System and method for controlling the transport of articles

• US 7,828,202 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kandysystems Ltd. (International Distributions Services plc)
• Original Assignee: e-Courier, Inc. (Fintrax Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bregman, Jay Philip, Ghiani, Gianpaolo, Musmanno, Roberto, Guccione, Massimo, Allason, Thomas Edward Michael, Fiorita, Gianluca, Attanasio, Andrea L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RUDY, ANDREW J
• Application Number:
  US11/065,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,084 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28, 705/30, 235/375, 235/376, 235/383, 235/385, 700/100, 700/102, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/944, 707/948, 707/949, 707/999.01, 707/999.1, 707/999.102, 707/999.107, 709/217, 709/223, 709/202, 709/203, 709/206, 709/209, 709/219, 718/102, 718/103, 340988-994
• US Class Current: 235/376
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the transport of articles comprises in one embodiment one or more communication devices for receiving and transmitting data, at least one primary server in communication with the primary server for allocating couriers for the collection and delivery of articles, a program for controlling the server, and at least one remote interface for placing orders for the collection and delivery of the articles, wherein the program, upon the execution of an order, compares stored historical travel times from one geographic location to another with actual travel times from one geographic location to another to thereby provide updated estimates for the collection time and delivery time of articles provided in subsequent orders.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the transport of articles, said control system comprising:

one or more communication devices for receiving and transmitting data, said communication devices in the possession of one or more couriers;

at least one primary server for allocating couriers for the collection and delivery of a plurality of articles, said primary server in communication with said communication devices, said primary server having a program for controlling said server;

one or more secondary servers in communication with said primary server and said communication devices; and

at least one remote interface for placing orders for the collection and delivery of a plurality of articles;

wherein said program, upon the execution of an initial order and then a subsequent order, dynamically and automatically organizes routes and dynamically and automatically reroutes allocated couriers for the collection and delivery of said plurality of articles.

2. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said program operates with said primary server to select a suitable courier for a given order based upon a plurality of variables.

3. A transport control system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said secondary servers directs an order to one of said communication devices in possession of the selected courier upon acceptance of the order by the selected courier.

4. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication devices transmit and receive voice and data information.

5. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication devices communicate with a global positioning network.

6. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication devices transmit present geographic location to said primary server over a network.

7. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said primary server stores data related to historical geographic location of the origin of said plurality of articles and historical geographic location of the destination of said plurality of said articles.

8. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said primary server hosts a neural network that operates with said program to accomplish adaptive learning during the selection of a suitable courier.

9. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said program:

compares stored historical travel times from one geographic location to another with collected actual travel times upon execution of an order; and

updates the stored historical travel times to reflect variations between the historical travel times and the actual travel times.

10. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers generates cost estimates for delivering article from one geographic location to another.

11. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers stores orders placed by customers.

12. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers generates information regarding the status of one or more orders, said status information accessible by a user over a network.

13. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers generates a display depicting the current geographic location and status of the couriers.

14. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers facilitates communication between said primary server, said remote interface, and said mobile communication devices.

15. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said secondary servers hosts a website.

16. A transport control system according to claim 1, wherein said communication devices, said primary server, and said secondary servers exchange one or more messages, said messages being related to an order placed by a customer.

17. A transport control system according to claim 16, wherein a first of said one or more messages comprises an offer of the order for acceptance by a courier.

18. A transport control system according to claim 17, wherein said first message is communicated from said primary server to one of said communication devices.

19. A transport control system according to claim 16, wherein a second of said one or more messages comprises an acceptance or a rejection by a courier of the offer of the order.

20. A transport control system according to claim 19, wherein said second message is communicated from said communication device in possession of the courier to one of said secondary servers.

21. A transport control system according to claim 16, wherein a third of said one or more messages comprises order information necessary for the collection and delivery of the article.

22. A transport control system according to claim 21, wherein said third message is communicated from one of said secondary servers to one of said communication devices in possession of a courier.

23. A transport control system according to claim 16, wherein a fourth of said one or more messages comprises the time and date of collection of the article to be delivered.

24. A transport control system according to claim 23, wherein said fourth message is communicated from said communication device in possession of the courier to said primary server.

25. A transport control system according to claim 16, wherein a fifth of said one or more messages comprises the time and date of delivery of the article.

26. A transport control system according to claim 25, wherein said fifth message is communicated from said communication device in possession of the courier to said primary server.

27. A transport control system according to claim 1, further comprising a central processing facility having a plurality of local interfaces for communicating with said primary server.