Device and method of planning and managing real-time postal delivery work

• US 8,131,607 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Park, Moon Sung, Kim, Eun Hye, Kim, Wan Seok, Park, Jong Heung
• Primary Examiner(s): Gort, Elaine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US12/155,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,377 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• 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

The present invention relates to a system and method of planning and managing real-time postal delivery work that formulates a delivery plan according to a delivery workload in real time, provides information about the delivery plan, and provides and manages information about collection work of returned and confirmed mail items.

Claims

1. A device for planning and managing real-time postal delivery work, the device comprising:

a receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block that sorts quantity information by types after a post office and a mail center perform receipt, collection, and sorting work;

a postal logistics operating block that transmits, to a terminal of each delivery post office, the quantity information from the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block to use as calculation criterion information of a scheduled delivery quantity for formulating a real-time delivery plan;

a real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block that sorts the quantity information from the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block, performs calculation of delivery-zone-based and delivery-route-based scheduled delivery quantities, detection of an excess of delivery workload, calculation of the quantities of entrusted and residential delivery zones, and calculation of the quantities of delivery-zone-based intermediate depositories, generates a delivery route in consideration of a criterion date of special mail item traffic quality and then calculates a general mail item delivery quantity, and provides a terminal of a postman with information about the postal delivery work; and

a delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block that registers a delivery location and a delivery quantity through barcode or RFID tag recognition at a delivery completion location during the postal delivery work with reference to the delivery route and the quantity information generated by the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, confirms a collection box and registers information about a collection quantity at a delivery location at which collection is to be performed, during the collection work, and transmits the registration results to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block allocates a collection route of a returned/confirmed mail item on the basis of information about delivery locations, excluding the delivery completion location, on the delivery-zone-based delivery route, and provides the collection route to the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising

a unit that, when the work result of the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block is registered in the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, generates and registers delivery-zone-based and delivery-location-based daily weight values on the basis of the total delivery quantity and collection quantity according to the delivery and collection work result, and stores the registered result values in a temporary depository to be used in the real-time postal delivery plan logistics.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising

a unit that eliminates a factor for delivery delay in advance to distribute the delivery workload of the delivery post office, generates the real-time postal delivery plan for eliminating a factor for deterioration of postal service quality in advance, and manages the execution result.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising

a recipient delivery schedule notification and confirmation result transmitting block that, when a mail item is a special mail item, directly transmits the special mail item to a recipient, when a mail item is a mail item that requires confirmation, transmits information on scheduled delivery date and time based on the delivery route generation result to the recipient by e-mail or message on a mobile phone, and transmits the confirmation result from the recipient to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block comprises:

a unit that acquires receipt quantity information and the quantity information according to the dispatch sorting and arrival sorting work in the mail center, calculates a daily and scheduled-arrival-time-based scheduled arrival quantity in real time, and generates and provides the delivery plan and the delivery route;

a unit that provides the results of the dispatch sorting and arrival sorting work in the mail center; and

a unit that provides quantity information according to the result of the sorting work in a delivery sequence of general mail items and the result of the sorting work in a delivery sequence of special mail items.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block comprises:

a post office collection and receipt quantity information transmitting unit that transmits quantity information, which is acquired through a registration process of information about a mailbox collection quantity by the post office, to the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block;

a quantity-of-postal-items receipt quantity information acquiring and transmitting unit that acquires quantity information in the post office and the mail center according to conditions from companies, which send a quantity of mail items, and transmits the acquired quantity information to the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block;

a mail-center-dispatch sorting work result acquiring and transmitting unit that, from the formulation result of the delivery plan of the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, in a case of a general mail item if the dispatch sorting work in the mail center is completed, acquires zip-code-based processing information from a sorting machine, and transmits the acquired information to the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block;

a mail-center-arrival sorting work result acquiring and transmitting unit that, if the arrival sorting work in the mail center is completed, acquires zip-code-based processing information from the sorting machine, and transmits the acquired information to the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block;

a delivery sequence sorting work result acquiring and transmitting unit that, on the basis of the postman-based and delivery-sequence-based automatic sorting results from the sorting machine acquired by the mail center or the delivery post office, acquires postman-based and delivery-based processing information, and transmits the acquired information to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block; and

a first gateway that interfaces between the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block further comprises a quantity information classifying and transmitting unit that classifies the quantity information acquired by the post office collection and receipt quantity information transmitting unit and the quantity-of-postal-items receipt quantity information acquiring and transmitting unit, and transmits the classified quantity information to the postal logistics operating block and the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the quantity information classifying and transmitting unit classifies the quantity information according to a post office ID, delivery date and time, and a receipt quantity when the quantity information is information about the quantity of general mail items, classifies the quantity information according to a registration number (customer ID+receipt number), a receipt post office ID, receipt date and time, a recipient zip code, and a mailing direction when the quantity information is information about the quantity of special mail items, and classifies the quantity information according to a mailing direction, the level of presorting (mail center ID, sorting machine ID, delivery post office ID, first 3 digits of the zip code, or 6 digits of the zip code), a zip-code-based quantity, presence/absence of a barcode, a receipt post office ID, and receipt date and time when the quantity information is information about the quantity of temporarily received or received quantity of mail items, and acquires the receipt quantity information.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block further comprises a unit that generates information about the number of destination-based postal boxes through manual sorting, the result of presorting, and the result of zip-code-based dispatch sorting through automatic sorting.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the postal logistics operating block comprises:

a unit that compares the quantity information from the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block with past delivery-post-office-based quantity information, and provides delivery-post-office-based quantity information;

a unit that receives the result of a real-time postal logistics postal delivery work plan from the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, and calculates and manages a ratio of a delivery-post-office-based quantity according to the delivery-post-office-based execution result; and

a unit that manages delivery-post-office-based traffic quality and workload according to the delivery result.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the postal logistics operating block comprises:

a delivery-post-office-based actual result managing unit that manages a weight value in consideration of a delivery route between a receipt post office and a delivery post office and time elapsed according to a work method in the mail center, and a ratio of past delivery-post-office-based delivery quantity information;

a unit that receives the information transmitted from the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block, and calculates a delivery-post-office-based scheduled arrival quantity according to the quantity of received general mail items on the basis of an increase ratio of mail items at the same time as in the past and a ratio of delivery quantity information among the delivery post offices at the same time;

a unit that calculates a delivery-post-office-based daily scheduled quantity on the basis of the zip-code-based quantity information, the level of presorting, and the quantity information using the quantity-of-postal-items receipt quantity information;

a delivery-post-office-based scheduled quantity calculating unit that, in a case of a special mail item, generates scheduled quantity information to arrive at each delivery post office on the basis of a receipt date and a receipt post office;

a comparing unit that compares the scheduled quantity information generated by the delivery-post-office-based scheduled quantity calculating unit with the value registered in the delivery-post-office-based actual result managing unit; and

a unit that transmits the comparison results by the comparing unit to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block through a second gateway.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block comprises:

a unit that calculates delivery-zone-based and delivery-route-based quantities using the quantity information acquired by the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block;

a unit that calculates delivery-post-office-based and delivery-zone-based delivery workload using a quantity ratio according to the manual sorting result acquired by the postal logistics operating block, and generates and transmits delivery quantity information with an error in delivery quantity that is minimized;

a unit that, when mail items of more than a daily processable quantity arrive at each delivery post office, calculates entrusted delivery zones and entrusted delivery quantities for the quantity of mail items that is more than the processable quantity to perform the delivery workload;

a unit that calculates the quantity of mail items to be transported to the intermediate depositories in consideration of postman-based delivery quantity and delivery route, and calculates and transmits an intermediate-location-based transport quantity;

a unit that generates delivery route information to include a general mail item delivery route in consideration of a condition for maintaining the special mail item traffic quality, and transmits the generated delivery route information;

a unit that receives the transmission result, generates a travel route for collection, and provides a postman who conducts the collection work with the changed collection route;

a unit that selects reference groups through comparison of a past actual delivery quantity with a delivery zone quantity, generates and transmits quantity information about mail items to be delivered, and formulates the delivery plan on the basis of the values; and

a unit that manages traffic quality according to the delivery and collection work result and an entrusted delivery result, and when the traffic quality is not repeatedly maintained, provides an administrator with information for postman supplement and delivery zone adjustment on the basis of delay factor information.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block comprises:

a delivery-zone-based scheduled quantity calculating unit that acquires delivery-post-office-based scheduled quantity information, and compares a ratio of past delivery-zone-based delivery quantity information with data acquired from the receipt and collection quantity to calculate a delivery-zone-based scheduled postal delivery work quantity;

a delivery-zone-based/delivery-route-based scheduled delivery quantity calculating unit that calculates a delivery-location-based scheduled delivery quantity using a ratio of a past daily delivery result and a ratio of a daily scheduled delivery quantity for each delivery zone;

an excessive delivery workload detecting unit that detects a delivery zone that suffers from excessive delivery workload, on the basis of a delivery-zone-based daily scheduled quantity, selects an area having a lower delivery density, and generates information for delivery zone adjustment;

an entrusted and residential delivery area quantity calculating unit that confirms registration information of an entrusted/residential deliverable resource for an area having a high daily delivery density from the result calculated by the excessive delivery workload detecting unit, if the corresponding information exists, allocates scheduled delivery quantity information to an entrusted postal zone, and generates and transmits a scheduled delivery quantity to the entrusted postal zone;

a unit that, after the delivery quantity of the entrusted delivery zone is excluded through the delivery-zone-based/delivery-route-based scheduled delivery quantity calculating unit, the excessive delivery workload detecting unit, and the entrusted and residential delivery area quantity calculating unit, recalculates the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity;

an intermediate-location-based transport quantity calculating unit that transports daily general and special mail items, and calculates and provides the quantity of mail items to be transported to the intermediate depositories in consideration of the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity;

a special mail item receipt result criterion delivery route generating unit that calculates zip-code-based quantity information for the special mail items, excluding the general mail items, calculates a delivery location using address information of a residence, generates a delivery route on the basis of scheduled delivery completion time of the delivery location such that traffic quality is maintained, and reallocates a route for the special mail items in reflection of a customer name, a value of receipt request date-and-time value, and a delivery location among the receipt result from a recipient;

a mobile gateway that interfaces between the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block and the recipient delivery schedule notification and confirmation result transmitting block;

a message transmitting/receiving module that checks a connection state of the mobile gateway so as to transmit the generation result of the delivery route by the special mail item receipt result criterion delivery route generating unit to the recipient through the recipient delivery schedule notification and confirmation result transmitting block, generates and transmits a message for transmitting a schedule delivery date-and-time message, and receives the delivery result from the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block; and

a special/general mail item delivery route generating unit that generates a condition that satisfies the delivery completion time of special mail items by reflecting the delivery location information of general mail items in the delivery route generated by the special mail item receipt result criterion delivery route generating unit, generates delivery route information including a delivery sequence of the general mail items in consideration of the generated condition, and generates the delivery route according to the acquisition result by the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block further comprises:

a delivery-zone-based delivery quantity estimating and adjusting unit that receives information about the number of destination-based postal boxes through manual sorting, the result of presorting, and the result of zip-code-based dispatch sorting and arrival sorting through automatic sorting from the receipt and sorting work quantity information acquiring and transmitting block, compares changes of the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity and calculates a difference so as to adjust a scheduled delivery post office arrival date and determine the scheduled delivery quantity as the delivery quantity, and generates a daily delivery quantity;

a unit that, when the difference in the changes of the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity calculated by the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity estimating and adjusting unit is large, including when a special mail item delay factor occurs, checks a large-changed scheduled delivery quantity on the basis of the post office collection and receipt quantity and the quantity-of-postal-items receipt quantity, and if a difference in the ratio of the scheduled delivery quantity calculated based on the manual sorting quantity and the post office collection and receipt quantity is more than a predetermined reference value, recalculates the daily, delivery-zone-based, and delivery-route-based delivery quantities;

a unit that changes input date and time and quantity information, and repeatedly performs the generation of the delivery route so as to reformulate the delivery plan by reflecting the scheduled delivery quantity in the dispatch sorting and arrival sorting work result;

a unit that, in a case of a mail item that is received at a delivery post office and is to be delivered in the corresponding zone, registers delivery quantity information such that the mail item is to be delivered the day after the receipt date, and reflects the delivery quantity information in formulating the delivery plan; and

a unit that provides the delivery route information, the calculation result of the intermediate depository transport quantity, and the calculation results of the quantities of the entrusted and residential delivery zones.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block further comprises:

a returned and confirmed mail item collection location generating unit that generates a travel route for the collection work and provides a mail item collection vehicle and a person who is responsible for the collection work with collection route information;

a collection work result registering unit that registers a collection work result input from the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block;

a unit that, when the delivery completion result is registered in the postman work result storing and delivery delay factor detecting unit, generates and stores information about a delivery location to which a postman does not visit, and registers the corresponding delivery location as a delivery location at which collection is to be performed;

a unit that registers delivery completion quantity and collection quantity information in the postal logistics operating block;

a postman work result storing and delivery delay factor detecting unit that receives the delivery completion result transmitted from the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block, registers the delivery completion result, compares the delivery and collection work result with the condition for maintaining the special mail item traffic quality generated before the delivery, and provides information about delay-delivered mail items; and

a delivery zone and delivery-route-based actual result managing unit that generates and registers ratios of delivery-zone-based and delivery-location-based delivery and collection quantity information for calculation of the scheduled delivery quantity using history information of the delivery result.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block further comprises:

a unit that formulates a primary delivery plan based on receipt information using the information generated by the special/general mail item delivery route generating unit; and

a unit that compares the daily delivery quantity generated by the delivery-zone-based delivery quantity estimating and adjusting unit with the received dispatch sorting work result, and changes the daily delivery quantity to determined delivery quantity information to formulate a secondary delivery plan.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block comprises:

a unit that registers the delivery location by recognizing the barcode or the RFID tag attached to the collection box during the delivery, and when the returned and confirmed mail items exist, acquires and registers a delivery-location-based returned and confirmed mail item collection quantity and recipient information; and

a unit that transmits the information about the delivery completion location at predetermined time intervals during the delivery, or when the delivery result is more than a predetermined quantity, transmits the delivery result to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block so as to generate a collection route for collecting the returned/confirmed mail item at a delivery location at which the postman does not visit during the delivery.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the delivery and collection work information acquiring and transmitting block comprises:

a delivery and delivery confirmation information acquiring unit that, when only a general mail item is put into the collection box during the delivery, recognizes the barcode or the RFID tag attached to the collection box and inputs the delivery quantity, and when a special mail item is put into the collection box, acquires delivery location information in signature information and delivery quantity information as delivery completion information, and provides next scheduled delivery location information when the delivery is completed;

a unit that, when the postman delivers mail items using the delivery route information from the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, causes the postman to put a mail item into the collection box and in a case of a special mail item, to recognize with a PDA a registration barcode or an RFID tag, to display a screen for the signature of the recipient, and to register a delivery completion result after the signature of the recipient;

a unit that, when a general mail item is put into the collection box or when a returned/confirmed mail item exists in the collection box, recognizes the barcode or the RFID tag attached to the collection box, and inputs a delivery quantity and a collection quantity;

a delivery completion location information transmitting unit that transmits data of the delivery completion result to the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block in consideration of power of the PDA or the cumulative amount of the delivery completion information, and when the delivery is completed, registers the delivery completion information in the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block;

a returned/confirmed mail item collecting unit that, when a mail item to be collected exists at a delivery location on the collection route according to the collection route information transmitted from the real-time postal logistics delivery planning and managing block, inputs information about a collected mail item quantity;

a unit that, when a mail item is collected from a returned mail item box or a confirmed mail item box at a delivery location that the postman visits, registers corresponding information through the PDA; and

a unit that, after completing the delivery, receives collection route information for an area neighboring the delivery completion location and performs the collection work before returning to the delivery post office.