The Shipping System

The heart of the Shipping System is its representation of the transit network. Nodes in this network represent transit stations-- warehouses, loading-receiving docks, and depots-- where shipments can be dropped off and picked up. Links in the network represent transit schedules. A schedule consists of a mode (air, sea, surface), a shipping contractor (if any), a list of runs, and the cost per kilogram. A run has a departure time, arrival time, and a frequency. (For example: departs 9:00, arrives 16:00, M, W, F.)

Of course users can add and remove nodes and links to this network.

A shipping order contains needed information about the shipment, including the weight, delivery address, the shipment ID number, and where the shipment can be picked up. A shipping query is identical to a shipping order except it is only used to estimate shipping costs. Shipping queries are sent by customers from the Fulfillment System. Shipping Orders come from the Inventory Management System.

Given a shipping query, the Shipping System can determine which transit station is closest to the delivery address. This is called the destination station. (When the package arrives at the destination station it can be either picked up by the recipient or taken to the recipient's address by a local courier service.) The Shipping System generates a list of possible itineraries that will get the package from its pick-up station to the destination station. The itinerary includes the length of time it will take for delivery as well as the cost. The customer can select an itinerary-- fast but expensive, cheap but slow, or somewhere in-between.

Given a shipping order, the Shipping System books transits for the shipment on each leg of the selected itinerary. (How will the system handle the situation when a leg is booked between query and shipping order?)

A shipment consists of the shipping order, a status (in transit, lost, delivered, etc.) and a history of handling events. Handling events such as loaded, unloaded, stored, cleared customs, etc) occur at transit stations and are recorded by hand-held scanners.

The Shipping System allows users to check the status of shipments and find out exactly where they are.