Systems and methods for scheduling reoccurring deliveries and pickups
First Claim
1. A computer-readable medium for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
- (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time;
(2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits;
(3) determining whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day;
(4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and
(5) in response to a combination of;
(a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;
(a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and
(b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;
wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits;
identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and
allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and
wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur.
16 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved scheduling system for scheduling, in real time, two or more customer visits (e.g. pickups, deliveries, or service visits) in response to a single request. The single request preferably specifies a date and a time window for a first customer visit, and a periodic schedule according to which the customer visit should reoccur. Accordingly, the system allows a user to use a single request to schedule a series of periodically-reoccurring customer visits. In one embodiment, responsive to the request, the system firmly schedules the first customer visit, and tentatively schedules all other customer visits in the series. Shortly before each tentatively scheduled customer visit is to occur, the system determines whether to make the tentatively scheduled customer visit in view of holidays, capacity, and cost. If so, the system firmly schedules the customer visit. If not, the system notifies the user and allows the user to reschedule the visit.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A computer-readable medium for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
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(1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of;
(a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;(a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said method comprising the steps of:
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(1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining, via a computer processor, whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of;
(a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;(a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said system comprising:
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a central processing unit; and a memory coupled to said central processing unit; said central processing unit being configured for; (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; (5) in response to a combination of;
(a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;(a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium for scheduling customer visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:
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(1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of customer visits to said customer, said periodic series of customer visits comprising a first customer visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional customer visits to be made on subsequent days, each customer visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of customer visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first customer visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional customer visits, whether to schedule said respective customer visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of;
(a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first customer visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional customer visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days;(a) scheduling said first customer visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional customer visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification