ROUTE SCHEDULING OF MULTI-CLASS TRANSPORT VEHICLES

• US 20150269521A1
• Filed: 03/21/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knapp, Brian Allen, Clark, David Henry, Batye, Ricky Neal
• Application Number:
  US14/222,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20150269521A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

Techniques for managing different types of transport vehicles are provided. In some embodiments, a transient warehouse can be established that allows a wide variety of transport vehicles to access items from a more convenient location than a brick-and-mortar location. The transient warehouse can be established in a parking lot or on the side of the road, so that other transport vehicles can access the transient warehouse quickly and deliver items to item requesters more efficiently from a centralized location. The transport vehicles can also pick up items from item providers to replenish items for the transient warehouse, the transient warehouse can access items from a brick-and-mortar location, and/or the transport vehicles can travel to multiple item requesters through optimized transport routes. The meeting location of the transient warehouse may also be optimized based on various constraints (e.g., time of day, seasonality concerns, etc.).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, by a computer system, a first transport route for a first transport vehicle, the first transport vehicle governed by a first set of transport rules that identify a first geographical region that is accessible to the first transport vehicle, the first transport route at least including a first base location of the first transport vehicle, the first transport route including;

a pick-up of a perishable item from an item provider at a pick-up location that is inaccessible to a second transport vehicle governed by a second set of transport rules that identify a second geographical region that is accessible to the second transport vehicle; and

a transfer of a perishable item from the first transport vehicle to the second transport vehicle at a first item exchange location that is distinct from the first base location and is determined based at least in part on a first transportation factor and a delivery location;

determining, by the computer system, a second transport route for the second transport vehicle, the second transport route at least including a second base location for the second transport vehicle and including the transfer of the perishable item at the first item exchange location;

receiving an updated item exchange location, the updated item exchange location determined based at least in part on a second transportation factor and the delivery location;

updating the first transport route and the second transport route to include the updated item exchange location in place of the first item exchange location for the transfer of the perishable item; and

providing, by the computer system, instructions for the transfer of the perishable item at the updated item exchange location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation factor enables a delivery performance for the perishable item to be above a threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first geographical region is different from the second geographical region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first base location is configured for parking the first transport vehicle at least one of before or after completion of the first transport route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second base location is a fulfillment center or item repository for managing the perishable item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first item exchange location or the updated item exchange location is a parking lot, a commercial retail space, or a roadside location.

7. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, by a computer system, a first route for a first vehicle, the first route including a pick-up location and a first item exchange location determined based at least in part on a transportation factor, the pick-up location identifying a first location for the first vehicle to pick up an item for delivery;

determining a second route for a second vehicle, the second route including a delivery location and the first item exchange location, the first item exchange location identifying a physical location for exchange of the item between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

identifying a second item exchange location as a second physical location for the exchange of the item between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, the second item exchange location determined based at least in part on a change to the transportation factor;

identifying that the second item exchange location should be utilized for the exchange of the item; and

updating at least one of the first route or the second route to replace the physical location with the second physical location based at least in part on the identified second item exchange location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first vehicle is governed by a first set of transport rules and the second vehicle is governed by a second set of transport rules different from the first set of transport rules.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first set of transport rules identify a first geographical region that is accessible to the first vehicle and the second set of transport rules identify a second geographical region that is accessible to the second vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first geographical region is different from the second geographical region.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first item exchange location or the second item exchange location includes a union of the first geographical region and the second geographical region.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the item is perishable, and wherein at least one of the first route or second route is restricted based in part on the item being perishable.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the pick-up location is associated with an item provider that provides the item and the pick-up location is inaccessible to the second vehicle.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first route or the second route is limited by a schedule of a driver.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first route or the second route is optimized based at least in part on a first current location of the first vehicle and a second current location of the second vehicle when the first route and the second route are updated with the second physical location.

16. A system, comprising:

a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to collectively at least;

determine a first route for a first vehicle, the first route including a pick-up location and a first item exchange location determined based at least in part on a transportation factor, the first vehicle beginning and ending the first route at a first base location;

determine a second route for a second vehicle, the second route including the first item exchange location and a second base location, the first item exchange location identifying where the first vehicle and the second vehicle are to exchange the item, the second vehicle beginning and ending the second route at the second base location;

update the first route and the second route to include an updated item exchange location instead of the first item exchange location, the updated exchange location determined based at least in part on a second transportation factor; and

provide the updated first route to the first vehicle and the updated second route to the second vehicle to enable delivery of the item by the second vehicle at a time after the item is exchanged at the second item exchange location.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first base location or the second base location is a fulfillment center configured to manage perishable items available through an electronic marketplace including at least the item.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the updated first route or the updated second route are provided while at least one of the first vehicle or the second vehicle are on the first route or the second route, respectively.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first route or the second route are updated based at least in part on the transportation factor.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the first vehicle and the second vehicle are configured for automatic exchange of the item at the first item exchange location or the second item exchange location.