Manifest generation and download systems and methods

• US 8,266,071 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Holsen, Jim, Anderson, Duane, Perez, Juan, Davidson, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): JABR, FADEY S
• Application Number:
  US13/007,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1.1, 705 711- 742, 701204-210, 340/904, 340988-994
• US Class Current: 705/338
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

The present invention is directed to systems and methods to generate a manifest of work that is to be performed by a driver. Specifically, systems and methods are described in the context of a package delivery system to generate a manifest of deliveries and pickups to be performed by a driver and to download the generated manifest to a portable computing device used by the driver to service the route.

Claims

1. A system for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the system comprising:

(A) a work allocation system comprising a device configured to assign one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;

wherein;

the device is further configured to;

monitor the assigned packages and to generate a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes; and

generate the manifest to comprise one or more assignments in a predetermined order, wherein at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages; and

(B) a portable computing device that is configured to;

receive the manifest of work in an electronic format;

facilitate display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;

receive one or more updates to the electronic manifest from the device;

revise the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received; and

reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the shipping label data is captured by a second device of a data capture system, the shipping label data comprises at least one package destination address and at least one service level.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the device is configured to assign packages based at least in part on the package destination address and the service level.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the device is configured to assign the packages to the routes by comparing the destination address and the service level against a dispatch plan.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to generate the manifest of work to comprise a list of locations and a sequence of servicing the locations.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the device is configured to generate the sequence of servicing based on a dispatch plan.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the portable computing device is configured to display the manifest of work in accordance with the sequence of servicing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is configured to receive the at least one update after the portable computing device leaves a pre-load facility.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device is configured to electronically transfer the work assigned to the manifest to a second manifest on a second portable computing device.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the device is configured to associate each assignment with a delivery location; and

the portable computing device comprises a global positioning system (GPS) device configured to determine a current location of the portable computing device and the portable computing device is further configured to;

reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the current location is within a predetermined distance from a delivery location associated with at least one of the assignments.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the device is further configured to associate each of the one or more assignments with one or more corresponding delivery locations;

the portable computing device is further configured to;

estimate a current location of the portable computing device based at least in part on completion of at least one assignment;

determine a delivery location, among the delivery locations, that is nearest to the current location; and

reposition an assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the determined delivery location corresponds to the assignment.

12. A method for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the method comprising:

at a first device of a work allocation system;

assigning one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;

monitoring the assigned packages and generating a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes,

wherein the manifest comprises one or more assignments in a predetermined order, and at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages; and

at a portable computing device;

receiving the manifest of work in an electronic format;

facilitating display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;

receiving one or more updates to the electronic manifest from the first device;

revising the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received; and

repositioning, via a processor of the portable computing device, the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the shipping label data is captured by a second device of a data capture system, the shipping label data comprises at least one package destination address and at least one service level.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein assigning the packages further comprises assigning packages based at least in part on the package destination address and the service level.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein assigning further comprises assigning the packages to the routes by comparing the destination address and the service level against a dispatch plan.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising, generating, via the first device, the manifest of work to comprise a list of locations and a sequence of servicing the locations.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating, via the first device, the sequence of servicing based on a dispatch plan.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising facilitating display, via the portable computing device, of the manifest of work in accordance with the sequence of servicing.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, via the portable computing device, the at least one update after the portable computing device leaves a pre-load facility.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising electronically transferring, via the portable computing device, the work assigned to the manifest to a second manifest on a second portable computing device.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating, via the first device, each assignment with a delivery location;

determining, via a global positioning system (GPS) of the portable computing device, a current location of the portable computing device; and

repositioning, via the portable computing device, the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the current location is within a predetermined distance from a delivery location associated with at least one of the assignments.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

associating, via the first device, each of the one or more assignments with one or more corresponding delivery locations;

estimating, via the portable computing device, a current location of the portable computing device based at least in part on completion of at least one assignment;

determining, via the portable computing device, a delivery location, among the delivery locations, that is nearest to the current location; and

repositioning, via the portable computing device, an assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the determined delivery location corresponds to the assignment.

23. A computer program product for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

program code instructions configured to assign one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;

program code instructions configured to monitor the assigned packages and generate a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes;

program code instructions configured to generate the manifest to comprise one or more assignments in a predetermined order, wherein at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages;

program code instructions configured to enable receipt of the manifest of work in an electronic format;

program code instructions configured to facilitate display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;

program code instructions configured to enable receipt of one or more updates to the electronic manifest from a first device;

program code instructions configured to revise the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received; and

program code instructions configured to reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to associate each assignment with a delivery location;

program code instructions configured to determine a current location of a portable computing device, via a global positioning system (GPS) of the portable computing device; and

program code instructions configured to reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the current location is within a predetermined distance from a delivery location associated with at least one of the assignments.

25. The computer program product of claim 23, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to associate each of the one or more assignments with one or more corresponding delivery locations;

program code instructions configured to estimate a current location of a portable computing device based at least in part on completion of at least one assignment;

program code instructions configured to determine a delivery location, among the delivery locations, that is nearest to the current location; and

program code instructions configured to reposition an assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to detecting that the determined delivery location corresponds to the assignment.