Systems and methods which implement a rules based engine for processing items for shipping are shown. Embodiments implement a series of rules that are executed in a particular order to address decision points in processing individual items of a plurality of items for shipping. A user interface adapt
Systems and methods which implement a rules based engine for processing items for shipping are shown. Embodiments implement a series of rules that are executed in a particular order to address decision points in processing individual items of a plurality of items for shipping. A user interface adapted to allow a user to create rules, weigh or order the rules, revise rules, enable/disable rules, etc. is provided according to embodiments. By selecting and associating various rule parameters, such as conditions, operators, and/or outcomes, through the rules interface a user may create and revise rules as desired. The rules interface of embodiments provides a hierarchical rules environment in which the resulting rules are weighted or ordered for hierarchical implementation.
대표청구항▼
1. A method for generating shipping rules configured to make shipping decisions on behalf of a user, said method comprising: compiling, by a processor-based system of a shipping services operator, raw shipping data based on shipments made by a plurality of shippers, wherein, for each of the shipment
1. A method for generating shipping rules configured to make shipping decisions on behalf of a user, said method comprising: compiling, by a processor-based system of a shipping services operator, raw shipping data based on shipments made by a plurality of shippers, wherein, for each of the shipments made by the plurality of shippers, the raw shipping data comprises at least one of shipment weight information, address information, shipment size information, shipping container type information, and item type information;compiling, by the processor-based system, user defined data comprising information associated with at least one of one or more customer categories, one or more pricing categories, one or more delivery time categories, and one or more quality of service levels provided to said processor-based system by said user;deriving information associated with one or more shipments to generate derived data, the derived data comprising at least one of calculated shipping rates, delivery dates, and delivery times;automatically constructing, by said processor-based system for said user, a plurality of shipping processing rules for making shipping decisions, wherein the plurality of shipping processing rules are constructed based on rule parameters and a data set, wherein the rule parameters comprise conditions and operators, the conditions comprising shipping attribute information for making shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both, the operators comprising at least one of logical operators and mathematical operators that are applied to said conditions to make said shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both, determinations, or both, wherein the data set comprises the raw shipping data, the user defined data, and the derived data, and wherein constructing, by said processor-based system, the plurality of shipping processing rules comprises constructing at least one shipping processing rule configured to select, based on an amount of time that a customer has been using a service offered by said user, a type of shipping service for shipment of an item purchased from said user by said customer;analyzing, by said processor-based system, the plurality of shipping processing rules to select shipping processing rules that define a set of shipping processing rules for generating postage indicia for said user, wherein said set of shipping processing rules includes said at least one shipping processing rule constructed based, at least in part, on said amount of time that said customer has been using said service, wherein said analyzing comprises: analyzing, by said processor-based system, said plurality of shipping processing rules to identify whether a conflict exists between at least two shipping processing rules, wherein a conflict is identified based on a determination that applying the same conditions to said at least two shipping processing rules presents different shipping decisions; andautomatically resolving, by said processor-based system, said conflict between said at least two shipping processing rules based on a conflict resolution parameter that specifies an outcome criterion, wherein automatically resolving the conflict comprises: identifying, by said processor-based system, a particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a time-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a most rapid delivery time, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a cost-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a lowest shipping cost, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a level of service-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a highest level of service; andselecting, by said processor-based system, the particular shipping processing rule that satisfies the outcome criterion for inclusion in the set of shipping processing rules; andgenerating a postage indicium for an item to be shipped, wherein said generating comprises: receiving shipping information for said item to be shipped, andutilizing said set of shipping processing rules and said shipping information to generate said postage indicium for said item to be shipped. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: constructing, by said processor-based system for said user, at least one additional shipping processing rule based on preferences of another user. 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said preferences of said another user are not defined by said another user inputting shipping information, but instead, said preferences of said another user are determined by said processor-based system analyzing said raw shipping data. 4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: selecting said at least one additional shipping processing rule constructed based on said preferences of said another user in said set of shipping processing rules for generating postage indicia for said user. 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: establishing a hierarchy of said plurality of shipping processing rules. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of said hierarchy is automatically established by said processor-based system. 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of shipping processing rules are generated based, at least in part, on an analysis by said processor-based system, of previous shipments by said user, wherein said previous shipments are limited to a particular set of previous shipments by said user. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said previous shipments by said user are limited based on a window of time. 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising: constructing, by said processor-based system for said user, at least one other shipping processing rule based on simulated shipping data. 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving, from at least one carrier, shipping options offered by said carrier, wherein said plurality of shipping processing rules are further constructed based on at least one of said received shipping options. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein said user is a high volume shipper, and wherein said processor-based system is configured to modify said plurality of shipping processing rules based on a shipping behavior of said user, said method further comprising: analyzing, by said processor-based system, previous shipments by said user over a period of time to learn said shipping behavior of said user; andrevising, by said processor-based system, one or more of said plurality of shipping processing rules based on said learning, wherein revising said one or more of said plurality of shipping processing rules comprises:modifying, for each of said one or more of said plurality of shipping processing rules, at least one of said conditions and said operators to generate one or more modified shipping processing rules. 12. A system configured to make shipping processing decisions on behalf of a user, said system comprising: a rules engine configured to create, for said user, a set of shipping processing rules for making shipping decisions for said user, wherein said set of shipping processing rules is generated by:automatically constructing a plurality of shipping processing rules based on rule parameters and a data set, wherein the rule parameters comprise conditions and operators, wherein the conditions comprise shipping attribute information for making shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both, and the operators comprise at least one of logical operators and mathematical operators that are applied to said conditions to make said shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both,wherein the data set comprises: raw shipping data comprising at least one of shipment weight information, address information, shipment size information, shipping container type information, and item type information,user defined data comprising information associated with at least one of one or more customer categories, one or more pricing categories, one or more delivery time categories, and one or more quality of service levels provided by said user, andderived data comprising at least one of calculated shipping rates, delivery dates, delivery times, andwherein construction of the plurality of shipping processing rules by said rules engine comprises constructing at least one shipping processing rule configured to select, based on an amount of time that a customer has been using a service offered by said user, a type of shipping service for shipment of an item purchased from said user by said customer; analyzing the plurality of shipping processing rules to define said set of shipping processing rules, wherein said set of shipping processing rules includes said at least one shipping processing rule constructed based, at least in part, on said amount of time that said customer has been using said service, wherein said analyzing comprises:analyzing, by a processor-based system, said plurality of shipping processing rules to identify whether a conflict exists between at least two shipping processing rules, wherein a conflict is identified based on a determination that applying the same conditions to said at least two shipping processing rules presents different shipping decisions; andautomatically resolving, by said processor-based system, said conflict between said at least two shipping processing rules based on a conflict resolution parameter that specifies an outcome criterion, wherein automatically resolving the conflict comprises: identifying, by said processor-based system, a particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a time-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a most rapid delivery time, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a cost-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a lowest shipping cost, wherein, when the outcome criterion is a level of service-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of the at least two shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a highest level of service; andselecting, by said processor-based system, the particular shipping processing rule that satisfies the outcome criterion for inclusion in the set of shipping processing rules; anda computer processor configured to perform shipment processing for an item to be shipped, wherein said shipment processing comprises: receiving shipping information for said item to be shipped, andutilizing said set of shipping processing rules and said received shipping information to generate a postage indicium for said item to be shipped. 13. The system of claim 12 wherein said computer processor is further configured to construct, for said user, at least one additional shipping processing rule based on preferences of another user. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein said preferences of said another user are not defined by said another user inputting shipping information, but instead, said preferences of said another user are determined by analyzing past shipping behavior of said another user. 15. The system of claim 14 wherein said computer processor configured to perform shipment processing further comprises: said computer processor being configured to utilize said at least one additional shipping processing rule and said received shipping information to generate said postage indicium for said item to be shipped. 16. The system of claim 12 wherein said set of shipping processing rules comprises at least two shipping processing rules, and wherein said rules engine is further operable to establish a hierarchy of said at least two shipping processing rules. 17. The system of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of said hierarchy is automatically established by said rules engine. 18. The system of claim 12 wherein said rules engine further constructs said plurality of shipping processing rules based, at least in part, on an analysis of previous shipments by said user, wherein said previous shipments are limited to a particular set of previous shipments by said user. 19. The system of claim 18 wherein said particular set of previous shipments by said user are limited based on a window of time. 20. The system of claim 12 wherein said rules engine is further configured to create, for said user, at least one other shipping processing rule based on simulated shipping data. 21. The system of claim 12 wherein said rules engine is further configured to receive shipping options, wherein shipping options are shipping options that are offered by a carrier. 22. The system of claim 21 wherein said plurality of shipping processing rules are further created based on at least one of said received shipping options. 23. The system of claim 12 wherein said system is configured to process mail items for a high volume shipper. 24. A system configured to make shipping decisions on behalf of a user, said system comprising: means for creating a data set comprising raw shipping data, user defined data, and derived data, wherein the raw shipping data is created based on shipments made by a plurality of shippers, wherein, for each of the shipments made by the plurality of shippers, the raw shipping data comprises shipment weight information, address information, shipment size information, shipping container type information, item type information, or a combination thereof, wherein the user defined data comprises information associated with one or more customer categories, one or more pricing categories, one or more delivery time categories, one or more quality of service levels, or a combination thereof, wherein said user defined data is provided to said system by users of said system, wherein said derived data comprises calculated shipping rates, delivery dates, delivery times, or a combination thereof;means for creating, for said user, a plurality of shipping processing rules for making shipping decisions using rule parameters and said data set, wherein the rule parameters comprise conditions and operators, wherein the conditions comprise shipping attribute information for making shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both, wherein the operators comprise at least one of logical operators and mathematical operators that are applied to said conditions to make said shipping processing decisions, determinations, or both, and wherein creation of the plurality of shipping processing rules comprises creating at least one rule configured to select, based on an amount of time that a customer has been using a service offered by said user, a type of shipping service for shipment of an item purchased from said user by said customer;means for analyzing said plurality of shipping processing rules to define a rules set for generating postage indicia for said user, wherein said rules set includes said at least one rule constructed based, at least in part, on said amount of time that said customer has been using said service, said means for analyzing further comprising:means for analyzing said plurality of shipping processing rules to identify whether a conflict between two or more shipping processing rules of said plurality of shipping processing rules exists, wherein a conflict is identified based on a determination that applying the same conditions to said at least two shipping processing rules presents different shipping decisions; andmeans for automatically resolving said conflict between said two or more shipping processing rules based on a conflict resolution parameter that specifies an outcome criterion, wherein said means for automatically resolving said conflict comprises:means for identifying a particular shipping processing rule of said two or more shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion, the outcome criterion comprising at least one of: a time-based outcome criterion, a cost-based outcome criterion, and a level of service-based outcome criterion, wherein, when the outcome criterion is said time-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of said two or more shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a most rapid delivery time, wherein, when the outcome criterion is said cost-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of said two or more shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a lowest shipping cost, wherein, when the outcome criterion is said level of service-based outcome criterion, the particular shipping processing rule of said two or more shipping processing rules that satisfies the outcome criterion corresponds to a shipping processing rule that provides a highest level of service; andmeans for selecting the particular shipping processing rule that satisfies the outcome criterion for inclusion in said rules set; andmeans for performing shipment processing of an item to be shipped, wherein said performing comprises: means for receiving information about said item to be shipped; andmeans for utilizing said rule set and said received information to generate a postage indicium for said item to be shipped. 25. The system of claim 24 further comprising: means for creating at least one additional shipping processing rule for said user based on preferences of another user. 26. The system of claim 25 wherein said preferences of said another user are not defined by said another user inputting shipping information, but instead, said preferences of said another user are determined based on an analysis of previous shipments by said another user. 27. The system of claim 26 wherein said means for performing shipment processing further comprises: means for utilizing said at least one additional shipping processing rule and said received information to generate said postage indicium for said item to be shipped. 28. The system of claim 24 further comprising: means for establishing a hierarchy of said rules set. 29. The system of claim 28 wherein at least a portion of said hierarchy is automatically established by said means for analyzing said plurality of shipping processing rules to define said rules set. 30. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for creating said plurality of shipping processing rules is further configured to generate said plurality of shipping processing rules based, at least in part, on an analysis, by said means for creating said plurality of shipping processing rules, of previous shipments by said user, and wherein said previous shipments by said user are limited to a particular set of previous shipments by said user. 31. The system of claim 30 wherein said particular set of previous shipments by said user are limited based on a window of time. 32. The system of claim 24 further comprising: means for simulating shipping data to create, for said user, at least one other shipping processing rule. 33. The system of claim 24 further comprising: means for receiving, from at least one carrier, shipping options offered by said at least one carrier. 34. The system of claim 33 wherein said plurality of shipping processing rules are further created based on at least one of said received shipping options. 35. The system of claim 24, wherein said user is a high volume shipper, and wherein said system further comprises means for revising said plurality of shipping processing rules based on a shipping behavior of said user, said means for revising comprising: means for analyzing previous shipments by said user over a period of time to learn said shipping behavior of said user; andmeans for modifying one or more of said plurality of shipping processing rules based on said learned shipping behavior of said user, wherein, for each of said one or more of said plurality of shipping processing rules, said means for modifying changes at least one of said conditions and said operators to generate one or more modified shipping processing rules.
Cordery Robert A. (Danbury CT) D\Ippolito Frank M. (Shelton CT) Pintsov Leon A. (W. Hartford CT), Advanced postage payment system employing pre-computed digital tokens and with enhanced security.
Axelrod Barry H. (Newtown CT) Durst ; Jr. Robert T. (Monroe CT) Hunter Kevin D. (Stratford CT) Schmidt Alfred C. (Wilton CT), Apparatus for preparing a letter.
Axelrod Barry H. (Newtown CT) Durst ; Jr. Robert T. (Monroe CT) Hunter Kevin D. (Stratford CT) Schmidt Alfred C. (Wilton CT), Apparatus for preparing mail pieces.
Wright Christopher B. (San Francisco CA) Bristow Stephen (Los Altos Hills CA), Automated transaction system with insertable cards for downloading rate or program data.
Wright Christopher B. (San Francisco CA) Bristow Stephen (Los Altos Hills CA), Automated transaction system with insertable cards for transferring account data.
Wright Christopher B. (San Francisco CA) Bristow Stephen (Los Altos Hills CA), Automated transaction system with modular printhead having print authentication feature.
Sansone Ronald P. (Weston CT) Connell Richard A. (Wilton CT) Corsetti Patricia (Pelham NY) Dolan Donald T. (Ridgefield CT) Gelfer George G. (West Redding CT), Batch mailing system.
Allport, Robert W.; Kelly, Stephen; Nicholls, Timothy J.; Capelli, Christopher J.; Quine, Douglas B., Closed system meter having address correction capabilities.
Cordery Robert A. (Danbury CT) Gravell Linda V. (Guilford CT) Pintsov Leon A. (West Hartford CT) Weiant ; Jr. Monroe A. (Trumbull CT), Controlled acceptance mail payment and evidencing system.
Rivest Ronald L. (Belmont MA), Data center for remote postage meter recharging system having physically secure encrypting apparatus and employing encry.
Cordery Robert A. (Danbury CT) D\Andrea Thomas A. (Middlebury CT) Jackson Jerome E. (Newtown CT) Kirschner Wallace (Trumbull CT) Malin Richard A. (Westport CT) McPherson David T. (Stamford CT) Nacler, Digital postage meter system.
Cordery Robert A. (Danbury CT) Pauly Steven J. (New Milford CT) Pintsov Leon A. (West Hartford CT), Electronic data interchange postage evidencing system.
Scribner Albert W. (Darien CT) Check ; Jr. Frank T. (Orange CT), Electronic postage meter system settable by means of a remotely generated input device.
Hardy Douglas A. (Mesa AZ) Fossey Craig R. (Scottsdale AZ) Balogh Craig R. (Mesa AZ) Tugenberg Steven R. (Scottsdale AZ), Encryption method and system for portable data.
Pedroli John L. (Germantown TN) Feldmann Larry (Memphis TN) Littleton Henry P. (Memphis TN) Walton Richard L. (Bartlett TN) Littleton James W. (Bartlett TN) Haley Kelly E. (Bartlett TN), Label for packaged products.
Sansone Ronald P. (Weston CT) Gelfer George G. (W. Redding CT) Taylor Michael P. (Norwalk CT) Axelrod Barry H. (Newtown CT), Mail processing system with multiple work stations.
Sansone Ronald P. (Weston CT) Taylor Michael P. (Norwalk CT) Connell Richard A. (South Salem NY), Mailing system and method for low volume mailers printing postage information upon inserts.
Petkovsek Glenn (20 Tortoise Park Cove Little Rock AR 72211-2349), Mailpiece and/or shipping item for special mailing and a method for assembling a mailpiece and/or shipping item requirin.
Huggett George R. (Mercer Island WA) McDonald William M. (Lake Stevens WA), Method and apparatus for locating and decoding a postnet forwarding bar code in a field of postnet bar codes.
Dolan Donald T. ; French Dale A. ; Lawton Kathryn V., Method and apparatus for securely authorizing performance of a function in a distributed system such as a postage meter.
Baer Patricia B. (Pelham NY) Hunter Kevin D. (Stratford CT) Hart William G. (Stamford CT) Axelrod Barry H. (Newtown CT) Sansone Ronald P. (Weston CT), Method and apparatus for sequentially numbering mail pieces.
Barton Maya R. (336 Barrack Hill Rd. Ridgefield CT 06877) Sansone Ronald P. (4 Trails End Rd. Weston CT 06883) Sievel Mark E. (132 Walnut Hill Rd. Bethel CT 06801), Method and apparatus for verifying indicia correctly provided on an object.
Terri A. Carroll ; David A. Ellis ; Jacques Hasbani, Method and system for communicating with a postage meter through a web-browser in a postal or shipping system.
Bernard Joel P. ; Coupe Pierre,FRX ; DeBuchy Jean Paul,FRX ; LeDuc Didier,FRX ; Rougeau Pascal,FRX ; Sansone Ronald P. ; Touchet Fran.cedilla.ois,FRX, Method and system for franking, accounting, and billing of mail services.
Naclerio Edward J. (Madison CT) Ramirez Frank D. (Stamford CT), Method for preventing monitoring of data remotely sent from a metering accounting vault to digital printer.
Sandstrom Brent B. (942 Copperkey Ct. Gilbert AZ 85233) Ewert Ernest R. (261 W. Verano Pl. Gilbert AZ 85233) Reisch Robert D. (2036 E. Clipper Cir. Gilbert AZ 85234), Method for securely storing electronic records.
Lewis Richard ; Dwyer Tara ; Abdelsadek Mohammed ; Han Donald ; Rogoff Jonathon ; Parks Louis, Methods and apparatus for internet based financial transactions with evidence of payment.
Check ; Jr. Frank T. (Orange CT) Eckert ; Jr. Alton B. (Norwalk CT) Warren Joseph R. (Stamford CT), Micro computerized electronic postage meter system.
Fougere Guy L. (Easton CT) Hunter Kevin D. (Redbank NJ) Sansone Ronald P. (Weston CT) Schmidt ; Jr. Alfred C. (Wilton CT), Postage and mailing information applying system.
Check ; Jr. Frank T. (Orange CT) Eckert ; Jr. Alton B. (Norwalk CT) Warren Joseph R. (Stamford CT), Postage meter having means transferring data from a working memory to a non-volatile memory under low power conditions.
Chrosny Wojciech M. (81 Linwood St. Milford CT 06460), Postage payment system employing encryption techniques and accounting for postage payment at a time subsequent to the pr.
Seki, Naishin; Tai, Hideki, Server, information communication terminal, product sale management method, and storage medium and program transmission apparatus therefor.
Carlisle William Reid (Morristown NJ) Curtis Lydia Anne (Bridgewater NJ) Murphy Kathleen M. (Bedminster NJ) Skibo Richard John (Skillman NJ), Smart card with multiple charge accounts and product item tables designating the account to debit.
Lee David K. ; Riley David W. ; Ryan ; Jr. Frederick W., System and method for managing multiple users with different privileges in an open metering system.
Campagna, Matthew J.; Hammell, Bradley R.; Monsen, Erik D. N.; Reichman, Ronald; Ryan, Jr., Frederick W.; Swenson, Michael P.; Cordery, Robert A., System and method for routing selection using statistical data.
Davidson Leonard (Los Angeles CA) Russell Matt (Glendale CA) Allred Scott (Riverside CA) Russell Michael S. (Glendale CA), System for creating and producing custom card products.
Edelmann George B. (Wilton CT) Hunter Kevin D. (Redbank NJ) Muller Arno (Westport CT) Schmidt ; Jr. Alfred C. (Wilton CT), System for detecting unaccounted for printing in a value printing system.
Clark John I. (Milford CT) Dlugos Daniel F. (Huntington CT), System for printing encrypted messages with a character generator and bar-code representation.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.