US 2019/0197474 A1Published application

Data Synchronization For Offline Processing

AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.

InventorsDavid A. Bennett, Paul A. Bilibin, Mark A. Bjerke, Lynn S. Goldhaber, Hsiangwen S. Hu, Lory E. Moon, Jinyue Liu, Paul R. McLaughlin, Reichie R. Nelson, Charles D. Mentzer, Matthew J. Smith, William W. Smith, III

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention includes system and methods for the continued operation of a carrier management system having one or more user terminals that normally communicate with at least one data center over a network (online), when the one or more user terminals are unable to communicate with the data center (offline). Once communication is re-established between the one or more user terminal and the data center, local files and data on the user terminals that were used to rate and ship packages while offline are synchronized between the one or more user terminals and the data center.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for synchronizing information on a user terminal with information on a data center in a carrier management system (CMS), the method comprising:

wherein the CMS applies carrier shipping rates to one or more items, and wherein the CMS comprises:
(a) a local portion of the CMS that resides on a user terminal, the user terminal having application files comprising executable code for executing the local portion of the CMS and rating files comprising rating information to rate costs of shipping items with one or more carriers and being configured to transfer between an online mode in which the user terminal is able to access a data center over the network and an offline mode in which the user terminal is not able to access the data center;
and
(b) a central portion of the CMS that resides on the data center that is accessible by the user terminal over the network, the data center comprising rating data comprising information to rate costs of shipping items with the one or more carriers and shipping data comprising information about shipping transactions that have been processed for shipping items by the one or more carriers;
in response to the user terminal being in the online mode and able to access the data center over the network:
(a) displaying costs of shipping an item with the one or more carriers on the user terminal by executing the central portion of the CMS, the costs of shipping the item based at least in part on the rating data;
(b) receiving a selection of one of the one or more carriers from a user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the one or more carriers based on the displayed costs;
and
(c) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier by executing the central portion of the CMS;
and
in response to the user terminal being in the offline mode and unable to access the data center over the network:
(a) displaying costs of shipping the item with the one or more carriers on the user terminal by executing the local portion of the CMS, the costs based at least in part on the information in the one or more rating files;
(b) receiving a selection of a carrier from the user in response to the user rating the costs of shipping the item with the one or more carriers based on the displayed costs;
and
(c) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file in memory of the user terminal;
and
in response to access between the user terminal and the data center being restored:
(a) synchronizing the application files;
(b) synchronizing the rating files;
and
(c) synchronizing the at least one shipping file stored on the user terminal with data center data on the data center.

18 more elements

A user terminal comprising one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the user terminal in communication via a network with a data center:

(A) the user terminal configured to, in response to operating in an online mode and able to access the data center via a network:
(i) display costs of shipping an item with one or more carriers based at least in part on rating data;
(ii) receive a selection of one of the one or more carriers from a user;
and
(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier;
and
(B) the user terminal configured to, in response to operating in an offline mode and not able to access the data center via the network, execute one or more application files to:
(i) display costs of shipping the item with the one or more carriers based at least in part on the information in one or more rating files;
(ii) receive a selection of one of the one or more carriers from a user;
and
(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file;
and
(C) the user terminal configured to, in response to transferring from the offline mode to the online mode and being able to access the data center via the network:
(i) synchronize the one or more rating files with the rating data;
(ii) synchronize the one or more application files with the data center;
and
(iii) synchronize the at least one shipping file with the data center.

14 more elements

One or more computer-readable memory having embodied thereon computer-useable instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, implement a method for synchronizing information on a user terminal with information on a data center, the method comprising:

(A) in response to the user terminal being in the online mode and able to access the data center over the network:
(i) displaying costs of shipping an item with one or more carriers based at least in part on rating data;
(ii) receiving a selection of one of the one or more carriers from a user;
and
(iii) processing the item for shipping with the selected carrier;
and
(B) in response to the user terminal being in the offline mode and unable to access the data center over the network, executing one or more application files to:
(i) display costs of shipping the item with the one or more carriers based at least in part on the information in one or more rating files;
(ii) receive a selection of one of the one or more carriers from a user;
and
(iii) process the item for shipping with the selected carrier by storing a shipping transaction made while in the offline mode in at least one shipping file;
and
(C) in response to access between the user terminal and the data center being restored:
(i) synchronizing the one or more rating files with the rating data;
(ii) synchronizing the one or more application files with the data center;
and
(iii) synchronizing the at least one shipping file with the data center.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/180,479Filed 5 Nov 2018
Priority: 29 Jun 2004
Published: 27 Jun 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06Q 10/08345
Choice of carriers: pricing
G06F 3/0482
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
G06F 3/04842
For the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a…:…
G06F 16/178
Details of further file system functions: techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Family

Application60/583,865Us provisional application · filed 29 Jun 2004
Application11/154,866Continuation · filed 15 Jun 2005
Application14/838,886Continuation · filed 28 Aug 2015
Application16/180,479Continuation
US 10,127,516 B2Related patent
US 10,521,758 B2Related patent
US 2006/0004675 A1Published application
US 2015/0371188 A1Published application
US 9,218,588 B2Related patent
US 2019/0197474 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.