Programmed logistic system and method for transportation and reception of commodities

• US 6,567,788 B1
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Johnson, Ralph B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stamber, Eric W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, JOHN L
• Application Number:
  US09/129,088
• Time in Patent Office: 1,749 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/10, 705/9, 705/7
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Quantities of commodities are transported in sequence from a source to a receiving location in accordance with a logistic program through which constraints based on conditions at the source and receiving location are imposed so as to regulate timing of commodity transport involving a minimized number of sequential transits during usage for delivery at a rate in excess of the usage rate to maintain a specified inventory reserve at the receiving location.

Claims

1. In combination with delivery of commodities from a source to a receiving location at which usage of the commodities occurs at a certain rate, a programmed logistic system for planning said delivery of the commodities during said usage thereof, comprising:

transport means for sequential transit of unit quantities of said commodities from the source to the receiving location;

means for preselecting constraints to be imposed on the transport means dependent on conditions at the source and the receiving location, including total number of the transits;

means for computing rate of delivery of the commodities at the receiving location by the transport means under said constraints; and

means imposing scheduling on said transport means for minimizing said total number of the transits to the receiving location at said rate of delivery in excess of said certain rate of the usage to maintain a reserve inventory of the commodities at said receiving location.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said source of the commodities is a plurality of ships at sea while said receiving location is established on shore by military forces to which the commodities are transferred by the transport means and through which the commodities undergo said usage.

3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said constraints further include:

availability of the commodities in the ships at sea and capacities of the military forces for receiving and storing the commodities.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said constraints further include:

availability of the commodities at the source, and capacities for receiving and storing the commodities at the receiving location.

5. In combination with delivery of commodities from a source to a receiving location at which usage of the commodities occurs at a certain rate, a programmed logistic method for planning said delivery of the commodities during said usage thereof, comprising the steps of:

sequentially transporting quantities of the commodities from the source to the receiving location;

preselecting constraints to be imposed on said sequential transporting of the commodities dependent on conditions at the source and the receiving location and a total number of transits of the commodities;

computing rate of delivery of the commodities at the receiving location under said constraints; and

scheduling said sequential transporting of the commodities for minimizing the total number of transits establishing said delivery at said computed rate in excess of said certain rate of the usage to maintain a reserve inventory of the commodities at said receiving location.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said constraints further include:

availability of the commodities at the source, and capacities for receiving and storing the commodities at the receiving location a predetermined distance from the source.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein said source of the commodities is a plurality of ships at sea while said receiving location is established on shore by military forces to which the commodities are transferred by said step of sequentially transporting.

8. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein said source is a dispenser of water as the commodities transported in cups to a storage barrel at said receiving location.