Determining emission values

• US 20150276697A1
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Hufschlag, Klaus, Ptz, Patric, Sambur, Ozan, Wentzlaf, Michael, Sattler, Andrea
• Application Number:
  US14/665,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20150276697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 specially adapted to detect a particular component physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0062 concerning the measuring method or the display, e.g. intermittent measurement or digital display
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

An apparatus receives from a server emission-relevant data relating to transport operations on route sections. It determines a respective emission factor for a plurality of routes, which can be composed of the route sections, based on the emission-relevant data received. Each factor represents an emission value for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit. The emission factors are stored with association with a starting location and a destination of the entire route. A request may be received relating to emission values regarding a specific conveying operation. It determines a starting point and a destination for the specific conveying operation and reads at least one stored factor associated with the starting location and destination. It determines a value for a transport unit associated with the factor, calculates an emission value from the factor and the determined numerical value for the transport unit, and transmits the emission value.

Claims

1. A method carried out by an apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving emission-relevant data relating to a multitude of carried out transport operations on route sections from at least one server, the transport operations having been carried out within a closed time period of fixed length,

determining a respective emission factor for a plurality of possible entire routes which can be composed of the route sections, based on the emission-relevant data received, each emission factor representing an emission value for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit, and

causing a storage of the determined emission factors for the plurality of possible entire routes in a memory with association with a starting location and a destination which define the respective entire route.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the emission-relevant data comprise at least one of the following parameters for a transport operation on a route section:

an indication of a starting location of the route section;

an indication of a destination of the route section;

an indication of a CO₂ quantity;

an indication of a CO₂ equivalents quantity;

an indication of a nitrogen oxide quantity;

an indication of a sulphur oxide quantity;

an indication of a particulate matter quantity;

an indication of ton-kilometers;

an indication of a distance travelled;

an indication of a total weight of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading weight of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading volume of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading capacity of a transport means used;

an indication of a capacity utilization of a transport means used;

an indication of a fuel consumption;

an indication of a specific fuel consumption;

an indication of a used fuel type;

an indication of a type of transport means used;

an indication of a flight number of an aircraft used;

an indication of a number of passengers; and

an indication of a mean weight of passengers.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a transport unit refers to one of the following parameters:

a weight;

a traffic capacity;

a volume; and

a number of persons.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein an emission value refers to at least one of the following emissions:

Well-to-Wheel emissions;

Tank-to-Wheel emissions;

Well-to-Tank emissions;

CO₂ emissions;

CO₂ equivalents emissions;

nitrogen oxide emissions;

sulphur oxide emissions; and

particulate matter emissions.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

determining a respective energy consumption factor for the plurality of possible entire routes based on the emission-relevant data received, each energy consumption factor representing an energy consumption for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit; and

causing a storage of the determined energy consumption factors for the plurality of possible entire routes in the memory, with association with the starting location and the destination which define the respective entire route.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a respective emission factor for the plurality of possible entire routes comprises determining at least two respective emission factors for the plurality of possible entire routes, wherein the at least two respective emission factors are determined in accordance with at least two different standards, and wherein causing a storage of the determined emission factors comprises causing a separate storage of the emission factors determined in accordance with different standards.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a user device relating to emission values with respect to a specific conveying operation;

determining a starting location and a destination for the specific conveying operation;

reading at least one stored emission factor, which is associated with the determined starting location and destination, for an entire route from the memory;

determining a numerical value for a transport unit which is associated with the emission factor;

calculating an emission value from the read emission factor and the determined numerical value for the transport unit; and

causing a transmission of the emission value to the user device.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising at least one of the following:

providing a web service which enables the request via the user device;

providing a web service for a shipment tracking by means of a user device which enables the request via the user device;

providing a web service for a shipment tracking by means of a user device which supports the request via the user device, wherein the specific conveying operation is indicated by means of a shipment identification which is input via the user device and wherein the starting location and the destination for the specific conveying operation and the numerical value for the transport unit for the specific conveying operation are determined by means of the shipment identification; and

providing a web service which enables the request via the user device and which enables an input of the starting location and the destination for the specific conveying operation and the numerical value for the transport unit for the specific conveying operation via the user device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the request comprises an indication of at least one desired standard, and wherein the reading of at least one emission factor from the store comprises reading at least one emission factor which is stored for the at least one desired standard.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one storage medium, with program instructions being stored in the at least one storage medium and with the program instructions being configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following when executed by the at least one processor:

receive emission-relevant data relating to a multitude of carried out transport operations on route sections from at least one server, the transport operations having been carried out within a closed time period of fixed length,

determine a respective emission factor for a plurality of possible entire routes which can be composed of the route sections, based on the emission-relevant data received, each emission factor representing an emission value for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit, and

cause a storage of the determined emission factors for the plurality of possible entire routes in a memory with association with a starting location and a destination which define the respective entire route.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the emission-relevant data comprise at least one of the following parameters for a transport operation on a route section:

an indication of a starting location of the route section;

an indication of a destination of the route section;

an indication of a CO₂ quantity;

an indication of a CO₂ equivalents quantity;

an indication of a nitrogen oxide quantity;

an indication of a sulphur oxide quantity;

an indication of a particulate matter quantity;

an indication of ton-kilometers;

an indication of a distance travelled;

an indication of a total weight of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading weight of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading volume of a transport means used;

an indication of a loading capacity of a transport means used;

an indication of a capacity utilization of a transport means used;

an indication of a fuel consumption;

an indication of a specific fuel consumption;

an indication of a used fuel type;

an indication of a type of transport means used;

an indication of a flight number of an aircraft used;

an indication of a number of passengers; and

an indication of a mean weight of passengers.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a transport unit refers to one of the following parameters:

a weight;

a traffic capacity;

a volume; and

a number of persons.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein an emission value refers to at least one of the following emissions:

Well-to-Wheel emissions;

Tank-to-Wheel emissions;

Well-to-Tank emissions;

CO₂ emissions;

CO₂ equivalents emissions;

nitrogen oxide emissions;

sulphur oxide emissions; and

particulate matter emissions.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following when executed by the at least one processor:

determine a respective energy consumption factor for the plurality of possible entire routes based on the emission-relevant data received, each energy consumption factor representing an energy consumption for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit; and

cause a storage of the determined energy consumption factors for the plurality of possible entire routes in the memory, with association with the starting location and the destination which define the respective entire route.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein determining a respective emission factor for the plurality of possible entire routes comprises determining at least two respective emission factors for the plurality of possible entire routes, wherein the at least two respective emission factors are determined in accordance with at least two different standards, and wherein causing a storage of the determined emission factors comprises causing a separate storage of the emission factors determined in accordance with different standards.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following when executed by the at least one processor:

receive a request from a user device relating to emission values with respect to a specific conveying operation;

determine a starting location and a destination for the specific conveying operation;

read at least one stored emission factor, which is associated with the determined starting location and destination, for an entire route from the memory;

determine a numerical value for a transport unit which is associated with the emission factor;

calculate an emission value from the read emission factor and the determined numerical value for the transport unit; and

cause a transmission of the emission value to the user device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least one of the following when executed by the at least one processor:

provide a web service which enables the request via the user device;

provide a web service for a shipment tracking by means of a user device which enables the request via the user device;

provide a web service for a shipment tracking by means of a user device which supports the request via the user device, wherein the specific conveying operation is indicated by means of a shipment identification which is input via the user device and wherein the starting location and the destination for the specific conveying operation and the numerical value for the transport unit for the specific conveying operation are determined by means of the shipment identification; and

provide a web service which enables the request via the user device and which enables an input of the starting location and the destination for the specific conveying operation and the numerical value for the transport unit for the specific conveying operation via the user device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the request comprises an indication of at least one desired standard, and wherein the reading of at least one emission factor from the store comprises reading at least one emission factor which is stored for the at least one desired standard.

19. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one storage medium, with program instructions being stored in the at least one storage medium and with the program instructions being configured to cause the apparatus to perform the following when executed by the at least one processor:

receive a request from a user device relating to emission values with respect to a specific conveying operation;

determine a starting location and a destination for the specific conveying operation;

read at least one stored emission factor, which is associated with the determined starting location and destination, for an entire route from a memory, wherein the at least one emission factor is based on emission-relevant data relating to a multitude of carried out transport operations on route sections, from which the entire route can be composed, in a closed period of time;

determine a numerical value for a transport unit which is associated with the emission factor;

calculate an emission value from the read emission factor and the determined numerical value for the transport unit; and

cause a transmission of the emission value to the user device.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to perform the following:

receive emission-relevant data relating to a multitude of carried out transport operations on route sections from at least one server, the transport operations having been carried out within a closed time period of fixed length,

determine a respective emission factor for a plurality of possible entire routes which can be composed of the route sections, based on the emission-relevant data received, each emission factor representing an emission value for a transport operation on the entire route per transport unit, and

cause a storage of the determined emission factors for the plurality of possible entire routes in a memory with association with a starting location and a destination which define the respective entire route.