User           
                    Shipment    Service           Initialize
                    Info        Request           Module   
                                                              
                      |  A         |                 |         
                  . . |. |. .  . . |. . . . . . . . .|. . . . . . . . .
                  .   |  |         |                 |     ShipAPI.pm . 
                  .   V  |         |                 V                . 
                  .                |                                  . 
                  . initialize     |            _  shipper            . 
                  . object         |           |   config info        . 
                  .          ______|           |                      . 
                  .         |           . . . .|. . . . . . . . . . . . 
                  .         |           .      |                 
                  .         V           .     .V. . . . . . . . . . . . 
                  .                     .     .   ShipAPI::carrier.pm .
                  .      parse          .     .                       .
                  .      request   <------------>   Available         .
                  .                     .     .     Services          .
                  .         |           .     .                       .
                  .         |           .     .                       .
                  .         V           .     .                       .
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .      translate      .     .     field             . 
                  .      & validate  <---------->   translation       . 
                  .      fields         .     .     tables            . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         V           .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .      fill XML       .     .                       . 
                  .      template    <---------->   XML template      . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         V           .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
    to carrier    .      transmit       .     .     URI, Auth         . 
    server      <------  HTTPS       <---------->   & access          . 
                  .      request        .     .     info              . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
    from          .      receive        .     .                       . 
    carrier     -------> HTTPS          .     .                       . 
    server        .      response       .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       .
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         V           .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .      parse XML      .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  .         V           .     .                       . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .       translate     .     .     response          . 
                  .       response    <--------->   translation       . 
                  .       data          .     .     tables            . 
                  .                     .     .                       . 
                  .         |           .     .                       . 
                  . .  .  . | . . . . . .     . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
                            |                                        
                            V                                        
                                                                     
                         Asynchronous                                
                         User Response                               
                        (via callback?)                              

##</code><code>##

# definitions:
#   shipper - sends the shipment
#   carrier - transports the shipment
#   recipient - recieves the shipment

# configuration info
%conf = (
    weightUnits     =>
    dimensionUnits  =>
    currency        =>
    shipper         => {
        name            =>
        address         =>
        ... etc         =>
    }
    carriers        => [
        {
            carrier     =>
            shipperId   =>
            serverUrl   =>
            authent     =>
            ... etc     =>
        },{
            carrier     =>
            ... etc   =>
        }
    ]
);

# configure the module
ShipAPI->configure(\%conf);

# create a shipping object w/recipient info
$pkg = ShipAPI->shipment(
    carrier    =>
    name       =>
    company    =>
    address    =>
    ...etc     => );

# validate recipient address
$rv = $pkg->validate();

# add package(s) info    
$rv = $pkg->addPackage(
    weight     =>
    dimensions => [$h, $w, $d]
    type       => );

# get shipping services available(ground, next day etc)
$rv = $pkg->availableShipping();

# get transit time
$rv = $pkg->transit(
    service => );

# get add-on services available for this shipment
$rv = $pkg->availableAddon()

# add add-on services (COD, pickup, etc)
$rv = $pkg->addService(
    type    =>
    param   =>
    ...etc  => );

# get service rates
$rv = $pkg->rates(
    service => );

# add billing info if not billed to shipper
$rv = $pkg->billing(
    account =>
    zipcode => );

# submit for shipment
$rv = $pkg->ship(
    service  => );

# cancel shipment
$rv = $pkg->cancel();

# cancel shipment
$rv = ShipAPI->cancel(
    carrier  =>
    tracknum => );

# track shipment
$rv = $pkg->track();

# track shipment
$rv = ShipAPI->track(
    carrier  =>
    tracknum => );

# response callbacks:

shippingRates

trackingResults

transitTime

addressValidation

shipmentAcknowledge