MANAGEMENT OF MATERIALS ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE

• US 20130035978A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 02/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Trimble Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Gipps, Peter Graham, Richardson, Christopher David
• Application Number:
  US13/649,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035978A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction

Abstract

A computer implemented route determination system comprises a route generator, a cost scenario generator, and a report generator. The route generator is configured to define a plurality of routes on which move a material between a construction site and a destination site of a plurality of possible destination sites. The cost scenario generator is configured to determine cost scenarios associated with the plurality of routes. The report generator is configured to generate a report which identifies the routes and the cost scenarios for the destination site.

Claims

1. A computer implemented route determination system, said route determination system comprising:

a route generator configured to define a plurality of routes on which move a material between a construction site and a destination site of a plurality of possible destination sites;

a cost scenario generator configured to determine cost scenarios associated with said plurality of routes; and

a report generator configured to generate a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for said destination site.

2. The route determination system of claim 1, further comprising:

a simulator configured for modeling movements of said material between said construction site and said destination sites via said plurality of routes and using a plurality of vehicles from a vehicle pool.

3. The route determination system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter configured to convey a machine work flow plan wirelessly to a vehicle, wherein said machine work flow plan includes a selected route of said plurality of routes.

4. The route determination system of claim 1, wherein said destination site comprises a retrieval site.

5. The route determination system of claim 1, wherein said destination site comprises a dump site.

6. The route determination system of claim 1, wherein said report generator is further configured to identify in said report a most cost effective combination of a vehicle from a vehicle pool and a route of said plurality of routes.

7. The route determination system of claim 1, wherein said report generator is further configured to identify in said report a most time efficient combination of a vehicle of a vehicle pool and a route of said plurality of routes.

8. A computer implemented method of determining routes from a construction site to a plurality of possible dump sites, said method comprising:

defining a plurality of routes on which to travel, for purposes of material dumping, from a construction site to at least one of a plurality of possible dump sites;

determining cost scenarios associated with said routes; and

generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a dump site selected from said plurality of possible dump sites.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a dump site selected from said plurality of possible dump sites further comprises:

simulating model travel movements between said construction site and said at least one of said plurality of dump sites via said plurality of routes.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said determining cost scenarios associated with said routes comprises:

determining at least one route variable associated with each of said plurality of routes to said dump site said route variable selected from the group consisting of;

road usage fees, distance, road conditions, road weight limits, and traffic conditions.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said determining cost scenarios associated with said routes comprises:

determining cost scenarios for a plurality of vehicles in a vehicle pool.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a dump site selected from said plurality of possible dump sites further comprises:

identifying a vehicle and a route for said vehicle between said construction site and said dump site.

13. A computer implemented method of determining routes from a construction site to a plurality of possible retrieval sites, said method comprising:

defining a plurality of routes on which to travel, for purposes of material retrieval, from a construction site to at least one of a plurality of possible retrieval sites;

determining cost scenarios associated with said routes; and

generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a retrieval site selected from said plurality of possible retrieval sites.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a retrieval site selected from said plurality of possible retrieval sites further comprises:

simulating model travel movements between said construction site and said at least one of said plurality of retrieval sites via said plurality of routes.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining cost scenarios associated with said routes comprises:

determining at least one route variable associated with each of said plurality of routes to said retrieval site said route variable selected from the group consisting of;

road usage fees, distance, road conditions, road weight limits, and traffic conditions.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said determining cost scenarios associated with said routes comprises:

determining cost scenarios for a plurality of vehicles in a vehicle pool.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said generating a report which identifies said routes and said cost scenarios for a retrieval site selected from said plurality of possible retrieval sites further comprises:

identifying a vehicle and a route for said vehicle between said construction site and said retrieval site.