System and method for optimization of and analysis of insulated systems

• US 20040243353A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerxes Aghassipour
• Original Assignee: Xerxes Aghassipour
• Inventors: Aghassipour, Xerxes
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for generating a list of package shipment routes in a shipment solution system comprising the steps of entering product information, place of origin, destination and shipment temperature parameters for a package into the system. A list is generated containing a listing of all possible shipment routes available for the package between the place of origin and the destination. For each of the shipment routes, an ambient thermal temperature model is generated corresponding to the external temperatures the package is exposed to during each of the possible shipment routes. The thermal characteristics of the package are calculated along the available shipping routes, based on each of the ambient thermal temperature models, so as to determine feasible shipment routes and corresponding packaging information. For each of the feasible shipment routes, the cost for shipment along the feasible shipment routes is calculated based on packaging and delivery cost and a route is selected for delivery from among the feasible shipment routes.

Claims

1. A method for generating a list of package shipment routes in a shipment solution system, said method comprising the steps of:

entering product information, place of origin, destination and shipment temperature parameters for a package into said system;

generating a listing of all possible shipment routes available for said package between said place of origin and said destination;

for each of said shipment routes, generating an ambient thermal temperature model corresponding to the external temperatures said package is exposed to during each of said possible shipment routes;

calculating thermal characteristics of said package along said available shipping routes, based on each of said ambient thermal temperature models, so as to determine feasible shipment routes and corresponding packaging information;

for each of said feasible shipment routes, calculating the cost for shipment along said feasible shipment routes based on packaging and delivery cost; and

selecting a route for delivery from among said feasible shipment routes.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of entering shipment temperature parameters includes the entering of an acceptable temperature range in degrees.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating a listing of all possible shipment routes available for said package between said place of origin and said destination is based on carriers employed by a shipper employing said shipment solutions system and modes of delivery available by each of said carriers.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating an ambient thermal temperature model further comprises the step of retrieving stored weather temperatures for each portion of the shipment route.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said step of generating a thermal temperature model further comprises the step of retrieving historical data contained in said weather database collected from prior shipments.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said step of generating a thermal temperature model further comprises the step of retrieving forecasted information contained in said weather database.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of forwarding to a selection module for selection by a user said costs for shipment along said feasible shipment routes.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of forwarding to a selection module further comprises the step of presenting to a user, information related to expected arrival date of said package at said destination.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of selecting a route for delivery further comprises the step of storing shipper selection preferences so as to automatically select a particular feasible shipment route based on a desired criteria.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said selection of a particular feasible shipment route based on a desired criteria, includes a decision based on any one of a cheapest solution, a most cost efficient solution and a worst case scenario solution.