Real-time delivery feasibility analysis systems and methods

• US 6,701,299 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roadnet Technologies (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Simon, Stephen Patrick, Cucchiara, Vincent, Kraisser, Clifton Brian, Virden, Charles, Taur, Ronald Shin-Yung
• Primary Examiner(s): Bartuska, F. J.
• Application Number:
  US09/811,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147654A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/9, 705/26, 705/27, 701/117, 700/100
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

Systems and methods for scheduling deliveries, in real time, to be made within one or more delivery time windows. For each requested delivery, the system dynamically determines whether to offer each time delivery window to the customer requesting the delivery based on whether: (1) it would be possible to complete, within the time window, both the requested delivery and all deliveries that were already scheduled to be made within the time window; and (2) it makes business sense to make the delivery within the particular time window. In determining whether it would make business sense to make the delivery within a particular time window, the system considers the cost of making the delivery, various attributes of the customer requesting the delivery, and the percentage of the delivery capacity associated with the delivery wave that has been reserved for previously scheduled deliveries.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

identifying a time window in which a delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a cost of delivery, said cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said cost of delivery with a threshold cost; and

responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is available for said delivery.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for receiving said threshold cost from a user.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said cost of delivery comprises labor costs and transportation costs associated with said delivery.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said cost of delivery further comprises vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs associated with said delivery.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said second time window to said customer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is available for said delivery.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said second cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is not available for said delivery.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said second cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said second time window from display to said customer.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said second delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is not available for said delivery.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for receiving said threshold cost from a user.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein said second cost of delivery comprises labor costs, transportation costs, vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle being already scheduled to make at least one confirmed delivery within said time widow, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery vehicle can make both said at least one confirmed delivery and said requested delivery within said time window.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle having a delivery capacity, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery capacity of said delivery vehicle would be exceeded by said requested delivery.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein said step of displaying said time window to said customer comprises displaying said time window to said customer for a predetermined period of time, and wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

determining an updated cost of delivery, said updated cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said updated cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

in response to said updated cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, in response to said updated cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, in response to said updated cost of delivery being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said threshold cost is defined to vary based upon the type of customer requesting said delivery.

22. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

identifying a time window in which a delivery may be made to a customer, said time window being associated with a delivery wave delivery capacity;

comparing a portion of said delivery wave delivery capacity that has been allocated to deliveries with a threshold value;

responsive to said portion of said delivery wave delivery capacity that has been allocated to deliveries being greater than said threshold value, performing the steps of;

(a) determining a cost of delivery, said cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

(b) comparing said cost of delivery with a threshold cost; and

(c) responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is available for said delivery.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for, in response to said cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle being already scheduled to make at least one confirmed delivery within said time widow, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery vehicle can make both said at least one confirmed delivery and said requested delivery within said time window.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle having a delivery capacity, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery capacity of said delivery vehicle would be exceeded by said requested delivery.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein said cost of delivery comprises labor costs and transportation costs associated with making said delivery.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein said cost of delivery further comprises vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs associated with making said delivery.

29. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

identifying a time window in which a delivery may be made to a customer;

identifying a customer type associated with said customer;

determining a cost of delivery, said cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said cost of delivery with a first threshold cost if said customer type corresponds to a first customer type;

comparing said cost of delivery with a second threshold cost if said customer type corresponds to a second customer type;

indicating that said time window is available for said delivery if either;

(a) said cost of delivery is less than said first threshold cost, and said customer type corresponds to said first customer type;

or

(b) said cost of delivery is less than said second threshold cost, and said customer type corresponds to said second customer type.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein said customer classification corresponds to a size of an order placed by said customer.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein said cost of delivery comprises labor costs and transportation costs associated with making said delivery.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein said cost of delivery further comprises vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs associated with making said delivery.

33. A method of displaying delivery time windows, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a time window in which a delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a cost of delivery, said cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said cost of delivery with a threshold cost; and

responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is available for said delivery.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of, responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of, responsive to said cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

36. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of, responsive to said cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said method further comprises the step of, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said method further comprises the steps of:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is available for said delivery.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said method further comprises the step of, responsive to said second delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is not available for said delivery.

40. The method of claim 33, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein said method further comprises the step of receiving said threshold cost from a user.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein said cost of delivery comprises labor costs, transportation costs associated with making said delivery.

43. The method of claim 33, wherein said cost of delivery further comprises vehicle preparation costs and vehicle loading costs associated with making the delivery.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said method further comprises the steps of:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said second time window to said customer.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein said method further comprises the step of, responsive to said second cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said second time window from display to said customer.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said method further comprises the step of, responsive to said second delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said second time window from display to said customer.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein said second cost of delivery comprises labor costs and transportation costs associated with making said delivery.

48. The method of claim 33, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle being already scheduled to make at least one confirmed delivery within said time widow, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery vehicle can make both said at least one confirmed delivery and said requested delivery within said time window.

49. The method of claim 33, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle having a delivery capacity, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery capacity of said delivery vehicle would be exceeded by said requested delivery.

50. The method of claim 33, wherein said step of displaying said time window to said customer comprises displaying said time window to said customer for a predetermined period of time, and further including the steps of:

determining an updated cost of delivery, said updated cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said updated cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said updated cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising the step of, responsive to said updated cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

52. The method of claim 51, further comprising the step of, responsive to said updated cost of delivery being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

53. A method of determining whether to offer to make a requested delivery within a particular delivery time window, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a cost factor associated with making said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window;

determining a customer factor associated with a customer requesting said requested delivery;

identifying a threshold “

display window”

value;

combining said cost factor and said customer factor to derive a combined delivery factor; and

in response to said combined delivery factor being greater than said “

display window”

value, determining to offer to make said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window.

54. The method of claim 53, further including the step of, in response to said combined delivery factor being less than said “

display window”

value, determining to not offer to make said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said step of combining said cost factor and said customer factor comprises adding said cost factor and said customer factor.

56. A method of determining whether to offer to make a requested delivery within a particular delivery time window, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a cost factor associated with making said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window;

determining a customer factor associated with a customer requesting said requested delivery;

identifying a threshold “

offer window”

value;

combining said cost factor and said customer factor to derive a combined delivery factor; and

in response to said combined delivery factor being less than said “

offer window”

value, determining to offer to make said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window.

57. The method of claim 56, further including the step of, in response to said combined delivery factor being greater than said “

offer window”

value, determining to not offer to make said requested delivery within said particular delivery time window.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said step of combining said cost factor and said customer factor comprises adding said cost factor and said customer factor.

59. A delivery feasibility analysis system, said system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a memory coupled to said central processing unit; and

a display screen coupled to said central processing unit,

said central processing unit being configured for;

identifying a time window in which a delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a cost of delivery, said cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said cost of delivery with a threshold cost; and

responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is available for said delivery.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, responsive to said cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

61. The system of claim 59, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, responsive to said cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

62. The system of claim 59, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said time window is not available for said delivery.

63. The system of claim 59, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, responsive to said delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to a customer.

64. The system of claim 63, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for receiving said threshold cost from a user.

65. The system of claim 63, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said central processing unit is further configured for:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said second time window to said customer.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, in response to said second cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said second time window from display to said customer.

67. The system of claim 65, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, in response to said second delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is not available for said delivery.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, in response to said second delivery cost being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said second time window from display to said customer.

69. The system of claim 59, wherein said cost of delivery comprises labor costs and transportation costs associated with said delivery.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein said cost of delivery further comprises vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs associated with said delivery.

71. The system of claim 59, wherein said time window is a first time window, said cost of delivery is a first cost of delivery, and said central processing unit is further configured for:

identifying a second time window in which said delivery may be made to a customer;

determining a second cost of delivery, said second cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said second time window;

comparing said second cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

responsive to said second cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, indicating that said second time window is available for said delivery.

72. The system of claim 59, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for receiving said threshold cost from a user.

73. The system of claim 59, wherein said second cost of delivery comprises labor costs, transportation costs, vehicle preparation costs, and vehicle loading costs.

74. The system of claim 59, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle being already scheduled to make at least one confirmed delivery within said time widow, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery vehicle can make both said at least one confirmed delivery and said requested delivery within said time window.

75. The system of claim 59, wherein said delivery is a requested delivery and said time window is associated with a delivery vehicle, said delivery vehicle having a delivery capacity, and wherein said step of identifying said time window comprises the step of determining whether said delivery capacity of said delivery vehicle would be exceeded by said requested delivery.

76. The system of claim 59, wherein the step of displaying said time window to said customer comprises displaying said time window to said customer for a predetermined period of time, and further including the steps of:

determining an updated cost of delivery, said updated cost of delivery comprising a cost of making said delivery to said customer within said time window;

comparing said updated cost of delivery with said threshold cost; and

in response to said updated cost of delivery being less than said threshold cost, displaying said time window to said customer.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, in response to said updated cost of delivery being equal to said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

78. The system of claim 76, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for, in response to said updated cost of delivery being greater than said threshold cost, withholding said time window from display to said customer.

79. The system of claim 59, wherein said threshold cost is defined to vary based upon the type of customer requesting said delivery.