INTELLIGENT WIRELESS DISPATCH SYSTEMS

• US 20110300894A1
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Inventors: Deck, Chris, Crandall, Steve, Roberts, Ralph L. Sr., Vance, David Mark, Earley, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,412,254 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/521
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

Intelligent wireless dispatch systems are provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a dispatch computer and mobile data terminals positioned on a vehicle and in wireless communication with the dispatch computer. The system displays a plurality of drivers arranged in a driver stack, receives exception information from each mobile data terminal, displays a formatted driver icon corresponding to each driver in the driver stack, and sorts the drivers in the driver stack by prioritized exception information. The system is configured to display a driver assignment list for each driver including one or more assignments and to wirelessly transmit an assignment message to the mobile data terminals according to an update to a driver assignment list. The mobile data terminals are configured to display the assignment message for acceptance or rejection. Additional embodiments may also include voice-over-IP capability for two-way communication between the dispatcher and driver.

Claims

1. An intelligent wireless dispatch system comprising:

a dispatch computer comprising a processor and a computer readable medium tangibly embodying a set of executable instructions; and

one or more mobile data terminals configured to be positioned on a vehicle and in wireless communication with the dispatch computer, wherein;

the dispatch computer is configured to be coupled to a graphical display;

the set of executable instructions is configured cause the processor to;

display a plurality of drivers arranged in a driver stack on the graphical display, each driver of the plurality of drivers is associated with a vehicle;

receive exception information from each mobile data terminal;

display a driver icon corresponding to each driver in the driver stack, wherein each driver icon comprises a format operable to indicate a driver status based at least in part on the exception information;

sort and display the drivers in the driver stack by the exception information;

display a driver assignment list for each driver comprising one or more assignments; and

wirelessly transmit an assignment message to one or more mobile data terminals according to an update to a selected driver assignment list; and

the mobile data terminals are configured to display the assignment message for acceptance or rejection of an assignment corresponding to the assignment message.

2. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exception information comprises an exception type further comprising one or more of the following:

a dispatch exception, a stop exception, a global positioning exception and a login exception.

3. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the exception information further comprises an exception time.

4. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to generate a dispatch exception upon one or more of the following:

receiving a message transmission error between the dispatch computer and one or more mobile data terminals, receiving a driver declined assignment message, and not receiving a driver acknowledgment message within a driver response period.

5. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to generate a stop exception upon one or more of the following:

a vehicle has a stopped status longer than a stopped time limit and a vehicle has made an unscheduled stop.

6. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to generate a global positioning exception when the dispatch computer has not received global positioning data from a corresponding mobile data terminal within a global positioning data period.

7. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to generate a login exception.

8. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to:

receive an employee identification number from a mobile data terminal;

compare a mobile data terminal vehicle number to a dispatched vehicle number; and

generate a pending login request if the mobile data terminal vehicle number does not equal the dispatched vehicle number.

9. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the set of executable instructions is configured to receive a login validation instruction in response to the pending login request and log in a user associated with the employee identification number.

10. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 2, wherein a driver icon having a first format indicates a first driver status and a driver icon having a second format indicates a second driver status.

11. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

the first driver status corresponds with a driver that does not have a dispatch exception and is moving or has been stopped less than a stopped time limit; and

the second driver status corresponds with a driver that has a dispatch exception.

12. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 10, wherein a driver icon having a third format indicates a third driver status.

13. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

the first driver status corresponds with a driver that does not have a dispatch exception and is moving or has been stopped less than a stopped time limit;

the second driver status corresponds with a driver that has a dispatch exception; and

the third driver status corresponds with a driver does not have a dispatch exception and has been stopped longer then the stopped time limit or the global position data indicates that the driver is more than a prescribed time from a destination.

14. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the first format comprises a green color;

the second format comprises a red color; and

the third format comprises a yellow color.

15. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 13, wherein a driver format having an additional format indicates an additional driver status.

16. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

drivers having a driver icon of the second format are listed at a top of the driver stack;

drivers having a driver icon of the third format are listed below the driver icon that are of a first format; and

drivers having a driver icon of the first format are listed below the driver icons that are of a the second format.

17. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 16, wherein drivers having a driver icon of the second format are further sorted by oldest exception to newest exception within the driver stack, and drivers having a driver icon of the third format are further sorted by oldest exception to newest exception within the driver stack.

18. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions is further configured to cause the processor to display on the graphical display a hover message proximate a selected driver icon upon a mouse pointer being positioned over the selected driver icon.

19. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the hover message comprises an exception summary corresponding to a driver associated with the selected driver icon.

20. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver assignment list for each driver is configured such that assignments may be reordered in the driver assignment list, new assignments may be added to the driver assignment list, and existing assignments may be removed from the driver assignment list.

21. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a modification to the driver assignment list displayed on the graphical display of the dispatch computer automatically modifies a driver assignment displayed on one or more mobile data terminals associated with one or more drivers.

22. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the driver assignment list for each driver is configured such that a previously assigned assignment for a first driver is reassigned to a second driver by moving the previously assigned assignment from the driver assignment list associated with the first driver to the driver assignment list associated with the second driver; and

the set of executable instructions is further configured to cause the processor to wirelessly update the driver assignment lists associated with the first and second drivers.

23. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the set of executable instructions is further configured to cause the processor to display a transmission status icon in the driver stack corresponding with a driver to which an assignment message has been transmitted; and

the transmission status icon provides a transmission report comprising a list of one or more transmission status and user action status messages that have been selected in accordance one or more filter rules.

24. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions is configured such that the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are operable to exchange predefined text messages over the wireless communication network.

25. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions is further configured to cause the processor to display one or more road maps on the graphical display.

26. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the one or more road maps comprises a terminal view map configured to display real time vehicle position information, travel information and assignment information for vehicles within a terminal geographic region.

27. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the one or more road maps comprises a street map view, an aerial view or a combination thereof.

28. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 25, wherein:

the one or more road maps comprises a driver map corresponding to a selected driver;

the driver map comprises vehicle position information, travel information and assignment information corresponding to the vehicle of the selected driver.

29. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the assignment information comprises formatted stop icons operable to indicate whether a stop was scheduled or unscheduled.

30. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the set of executable instructions is further configured to cause the processor to display on the graphical display an unassigned pickups interface comprising:

a customer pickup request list comprising one or more unassigned pickup requests, each unassigned pickup request having a pickup request information associated therewith; and

a driver schedule list comprising one or more driver schedules associated with a driver, each driver schedule having driver assignment information associated therewith.

31. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 30, wherein:

the pickup request information comprises one or more of the following;

customer location, request ready time, customer close time, estimated number of handling units, and total weight; and

the driver assignment information comprises the driver assignment list and trailer capacity of a trailer associated with the driver.

32. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 30, wherein:

the unassigned pickups interface further comprises a mapping icon associated with each unassigned pickup request;

the set of executable instructions is configured to cause the processor to display on the graphical display an unassigned pickup request map upon a selection of a selected mapping icon;

the unassigned pickup request map displays a location of an unassigned pickup request and location information, travel information and assignment information for one or more drivers.

33. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the unassigned pickups interface is configured such that a selected unassigned pickup request is assigned to a selected driver by moving the selected unassigned pickup request from the customer pickup request list to a desired position within a selected assignment list of the selected driver.

34. An intelligent wireless dispatch system comprising:

a dispatch computer;

a first server coupled to the dispatch computer;

a second server coupled to the dispatch computer; and

one or more mobile data terminals, wherein each mobile data terminal is configured to be positioned on a vehicle and is communicably coupled to the first and second servers over a wireless communication network;

wherein;

the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are configured to be in two-way voice communication via a voice over IP protocol over the wireless communication network such that;

a dispatcher operating the dispatch computer may initiate a voice over IP communication session with one or more mobile data terminals routed through the first server and over the wireless communication network; and

a driver operating an individual mobile data terminal may send a call request to the dispatcher that is transmitted over the wireless communication network and routed through the second server, wherein the call request is added to a call request queue on the dispatch computer; and

the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are operable to exchange predefined text messages over the wireless communication network and routed through the second server.

35. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein a selection of a call request by the dispatcher initiates a voice over IP communication session between the dispatch computer and a selected mobile data terminal associated with the selected call request that is routed through the first server and over the wireless communication network.

36. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the first server is programmed to maintain network information for each mobile data terminal.

37. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the network information for each mobile data terminal comprises a current IP address, a current port number and an identification number.

38. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein:

the intelligent wireless dispatch system further comprises a firewall configured to prevent inbound communication over the wireless communication network and selectively enable communication between the dispatch computer and the wireless communication network; and

the second server is programmed to;

receive the call request;

transmit the call request to the dispatch computer; and

open the firewall to enable the voice over IP communication session between the dispatch computer and the selected mobile data terminal upon a selection of the call request by the dispatcher.

39. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the first server and the second server comprise virtual servers provided within a single physical server.

40. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are further configured to transmit auxiliary data to one another along with the voice over IP communication session.

41. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 40, wherein the auxiliary data comprises customer data, delivery data, dispatch data, vehicle condition data, or combinations thereof.

42. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 34, wherein the dispatch computer is further configured to transfer the voice over IP communication session to a third party entity.

43. An intelligent wireless dispatch system comprising:

a dispatch computer; and

one or more mobile data terminals configured to be positioned on a vehicle and in wireless communication with the dispatch computer;

wherein;

the dispatch computer is configured to be coupled to a graphical display;

the dispatch computer is programmed to;

display on the graphical display a plurality of drivers arranged in a driver stack by an exception type and an exception time, each driver of the plurality of drivers is associated with a vehicle;

receive exception information from each mobile data terminal; and

update an arrangement of the plurality of drivers in the driver stack in accordance with the exception information; and

the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are configured to be in two-way voice communication via a voice over IP protocol over the wireless communication network such that;

a dispatcher operating the dispatch computer may initiate a voice over IP communication session over the wireless communication network; and

a driver operating an individual mobile data terminal may send a call request to the dispatcher that is transmitted over the wireless communication network and routed through the second server, wherein the call request is added to a call request queue.

44. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 43, wherein the intelligent wireless dispatch system further comprises a firewall configured to prevent inbound communication over the wireless communication network and selectively enable communication between the dispatch computer and the wireless communication network.

45. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 43, wherein the dispatch computer and the one or more mobile data terminals are further configured to transmit auxiliary data to one another along with the voice over IP communication session.

46. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 45, wherein the auxiliary data comprises customer data, delivery data, dispatch data, vehicle condition data, or combinations thereof.

47. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 43, wherein the dispatch computer is further programmed to transfer the voice over IP communication session to a third party entity.

48. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 43, wherein the dispatch computer is further programmed to:

display a driver icon corresponding to each driver in the driver stack, wherein each driver icon comprises a format operable to indicate a driver status based at least in part on the exception information; and

sort and display the drivers in the driver stack by the exception information such that drivers having a dispatch exception are at the top of the driver stack.

49. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 48, wherein a driver icon having a first format indicates a first driver status and a driver icon having a second format indicates a second driver status.

50. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 49, wherein:

the first driver status corresponds with a driver that does not have a dispatch exception and is moving or has been stopped less than a stopped time limit; and

the second driver status corresponds with a driver that has a dispatch exception.

51. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 49, wherein a driver icon having a third format indicates a third driver status.

52. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 51, wherein:

the first driver status corresponds with a driver that does not have a dispatch exception and is moving or has been stopped less than a stopped time limit;

the second driver status corresponds with a driver that has a dispatch exception; and

the third driver status corresponds with a driver does not have a dispatch exception and has been stopped longer then the stopped time limit or the global position data indicates that the driver is more than a prescribed time from a destination.

53. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 52, wherein:

drivers having a driver icon of the second format are listed at a top of the driver stack;

drivers having a driver icon of the third format are listed below the driver icon that are first color; and

drivers having a driver icon of the first format are listed below the driver icons that are the second color.

54. The intelligent wireless dispatch system as claimed in claim 53, wherein drivers having a driver icon of the second format are further sorted by oldest exception to newest exception within the driver stack, and drivers having a driver icon of the third format are further sorted by oldest exception to newest exception within the driver stack.