| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20100094769 | VEHICLE ROUTING AND SCHEDULING SYSTEMS - A routing and scheduling computer system that is adapted to define a plurality of geofenced areas and to monitor vehicle activity within each of those areas (e.g., via telematics sensors mounted on vehicles traveling within the areas). The system may be adapted to use information regarding the monitored vehicle activity to estimate: (1) a first amount of time associated with the delivery of a plurality of parcels to one or more respective locations within a first one of the geofenced areas; and (2) a second amount of time associated with the delivery of a plurality of parcels to one or more respective locations within a second one of the geofenced areas. The system may then route a particular vehicle to make one or more pickups or deliveries within the first or second geographic areas based at least in part on the first and second estimates of time. | 04-15-2010 |
| 20110022535 | TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS - The present invention relates to transportation management processes and systems. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method in a computer system for determining one or more routes for transporting items, including receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, generating one or more consolidations, and generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or an order. The method further includes generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops wherein each route is associated with one or more shipments. The method still further includes selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters. | 01-27-2011 |
| 20110029447 | COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR ROUTING PACKAGE DELIVERIES - A shipping system for shipping packages involving the coordinated use of at least a first carrier and a second carrier. The shipping system includes physical delivery facilities for the physical delivery of packages, the physical delivery facilities including at least one transfer location at which the second carrier may take over delivery responsibilities for a package. The shipping system also includes an information system having a shipper computer system configured to record and determine whether the delivery address of a package is an efficient destination for the first carrier. If not an efficient destination, such as a delivery address having a rural zip code, the shipper computer system is configured to label the package for delivery to one of the transfer locations, allowing the first carrier to transfer the selected package to the second carrier for completion of the less efficient portion of the delivery. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110029448 | Transport Vehicle Capacity Maximization Logistics System and Method of Same - Disclosed is a system for substantially optimizing logistics for loading vehicles and transporting goods and a method of accomplishing the same. | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110029449 | COURSE CREATION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COURSE CREATION - A course creation system | 02-03-2011 |
| 20110071955 | TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE PLANNING SUPPORT SYSTEM AND TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE PLANNING SUPPORT METHOD - A transportation schedule planning support system receives an order of one or more types of products which requires a use-by date control, and transports the products from one or more stock-carrying bases to one or more delivery destinations. In the system, a user previously registers a transportation route candidate from a stock-carrying base to each delivery destination adoptable as a solution, as a base group. A necessary use-by date for a product to be delivered next is determined based on an actual delivery to each delivery destination. The number of vehicles allocatable to a transportation at each base according to a vehicle type, and a vehicle type not used in each base group are added to a restriction condition. A mixed integer programming is applied using an expected obtainable profit obtained by delivering each product as an objective function. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110112979 | MANIFEST GENERATION AND DOWNLOAD SYSTEMS AND METHODS - The present invention is directed to systems and methods to generate a manifest of work that is to be performed by a driver. Specifically, systems and methods are described in the context of a package delivery system to generate a manifest of deliveries and pickups to be performed by a driver and to download the generated manifest to a portable computing device used by the driver to service the route. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110161241 | TRANSMODAL AND LOGISTICS SYSTEM AND METHOD - A transmodal and logistics method, comprising generating at least one transportation route for shipping a shipment using one or more different transportation modes and at least two transportation providers, and calculating a cost rate associated with the at least one transportation route. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110173128 | Apparatus for Monitoring Fluid Levels in a Remotely Located Storage Tank - An improved system for delivering propane or other consumable liquid to remotely located storage tanks including a novel combination of remote monitoring of customer tanks and an improved method of using the remote monitoring data to optimally schedule deliveries, improve safety, and more efficiently operate a propane dealership. More accurate and timely information concerning the status of customer tanks serves to improve operational efficiencies and increase safety. Data received from remote sensors can be collected and organized so that it is easily understood and utilized through the implementation of a user interface accessible via the Internet that allows the information to be presented in an efficient graphical and contextual fashion. Operational efficiencies can also be improved by taking historical propane usage for each tank, weather conditions, and projected fuel usage into account. The system can calendar required inspections of customer tanks, homes, and appliances, and data can be combined with accounts receivable information. Remote monitoring of customer tanks can be combined with other products using similar equipment to provide additional non-seasonal revenue streams. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110178944 | SYSTEM FOR CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF DELIVERY ROUTES, AND METHOD FOR CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF DELIVERY ROUTES - The necessary number of delivery routes is accurately calculated corresponding to properties of an area. A system | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110178945 | SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING DETERMINATION OF DELIVERY SYSTEM, ROUTE CREATION SYSTEM, METHOD FOR ASSISTING DETERMINATION OF DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND ROUTE CREATION METHOD - Articles are delivered to stores within a predetermined area in an economical and efficient manner. A route creation system | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110218933 | Method and Apparatus for Managing Mobile Storage - A computer system for managing and operating a mobile storage business includes a centralized database that stores route information for a plurality of drivers and routes. A mobile computer device can be used by a driver or mobile storage representative to communicate with the database. The device can be used to display route information relating to the delivery or pickup of a portable storage container and to transmit to the database the signature of the customer, comments relating to the task, images relating to the task and location associated with the container identifier. The mobile computer device includes a scanner for capturing the container identification and a global positioning system capability for capturing the location associated with the container and the location of the mobile computer device. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110231335 | SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULING - A computer modeling application is disclosed for finding the optimal solution to maximize total net margin, for the assignment of vehicles (e.g., especially vessels) in an available fleet to perform a set of voyages to transport cargo comprising one or more bulk products during a planning period, as well as an apparatus and method employing the same. The fleet can include term vehicles and spot vehicles. The vehicles, voyages, and cargos can be heterogeneous. In one embodiment, the vehicles are crude carrier vessels and the bulk products are different grades of crude oil. To increase speed, the model is broken into linear programming and mixed integer (linear) programming problems. The model can be run on a real-time basis to support complex scheduling operations. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110258135 | Method for Planning the Travel Route of A Transport Vehicle, Transport Vehicle - There is provided a method for planning the travel route of a transport vehicle by which a plurality of transported items are transported. The method comprises providing an RFID tag for each transported item, wherein RFID antennas on the transport vehicle determine the load of the transport vehicle in that the individual RFID tags of the transported items are scanned inside the transport vehicle. The method also comprises scanning the RFID tags belonging to the transported items before the transport vehicle is loaded, via a reading process on an RFID packing bench. The route is planned at least on a basis of destination addresses for the transported items. The route may be changed dynamically on the basis of current traffic conditions and on the basis of items that have been newly loaded into the transport vehicle. | 10-20-2011 |
| 20120023032 | Resource Allocation and Sharing for Direct-Shipping - A system and method of providing package shipment by a package shipper including providing options for a shipment route, including at least one portion of the shipment route being air cargo, is disclosed, which may comprise receiving, via a communications network, from a package shipping customer, input including at least an origin, a destination and a latest time for delivery for a package; determining, via a computing device, a first optimized list of alternative shipment routes, optimized for profit to the package shipper; and providing, via the computing device, the customer with an option to further optimize according to a first optimization criteria selected by the customer from a list of a plurality of optimization criteria. The list of optimization criteria may include at least price, time of delivery and greenness. | 01-26-2012 |
| 20120072364 | TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT PROCESSES AND SYSTEMS - The present invention relates to transportation management processes and systems. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method in a computer system for determining one or more routes for transporting items, including receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, generating one or more consolidations, and generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or an order. The method further includes generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops wherein each route is associated with one or more shipments. The method still further includes selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120084223 | System To Organize Commodity-Product Distribution - Techniques are disclosed for generating a delivery schedule for distributing commodity products to a group of customers grouped by clusters. For example, a distributor/producer of refined gasses distributed via cylinders may create a proposed delivery schedule limiting the days at which product is delivered to different customers. A delivery planning application may include a clustering module a set of input data to generate a set of clusters representing groups of customers, e.g., using a Greedy Algorithm optimized using a Tabu search. Once the clusters are generated, a planning module may be used to affect trucks (or other delivery vehicles) to clusters. A truck affected to a given cluster by the delivery planning application is then scheduled to deliver cylinders to that cluster. The delivery schedule may provide a reusable two-week plan for servicing a group of customers in a supply chain network. | 04-05-2012 |
| 20120173448 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING DELIVERY FLEXIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION - Methods and systems for managing delivery of a package from a sender to a receiver are provided. In some embodiments, the package is transported from the sender to the receiver by one or more custodians. While the package is en route, one or more intermediate custodians may be added to the chain of custody of the package. A current custodian may be directed to an intermediate custodian instead of to the receiver. A handoff from the current custodian to the intermediate custodian may be tracked and verified, and the intermediate custodian may then be directed to the receiver or to another intermediate custodian. In some embodiments, a secure communication channel is established between the receiver and current and/or future custodians in the chain of custody. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120173449 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ORDER FULFILLMENT IN A DISTRIBUTION CENTER - Order allocation techniques pertaining to stops that a container makes in the process of fulfilling a customer order is disclosed. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by first identifying a pod that stocks the largest number of different items in a customer order. Then, a second pod is identified that stocks the largest number of remaining items in the customer order. The collection of pods defines a container path through the distribution center. | 07-05-2012 |
| 20120179624 | MODULE SUPPLY CHAIN - A system and method of fabricating and assembling of large-sized modules remote from a heavy industrial hydrocarbon processing plant site, and overland transportation thereof to the plant site. The method may rely on a computer-based heavy-haul transportation logistics system. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120179625 | Dynamic Workflow for Remote Devices - A dynamic workflow system and process for use in logistic support and management. The dynamic workflow system includes a central server that maintains all of the customer's requirements for each of its orders. The central server can generate unique workflows to follow to meet the requirements for each order submitted by the customers. The central server creates instructions from the workflows that it transmits to a remote device for an individual to follow in order to fulfill the customer's order. The remote device includes a shell program application which generates the workflows based upon the instructions received from the central server. The shell program application replaces the need for the remote device to store profiles for each customer that reflect their requirements. | 07-12-2012 |
| 20120226624 | OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM OF SMART LOGISTICS NETWORK - The present invention relates to an optimization system of a smart logistics network capable of providing an optimal plan in terms of an architecture of a logistics network of a shipper, the number and capacity of logistics centers, a transport network, a router, etc., in order to be able to minimize distribution cost and CO | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120233086 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING WORKLOAD - The apparatus includes a route manager configured to generate comparison result information by comparing an actual travel route of a mail carrier with an optimum service route on the basis of obtained global positioning system (GPS) information and then provide the generated comparison result information, a delivery point determiner configured to determine a delivery point on the basis of the obtained GPS information and provide information about the determined delivery point, a GPS information statistics unit configured to provide statistical information obtained by interpreting the obtained GPS information, and an information output unit configured to convert information obtained from one of the route manager, the delivery point determiner, and the GPS information statistics unit to be output as a document, or process the information to be checked by the mail carrier through a user interface (UI). Accordingly, efficiency of a collection and delivery service can be improved. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120239588 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DETERMINING FREIGHT/LOAD DISTRIBUTION FOR MULTIPLE VEHICLES - Systems and methods of vehicle freight/load distribution are provided to assist in determining optimal freight distribution. Although it is standard practice to fill each vehicle to its maximum limit, due to the non-linear nature of engine fueling maps (that is, fueling maps vary non-linearly as a function of torque and speed), the optimal distribution may not be obtained by the standard practice. Finding a solution for the optimal freight distribution may also need to account for the cost of fueling and operator costs, particularly if the situation involves multiple vehicles not filled to capacity. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination amongst a fleet of vehicles. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120290496 | METHOD OF CALCULATING DELIVERY OPERATION WORKLOAD AND APPARATUS FOR THE SAME - A method of calculating a delivery operation workload and an apparatus for the same are disclosed. The method includes calculating a route sorting time on the basis of given same-day mail delivery information and delivery point information, calculating a movement time on the basis of the same-day mail delivery information and the delivery point information, calculating a delivery time on the basis of the same-day mail delivery information and the delivery point information, calculating an incidental operation time on the basis of the same-day mail delivery information and the delivery point information, and summing the calculated route sorting time, the movement time, the delivery time, and the incidental operation time, and calculating the delivery operation workload on the basis of processing ability information for each mailman and delivery operation environment information. It is thus possible to more objectively calculate the delivery operation workload. | 11-15-2012 |
| 20130041836 | VESSEL SCHEDULE OPTIMIZATION - One embodiment is a vessel schedule optimization system and method that determines and schedules the optimal land and ocean shipments for a group of orders. The method includes creating an order bundle, the order bundle including orders that have the same origin and destination location and have overlapping time windows for pickup and delivery. The method also includes dividing the order bundle into equipment sized bundles, such that each of the equipment sized bundles include orders that can fit in the same equipment. The method further includes, for each of the equipment sized bundles, identifying available origin ports, destination ports, and voyages for handling the equipment sized bundle. The method then includes building land and ocean shipments for each of the equipment sized bundles based on the identified origin ports and destination ports. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130046705 | System and Method of Vessel Scheduling for Product Distribution - A system, computer-implemented method, and software for automatically planning and scheduling ocean-going vessels for oil distribution is provided. The scheduling of the vessels is based on a filtered beam search and greedy heuristic. A server can be used for receiving a schedule request and one or more constraints for scheduling one or more vessels from one or more users. An optimization engine can be used for generating a schedule based at least in part on the one or more constraints using a beam search algorithm. | 02-21-2013 |
| 20130080347 | System for Optimizing Collection and/or Delivery Trips - The subject innovation relates to a system for optimizing collection trips and/or delivery trips of a courier service, comprising a computer system with a database for storing address data records and for providing the address data records for a navigation system which can at least be read in at least one of the courier vehicles belonging to the courier service, has a display screen for navigation information and comprises an input system in the courier vehicle, which input system is connected to the computer system and is intended for the input of at least one item of additional information relating to at least one address data record, wherein the computer system is suitable for inserting the additional information into the stored address data records. The subject innovation also relates to a method for using this system. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130117194 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESSLY ROUTING A VEHICLE - 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. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130151435 | Automated Partitioning of Transportation Routing Problems - Method and system are provided for automated partitioning of transportation routing problems. The method includes: determining a threshold number of shipments per partition; selecting a geographic centre; mapping delivery and/or pickup sites at geographic locations; | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130159206 | DYNAMIC VEHICLE ROUTING IN MULTI-STAGE DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS - Determining a routing of vehicles for pickup and delivery in a supply chain network, in one aspect, may include generating a plurality of candidate set of routes for vehicles for pickup and delivery to meet demand at multiple target locations. Unsatisfied demand at said multiple target locations resulting from completing pickup and delivery according to the generated plurality of candidate set of routes may be determined. A set of vehicles routes are selected from said plurality of candidate set of routes that minimizes said unsatisfied demand across all said multiple target locations by applying an optimization function. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130159207 | IDENTIFYING LOCATION IN PACKAGE AND MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEMS - A system and method of identifying a location in a package and mail delivery system includes inputting a location coordinate into a conversion system having a grid data set, and determining the grid unit that contains the location coordinate. The conversion system divides the Earth's surface into a progressive grid system assigning the position of the location coordinate, and then further dividing the grid into increasingly smaller grid units until a precise identifier is determined for the input location coordinate. The determined identifier for said input location coordinate is output for use in package and mail delivery systems. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130159208 | SHIPPER-ORIENTED LOGISTICS BASE OPTIMIZATION SYSTEM - A logistics base optimization system that may provide an optimal plan with respect to an architecture of a logistics network of a shipper, the number and capacity of logistics centers, a transport network, a routing, and the like, in order to minimize logistics cost or a carbon emission amount at the present, midterm, and long term. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130204802 | Mail Manufacturing Virtualization - Mail manufacturing virtualization is performed at a centralized routing site. This includes receiving, from at least one mailing source, electronic mailing data associated with at least one mailing and determining a mail routing distribution for the received electronic mailing data. Similarly, mail manufacturing virtualization includes routing the electronic mailing data to a plurality of output centers according to the determined mail routing distribution, where the plurality of output centers are configured to generate physical mail from the electronic mailing data and facilitating sending the physical mail to at least one respective recipient. | 08-08-2013 |
| 20130297527 | LOGISTICS SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING LOGISTICS SERVICE WITH THE LOGISTICS SYSTEM - A logistics system for providing logistics service across one or more areas is provided. The system comprises: a plurality of nodes each located in a respective area configured for providing logistics delivery; and an intelligent logistics distribution platform configured to communicate with each node and select a route consisted of said nodes for the logistics service; wherein the nodes located in each area are arranged to form a number of tree structures with respective roots of said trees being connected with each other such that the intelligent logistics distribution platform is capable of deriving a unique shortest route for the logistics service. | 11-07-2013 |
| 20130304664 | FLEXIBLE MAIL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD - The principles of the present invention provide the ability to flexibly change the delivery point and time for a mail item, while the item is en route. The recipient, sender, or mailer may flexibly change the delivery point of the item alone or in combination with each other. While an item is en route between the sending point and the delivery point, a notification is sent to indicate that the item is in transit. In response, the delivery of the item may be changed. For example, the destination specified by the sender (e.g., the delivery address written on the item) may be changed or a delivery time may be specified. The item is then delivered to the new delivery point and/or at the specified delivery time. | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130318002 | RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN CREATION DEVICE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN CREATION METHOD - A resource management plan creation support device reads in a travel schedule, represents, as one node, each path from an originating location to a terminating location of each leg included in a travel schedule that has been read in, and creates a network model by connecting together, using links, the legs over which consecutive travel is possible based upon the place and time. In addition, nodes representing auxiliary resources are added to the created network, and the network model is updated by adding links representing temporary usage of the auxiliary resources or temporary cessation of use of business-use resources. Also, by finding a path group encompassing each node of the network model so as to satisfy a pre-supplied condition (the condition of allocating resources to all of the legs), a management plan for resources which execute transport services is created. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130339266 | VEHICLE FLEET ROUTING SYSTEM - In one embodiment, a system for routing vehicles in a vehicle fleet includes a location assignment module comprising computer hardware and a routing module. The location assignment module can be configured to iteratively: determine whether quotas are met for a plurality of territories based at least on locations assigned to individual territories of the plurality of territories, and in response to determining that the quota is unmet for one or more individual territories, assign one or more additional locations to the one or more individual territories having unmet quotas based at least on a proximity of the one or more additional locations to a different reference location associated with each of the one or more individual territories having unmet quotas. The routing module can be configured to generate routes including the locations assigned to the individual territories for vehicles in a vehicle fleet. | 12-19-2013 |
| 20140052660 | Mobilized laundry service system - A distributed laundry system having mobilized laundry vehicles, including true laundry conveyors in the vehicles, and including a specialized distributed computer network in the vehicles to handle the circumstances of mobile laundry operations, such as special laundry instructions. In addition, procedures and operations which allow the vehicles to cooperate to provide efficient pickup and drop off services at locations of the customers' choices (such as at home or work), including flexible territories for the trucks, customer user interfaces on mobile devices such as cell phones, mobile computing devices and the like, and precise time estimates of pick-up and drop-off times. | 02-20-2014 |
| 20140067709 | Transport Using Geolocation - A system comprises a delivery application executing on a processor of a delivery device. The application communicates a message indicating a problem associated with locating a destination site for a user. The system further comprises a user application executing on a processor of a user device. The user application communicates a message confirming that the user device is located at the destination site, and communicates geocoordinates of the destination site. The system further comprises a vendor server communicatively coupled to the processor of the delivery device and the processor of the user device. The vendor server communicates with the user application to receive the geocoordinates of the destination site. The vendor server further communicates the geocoordinates of the destination site to the delivery application. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20140143170 | MANIFEST DELIVERY SYSTEM AND METHOD - There is provided a method and system of determining efficient routing of a mail piece in a delivery system for delivering mail pieces. The system determines whether or not the mail piece requires urgent delivery. The system determines a weight of the mail piece. Also, the system determines, based on the urgency determination and the weight determination, a most cost-effective place in which to introduce the mail piece into the delivery system. | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140143171 | ENHANCED LOCATION INFORMATION FOR POINTS OF INTEREST - Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for identifying a serviceable address that is associated with a street network connection point and a parcel drop-off point. For example, in one embodiment, the serviceable address may be associated with a street network connection point that is part of a digital map. The serviceable address may also be associated with a parcel drop-off point that includes parcel drop-off point information, such as a parcel drop-off point geo coordinate associated with the parcel drop-off point and street network connection point geo coordinate associated with the street network connection point. | 05-22-2014 |
| 20140156553 | Systems and Methods for Fulfilling Orders - Various embodiments for facilitating the fulfillment of orders are disclosed. One embodiment is a method implemented in at least one computing device for fulfilling an order for an item in a storage facility. The method comprises obtaining an order for the item from a third party order provider, converting the order to a predetermined format for fulfillment, generating guidance information based on the converted order and at least one attribute of the item, and transmitting the guidance information to a wireless computing device for fulfillment of the order by a picker. | 06-05-2014 |
| 20140172738 | KNOWLEDGE BASED INITIALIZATION FOR ROUTING OPTIMIZATION - According to one general aspect, a method of transportation management may include receiving a request to transport a current freight unit from a current source location to a current destination location. The method may include selecting a prior shipment path based upon a similarity, as defined by a set of predefined criteria, between the current freight unit and a prior freight unit. The method may further include initializing a shipment path improver with the prior shipment path. The method may also include generating, via the shipment path improver, a current shipment path for the current freight unit from the current source location to the current destination location based upon the prior shipment path. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140172739 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF COORDINATING DISTRIBUTION OF AN ITEM - A system and method for coordinating item delivery is disclosed. The system includes a control hub configured to receive item information, a dynamic routing system configured to provide routing instructions, and a handheld device configured to receive routing instructions. The control hub controls and coordinates receiving and transmitting item information, including pick-up and delivery schedules, and other item information. | 06-19-2014 |
| 20140180957 | COST AND LATENCY REDUCTIONS THROUGH DYNAMIC UPDATES OF ORDER MOVEMENT THROUGH A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK - A method, system, and computer program product for shipping management. The computer implemented method commences upon receiving a first set of orders to be shipped to a destination region in accordance with a first set of timing constraints, then building a first set of multi-stop shipments, the first set of multi-stop shipments comprising a first multi-stop carrier schedule that satisfies the set of timing constraints. The method waits a calculated duration before receiving a second set of orders to be shipped to the destination region in accordance with a second set of timing constraints. A second set of multi-stop shipments is built, wherein the second set of multi-stop shipments comprises a second multi-stop carrier schedule for at least one stop not included in the first set of multi-stop shipments, and the second multi-stop carrier schedule satisfies both the first set of timing constraints and the second set of timing constraints. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140180958 | FINDING MINIMUM COST TRANSPORTATION ROUTES FOR ORDERS THROUGH A TRANSPORTATION NETWORK - A method, system, and computer program product for enterprise software application modules for order consolidation management. The method commences by receiving a set of orders where individual orders have one or more order constraints, then mapping the orders onto one or more transportation legs, where the individual transportation legs have leg constraints. A set of feasible paths through the legs for the orders is generated and ranked based on a total cost through the legs to pick-up an order from a source location and deliver it to a destination location. The method continues by determining a set of shortest paths through a transportation network for the set of orders, wherein the determination of any one of the shortest paths is made subject to honoring respective order constraints while concurrently honoring the leg constraints. The orders are then remapped onto one of the shortest paths. | 06-26-2014 |
| 20140188753 | OVERLAPPING GEOGRAPHIC AREAS - Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for identifying overlapping areas. For example, in one embodiment, telematics data can be collected as vehicles traverse various geographic areas. Then, the areas traversed by the vehicles can be displayed to identify overlapping areas. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140279661 | TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION CACHE FOR DYNAMIC NETWORK AND ROUTE DETERMINATION - A transportation management system may include a connection cache configured to store connection-relevant transportation information for transportation objects. The connection-relevant transportation information may have been replicated from at least one of a plurality of transportation object sources including at least a first database storing schedules, a second database storing freight bookings, and a third database storing freight orders. The transportation management system may also include a connection cache access engine configured to receive transportation parameters including at least a first location and a second location, and query the connection cache to dynamically select one or more transportation objects from the connection cache related to at least one of the schedules, the freight bookings, and the freight orders, that are relevant for the first location and the second location. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140279662 | TRANSPORTATION TIME ESTIMATION BASED ON MULTI-GRANULAR MAPS - An index engine may receive historical path data characterizing transportation paths in terms of associated conditions, and may define path segments of varying levels of granularity based on the historical path data, wherein relatively shorter path segments have relatively finer levels of granularity than those of path segments of relatively coarser levels of granularity. The index engine may then index each path segment, based on its corresponding level of granularity and its associated conditions. Then, a query processor may receive a query for a new transportation route, and determine a predicted transportation time for the new transportation route, using the indexed path segments. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140279663 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF RE-ROUTING PARCELS INTENDED FOR DELIVERY TO ATTENDED DELIVERY/PICKUP LOCATIONS - Systems and methods for re-routing parcels being delivered to attended delivery/pickup locations that have no capacity and/or ability to take delivery of the parcels. In various embodiments, in response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location doesn't have sufficient capacity and/or ability to accept delivery of the parcel, the system is configured to: (1) re-route the parcel to a different location; or (2) hold the parcel for later delivery. In some embodiments, the system is configured to determine an appropriate response to determining that the attended delivery/pickup location cannot accept delivery of the parcel substantially automatically. In other embodiments, the system is configured to provide the parcel recipient with one or more re-routing options. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140297554 | TRANSPORT USING GEOLOCATION - An apparatus includes a memory and a processor. The processor may receive, from a transporter device, an indication of a problem associated with locating a destination site associated with the first user device. In response to receiving the indication, the processor may request the geocoordinates of the first user device. The processor may confirm that a second user device is located proximate the destination site, wherein the first user device requests the geocoordinates of the second user device in response to a determination that the first user device is not located proximate the destination site. The processor may receive the geocoordinates of the second user device, and communicate, to the transporter device, the geocoordinates of the second user device. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140310197 | Devices, Systems and Methods for Wirelessly Routing a Vehicle - 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. | 10-16-2014 |
| 20140317014 | Shipping Route Determination - Various implementations described herein are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, may cause the computer to receive data corresponding to a shipment. The computer may retrieve carrier data related to the shipment. The computer may retrieve local carrier rules related to the shipment. The computer may modify the carrier data using the local carrier rules. The computer may create one or more routes for the shipment using the modified carrier data. | 10-23-2014 |
| 20140324727 | METHOD OF SIMULATING SHIPPING OF LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS - A method of simulating shipping of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is provided. An LNG supply chain is modeled with a plurality of decision-making modules. The plurality of decision-making modules are configured to capture behavior of various elements of the LNG supply chain. Data representing a current state of at least a portion of the LNG supply chain is entered into a computer-based simulation system. Optimization techniques are employed with the plurality of decision-making modules to prescribe operations decisions for each element of the LNG supply chain. A simulation of the LNG supply chain is run using the plurality of decision-making modules, the data, and the optimization techniques. An LNG shipping schedule is outputted. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20140330738 | Optimizing Customer Delivery Services - Systems and methods for delivering items to customers are disclosed. In one embodiment, an initial delivery schedule is established. The delivery schedule comprises a plurality of slots representing delivery times and delivery locations for the customers, wherein the slots are assigned as a result of a collaborative process. A set of pre-selected additional customers are identified for possible scheduling of any open slot. In real-time, additional slots in the initial delivery schedule are automatically identified. The additional slots represent a capacity to provide the item to one or more additional customers. One or more target customers are contacted to fill the additional slots. The target customers are automatically selected from the set of pre-selected additional customers based upon a target customer location relative to delivery locations associated with the slots adjacent to the additional slot. Customers may also pick up items from a delivery vehicle parked at a centralized location. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140330739 | Optimizing Customer Delivery Services - Systems and methods for delivering items to customers are disclosed. In one embodiment, an initial delivery schedule is established. The delivery schedule comprises a plurality of slots representing delivery times and delivery locations for the customers, wherein the slots are assigned as a result of a collaborative process. A set of pre-selected additional customers are identified for possible scheduling of any open slot. In real-time, additional slots in the initial delivery schedule are automatically identified. The additional slots represent a capacity to provide the item to one or more additional customers. One or more target customers are contacted to fill the additional slots. The target customers are automatically selected from the set of pre-selected additional customers based upon a target customer location relative to delivery locations associated with the slots adjacent to the additional slot. Customers may also pick up items from a delivery vehicle parked at a centralized location. | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140351164 | METHOD OF SEQUENCING A DELIVERY ROUTE - A method for sequencing geo coded addresses on a delivery route with the use of a device is disclosed, The methodology includes the steps of a driver selecting a street segment on a device and selecting a sequence mode for the delivery. The methodology also includes driving down a selected street segment and confirming an odd or even number of the addresses on either side of the street. The methodology also comprises the marking of each address as delivered as it is passed by the driver. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20150074013 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ROUTE EFFICIENCY MAPPING - A system includes a simulation module and a mapping module. The simulation module is configured to simulate performance of a first mission over at least one route by a first vehicle, and to simulate the performance of the first mission using route information corresponding to one or more characteristics of the at least one route and vehicle information corresponding to one or more characteristics of the first vehicle. The simulation module is configured to determine performance characteristics for the first mission, with the performance characteristics including at least one fuel usage characteristic evaluated for plural sections of the at least one route. The mapping module is configured to provide a fuel efficiency map describing fuel usage along at least a portion of the at least one route using the performance characteristics determined by the simulation module. | 03-12-2015 |
| 20150081587 | CUSTOMER CONTROLLED MANAGEMENT OF SHIPMENTS - Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for customer controlled management of shipments. For example, in various embodiments, a customer can provide information prior to a first delivery or pickup attempt of an item by a carrier to receive messages regarding shipment of the item and to have the item delivered or picked up in accordance with an automatic service schedule. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150088780 | DYNAMIC ROUTE PLANNING - A system for route planning and loading transport vehicles comprises a computer having a database with shipment data allocated to objects for transport. The computer uses the shipment data per object for each transport vehicle to generate a first route plan for object delivery on a transport date. A conveyor belt conveys objects according to the route plan to the allocated transport vehicles. A checking station checks for a route plan for passing objects and signals an error if there is no route plan. A recognition station uses the error signal to indicate new shipment data to the computer. The computer allocates the object with the new data to an appropriate vehicle, during conveyance to the transport vehicles, and converts the first route plan for the transport vehicle into a second route plan considering the new shipment data. | 03-26-2015 |
| 20150095256 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING OBJECTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES TO DESTINATIONS - A method and a device for transporting objects of different types to different destinations, in particular postal items to delivery addresses. Each object to be transported belongs to one of at least two different object types. For each object, the destination (Zp. | 04-02-2015 |
| 20150120600 | TIME AND LOCATION BASED DELIVERY OPTIMIZATION - Methods, systems, and computer program products for logistics management are described. A root node in a tree representing a home base may be established, the root node comprising a capacity of a corresponding delivery vehicle. One or more unassigned delivery points may be added as a child node of the root node if a path to the corresponding unassigned delivery point is feasible. A next level delivery point may be added as a child node of a node in a tree level | 04-30-2015 |
| 20150134560 | METHOD FOR RECOMMENDING PREFERRED LOCATIONS FOR SHIPPING PRODUCTS AND A DISTRIBUTED NETWORKING THEREOF - The present disclosure relates to method and system to recommend locations for shipping products in an ecommerce system. In an embodiment of transaction between business entity and individual, the preferred shipping locations of a service provider are matched with that of the consumer, sorted based on finding a match and based on location proximity and then recommended as possible alternative shipping locations with lesser cost. The method of the present disclosure results in lesser shipping charges for both the consumer and the service provider. | 05-14-2015 |
| 20150356503 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOGISTICS OPTIMIZATION USING LANE ORDER PATTERN FLEXING - A system and method is provided which determines optimal logistics solutions by allowing a purchaser of goods to vary order frequency and amount of goods ordered so as to lower logistics costs while still meeting inventory constraints. The logistics solution uses several models to search for the most optimal solution in any of a variety of metrics, including total cost, percentage trailer utilization, number of truck used, and miles driven. | 12-10-2015 |
| 20150379467 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RULE-DRIVEN MANAGEMENT OF SENSOR DATA ACROSS GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND DERIVED ACTIONS - The present disclosure relates to an information gathering method. The information gathering method includes identifying a location of a package, the location associated with one or more location-based restrictions on collecting data. The information gathering method also includes restricting access to sensor-collectable data associated with the package in accordance with the one or more location-based restrictions. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20150379468 | METHODS FOR DELIVERY TO MULTIPLE LOCATIONS USING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES - A method of delivering parcels in two stages. A vehicle transports the parcel to a transfer point using address information from a shipping party. The first vehicle is designed for operation on the pubic road system. The parcel is transferred to a secondary vehicle for delivery to the final delivery point. The second vehicle which may one vehicle or multiple vehicles with multiple parcels finishes the delivery. The second vehicle is autonomous and adapted to use off of public roads or in smaller spaces. It relies on information provided by the recipient or the location controller of the area for the second delivery segment. The information may define a geometric path for the vehicle to traverse or may be information to pass restrictions such as locked doors in the final delivery path. The method provides advantages of efficiency, security and late provision of final delivery information. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160012393 | PARCEL DELIVERY METHOD USING AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160019500 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING MAIL PATH INFORMATION - A method and device for determining mail path information, a method and system for sorting mail at a collector-distributor point, and a method and system for labeling delivery information of a collector-distributor point are disclosed. The method for determining mail path information includes determining a latitude-longitude coordinate range of each collector-distributor point according to the collection and distribution region of the collector-distributor point, acquiring the latitude-longitude coordinates of the sending point the destination point; determining the collector-distributor point to which the sending point of the piece of mail is subordinate and the collector-distributor point to which the destination point of the piece of mail is subordinate respectively; acquiring collector-distributor point information of the collector-distributor point to which the sending point is subordinate and the collector-distributor point to which the destination point is subordinate; and determining halfway collector-distributor points and the path information. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160019501 | Systems, methods and computer-program products for automation of dispatch of shipment delivery order - Various embodiments of the present invention provide system, methods and computer-program products for dispatching of shipment delivery order with a pre-determined service window to a single delivery agent of a common carrier. In general, various embodiments of the invention involve minimizing the cost of delivery while satisfying service conditions by determining and comparing the costs of shipment delivery if it were performed by any of the delivery agents in the existing common carrier's fleet, taking into account various factors, such as current and future load and route of each delivery agent, type of vehicle of delivery agent, geographical location of delivery agent at the time of dispatch decision, predicted route of the delivery agent, predicted loading and unloading times for package shipment, and data obtained by statistical analysis of prior service data. Other embodiments of the invention involve calculating the optimal time for making an automated dispatch decision by the computer-program product. Yet other embodiments of the invention involve determination of optimal time for delivery agent to start delivery of a package shipment. | 01-21-2016 |
| 20160042320 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY ROUTING ITEMS - Systems and methods for handling a plurality items by using a sorter to receive items and obtain item information and delivery destinations from the items. A run manifest is generated having an item identifier and a destination for each of the plurality of items. The run manifest data is used in a routing module to generate dynamic routes for delivering the plurality of items, and generating a sequence identifier for each of the plurality of items according to the dynamically generated routes. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160042321 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING LOGISTICS DATA - The invention provides systems and methods for monitoring logistics data associated with delivery of cargo and providing one or more suggested actions to a member of a supply chain for increasing the likelihood of on-time delivery of the cargo based on the logistics data. | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160048802 | TRANSPORTATION PLANNING FOR A REGIONAL LOGISTICS NETWORK - According to an aspect, a system includes transportation module configured to generate a transportation plan for packages scheduled to be routed through a regional logistics network such that the transportation plan minimizes transportation costs. The transportation module may include a pickup plan module, a depot-to-depot plan module, and a delivery plan module. The pickup plan module may be configured to compute a pickup transportation plan for packages to be picked-up from the customers in the customer area of an origin depot. The depot-to-depot plan module may be configured to compute a depot-to-depot transportation plan for packages transferred between the origin depot and a destination depot. The delivery plan module may be configured to compute a delivery transportation plan for delivering packages from the destination depot to the customers within the customer area of the destination depot. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160048803 | AUTOMATON-BASED FRAMEWORK FOR ASSET NETWORK ROUTING - A rule handler may receive a first routing rule and a second routing rule, each routing rule characterizing at least one potential physical transportation route. A rule converter may convert the first routing rule and the second routing rule into a first finite automaton (FA) and a second finite automaton, respectively, and may combine the first finite automaton and the second finite automaton into a finite automaton network graph. A graph comparator may then compare the finite automaton network graph to existing physical transportation routes, and a route selector may select, based on the comparing, at least one feasible physical transportation route from the existing physical transportation routes, the at least one feasible physical transportation route being an instance of the at least one potential physical transportation route. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160048804 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR PACKAGE DELIVERY - Systems, methods and a computer-readable medium provide for package delivery by transportation services that transport one or more passenger to desired locations. In one or more embodiments, a transportation server identifies a package delivery location for a package. The transportation server determines a route characteristic based at least on the package delivery location. The transportation server sends the route characteristic to a transportation service for transporting at least one passenger to a passenger drop-off location. | 02-18-2016 |
| 20160063438 | Methods and Systems for Consolidating Shipments of Multiple Products to Consumers - Methods and systems are provided for consolidating a shipment of purchased products to a consumer. A consumer is initially registered to a consolidation account for consolidated shipping of the products. The consolidation account typically includes at least one predefined shipping criteria, used to determine when to ship the consolidated products. Upon purchasing various products from one or more merchants, the products are associated, at a computing device, with the consumer's consolidation account and are routed to a hold location. Then, at the hold location, the products are pooled together and, when the at least one predefined shipping criteria is achieved, the products are routed, as a single shipment, to the consumer. | 03-03-2016 |
| 20160071056 | PROGRAMMATICALLY EXECUTING TIME COMPRESSED DELIVERY - Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for determining whether available and executing time compressed/sensitive delivery. In one exemplary embodiment, a method may comprise receiving an electronic notification comprising pick-up locations, delivery locations and a time window, determining whether the items can be picked up at the pick-up locations and delivered to one of the delivery locations within the time window based on available delivery vehicles, available delivery drivers, planned routes, physical vehicle capacity, planned sort capabilities, available meet points, and available pick-up times, and in an instance in which it is determined that the items can be picked up at one of the pick-up locations and delivered to one of the delivery locations within the time window, providing an affirmative response. | 03-10-2016 |
| 20160086132 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DETERMINING FREIGHT/LOAD DISTRIBUTION FOR MULTIPLE VEHICLES - Systems and methods of vehicle freight/load distribution are provided to assist in determining optimal freight distribution. Although it is standard practice to fill each vehicle to its maximum limit, due to the non-linear nature of engine fueling maps (that is, fueling maps vary non-linearly as a function of torque and speed), the optimal distribution may not be obtained by the standard practice. Finding a solution for the optimal freight distribution may also need to account for the cost of fueling and operator costs, particularly if the situation involves multiple vehicles not filled to capacity. The benefit is increased freight efficiency in transporting cargo from source to destination amongst a fleet of vehicles. | 03-24-2016 |
| 20160104112 | Peer to Peer Delivery System - A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement an N-tier application package delivery service. Drivers can register for the system and then be presented with automatic alerts when pick up points (for delivery tasks) are nearby or along their current route so that drivers can make extra money by picking packages that are available on or near their current route and then deliver them. Driving patterns of each driver are detected, stored, and analyzed so that their destinations can automatically be predicted. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160104113 | Peer to Peer Delivery System - A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement an N-tier application package delivery service. Drivers can register for the system and then be presented with automatic alerts when pick up points (for delivery tasks) are nearby or along their current route so that drivers can make extra money by picking packages that are available on or near their current route and then deliver them. Driving patterns of each driver are detected, stored, and analyzed so that their destinations can automatically be predicted. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160104114 | Supporting the transport of shipments - An apparatus receives an indication of an incident potentially affecting a particular route in a section between two supply chain nodes. The particular route is usable for a transport of a shipment, and the particular route comprises a supply chain lane or a sequence of supply chain lanes connecting the two supply chain nodes. The apparatus determines at least one possible alternative route based on stored data about supply chain lanes that have been used successfully for a transport of at least one shipment between a respective pair of a plurality of pairs of supply chain nodes in the past. The apparatus provides data about the determined at least one possible alternative route. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160117640 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WIRELESSLY ROUTING A VEHICLE - 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. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160148153 | OPTIMIZING NETWORK YIELD DURING FREIGHT BOOKING - Booking information including destination and origin and specifying a desired multi-modal freight shipment is obtained from a user; based on same and on route information from a carrier database, a plurality of feasible multi-modal routes for the desired freight shipment are generated with a route enumeration module. Based on cost information from the carrier database, cost for each of the feasible multi-modal routes is computed with a cost estimation sub-module of a metric computation module. Based on transit time information from the carrier database, transit time for each of the feasible multi-modal routes is computed with a transit time estimation sub-module of the metric computation module. Based on the cost for each of the feasible multi-modal routes and the transit time for each of the feasible multi-modal routes, multi-objective optimization under uncertainty is carried out with an optimization module, to obtain one or more preferred feasible multi-modal routes. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160148154 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PARCEL DELIVERY TO ALTERNATE DELIVERY LOCATIONS - A system in various embodiments, is configured to redirect undeliverable parcels to alternate delivery locations. The parcels may be undeliverable due to an unavailability of an intended recipient of the parcels to sign for the parcels or otherwise take delivery of the parcels at the delivery address. The system may be configured to determine an eligibility of the undeliverable parcel to be redirected to an alternate delivery location and then determine a suitable alternate delivery location based at least in part on: one or more parcel recipient preferences, one or more parcel shipper preferences, a location of the delivery address, etc. The system may be further configured to notify the parcel recipient of a redirection of the parcel to the alternate delivery address. | 05-26-2016 |
| 20160171440 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FREIGHT MANAGEMENT | 06-16-2016 |
| 20160171441 | CROSS-DOCK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS | 06-16-2016 |
| 20160189101 | SECURE PAYLOAD DELIVERIES VIA UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES - A device receives a request for a flight path for a UAV to travel from a first location to a second location, and determines capability information for the UAV based on component information of the UAV. The device calculates the flight path based on the capability information, and generates flight path instructions that include delivery confirmation instructions. The device provides the flight path instructions to the UAV to permit the UAV to travel from the first location to the second location to deliver a payload, and obtains, based on the delivery confirmation instructions, user credentials associated with a user at the second location. The device determines whether the user is an authorized recipient of the payload, based on the user credentials, and causes the UAV to selectively deliver the payload to the user based on whether the user is the authorized recipient of the payload. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160189102 | A CARGO SHIPMENT ROUTE DETERMINATION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method comprising: providing data regarding a plurality of shipment services, each datum comprising a service origin and destination pair and price information; providing data regarding a plurality of shipment service providers, each shipment service associated with a shipment service provider; providing a shipment origin and destination of the cargo; responsive to the shipment origin, the shipment destination and a predetermined route viability criterion, identifying a viability set of the shipment services; responsive to a predetermined business relationship criterion, identifying a set of the shipment service providers; responsive to the identified shipment service viability set and the identified provider set, determining, in real-time, a shipment route for the cargo from the provided shipment origin to the provided shipment destination; responsive to the shipment service price information, determining, in real-time, price information associated with the determined shipment route; and outputting the determined shipment route and the determined associated price information. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160379167 | DYNAMIC RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND SCHEDULING - A dynamic resource scheduler receives a first request to schedule a first event at a first location during a first time period and a second request to schedule a second event at a second location. When the dynamic resource scheduler determines that the second location is within a threshold distance of the first location, the dynamic resource scheduler determines and presents a first plurality of selectable time period options for scheduling the second event that includes at least one of the first time period and a second, adjacent time period and schedules the second event during a selected time period. | 12-29-2016 |
| 20170236092 | Cargo Delivery Apparatus And Method | 08-17-2017 |
| 20180025321 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DELIVERY TO A MOBILE PURCHASER | 01-25-2018 |
