# US 2017/0286908 A1 · Cross-dock management system, method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0286908 A1 - Document ID: US20170286908A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/623,702 - Filed: 2017-06-15 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-15 - Assignees: Innovative Logistics, Inc. - Applicants: Innovative Logistics, Inc. - Inventors: GARY SHANNON LIVELY; MARK BRADLEY; PATRICK SULLIVAN - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170286908A1 ## CPC - G06Q 10/08355: {Routing methods} - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a cross-dock management system comprises: a plurality of movable platforms configured to hold one or more pallets or parcels; at least one barcode or RFID tag positioned on each of said movable platforms, pallets, or parcels, wherein the barcode readers are configured to read the barcodes and RFID readers are configured to read the RFID tags. The data scanned by the barcode readers and RFID readers is stored in a local warehouse database and is used to determine an optimized placement and load for each movable platform in the warehouse. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cross-dock management system comprising: a cross-dock having a plurality of separated spaces; a plurality of doors for receiving inbound trailers and outbound trailers; a plurality of movable platforms arranged on the cross-dock in the separated spaces; a plurality of cargo arranged on at least one of the movable platforms, wherein the movable platforms and the spaces are assigned at least one unique identifier; at least one conveyance vehicle for moving the cargo or the movable platforms, wherein the at least one conveyance vehicle comprises a reader for reading the unique identifiers; and an initial setup optimization server for determining a plurality of ordered move instructions for moving the cargo using the at least one conveyance vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one dimensioner for a) monitoring the piecewise loading and unloading of cargo onto each movable platform and b) verifying that each movable platform does not exceed a predefined size limit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cross-dock management system according to claim 2, further comprising: a real-time instruction server, wherein if it is determined that the predefined size limited has been exceeded for a movable platform, the real-time instruction server calculates one or more corrected move instructions and transmits the one or more corrected move instructions to the at least one conveyance vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, further comprising; an RFID array, wherein the RFID array verifies that the ordered move instructions have been performed properly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, wherein the reader is used to verify that ordered move instructions assigned to the at least one conveyance vehicle are performed correctly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cross-dock management system according to claim 5, further comprising: a real-time instruction server for calculating, in real time, new moves if it is determined that one of the ordered move instructions has been performed incorrectly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cross-dock management system according to claim 6, wherein the conveyance vehicle is automated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifiers are barcode labels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, wherein the unique identifiers are RFID tags. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system accord to claim 1, wherein at least one of the separated spaces includes a scale utilized for determining an upper weight limit for each movable platform. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system accord to claim 1, wherein at least one of the separated spaces includes a pressure sensing device for determining if cargo placed on a movable platform is evenly distributed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, wherein the ordered movie instructions minimize empty carries by the at least one conveyance vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cross-dock management system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of separated spaces are arranged in a grid pattern. ### Claim 14 A cross-dock collaboration system comprising: a first cross-dock management system; a second cross-dock management system, wherein the first cross-dock management system and the second cross-dock management system are utilized on the same cross-dock; and a heuristic collaboration server for determining collaboration options between the first cross-dock management system and the second cross-dock management system by: a. receiving first collaboration data from the first cross-dock management system; b. receiving second collaboration data from the second cross-dock management system; c. comparing the first collaboration data with the second collaboration data to determine the collaboration options; d. for all accepted collaboration options, determining ordered move instructions for transferring first overflow cargo from first movable platforms assigned to the first cross-dock management system to second movable platforms assigned to the second cross-dock management system; and transferring second overflow cargo from the second movable platforms to the first movable platforms; and e. performing the ordered move instructions using one or more conveyance vehicles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The cross-dock collaboration system according to claim 14, wherein the first collaboration data includes a number of open spaces on the first movable platforms and the second collaboration data includes a number of open spaces on the second movable platforms. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cross-dock collaboration system according to claim 15, wherein the first collaboration data further includes manifest data about cargo located on the first movable platforms and the second collaboration data further includes manifest data about cargo located on the second movable platforms. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The cross-dock collaboration system according to claim 14, wherein the heuristic collaboration server comprises: a first module for allowing the first cross-dock management system to accept or reject the collaboration options; and a second module for allowing the second cross-dock management system to accept or rejected the collaboration option, wherein step d. is performed only for collaboration options approved using the first module an the second module. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The cross-dock collaboration system according to claim 17, wherein the first module and the second module automatically accept a subset of the collaboration options based upon predefined rules.