Patent ID: 7693964

Claim:
A logistics node for administering the shipment of a product from a source node to a destination node, comprising: an interface unit for coupling the logistics node with at least one remote entity; a processing unit coupled to the interface unit for controlling the operation of the logistics node; a database coupled to the processing unit for storing information pertaining to the shipment of a product from the source node to the destination node; interface administration logic for permitting a first class of users to interact with the logistics node using a first interface, the first interface providing access to a first set of functions, and for permitting a second class of users to interact with the logistics node using a second interface, the second interface providing access to a second set of functions, wherein the first set of functions differs from the second set of functions, and wherein the first set of users are affiliated with the source node and the second set of users are affiliated with the destination node; wherein the first set of functions comprises: a shipment confirmation function, and at least one other function that pertains to product shipping; and wherein the second set of functions comprises at least one function that pertains to product shipping.