SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUMS THAT PROVIDE FOR PARTITIONING OF AN ORIGINAL GEOGRAPHIC AREA INTO MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC SEED AREAS AS PART OF BALANCING A BUSINESS-RELATED WORKLOAD

• US 20150242788A1
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Published: 08/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Iv, Frederick A. Dezemplen
• Inventors: Wu-Emmert, Wei, Fowler, Tyrell J., DeZemplen, Frederick A. IV
• Application Number:
  US14/189,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20150242788A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work

Abstract

A method is described for partitioning an original geographic area into smaller logical geographic seed areas as part of balancing a business-related workload. A computer system generates a plurality of data structures in a memory respectively representing the plurality of logical geographic seed areas based upon a watershed analysis of transport-related burden information within the original geographic area and transport-related flow information within the original geographic area. Each data structure includes a first element identifying the logical geographic seed areas and a second data element identifying a seed point. The computer system then determines if the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas is substantially balanced based upon the at least one business-related metric. If there is an imbalance, the computer system transforms at least one of the data structures to effectively partition one of the seed areas into smaller subdivisions represented with alternative data structures.

Claims

1. An improved method for partitioning an original geographic area into a plurality of logical geographic seed areas as part of balancing a business-related workload, comprising:

receiving a request, by a computer system, from a business management server computer tasked with balancing the business-related workload related to the original geographic area;

generating, by the computer system, a plurality of data structures in a memory respectively representing the plurality of logical geographic seed areas based upon a watershed analysis of transport-related burden information within the original geographic area and transport-related flow information within the original geographic area, wherein each of the data structures generated comprises a first data element identifying one of the logical geographic seed areas and a second data element identifying one of a plurality of seed points corresponding to a transport interface for the respective one of the logical geographic seed areas;

accessing, by the computer system, at least one set of business-related metric information for each of the logical geographic seed areas, the at least one set of business-related metric information being maintained on a memory storage operatively coupled to the computer system;

determining, by the computer system, if the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas is substantially balanced based upon the at least one business-related metric;

transforming, by the computer system, at least one of the data structures representing one of the logical geographic seed areas into at least two alternative data structures respectively representing a subdivision of the one of the logical geographic seed areas when the at least one business-related metric reflects an imbalance in the business-related workload for the one of the logical geographic seed areas; and

transmitting, by the computer system to the business management server, at least the two alternative data structures representing the subdivision of the one of the logical geographic seed areas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating step further comprises:

partitioning the original geographic area into a plurality of units;

combining different types of transport-related burden data to quantify an effort to traverse each of the units, wherein the resulting combined transport-related burden data being a composite transport-related burden value for each of the units within the original geographic area;

determining the transport-related flow information for the original geographic area as (1) a flow direction associated with each of the units, the flow direction being based collectively on the composite transport-related burden information for the unit and surrounding ones of the units relative to the unit, and (2) a flow accumulation associated with each of the units, the flow accumulation for a particular unit being based on how many others of the units collectively direct transport through the particular unit;

identifying a plurality of seed points within the original geographic area as those of the units having a designated value for the flow accumulation; and

identifying each of the logical geographic seed areas as collectively including those of the units that respectively flow to each of the seed points.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the units further comprises one from a group comprising a cell from a plurality of cells representing the original geographic area, a grid element from a plurality of grid elements representing the original geographic area, a designated shape from a plurality of designated shapes representing the original geographic area, or a polygon from a plurality of polygons representing the original geographic area.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the different types of transport-related burden data comprises a first type corresponding to a value for substantially impeded transport and at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively representing one or more types of transportation routes.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively reflects one or more types of geographic features that impact transport.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively comprises data for a portion of the units that represent the original geographic area, the portion being associated with at least one of a service area, a facility location, a military base, a land use type, an interstate highway, a local highway, a local road, a bridge, a tunnel, a ferry, a railroad line, a mountain, a valley, or a body of water.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data further comprises a priority type of the transport-related burden data that overrides one or more of the other types of transport-related burden data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one set of business-related metric information further comprises business information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the business information further comprises at least one of sales information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, service information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, and logistics information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the logistics information further comprises at least one of delivery information, type of logistics server, type of logistics packaging, customer specific logistic information, driving time information, stop time information, driving distance information, a number packages delivered, and a number of packages picked up.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the business information further comprises at least one of a population metric.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transforming step further comprises:

comparing the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify the one of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than the remaining logical geographic seed areas; and

redefining the identified one of the logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transforming step further comprises:

comparing the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify a plurality of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than a threshold; and

redefining the identified plurality of logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the seed points identify an entry or exit point for a respective one of the logical geographic seed areas.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the business-related workload comprises at least one of a service call workload factor, a sales workload factor, or a logistics workload factor.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions, which when executed on a processor, performs an improved method for partitioning an original geographic area into a plurality of logical geographic seed areas as part of balancing a business-related workload, the method comprising:

receiving a request, by a computer system, from a business management server computer tasked with balancing the business-related workload related to the original geographic area;

generating, by the computer system, a plurality of data structures in a memory respectively representing the plurality of logical geographic seed areas based upon a watershed analysis of transport-related burden information within the original geographic area and transport-related flow information within the original geographic area, wherein each of the data structures generated comprises a first data element identifying one of the logical geographic seed areas and a second data element identifying one of a plurality of seed points corresponding to a transport interface for the respective one of the logical geographic seed areas;

accessing, by the computer system, at least one set of business-related metric information for each of the logical geographic seed areas, the at least one set of business-related metric information being maintained on a memory storage operatively coupled to the computer system;

determining, by the computer system, if the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas is substantially balanced based upon the at least one business-related metric;

transforming, by the computer system, at least one of the data structures representing one of the logical geographic seed areas into at least two alternative data structures respectively representing a subdivision of the one of the logical geographic seed areas when the at least one business-related metric reflects an imbalance in the business-related workload for the one of the logical geographic seed areas; and

transmitting, by the computer system to the business management server, at least the two alternative data structures representing the subdivision of the one of the logical geographic seed areas.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the generating step further comprises:

partitioning the original geographic area into a plurality of units;

combining different types of transport-related burden data to quantify an effort to traverse each of the units, wherein the resulting combined transport-related burden data being a composite transport-related burden value for each of the units within the original geographic area;

determining the transport-related flow information for the original geographic area as (1) a flow direction associated with each of the units, the flow direction being based collectively on the composite transport-related burden information for the unit and surrounding ones of the units relative to the unit, and (2) a flow accumulation associated with each of the units, the flow accumulation for a particular unit being based on how many others of the units collectively direct transport through the particular unit;

identifying a plurality of seed points within the original geographic area as those of the units having a designated value for the flow accumulation; and

identifying each of the logical geographic seed areas as collectively including those of the units that respectively flow to each of the seed points.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein

each of the units further comprises one from a group comprising a cell from a plurality of cells representing the original geographic area, a grid element from a plurality of grid elements representing the original geographic area, a designated shape from a plurality of designated shapes representing the original geographic area, or a polygon from a plurality of polygons representing the original geographic area.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the different types of transport-related burden data comprises a first type corresponding to a value for substantially impeded transport and at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively representing one or more types of transportation routes.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively reflects one or more types of geographic features that impact transport.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively comprises data for a portion of the units that represent the original geographic area, the portion being associated with at least one of a service area, a facility location, a military base, a land use type, an interstate highway, a local highway, a local road, a bridge, a tunnel, a ferry, a railroad line, a mountain, a valley, or a body of water.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data further comprises a priority type of the transport-related burden data that overrides one or more of the other types of transport-related burden data.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one set of business-related metric information further comprises business information.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the business information further comprises at least one of sales information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, service information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, and logistics information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the logistics information further comprises at least one of delivery information, type of logistics server, type of logistics packaging, customer specific logistic information, driving time information, stop time information, driving distance information, a number packages delivered, and a number of packages picked up.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the business information further comprises at least one of a population metric.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the transforming step further comprises:

comparing the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify the one of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than the remaining logical geographic seed areas; and

redefining the identified one of the logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the transforming step further comprises:

comparing the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify a plurality of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than a threshold; and

redefining the identified plurality of logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein

each of the seed points identify an entry or exit point for a respective one of the logical geographic seed areas.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the business-related workload comprises at least one of a service call workload factor, a sales workload factor, or a logistics workload factor.

31. An enhanced computer system that improves a process of balancing a business-related workload where an original geographic area is partitioned into a plurality of logical geographic seed areas, the computer system comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one memory storage coupled to the processing unit, the memory storage maintaining GIS code and partitioning code for execution by the processing unit, the memory storage further maintaining at least one set of business-related metric information;

wherein the processing unit, when executing the GIS code maintained on the memory storage, is operative to access GIS data representing the original geographic area from a network accessible storage and store the accessed GIS data on the at least one memory storage; and

wherein the processing unit, when executing the partitioning code maintained on the memory storage, is operative to

receive a request to balance the business-related workload related to the original geographic area, the request generated by a business management system in communication with the processing unit of the computer system,

assemble transport-related burden information associated with the original geographic area,

determine transport-related flow information associated with the original geographic area, the transport-related flow information being related to the assembled transport-related burden information,

generate and store a plurality of data structures in the memory storage, the data structures respectively representing the plurality of logical geographic seed areas based upon a watershed analysis of the transport-related burden information within the original geographic area and the transport-related flow information within the original geographic area, wherein each of the data structures generated comprises a first data element identifying one of the logical geographic seed areas and a second data element identifying one of a plurality of seed points corresponding to a transport interface for the respective one of the logical geographic seed areas,

access the at least one set of business-related metric information maintained within the memory storage,

determine if the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas is substantially balanced based upon the accessed at least one business-related metric, and

transform at least one of the data structures representing one of the logical geographic seed areas into at least two alternative data structures respectively representing a subdivision of the one of the logical geographic seed areas when the at least one business-related metric reflects an imbalance in the business-related workload for the one of the logical geographic seed areas,

store the at least two alternative data structures within the memory storage, and

transmit the at least the two alternative data structures to the business management system in response to the received request.

32. The computer system of claim 31, wherein the processing unit, when executing the partitioning code, is further operative to generate and store the plurality of data structures by being operative to:

partition the original geographic area into a plurality of units;

combine different types of transport-related burden data to quantify an effort to traverse each of the units, wherein the resulting combined transport-related burden data being a composite transport-related burden value for each of the units within the original geographic area;

determine the transport-related flow information for the original geographic area as (1) a flow direction associated with each of the units, the flow direction being based collectively on the composite transport-related burden information for the unit and surrounding ones of the units relative to the unit, and (2) a flow accumulation associated with each of the units, the flow accumulation for a particular unit being based on how many others of the units collectively direct transport through the particular unit;

identify a plurality of seed points within the original geographic area as those of the units having a designated value for the flow accumulation; and

identify each of the logical geographic seed areas as collectively including those of the units that respectively flow to each of the seed points.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein each of the units further comprises one from a group comprising a cell from a plurality of cells representing the original geographic area, a grid element from a plurality of grid elements representing the original geographic area, a designated shape from a plurality of designated shapes representing the original geographic area, or a polygon from a plurality of polygons representing the original geographic area.

34. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the different types of transport-related burden data comprises a first type corresponding to a value for substantially impeded transport and at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively representing one or more types of transportation routes.

35. The computer system of claim 34, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively reflects one or more types of geographic features that impact transport.

36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data respectively comprises data for a portion of the units that represent the original geographic area, the portion being associated with at least one of a service area, a facility location, a military base, a land use type, an interstate highway, a local highway, a local road, a bridge, a tunnel, a ferry, a railroad line, a mountain, a valley, or a body of water.

37. The computer system of claim 32, wherein the at least one more additional type of transport-related burden data further comprises a priority type of the transport-related burden data that overrides one or more of the other types of transport-related burden data.

38. The computer system of claim 31, wherein the at least one set of business-related metric information further comprises business information.

39. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the historic business information further comprises at least one of sales information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, service information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas, and logistics information associated with each of the logical geographic seed areas.

40. The computer system of claim 39, wherein the logistics information further comprises at least one of delivery information, type of logistics server, type of logistics packaging, customer specific logistic information, driving time information, stop time information, driving distance information, a number packages delivered, and a number of packages picked up.

41. The computer system of claim 38, wherein the business information further comprises at least one of a population metric.

42. The computer system of claim 31, wherein the processing unit, when executing the partitioning code, is further operative to transform by being operative to:

compare the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify the one of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than the remaining logical geographic seed areas; and

redefine the identified one of the logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

43. The computer system of claim 31, wherein the processing unit, when executing the partitioning code, is further operative to transform by being operative to:

comparing the business-related workload for each of the logical geographic seed areas to identify a plurality of the logical geographic seed areas having a higher business-related workload than a threshold; and

redefining the identified plurality of logical geographic seed areas into a plurality of smaller seed areas, wherein each of the smaller seed areas and the remaining logical geographic seed areas have a substantially balanced business-related workload.

44. The computer system of claim 31, wherein each of the seed points identify an entry or exit point for a respective one of the logical geographic seed areas.

45. The computer system of claim 31, wherein the business-related workload comprises at least one of a service call workload factor, a sales workload factor, or a logistics workload factor.