System and method for tour planning

• US 7,634,421 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2003
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Fort James Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pandit, Ram
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty; Romain
• Application Number:
  US10/716,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20050114190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 8
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

A method for tour planning. The method comprising: creating a first schematic, wherein the first schematic comprises at least a first lane between a first accent point and a second accent point; creating a tour as an instance of the first schematic, wherein the tour comprises at least a first segment corresponding to the first lane of the first schematic; and assigning a load to the first segment of the tour.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tour planning, comprising:

creating a first schematic using a computer, wherein the first schematic comprises at least a first lane between a first accent point and a second accent point;

creating a tour as an instance of the first schematic using the computer, wherein the tour comprises at least a first segment corresponding to the first lane of the first schematic;

determining whether assigning a load to the first segment of the tour will produce a cost savings over assigning the load to a common carrier using the computer; and

in response, assigning the load to the first segment of the tour if it will produce a cost savings over the common carrier;

wherein creating the first schematic further comprises creating the first schematic based on a forecast of loads.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing tour optimization on the tour.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the first schematic further comprises creating the first schematic based on a load history.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the tour further comprises creating the tour based on a plurality of loads in a load list.

5. A system for tour planning, comprising:

a memory; and

a microprocessor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

create a first schematic using the microprocessor, wherein the first schematic comprises at least a first lane between a first accent point and a second accent point;

create a tour as an instance of the first schematic using the microprocessor, wherein the tour comprises at least a first segment corresponding to the first lane of the first schematic; and

determine whether assigning a load to the first segment of the tour will produce a cost savings over assigning the load to a common carrier using the microprocessor; and

in response, assign the load to the first segment of the tour if it will produce a cost savings over the common carrier;

wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to create the first schematic based on a forecast of loads.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to perform tour optimization on the tour.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to create the first schematic based on a load history.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to create the tour based on a plurality of loads in a load list.

9. An article of manufacture containing instructions for tour planning, the instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to perform stages comprising:

create a first schematic using the processor, wherein the first schematic comprises at least a first lane between a first accent point and a second accent point;

create a tour as an instance of the first schematic using the processor, wherein the tour comprises at least a first segment corresponding to the first lane of the first schematic; and

determine whether assigning a load to the first segment of the tour will produce a cost savings over assigning the load to a common carrier using the processor; and

in response, assign the load to the first segment of the tour if it will produce a cost savings over the common carrier;

wherein the instructions further cause a processor to create the first schematic based on a forecast of loads.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to perform tour optimization on the tour.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to create the first schematic based on a load history.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to create the tour based on a plurality of loads in a load list.