Scheduling delivery of products via the internet
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for scheduling delivery of an order by an electronic commerce system via a wide area network, the electronic commerce system having a transportation system, said method comprising:
- generating a delivery interface in which a plurality of delivery windows are presented, the plurality of delivery windows being presented for scheduling delivery of the order using at least one of a plurality of existing delivery routes, the delivery interface that is generated being dependent on at least delivery routes information and a location of a customer;
transmitting the delivery interface to a remote computer via the wide area network, the remote computer being associated with the customer that has placed the order;
in response to selection by the customer of a first one of the plurality of delivery windows via the remote computer, determining via access to the transportation system of the electronic commerce system whether the order may be delivered in the first delivery window; and
where it is determined that the order may be delivered in the first delivery window, scheduling delivery of the order in the first delivery window,wherein said method is performed prior to beginning delivery of the order,wherein generating the delivery interface comprises determining which of the plurality of delivery windows are available for delivery of the order with reference to currently available delivery resources, andwherein determining which of the plurality of delivery windows are available comprises estimating in accordance with an estimated order size whether the order may be accommodated by at least one of the plurality of existing delivery routes.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for scheduling delivery of an order via a wide area network. A delivery interface is generated in which a plurality of delivery windows are presented. The delivery interface is transmitted to a remote platform via the wide area network. In response to selection of a first one of the plurality of delivery windows, it is determined whether the order may be delivered in the first delivery window. Where it is determined that the order may be delivered in the first delivery window, delivery of the order is scheduled in the first delivery window.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for scheduling delivery of an order by an electronic commerce system via a wide area network, the electronic commerce system having a transportation system, said method comprising:
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generating a delivery interface in which a plurality of delivery windows are presented, the plurality of delivery windows being presented for scheduling delivery of the order using at least one of a plurality of existing delivery routes, the delivery interface that is generated being dependent on at least delivery routes information and a location of a customer; transmitting the delivery interface to a remote computer via the wide area network, the remote computer being associated with the customer that has placed the order; in response to selection by the customer of a first one of the plurality of delivery windows via the remote computer, determining via access to the transportation system of the electronic commerce system whether the order may be delivered in the first delivery window; and where it is determined that the order may be delivered in the first delivery window, scheduling delivery of the order in the first delivery window, wherein said method is performed prior to beginning delivery of the order, wherein generating the delivery interface comprises determining which of the plurality of delivery windows are available for delivery of the order with reference to currently available delivery resources, and wherein determining which of the plurality of delivery windows are available comprises estimating in accordance with an estimated order size whether the order may be accommodated by at least one of the plurality of existing delivery routes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer implemented method for generating a delivery interface in which a plurality of delivery windows are presented on a remote platform via a wide area network, the method comprising:
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determining which of a plurality of delivery windows are available for scheduling delivery of an order with reference to currently available delivery resources and at least one previously scheduled delivery stop, the order being with an electronic commerce system utilizing a transportation system for deliveries; presenting the plurality of delivery windows to a customer that is scheduling delivery of the order; and in response to selection by the customer of a selected one of the plurality of delivery windows, determining via access to the transportation system utilized by the electronic commerce system whether the order may be delivered in the selected delivery window, wherein determining which of the plurality of delivery windows are available comprises estimating in accordance with an estimated order size whether the order may be accommodated on at least one of a plurality of existing delivery routes supported by the transportation system, wherein said method is performed prior to beginning delivery of the order, and wherein estimating whether the order may be accommodated on any of the plurality of existing delivery routes comprises computing a slack time between the previously scheduled delivery stops on each of the existing delivery routes, estimating whether the order may be delivered in the slack time, and where the order may be delivered in the slack time, designating any of the delivery windows associated with the slack time as available. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A computer implemented method for scheduling delivery of a product in an order via a network, comprising:
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receiving a user request to schedule a delivery for an order of at least one product, the at least one product having not yet been identified by the user; transmitting a plurality of delivery windows for scheduling delivery in response to the request with the at least one product having not been selected at the time of said transmitting of the plurality of delivery windows, the plurality of delivery windows being dependent on an estimated order size of the order; receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of delivery windows following their being presented to the user, the at least one product having not been selected at the time of said receiving of the user selection; determining whether the at least one product can be delivered in the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows after the at least one product has been identified by the user; scheduling delivery of the at least one product for the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows when said determining determines that the at least one product can be delivered in the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows; and thereafter causing delivery of the at least one product according to the order. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer implemented method for scheduling delivery of an order via a network, comprising:
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receiving a user request to schedule a delivery for an order of one or more products to be made, the one or more products having not been selected at the time of said receiving of the user request; transmitting a plurality of delivery windows for scheduling delivery of the order in response to the user request, the plurality of delivery windows being dependent on an estimated order size of the order since the contents of the order have not yet been selected; receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of delivery windows following their being presented to the user, the products having not been selected at the time of said receiving of the user selection; determining whether the order can be delivered in the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows; scheduling delivery of the order for the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows when said determining determines that the order can be delivered in the selected one of the plurality of delivery windows; and thereafter receiving at least one user selection to include one or more products in the order. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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Specification