Systems and methods for creating on-demand routes for powered industrial vehicles

• US 7,925,514 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Williams, David E., McElroy, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): OUELLETTE, JONATHAN P
• Application Number:
  US11/416,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20070198174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/04 Manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/30 Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing

Abstract

Systems and methods for creating in a facility on-demand routes for powered industrial vehicles to transport cargo efficiently. In one embodiment, an on-demand route generation module receives receiving a request to move cargo. The module analyzes data about the current location, the current tasking, and the driver availability of PIVs in operation. Based on the information, the module creates an on-demand route through the facility and sends a notification to an assigned PIV to pick up the cargo and carry it on the defined on-demand route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of creating on-demand routes for PIVs, the method comprising:

receiving a dispatch order for a cargo, the dispatch order including a current location of the cargo and a destination of the cargo;

receiving one or more of current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for PIVs operating in the facility;

selecting, based at least in part on the received information, a first PIV to pickup the cargo;

defining, based on the current location data of the PIVs and the current location of the selected first PIV, a first on-demand route from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

sending, via a computer, the first on-demand route and the cargo identification to the selected first PIV;

defining, while the selected first PIV is in transit on the first on-demand route, and based on the current location of the cargo and the current location data of the PIVs, a second on-demand route from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo; and

sending, via a computer, the second on-demand route to the selected first PIV.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the dispatch order further includes an indication of urgency of the order.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the dispatch order includes a delivery deadline.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the battery charge data comprises measurements from a battery voltage monitor on the PIVs.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for the PIVs are stored in a memory on the PIVs.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining a first on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo; and

calculating a distance for each of the possible routes; and

selecting, based on the calculated distance for each possible route, a route from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining a first on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

analyzing, based on the current location data of the PIVs, traffic flows and congestion; and

selecting, based on the traffic flows and congestion, a route from one of the possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the driver availability data includes driver certification data and shift data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the current tasking data includes information about routes currently being traveled by the PIVs in the facility.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the cargo information is a barcode value of a barcode associated with the cargo.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the barcode includes an RFID tag, and the current location of the barcode is determined by reading the RFID tag.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the current tasking data includes an indication of the urgency of the current task.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein selecting a first PIV to pickup the cargo further comprises:

comparing the urgency of the current task to the urgency of the dispatch order; and

selecting a first PIV based at least in part on the comparison.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the information about the routes includes an anticipated arrival time at a destination location for the current route.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for the PIVs operating in the facility are received from the memory on the PIVs.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data are received from a wireless transponder on the PIV, the wireless transponder being in data communication with the memory on the PIV, and the wireless transponder further being polled at a substantially regular interval by one or more gateway beacons in the facility.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the one or more gateway beacons are in communication with a central server through a dedicated fiber optic network.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein defining a second on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo;

analyzing, while the selected PIV is in route to the current location of the cargo, traffic flows between the current location of the cargo and the destination location of the cargo; and

selecting, based on the traffic flows and congestion, a route from one of the possible routes from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein sending the first and second on-demand routes and cargo identification to the selected PIV comprises:

sending, to the selected PIV, the first on-demand route from the current location of the selected PIV to the current location of the cargo; and

while the selected PIV is on route to the current location of the cargo, sending the second on demand route from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo.

20. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method of creating on-demand routes for PIVs in a facility, which, when executed perform the method comprising:

receiving a dispatch order for a cargo, the dispatch order including a current location of the cargo and a destination of the cargo;

receiving operating data, the operating data including current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for PIVs operating in the facility;

selecting, based at least in part on the current location data, the current tasking data, the driver availability data, and the battery charge data, a first PIV to pickup the cargo;

defining, based on the current location data of the PIVs and the current location of the selected first PIV, a first on-demand route from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

sending, via a computer, the first on-demand route and the cargo identification to the selected first PIV;

defining, while the selected first PIV is in transit on the fist on-demand route, and based on the current location of the cargo and the current location data of the PIVs, a second on-demand route from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo; and

sending, via a computer, the second on-demand route to the selected first PIV.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the dispatch order further includes an indication of urgency of the order.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the dispatch order includes a delivery deadline.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the battery charge data comprises measurements from a battery voltage monitor on the PIVs.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the operating data for the PIVs operating in the facility is stored in a memory on the PIVs.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein defining a first on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

calculating, based on facility layout data, a distance for each of the possible routes; and

selecting, based on the calculated distance for each possible route, a route from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein defining a first on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

analyzing, based on the current location data of the PIVs operating in the facility, traffic flows and congestion within the facility; and

selecting, based on the traffic flows and congestion, a route from one of the possible routes from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the driver availability data includes driver certification data and shift data.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the current tasking data includes information about routes currently being traveled by the PIVs in the facility.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the cargo information is a barcode value of a barcode associated with the cargo.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the barcode includes an RFID tag, and the current location of the barcode is determined by reading the RFID tag.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the current tasking data includes an indication of the urgency of the current task.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein selecting, based at least in part on the operating data, a first PIV to pickup the cargo further comprises:

comparing the urgency of the current task to the urgency of the dispatch order; and

selecting a first PIV based at least in part on the comparison.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the information about the routes includes an anticipated arrival time at a destination location for the current route.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein the current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for the PIVs operating in the facility are received from the memory on the PIVs.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the operating data is received from a wireless transponder on the PIV, the wireless transponder being in data communication with the memory on the PIV, and the wireless transponder further being polled at a substantially regular interval by one or more gateway beacons in the facility.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the one or more gateway beacons are in communication with a central server through a dedicated fiber optic network.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein defining a second on-demand route further comprises:

determining a plurality of possible routes from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo;

analyzing, while the selected PIV is in route to the current location of the cargo, traffic flows between the current location of the cargo and the destination location of the cargo; and

selecting, based on the traffic flows and congestion, a route from one of the possible routes from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein sending the first and second on-demand routes and cargo identification to the selected PIV comprises:

sending, to the selected PIV, the first on-demand route from the current location of the selected PIV to the current location of the cargo; and

while the selected PIV is on route to the current location of the cargo, sending the second on-demand route from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo.

39. A system for creating on-demand routes for PIVs, the system comprising:

means for receiving a dispatch order for a cargo, the dispatch order including a current location of the cargo and a destination of the cargo;

means for receiving one or more of current location data, current tasking data, driver availability data, and battery charge data for PIVs operating in the facility;

means for selecting, based at least in part on the received information, a first PIV to pickup the cargo;

means for defining, based on the current location data of the PIVs and the current location of the selected first PIV, a first on-demand route from the current location of the selected first PIV to the current location of the cargo;

means for sending, via a computer, the first on-demand route and the cargo identification to the selected first PIV;

means for defining, while the selected first PIV is in transit on the first on-demand route, and based on the current location of the cargo and the current location data of the PIVs, a second on-demand route from the current location of the cargo to the destination location of the cargo; and

means for sending, via a computer, the second on-demand route to the selected first PIV.