Devices, systems and methods for wirelessly routing a vehicle

Abstract

The present invention automates the process of receiving transportation documentation and producing advance loading manifests therefrom to optimize load planning and dynamic product shipment and delivery control. Methods provide for receipt of the transportation documentation, initial preparation, and transmission of the documentation from on board a vehicle or while the vehicle is in transit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing shipping documentation data sent from the vicinity of a vehicle to a remote processor, the method comprising:
 receiving at the remote processor, one or more wireless signals from a mobile data transmission device representing shipping documentation data associated with cargo of the vehicle;   receiving at the remote processor, a request to generate an advance loading manifest while the cargo is enroute to a location; and   in response to the request, generating the advance loading manifest document utilizing the shipping documentation data while the cargo is enroute to a location, wherein the advance loading manifest provides information for further transport of at least a portion of the cargo on another vehicle,   wherein the remote processor performs the acts of receiving the wireless signals, receiving the request and generating the advance loading manifest.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the generated advance loading manifest to a requested destination. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the generated advance loading manifest on a hand held computing device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending the wireless signals from the mobile data transmission device associated with the vehicle.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: receiving the shipping documentation data by the mobile data transmission device. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying on the mobile data transmission device an electronic form.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving by the mobile data transmission device, data input into the electronic form, and wherein the shipping documentation data is further based at least in part on the data input into the electronic form.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising digitizing a portion of the shipping documentation data by the mobile data transmission device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remote processor further comprises the act of: comparing the shipping documentation data with second shipping documentation data of second cargo associated with a second vehicle;
 wherein the generated advance loading manifest provides information for further transport of at least a portion of the second cargo on the another vehicle.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , the remote processor further comprising the act of optimizing a load to be shipped on the another vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A remote processing system for processing shipping documentation data sent from the vicinity of a vehicle to a remote processor, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory; and   a set of executable instructions residing on the processor capable of:
 dynamically receiving from a mobile data transmission device associated with the vehicle, one or more wireless signals representing shipping documentation data associated with cargo of the vehicle; 
 dynamically receiving from a requested destination, a request to generate an advance loading manifest; 
 in response to the request and while the cargo is enroute to a location, utilizing the shipping documentation data to prepare the advance loading manifest that provides information on at least a portion of the cargo, wherein the advance loading manifest provides information for further transport of the portion of the cargo on another vehicle. 
   
     
     
         12 . The remote processing system of  claim 11 , wherein while the cargo is enroute to a location, the processor is further capable of utilizing the shipping documentation data to prepare at least one billing document associated with the cargo. 
     
     
         13 . The remote processing system of  claim 11 , further comprising a mobile data transmission device associated with the vehicle and capable of transmitting the wireless signals to the processor. 
     
     
         14 . The remote processing system of  claim 13 , wherein the mobile data transmission device is further capable of displaying an electronic form. 
     
     
         15 . The remote processing system of  claim 14 , wherein the mobile data transmission device is further capable of receiving data input into the electronic form. 
     
     
         16 . The remote processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the shipping documentation data is based at least in part on images received by the mobile data transmission device. 
     
     
         17 . The remote processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the advance loading manifest provides information for further transport of all of the cargo.