SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ROUTING AND SCHEDULING
First Claim
1. A computer program product for controlling a computing device having at least a memory, a processor and a display device, the computer program product is for calculating and storing shortest path information between two or more delivery locations, and comprises a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, said computer-readable program code portions comprising:
- a first executable portion comprising a grid partitioning module that is executable on said processor, wherein said grid partitioning module divides an overall delivery region into multiples of a defined number of grids and said two or more delivery locations are located within at least one of said defined number of grids;
a second executable portion comprising an initial friend selection module that is executable on said processor, wherein one of said defined number of grids is selected and for each particular delivery location within said selected grid a friends list is created, said friends list is comprised of a set of delivery locations that are most likely to appear on the same route as said particular delivery location; and
a third executable portion comprising a super matrix creation module that is executable on said processor, wherein said super matrix creation module creates a traversable network comprised of nodes and arcs for the selected grid, calculates time/distance data from each delivery location within said selected grid to every node within the traversable network, and populates a super matrix containing time/distance data from each particular delivery location within the selected grid to each delivery location in that location'"'"'s friends list and any in-range depots.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides systems, methods and computer program-product for calculating and storing time and distance information in an economical and efficient manner. The time and distance information may be used in the development of traversable networks for the delivery and retrieval of items from multiple locations in a timely and efficient manner.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A computer program product for controlling a computing device having at least a memory, a processor and a display device, the computer program product is for calculating and storing shortest path information between two or more delivery locations, and comprises a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, said computer-readable program code portions comprising:
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a first executable portion comprising a grid partitioning module that is executable on said processor, wherein said grid partitioning module divides an overall delivery region into multiples of a defined number of grids and said two or more delivery locations are located within at least one of said defined number of grids;
a second executable portion comprising an initial friend selection module that is executable on said processor, wherein one of said defined number of grids is selected and for each particular delivery location within said selected grid a friends list is created, said friends list is comprised of a set of delivery locations that are most likely to appear on the same route as said particular delivery location; and
a third executable portion comprising a super matrix creation module that is executable on said processor, wherein said super matrix creation module creates a traversable network comprised of nodes and arcs for the selected grid, calculates time/distance data from each delivery location within said selected grid to every node within the traversable network, and populates a super matrix containing time/distance data from each particular delivery location within the selected grid to each delivery location in that location'"'"'s friends list and any in-range depots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system for delivering items to two or more delivery locations comprising:
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a delivery vehicle capable of transporting one or more items for delivery at each of said two or more delivery locations, wherein said one or more items for delivery are obtained at a depot;
a computer program product for controlling a computing device having at least a memory, a processor and a display device, the computer program product is for calculating and storing shortest path information between said two or more delivery locations, and comprises a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, said computer-readable program code portions comprising;
a first executable portion comprising a grid partitioning module that is executable on said processor, wherein said grid partitioning module divides an overall delivery region into multiples of a defined number of grids and said two or more delivery locations are located within at least one of said defined number of grids;
a second executable portion comprising an initial friend selection module that is executable on said processor, wherein one of said defined number of grids is selected and for each particular delivery location within said selected grid a friends list is created, said friends list is comprised of a set of delivery locations that are most likely to appear on the same route as said particular delivery location; and
a third executable portion comprising a super matrix creation module that is executable on said processor, wherein said super matrix creation module creates a traversable network comprised of nodes and arcs for the selected grid, calculates time/distance data from each delivery location within said selected grid to every node within the traversable network, and populates a super matrix containing time/distance data from each particular delivery location within the selected grid to each delivery location in that location'"'"'s friends list and any in-range depots, wherein said delivery vehicle utilizes said shortest path information in determining a route for obtaining said one or more items for delivery at each of said two or more delivery locations and transporting said one or more items for delivery at each of said two or more delivery locations to each delivery location. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
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7. A computer system for calculating and storing shortest path information between two or more potential delivery locations, wherein said computer system comprises:
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a processor configured to;
(1) partition a delivery region into multiples of one or more discrete geographic areas, wherein each of the geographic areas includes a first set of one or more potential delivery locations;
(2) select a first geographic area;
(3) create a unique second set of potential delivery locations for each of said first set of one or more potential delivery locations;
(4) create a traversable network, wherein the traversable network comprises a set of nodes and arcs and further includes a set of two or more nodes comprising at least the potential delivery locations geographically located within the first geographic area and all potential delivery locations included within any of the unique second sets of potential delivery locations created at Step (3);
(5) calculate shortest path information from each of the potential delivery locations geographically located within the first geographic area to every node contained within the traversable network;
(6) select particular shortest path information and store the particular shortest path information for future lookup by a routing and scheduling system. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer system for calculating and storing shortest path information between two or more potential delivery locations, wherein said computer system comprises:
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a processor configured to;
(1) create a unique set of potential delivery locations for each potential delivery location geographically located within a geographic area;
(2) create a traversable network uniquely associated with the geographic area, wherein the traversable network comprises a set of nodes and arcs and further includes a set of two or more nodes comprising at least the potential delivery locations geographically located within the geographic area and all potential delivery locations included within the unique set of potential delivery locations created at Step (1);
(3) calculate shortest path information from each of the potential delivery locations geographically located within the geographic area to every node contained within the traversable network;
(4) select particular shortest path information and store the selected particular shortest path information for future lookup by a routing and scheduling system. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method for calculating and storing shortest path information between two or more potential delivery locations comprising the steps of:
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(A) partitioning a delivery region into multiples of one or more discrete geographic areas, wherein each of the geographic areas includes a first set of one or more potential delivery locations;
(B) electing a first geographic area;
(C) creating a corresponding unique second set of potential delivery locations for each potential delivery location geographically located within the selected geographic area;
(D) creating a traversable network, wherein the traversable network comprises a set of nodes and arcs and further includes a set of two or more nodes comprising at least the potential delivery location geographically located within the selected geographic area and all potential delivery locations included within the unique second set of potential delivery locations that correspond to the potential delivery locations geographically located within the selected geographic area;
(E) calculating shortest path information from the delivery location geographically located within the selected geographic area to every node contained within the traversable network;
(F) selecting particular shortest path information and storing the selected particular shortest path information for future lookup by a routing and scheduling system;
(G) repeating steps (D) through (F) for each potential delivery location geographically located within the selected geographic area; and
(H) repeating steps (B) through (G) for every geographic area created at step (A). - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification