Delivery operations information system with route and unit maintenance feature and methods of use

• US 8,443,010 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2004
• 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: Scott, Gale R., Fisher, Charles V.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, BAI DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/208,383
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,825 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• 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 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources available to deliver them. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the delivery operation information system tracks quantities of articles, schedules their distribution, and schedules and tracks the work force that distributes the articles.

Claims

1. A method for managing delivery of articles comprising:

developing a database that identifies routes for delivery of articles, including characteristics of said routes;

providing a display screen selectively showing said routes for delivery and said characteristics;

dividing at least one of said routes for delivery into a series of logical segments based on at least one of sections, durations, and route types;

assigning new characteristics to a logical segment in the series of logical segments;

receiving from said display screen a modification of at least one of said new characteristics;

saving at least one of said series of logical segments and said new characteristics to the database;

identifying a plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment;

reassigning a section of the logical segment to a carrier assigned to one of the plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment; and

modifying characteristics of said route in proximity to the logical segment to ensure that recipients in the logical segment will receive mail at approximately the same time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise a step-by-step travel pattern of the delivery route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said new characteristics comprise a scheduled start or end time of the logical segment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said characteristics comprise addresses of delivery locations.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the modification comprises altering a non-delivery point for said logical segment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier is assigned to more than one existing delivery route.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said dividing is permanent.

8. A system for managing delivery of articles comprising:

a database that identifies routes for delivery of articles, including characteristics of said routes;

a display screen for selectively showing said routes for delivery and said characteristics;

a component for dividing at least one of said routes for delivery into a series of logical segments based on one of sections, durations, and route types and assigning new characteristics to a logical segment in the series of logical segments;

a component for receiving a modification of at least one of said new characteristics;

a component for saving at least one of said series of logical segments and said new characteristics to the database;

identifying a plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment;

reassigning a section of the logical segment to a carrier assigned to one of the plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment; and

modifying characteristics of said route in proximity to the logical segment to ensure that recipients in the logical segment will receive mail at approximately the same time.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said characteristics comprise a step-by-step travel pattern of the delivery route.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said new characteristics comprise a scheduled start or end time of the logical segment.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said characteristics comprise addresses of delivery locations.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the modification comprises altering a non-delivery point for said logical segment.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the carrier is assigned to more than one existing delivery route.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said dividing is permanent.

15. A method for managing delivery of articles comprising:

developing a database that identifies routes for delivery of articles, including characteristics of said routes;

selectively displaying said routes for delivery and said characteristics, said characteristics comprising type of route, scheduled begin time, scheduled end time, inspection information from a previous inspection, office time, volume for a type of article, and carrier information;

dividing at least one of said routes for delivery into a logical segment based on route type;

receiving a modification of at least one of said characteristics;

saving said modification to the database;

receiving a selection of certain of said routes;

downloading characteristics of said certain routes to a workstation after receiving the selection;

identifying a plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment;

reassigning a section of the logical segment to a carrier assigned to one of the plurality of routes in proximity to the logical segment; and

modifying characteristics of said route in proximity to the logical segment to ensure that recipients in the logical segment will receive mail at approximately the same time.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a threshold for one of said characteristics; and

modifying the display screen to indicate that a value for said one of said characteristics exceeds the threshold.

17. The method of claim 15,

wherein said characteristics further comprise a sorting time;

and

wherein the modification comprises a change in a sorting time allocated to a carrier assigned to the delivery route based on measurements of an effect of a sorter on the sorting time.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein said characteristics further comprise an estimated office time of the carrier assigned to the delivery route;

and

wherein the change in the sorting time comprises a change in the estimated office time of the carrier assigned to the delivery route.