COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING VEHICLE DELIVERY ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL

• US 20060085203A1
• Filed: 10/19/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Schweickart, Brian, Fravel, William, Koenigbauer, Mary Jo
• Application Number:
  US10/904,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085203A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/341
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 Historical data

Abstract

An integrated computer-implemented method for determining a delivery estimated time of arrival (“ETA”) for a vehicle. The method includes receiving post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information relating to an undelivered vehicle; and determining a delivery ETA for the undelivered vehicle based on the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information. The delivery ETA is relied upon by the vehicle customer as an estimate of actual time of arrival.

Claims

1. An integrated computer-implemented method for determining a delivery estimated time of arrival (“

ETA”

) for a vehicle, the method comprised of;

receiving post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information relating to an undelivered vehicle; and

determining a delivery ETA for the undelivered vehicle based on the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a reliability factor associated with the delivery ETA based on historical delivery segment performance information.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving one or more notifications of an actual event.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the determining step of claim 2 is triggered upon receiving the one or more notifications of an actual event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the upfitter throughput information is comprised of one or more upfitter milestone event throughput times.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the upfitter throughput information includes historical throughput information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the historical throughput information is transmitted by one or more upfitters.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving historical ramp throughput performance information.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the historical ramp throughput performance information is transmitted by one or more ramp operators or surrogates.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining a delivery ETA based on the historical ramp throughput performance information, the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving one or more exception codes for delays in the delivery process.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining a delivery ETA based on one or more exception codes, the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving one or more forecasted event timings.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a delivery ETA based on one or more forecasted event timings, the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving planned segment operating information.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining a delivery ETA based on the planned segment operating information, the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving one or more manufacturer parameter controls.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining a delivery ETA based on the one or more manufacturer parameter controls, the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

19. An integrated computer-implemented system for determining a delivery estimated time of arrival (“

ETA”

) for a vehicle, the system comprised of one or more server computers and one or more client computers, the one or more client computers configured to;

receive post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information relating to an undelivered vehicle; and

determine a delivery ETA for the undelivered vehicle based on the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.

20. An integrated computer-implemented apparatus for determining a delivery estimated time of arrival (“

ETA”

) for a vehicle, the apparatus comprised of;

means for receiving post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information relating to an undelivered vehicle; and

means for determining a delivery ETA for the undelivered vehicle based on the post-release quality hold information, upfitter throughput information and historical delivery segment performance information.