Scheduling with layovers and layover charge computation in transportation planning
First Claim
1. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of software instructions to perform a computer-implemented method of planning movement of freight, the software instructions comprising:
- first instructions to automatically insert a plurality of layovers into a proposed mission to be performed by a truck;
wherein prior to execution of the first instructions, said proposed mission comprises a plurality of destinations wherein freight is loaded into or unloaded from said truck, and the proposed mission further comprises a plurality of activities in addition to said layovers;
wherein on execution of the first instructions, a mandatory layover is inserted between a first portion and a second portion of a driving activity in said plurality of activities, said driving activity being divided up into at least said portions automatically on execution of said first instructions when a first predetermined condition is met, the first predetermined condition comprising a maximum number of hours;
wherein the first instructions comprise instructions to check, prior to the driving activity being divided up, whether addition of the driving activity to a window causes said maximum number of hours to be exceeded, the window identifying a group of said activities occurring within a rolling period of a predetermined number of hours up to 7 days, the mandatory layover being of a duration greater than a predetermined minimum number of hours, the duration of the mandatory layover satisfying at least the first predetermined condition;
wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to advance the window by removing an earliest activity from the group;
wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to compute, based on at least the duration of the mandatory layover, an estimated time of arrival of said truck at a destination in the plurality of destinations;
wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to insert a non-mandatory layover into the proposed mission if a second predetermined condition is met, on an unloading activity to be performed at said destination;
second instructions to a processor to automatically determine and store in a memory coupled to the processor, a yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge for the non-mandatory layover depending at least partially on a rule on chargeability of non-mandatory layovers based on;
the estimated time of arrival of the truck at the destination, a duration of the unloading activity, and hours of operation of a facility at the destination for performing the unloading activity; and
third instructions to prepare and output a plan to move freight to said destination using said truck based at least partially on the yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge and at least one additional cost associated with at least one activity in the plurality of activities.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer, for planning moves of freight automatically adds one or more layover(s) to a mission. Next, the computer determines one or more charge(s) for the layovers, using carriers'"'"' rules. Thereafter, the computer uses the charge(s) in deciding whether to include the mission in a transportation plan to be executed. In some embodiments, the computer automatically maintains, for the given mission, counts of attributes on which limits are imposed by a government or by carriers, such as driving time, on-duty time, and driving distance, and when any count exceeds a corresponding limit in the midst of a driving activity, the computer automatically divides up the current driving activity into a truncated driving activity and a remainder driving activity, separated by a layover activity. The computer also determines an estimated time of arrival, including the impact of required layovers, to reach destination(s), and whether layover(s) is/are required at the destination(s), e.g. due to consignee'"'"'s receiving hours or due to congestion at consignee'"'"'s dock.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of software instructions to perform a computer-implemented method of planning movement of freight, the software instructions comprising:
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first instructions to automatically insert a plurality of layovers into a proposed mission to be performed by a truck; wherein prior to execution of the first instructions, said proposed mission comprises a plurality of destinations wherein freight is loaded into or unloaded from said truck, and the proposed mission further comprises a plurality of activities in addition to said layovers; wherein on execution of the first instructions, a mandatory layover is inserted between a first portion and a second portion of a driving activity in said plurality of activities, said driving activity being divided up into at least said portions automatically on execution of said first instructions when a first predetermined condition is met, the first predetermined condition comprising a maximum number of hours; wherein the first instructions comprise instructions to check, prior to the driving activity being divided up, whether addition of the driving activity to a window causes said maximum number of hours to be exceeded, the window identifying a group of said activities occurring within a rolling period of a predetermined number of hours up to 7 days, the mandatory layover being of a duration greater than a predetermined minimum number of hours, the duration of the mandatory layover satisfying at least the first predetermined condition; wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to advance the window by removing an earliest activity from the group; wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to compute, based on at least the duration of the mandatory layover, an estimated time of arrival of said truck at a destination in the plurality of destinations; wherein the first instructions further comprise instructions to insert a non-mandatory layover into the proposed mission if a second predetermined condition is met, on an unloading activity to be performed at said destination; second instructions to a processor to automatically determine and store in a memory coupled to the processor, a yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge for the non-mandatory layover depending at least partially on a rule on chargeability of non-mandatory layovers based on;
the estimated time of arrival of the truck at the destination, a duration of the unloading activity, and hours of operation of a facility at the destination for performing the unloading activity; andthird instructions to prepare and output a plan to move freight to said destination using said truck based at least partially on the yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge and at least one additional cost associated with at least one activity in the plurality of activities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented apparatus to prepare and output a plan to move freight, the computer-implemented apparatus comprising:
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means for automatically inserting a plurality of layovers into a proposed mission to be performed by a truck; wherein said proposed mission comprises a plurality of destinations at which freight is loaded into or unloaded from said truck, and the proposed mission further comprises a plurality of activities in addition to said layovers; wherein a mandatory layover is inserted, by said means for automatically inserting, between a first portion and a second portion of a driving activity in said plurality of activities, said driving activity being divided up into at least said portions automatically on execution of said first instructions when a first predetermined condition is met, the first predetermined condition comprising a maximum number of hours; wherein said means for automatically inserting checks prior to the driving activity being divided up, whether addition of the driving activity to a window causes said maximum number of hours to be exceeded, the window identifying a group of said activities occurring within a rolling period of a predetermined number of hours up to 7 days, the mandatory layover being of a duration greater than a predetermined minimum number of hours, the duration of the mandatory layover satisfying at least the first predetermined condition; wherein said means for automatically inserting advances the window by removing an earliest activity from the group; wherein said means for automatically inserting computes, based on at least the duration of the mandatory layover, an estimated time of arrival of said truck at a destination in the plurality of destinations; wherein said means for automatically inserting further inserts a non-mandatory layover into the proposed mission if a second predetermined condition is met, on an unloading activity to be performed at said destination; means for automatically determining and storing in a computer memory, a yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge for the non-mandatory layover, depending at least partially on rule on chargeability of non-mandatory layovers based on;
the estimated time of arrival of the truck at the destination, a duration of the unloading activity, and hours of operation of a facility at the destination for performing the unloading activity. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A computer-implemented method of planning movement of freight by using transportation planning software, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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automatically inserting a plurality of layovers into a proposed mission to be performed by a truck, wherein said proposed mission comprises a plurality of destinations wherein freight is loaded into or unloaded from said truck, and the proposed mission further comprises a plurality of activities in addition to said layovers; wherein on performance of said automatically inserting, a mandatory layover is inserted between a first portion and a second portion of a driving activity in said plurality of activities, said driving activity being divided up into at least said portions automatically on execution of said first instructions when a first predetermined condition is met, the first predetermined condition comprising a maximum number of hours; wherein said automatically inserting comprises, prior to the driving activity being divided up, checking whether addition of the driving activity to a window causes said maximum number of hours to be exceeded, the window identifying a group of said activities occurring within a rolling period of a predetermined number of hours up to 7 days, the mandatory layover being of a duration greater than a predetermined minimum number of hours, the duration of the mandatory layover satisfying at least the first predetermined condition; wherein said automatically inserting comprises advancing the window by removing an earliest activity from the group; wherein said automatically inserting comprises, computing based on at least the duration of the mandatory layover, an estimated time of arrival of said truck at a destination in the plurality of destinations; wherein said automatically inserting comprises further inserting a non-mandatory layover into the proposed mission if a second predetermined condition is met, on an unloading activity to be performed at said destination; and using a processor to automatically determine and store in a memory coupled to the processor, a yet-to-be-incurred new layover charge, depending at least partially on a rule on chargeability of non-mandatory layovers based on;
the estimated time of arrival of the truck at the destination, a duration of the unloading activity, and hours of operation of a facility at the destination for performing the unloading activity. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification