Partial load shipment consolidation and scheduling
First Claim
1. A method for matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services in multiple segments in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider providing the transportation services, the method comprising:
- receiving a request for transportation services, the request comprising an origin, a destination and at least one of a characterization of a load or a characterization of the transportation services that implies a predetermined load;
in the case of time constraints, receiving at least one of a time of availability at the origin or a required time of arrival at the destination;
identifying regional origin and regional destination geographical areas or locations associated with the respective origin and destination, whereby the origin and destination fall within the respective regional origin and regional destination geographical areas;
using one or more computing devices to automatically define a plurality of segments connecting the regional origin geographical area and the regional destination geographical area as a main line segment and at least one distinct segment comprising one of the origin and the regional origin or the regional destination and the destination, to form a contiguous multi-segment routing;
receiving information indicating availability of transportation service providers to provide transportation services between segments, the transportation services between segments having a scheduled sequence;
using machine learning to automatically determine non-user-defined reference criteria and add to the retrieved preference data for filtering and ranking as inferred preferences, the non-user-defined preference criteria selected from driver preferences derived from common values in selections;
using one or more computing devices to automatically match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services, the matching comprising matching capacity and scheduling in order to comply with the scheduled sequence;
using one or more computing devices to automatically obtain competitive bids to meet the specified demand for transportation services, and to offer the transportation service provider inclusion in the competitive bids based on candidate service interests;
aggregating the competitive bids to provide a total bid price; and
in the case of the transportation service provider or providers with the candidate service interests winning the bid or bids, arranging provision of the transportation services.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Transportation services are matched with demand, in multiple segments in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider. A request for transportation services is received, including an origin, destination and a characterization of a load or service. Origin and destination geographical areas or locations are identified, and a main line segment and at least one distinct segment are identified to form a contiguous multi-segment routing. A transportation service provider is matched to the specified demand for transportation services, in order to comply with the scheduled sequence. One or more competitive bids are aggregated to provide a total bid price and provision of the transportation services are arranged using the candidate service interests winning the bid or bids.
70 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services in multiple segments in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider providing the transportation services, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for transportation services, the request comprising an origin, a destination and at least one of a characterization of a load or a characterization of the transportation services that implies a predetermined load; in the case of time constraints, receiving at least one of a time of availability at the origin or a required time of arrival at the destination; identifying regional origin and regional destination geographical areas or locations associated with the respective origin and destination, whereby the origin and destination fall within the respective regional origin and regional destination geographical areas; using one or more computing devices to automatically define a plurality of segments connecting the regional origin geographical area and the regional destination geographical area as a main line segment and at least one distinct segment comprising one of the origin and the regional origin or the regional destination and the destination, to form a contiguous multi-segment routing; receiving information indicating availability of transportation service providers to provide transportation services between segments, the transportation services between segments having a scheduled sequence; using machine learning to automatically determine non-user-defined reference criteria and add to the retrieved preference data for filtering and ranking as inferred preferences, the non-user-defined preference criteria selected from driver preferences derived from common values in selections; using one or more computing devices to automatically match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services, the matching comprising matching capacity and scheduling in order to comply with the scheduled sequence; using one or more computing devices to automatically obtain competitive bids to meet the specified demand for transportation services, and to offer the transportation service provider inclusion in the competitive bids based on candidate service interests; aggregating the competitive bids to provide a total bid price; and in the case of the transportation service provider or providers with the candidate service interests winning the bid or bids, arranging provision of the transportation services. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for matching in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider providing the transportation services, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for transportation services, the request comprising an origin, a destination and at least one of a characterization of a load or a characterization of the transportation services that implies a predetermined load; in the case of time constraints, receiving at least one of a time of availability at the origin or a required time of arrival at the destination; identifying regional origin and regional destination geographical areas or locations associated with the respective origin and destination, whereby the origin and destination fall within the respective regional origin and regional destination geographical areas; using one or more computing devices to automatically define a plurality of segments connecting the regional origin geographical area and the regional destination geographical area as a main line segment and at least one distinct segment comprising one of the origin and the regional origin or the regional destination and the destination, to form a contiguous multi-segment routing; receiving information indicating availability of transportation service providers to provide transportation services between segments;
the transportation services between segments having a scheduled sequence;using one or more computing devices to automatically match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services, the matching comprising matching capacity and scheduling in order to comply with the scheduled sequence; using one or more computing devices to automatically obtain competitive bids to meet the specified demand for transportation services, and to offer the transportation service provider inclusion in the competitive bids based on candidate service interests; aggregating the competitive bids to provide a total bid price; in the case of the transportation service provider or providers with the candidate service interests, winning the bid or bids, arranging provision of the transportation services; and using machine learning to automatically determine non-user-defined preference criteria and add to the retrieved preference data for filtering and ranking as inferred positive and negative preferences, the non-user-defined preference criteria selected from the group consisting of; driver positive preferences derived from common values in loads selected for bid, driver negative preferences derived from declined loads, and show specific loads for the purpose of obtaining driver responses in order to determine driver preferences in response to contrasting loads.
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10. A method for matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider providing the transportation services, the method comprising:
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identifying regional origin and regional destination geographical areas or locations associated with a respective origin and destination, whereby the origin and destination fall within the respective regional origin and regional destination geographical areas; using one or more computing devices to automatically define a plurality of segments connecting the regional origin geographical area and the regional destination geographical area as a main line segment and at least one distinct segment comprising one of the origin and the regional origin or the regional destination and the destination, to form a contiguous multi-segment routing; receiving information indicating availability of transportation service providers to provide transportation services between segments, the transportation services between segments having a scheduled sequence; using one or more computing devices to automatically determine, for each segment, one or more categories of transportation services met by capabilities of the transportation service provider and to automatically determine preferences of the transportation service provider using profile information stored in a data store; receiving information indicating availability, for each segment, of the transportation service provider to provide transportation services; using one or more computing devices to, for each segment, automatically match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services; in the case of at least one category of transportation services met by the transportation service provider, and in the case of the preferences of the transportation service provider meeting a predetermined threshold, using one or more computing devices to automatically provide push notification to the transportation service provider of a load using a pre-selected form of communication, and to provide details of information as determined by the form of communication; using at least one notification criterion of the transportation service provider to adjust the predetermined threshold so as to control the amount, frequency or relevance of notifications provided to the transportation service provider; using one or more computing devices to automatically obtain competitive bids to meet the specified demand for transportation services; using machine learning to automatically determine non-user-defined preference criteria and add to the retrieved preference data for filtering and ranking as inferred preferences, the non-user-defined preference criteria selected from driver preferences derived from common values in selections; in the case of the transportation service provider with a candidate service interest winning the bid, arranging provision of the transportation service; and in the case of the transportation service provider with the candidate service interest losing the bid, repeating the matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services for the transportation service provider with the candidate service interest. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services in accordance with capabilities and business practices of a transportation service provider providing the transportation services, the method comprising:
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a step of identifying regional origin and regional destination geographical areas or locations associated with a respective origin and destination, whereby the origin and destination fall within the respective regional origin and regional destination geographical areas; a step of using one or more computing devices to automatically define a plurality of segments connecting the regional origin geographical area and the regional destination geographical area as a main line segment and at least one distinct segment comprising one of the origin and the regional origin or the regional destination and the destination, to form a contiguous multi-segment routing; a step of receiving information indicating availability of transportation service providers to provide transportation services between segments, the transportation services between segments having a scheduled sequence; a step of using one or more computing devices to automatically determine, for each segment, one or more categories of transportation services met by capabilities of the transportation service provider and to automatically determine preferences of the transportation service provider using profile information stored in a data store; a step of receiving information indicating availability, for each segment, of the transportation service provider to provide transportation services; a step of using one or more computing devices to, for each segment, automatically match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services; a step of, in the case of at least one category of transportation services met by the transportation service provider, and in the case of the preferences of the transportation service provider meeting a predetermined threshold, using one or more computing devices to automatically provide push notification to the transportation service provider of a load using a pre-selected form of communication, and to provide details of information as determined by the form of communication; a step of using at least one notification criterion of the transportation service provider to adjust the predetermined threshold so as to control the amount, frequency or relevance of notifications provided to the transportation service provider; a step of using one or more computing devices to automatically obtain competitive bids to meet the specified demand for transportation services; using machine learning to automatically determine non-user-defined preference criteria and add to the retrieved preference data for filtering and ranking as inferred preferences, the non-user-defined preference criteria selected from driver preferences derived from common values in selections; a step of, in the case of the transportation service provider with a candidate service interest winning the bid, arranging provision of the transportation service; and a step of, in the case of the transportation service provider with the candidate service interest losing the bid, repeating the matching transportation services with a specified demand for transportation services for the transportation service provider with the candidate service interest. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification