route estimating for various shipping routes to and from manufacturer  16 . More specifically, route plan system  36  is a database which stores the required driving, sea, or flying time (depending on the mode of shipping) to transport supplier goods from a specific supplier  12  to a specific destination such as manufacturer  16 . Route plan system  36  also has stored specific time-in-route times to travel from an intermediate location (as will be discussed) to a specific destination (which might be another intermediate location). 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the present invention is described. In this embodiment of the present invention, supplier  12  provides a transmission to manufacturer  16 , in the form of an electronic document referred to as commodity information, which contains certain characteristics of the supplier goods being delivered to manufacturer  16 . Preferably, this information includes the part number of the supplier goods, quantity of supplier goods, supplier code of supplier  12 , the ultimate destination of the supplier goods, departure date and time of the supplier goods from supplier  12 , and an arbitrary and unique package number assigned to each shipment which the supplier goods reside in. This commodity information is supplied to tracking system  20  through communication link  22 . 
     Typically, the shipping date and time provided in the commodity information is different than the actual date and time which supplier  12  ships the raw material, thereby creating a discrepancy between the two date and times. As such, if tracking system  20  estimates the time which shipping units  18  supply goods to manufacturer  16  from the commodity information, the determined ETA would be different than the actual delivery date. If the actual delivery falls after this ETA, manufacturer  16  may be sitting idle, not producing, and awaiting supplier goods from supplier  12 . Likewise, if the ETA is later than the actual delivery, the manufacturer might spend money to expedite supplier goods and thereby unnecessarily absorb costs to expedite supplier goods from the supplier  12 . 
     When shipping units  18  initially pick up the supplier goods from supplier  12 , carrier  14  issues an electronic document to tracking system  20 . This document, otherwise referred to as a carrier shipment notification form, is indicative of certain characteristics of the carrier  14  and is transmitted to tracking system  20  through communication link  24 . The characteristics contained within the carrier shipment notification form include information specifically relating to carrier  14  such as departure and arrival times. More specifically, these characteristics include the conveyance number of each shipping unit  18  which carries the supplier goods, the pick up location of the supplier goods (i.e. supplier  12 ), the delivery location of the material (i.e. manufacturer  16 ), SCAC codes (standard carrier alpha code) which uniquely indicates the specific carrier  14 , and the date and time which carrier  14  actually picked up the supplier goods. Contrary to the commodity information, the carrier shipment notification does not contain information relating to the supplier goods as discussed previously. As such, from the carrier shipment notification alone, one cannot determine the specific supplier goods being shipped. 
     Two important features exist regarding the carrier shipment notification. First, the carrier shipment notification contains an estimated time for arrival of when carrier  14  will reach its destination. This ETA is accurate since it is being given by the entity which is actually delivering the supplier goods. However, since the carrier shipment notification does not contain specific supplier information, it does not contain an estimated time for arrival of specific supplier goods. Instead, it only contains the ETA of the carrier unit itself. Second, the carrier shipment notification is issued by the carrier at various points along the carrier&#39;s journey. For instance, when carrier  14  initially picks up the supplier goods from supplier  12 , a carrier shipment notification is issued. Likewise, if the carrier  14  encounters delays, traffic jams or other events which modify the time at which carrier  14  will deliver the supplier goods, carrier  14  will issue another carrier shipment notification updating the present situation with a new time of arrival. 
     From the previous discussion, it is understood that one cannot determine an accurate ETA of specific supplier goods from the commodity information or carrier shipment notification alone. As such, one must combine both the carrier shipment notification and the commodity information to arrive at an accurate date and time of shipment for specific supplier goods. However, due to the vast number of suppliers and carriers, it can be difficult to associate one specific set of commodity information with one specific carrier shipment notification. The present invention, therefore, is designed to identify corresponding commodity information and carrier shipment notification and combine these two sources of information to obtain one source. This one source has the specific supplier goods from the supplier information and has the accurate ETA obtained from the carrier shipment notification. 
     To obtain this one source of information, tracking system  20  loads the information provided by all commodity information and all the carrier shipment notifications into a standard database. Tracking system  20  then compares the information provided by each set of commodity information to that provided by each carrier shipment notification form. This comparison is designed to associate a specific commodity information with a corresponding carrier shipment notification. More specifically, tracking system  20  associates the supplier goods with the carrier which is actually delivering the supplier goods to manufacturer  16  to correlate the shipping date and time listed in the carrier shipment notification to the supplier goods as listed in the commodity information. To accomplish this association, tracking system  20  compares the pick up location, such as a ship-from listed on the commodity information to the pick up location of supplier goods listed in the carrier shipment notification, the delivery location listed in the commodity information to the delivery location listed in the carrier shipment notification, compares the conveyance SCAC (standard carrier alpha code) in the commodity information to that listed in the carrier shipment notification, compares the conveyance number in the carrier shipment notification to that in the conveyance SCAC, and compares the shipping date and time listed in the commodity information to the shipping date and time listed in the carrier shipment notification form. The more similarities found between these items increases the probability that specific commodity information is associated with a specific carrier shipment notification. By this way, all the information contained within specific commodity information can be combined with all the information contained within a carrier shipment notification to generate one accurate piece of information, hereinafter referred to as the supply shipment report, containing accurate information about specific supplier goods. The tracking system can match one or all of these criteria to obtain a match. 
     Once a supply shipment report is created, tracking system  20  determines the best ETA, either by 1) combining the time-in-route information from route plan system with the departure date and time in the supply shipment report, or by 2) using the carrier ETA, or by 3) using the schedule information in the route plan system. 
     Preferably, the above discussed supply shipment report is enhanced with further information provided by the manufacturer  16 , via manufacturing communication link  26 , which includes a need time. This need time indicates when manufacturer  16  must receive supplier goods from supplier  12  in order to continue production, or more particularly, when a manufacturer will exhaust its normal inventory and then be required to begin using its buffer inventory. Tracking system  20  compares this need time with its determined estimated time for arrival of the supplier goods. From this, tracking system  20  determines whether the supplier goods will be delivered to manufacturer  16  on time. If tracking system  20  then determines that the supplier goods will be delivered later than the need time requires, a user or operator can be apprised of this in advance by an alarm or other means and then can make alternate arrangements to ensure that manufacturer  16  has a sufficient supply of supplier goods. If earlier, than the manufacturer can also make an appropriate response to reduce costs. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a second embodiment of the present invention is shown and described. The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2  includes an intermediate location  28 , manufacturer inbound  116 , manufacturer outbound  216 , and final destination  34 . First carrier  114 , second carrier  215 , third carrier  314 , and fourth carrier  414  provide shipping between each of these respective units. More specifically, first carrier  114  delivers supplier goods from supplier  12  to intermediate location  28 . Second carrier  215  moves this material from intermediate location  28  to manufacturer inbound  116 . From here, the manufacturer processes the supplier goods and moves it internally with third carrier  314  to manufacturer outbound  216 . The final product is delivered by fourth carrier  414  from manufacturer outbound  216  to final destination  34 . 
     Intermediate location  28  acts, in many respects, similar to supplier  12 . Intermediate location  28  issues information, otherwise known as commodity information B, to tracking system  20  upon shipment of the supplier goods. This information includes departure date and time from intermediate location  28  and also includes specific carrier information, which is contained in the carrier shipment notification form issued by carrier  215 . By virtue of the first embodiment of the present invention, the commodity information A can be associated to the carrier shipment notification and commodity information B to provide one supply shipment report which gives information contained in both the commodity information A and commodity information B. As a result, tracking system  20  has detailed information regarding the supplier goods, carrier  215  and date and time of departure of supplier goods from intermediate location  28 . 
     Upon departure with the supplier goods from intermediate location  28 , carrier  215  issues a second carrier shipment notification form to tracking system  20 . This second carrier shipment notification provides carrier information including the actual date and time of departure from intermediate location  28 . Like supplier  12  and its accompanying commodity information A, the date and time of departure provided by intermediate location via the commodity information B sometimes differs from the actual departure date and time listed in this second carrier shipment notification. Most importantly, the departure date and time contained in this second carrier shipment notification is typically more accurate than that provided by the commodity information B. The reasons for this inconsistency are the same as for supplier  12  and carrier  14  in the first embodiment. Also like the first embodiment, the information provided by carrier  215  does not contain information regarding the actual supplier goods as known by intermediate location  28  and listed in the commodity information B. As such, tracking system  20  obtains information from both the commodity information B and second carrier shipment notification and, like in the first embodiment, associates these two sources of information to generate one supply shipment report containing both the supplier information relating to the supplier goods and the carrier information relating to carrier  215 . From this, an ETA to manufacturer  16  from intermediate location  28  can be determined. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the operation of the second embodiment of the present embodiment will now be described. As in the first embodiment, supplier  12  in the second embodiment issues commodity information A to tracking system  20  which contains characteristics of the supplier goods to be delivered to manufacturer  16 . Likewise, carrier  114  provides a carrier shipment notification to tracking system  20 , via first carrier link  124 , which includes specific characteristics of the carrier such as departure date and time from supplier  12 . Tracking system  20  then associates the carrier shipment notification and commodity information A to generate a supply shipment report. Tracking system  20  then retrieves stored information from route plan system  36  containing an estimate of the arrival time of the supplier goods to manufacturer  16  when the shipment is adhering to the schedule. The result is an ETA that is the most accurate and up-to-date ETA. This ETA is constantly updated with any new carrier shipment notifications which are issued during carrier&#39;s  114  route. 
     Once the supplier goods have passed through intermediate link  28  and have departed on carrier  215 , carrier  215  issues a carrier shipment notification to tracking system  20 . Tracking system  20  then updates the ETA using this new information. Because the new carrier shipment notification contains an estimated time for arrival to deliver the supplier goods to manufacturer  16 , route plan system  36  is not needed to supply an estimate. Instead, that disclosed in the carrier shipment notification is relied upon and is most accurate. As a note, during all stages of shipment, tracking system  20  compares the ETA with the need time and generates alarms if so required. 
     One skilled in the art will appreciate that multiple intermediate locations, all positioned between a supplier and manufacturer, can be used with the present invention without deviating from the teachings contained herein. 
     With respect to manufacturer inbound  116 , manufacturer outbound  216  and carrier  314 , these elements operate as discussed in the first embodiment of the present invention. As such, tracking system  20  estimates an arrival time of material being shipped from manufacturing inbound  116  to manufacturing outbound  216 . One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that manufacturer inbound  116  can be treated as supplier  12  and manufacturer outbound  216  can be treated the same as manufacturer  16  as described in the first embodiment of the present invention. Likewise, with respect to manufacturer outbound  216 , final destination  34  and carrier  414 , an ETA can be determined for finished goods being delivered to final destination  34  from manufacturer outbound  216 . Moreover, one skilled in the art will appreciate that various intermediate locations, such as intermediate location  28 , can be positioned between each of these elements without deviating from the teachings presented herein. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the operation of tracking system  20  will be described in greater detail. Tracking system  20  is a data processing system having a processor for processing data and a storage device for storing data. Tracking system  20  communicates preferably either through a network, via modem or internet, to user terminal  38 . Terminal  38  could be a terminal, pager, phone, overhead display or other device. Tracking system  20  also interfaces with information links  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  48 , and  50  to acquire specific information for its calculations. These interfaces can be, again, via modem network or through the internet. More specifically, information link  40  provides specific information from suppliers  12 , intermediate location  28 , and final destination  34 . This information, like before, can be in the form of commodity information. Information link  42  provides required need time for shipment calculations and receives ETA information from tracking system  20 . Information link  44  provides information, such as that contained in the carrier shipment notification, which supplies information from first carrier  114 , second carrier  215 , third carrier  314 , and fourth carrier  414 . Information link  48  provides the conduit for information from route plan  36 . Lastly, information link  50  provides information for freight and payment. 
     Screen  38  of user terminal  52  is designed to present an output which combines all the information provided by information links  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  48 , and  50  (otherwise known as the supply shipment report) as well as ETA and alarm codes. More specifically, output screen  52  shows for each specific part number of the supplier goods ordered, all the corresponding supplier information provided by the commodity information A and the associated carrier information provided by the carrier shipment notification form and, if applicable, all the information provided by the commodity information B. From this information, an estimated time for arrival to a designated destination is determined and also displayed. Moreover, as discussed previously, any alarm codes based on the ETA being later than the need time are also displayed. All times and dates contained in the supply shipment report can be converted to any time zone required. As such, if a user in one time zone was interested in a shipment departing a supplier in another time zone, the user could have all times and dates (i.e. need time, departure time, and ETA) converted to the desired time zone. 
     The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such variations or modifications, as would be obvious to one skilled in the art, are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.