Systems, devices and methods for integrated display and management of transportation resources

• US 9,460,410 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal Mart Stores Inc (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Blake, Wilson, Ann, Liedka, Nicole, Hopkins, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vetter, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/287,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20130110739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,798 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.13, 705/7.25, 705/330, 705/333, 705/337
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments provide transportation management systems, devices and methods that allow display and management of transportation resources and operations in an integrated manner. Exemplary embodiments may provide, for example, a single dynamic and interactive interface for executing inbound transportation operations (procurement or pickup), outbound transportation operations (delivery or shipment), and operations in which multiple transportation resources are matched to one another.

Claims

1. In a computational transportation resource management system, a method for configuring a graphical user interface for management of transportation resources, the method comprising:

constructing a query to request information associated with one or more transportation resources and one or more loads in a geographic region from one or more databases;

programmatically rendering a map of the geographical region on the graphical user interface in the computational transportation resource management system;

programmatically populating the map with graphical representations of a set of one or more available transportation resources at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources based on the information associated with the one or more transportation resources, each of the representations of a set of one or more available transportation resources associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes;

programmatically populating the map with graphical representations of one or more unassigned loads at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more loads based on the information associated with the one or more loads, each of the representations of a set of one or more unassigned loads associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes, the one or more attributes including a size or a type of the one or more loads;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more loads;

executing the one or more functions included in the one or more data structures to evaluate the one or more attributes associated with the selected first set of one or more loads and the one or more attributes associated with the available transportation resources;

in response to evaluating the one or more attributes, automatically reconfiguring the graphical user interface by execution of the one or more functions to refine the graphical representations of the set of transportation resources rendered on the map by populating the map with a subset of the set of transportation resources suitable for transporting the selected first set of loads;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more transportation resources and graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads,

wherein two or more transportation resources from the first set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the first set of one or more transportation resources to create a combined transportation resource for assignment to one of the selected first sets of loads;

determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination;

executing code to display an error message in the graphical user interface in response to determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a second set of one or more transportation resources wherein two or more transportation resources from the second set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the two or more transportation resources from the second set of one or more transportation resources;

determining that the two or more transportation resources from the second set of one or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are compatible for combination;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resource and dragging and dropping the selected graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources onto graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads;

executing code to generate one or more combined graphical representations, on the map, replacing the graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources and the first set of one or more loads, the one or more combined graphical representations indicating one or more transportation operations in which the selected second set of one or more transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of one or more loads from one or more geographical pickup locations to one or more geographical destination locations; and

executing code to perform the one or more transportation operations based on the user input on the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically updating the current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources and the one or more loads on the map.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon definition of the transportation operation in which the first set of transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of loads:

automatically updating a status of the first set of transportation resources to indicate that the first set of transportation resources is unavailable; and

automatically updating a status of the first set of loads to indicate that the first set of loads is assigned for transportation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon selection of the first set of transportation resources, automatically recommending the first set of loads suitable for transportation using the first set of transportation resources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on the current geographical locations of the first set of transportation resources.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on a type, a volume capacity and/or a size capacity of the first set of transportation resources.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon selection of the first set of loads, automatically recommending the first set of transportation resources suitable for transporting the first set of loads.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on the current geographical locations and/or the geographical destination locations of the first set of loads.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on a type, a volume and/or a size of the first set of loads.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein performance of the transportation operation comprises:

transmitting a message to a transportation management entity to transport the first set of loads using the first set of transportation resources to the one or more destination addresses.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the transportation operation comprises:

dragging and dropping, on the map, representations of the first set of loads onto representations of the first set of transportation resources.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, representations of the one or more geographical destination locations for transporting the first set of loads.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more of the transportation resources are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein two or more of the loads are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information from the one or more databases includes at least one of GPS information, GIS information, traffic conditions, weather conditions, type of transportation resource, size of transportation resource, availability status, operator information, type of load, size of load, priority level, assignment status, or vendor identification.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the size of the load includes a dimension of the load, a volume of the load, or a weight of the load, and the type of the load includes a perishable load, a non-perishable load, a hazardous load, or a toxic load.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, the one or more combined graphical representations and dragging and dropping the selected one or more combined graphical representations onto a graphical representation of the one or more geographical destination locations.

18. A computational transportation resource management system for configuring a graphical user interface for management of transportation resources, the system comprising:

a display device for displaying the graphical user interface; and

a processor programmed to;

construct a query to request information associated with one or more transportation resources and one or more loads in a geographic region from one or more databases,

render a map of the geographical region,

populate graphical representations of one or more available transportation resources on the map at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources based on the information associated with the one or more transportation resources, each of the representations of a set of one or more available transportation resources associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes,

populate graphical representations of one or more unassigned loads on the map at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more loads based on the information associated with the one or more loads, each of the representations of a set of one or more the unassigned loads associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes, the one or more attributes including a size or a type of the one or more loads,

receive user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more loads,

execute the one or more functions included in the one or more data structures to evaluate the one or more attributes associated with the selected first set of one or more loads and the one or more attributes associated with the available transportation resources,

automatically reconfigure the graphical user interface by execution of the one or more functions to refine the representations of the set of transportation resources rendered on the map in response to evaluation of the one or more attributes by populating the map with a subset of the set of transportations resources suitable for transporting the first set of loads,

receive user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more transportation resources and graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads,

wherein two or more transportation resources from the first set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the first set of one or more transportation resources to create a combined transportation resource for assignment to one of the selected first sets of loads,

determine that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination,

execute code to display an error message in the graphical user interface in response to determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination,

receive user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of the first set of one or more transportation resources wherein two or more transportation resources from the first set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the two or more transportation resources,

determine that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are compatible for combination,

receive user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resource and dragging and dropping the selected graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources onto graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads,

execute code to generate one or more combined graphical representations, on the map, replacing the graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources and the first set of one or more loads, the one or more combined graphical representations indicating one or more transportation operations in which the selected second set of one or more transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of one or more loads from one or more geographical pickup locations to one or more geographical destination locations, and

execute code to perform the one or more transportation operations based on the user input on the graphical user interface.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

automatically update, on the map, the current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources and the one or more loads.

20. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to, upon definition of the transportation operation in which the first set of transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of loads:

automatically update a status of the first set of transportation resources to indicate that the first set of transportation resources is unavailable; and

automatically update a status of the first set of loads to indicate that the first set of loads is assigned for transportation.

21. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

upon selection of the representations of the first set of transportation resources, automatically recommend the first set of loads suitable for transportation using the first set of transportation resources.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on the current geographical locations of the first set of transportation resources.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on a type, a volume capacity and/or a size capacity of the first set of transportation resources.

24. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

upon selection of the first set of loads, automatically recommend the first set of transportation resources suitable for transporting the first set of loads.

25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on the current geographical locations and/or the geographical destination location of the first set of loads.

26. The computer system of claim 24, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on a type, a volume and/or a size of the first set of loads.

27. The computer system of claim 18, wherein performance of the transportation operation comprises:

transmitting a message to a transportation management entity to transport the first set of loads using the first set of transportation resources to the destination address.

28. The computer system of claim 18, wherein defining the transportation operation comprises:

dragging and dropping, on the map, representations of the first set of loads onto the representations of the first set of transportation resources.

29. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

receive user input selecting, directly on the map, a representation of the geographical destination location for the first set of loads.

30. The computer system of claim 18, wherein two or more of the transportation resources are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.

31. The computer system of claim 18, wherein two or more of the loads are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.

32. In a computational transportation resource management system, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for configuring a graphical user interface for management of transportation resources, the method comprising:

constructing a query to request information associated with one or more transportation resources and one or more loads in a geographic region from one or more databases;

programmatically rendering a map of the geographical region on the graphical user interface in the computational transportation resource management system;

programmatically populating the map with graphical representations of a set of one or more available transportation resources at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources based on the information associated with the one or more transportation resources, each of the representations of a set of one or more available transportation resources associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes;

programmatically populating the map with graphical representations of one or more unassigned loads at representations of current geographical locations of the one or more loads based on the information associated with the one or more loads, each of the representations of a set of one or more unassigned loads associated with one or more data structures including one or more functions and one or more attributes, the one or more attributes including a size or a type of the one or more loads;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more loads;

executing the one or more functions included in the one or more data structures to evaluate the one or more attributes associated with the selected first set of one or more loads and the one or more attributes associated with the available transportation resources;

in response to evaluating the one or more attributes, automatically reconfiguring the graphical user interface by execution of the one or more functions to refine the graphical representations of the set of transportation resources rendered on the map by populating the map with a subset of the set of transportations resources suitable for transporting the selected first set of loads;

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of a first set of one or more transportation resources and graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads,

wherein two or more transportation resources from the first set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the first set of one or more transportation resources to create a combined transportation resource for assignment to one of the selected first sets of loads,

determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination,

executing code to display an error message in the graphical user interface in response to determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are incompatible for combination,

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of the first set of one or more transportation resources wherein two or more transportation resources from the first set of one or more transportation resources are combined in response to user input selecting graphical representations of the two or more transportation resources,

determining that the two or more transportation resources forming the combined transportation resource are compatible for combination,

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resource and dragging and dropping the selected graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources onto graphical representations of the first set of one or more loads;

executing code to generate one or more combined graphical representations, on the map, replacing the graphical representations of the second set of one or more transportation resources and the first set of one or more loads, the one or more combined graphical representations indicating one or more transportation operations in which the selected second set of one or more transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of one or more loads from one or more geographical pickup locations to one or more geographical destination locations; and

executing code to perform the one or more transportation operations based on the user input on the graphical user interface.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically updating the current geographical locations of the one or more transportation resources and the one or more loads on the map.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises, upon definition of the transportation operation in which the first set of transportation resources is assigned to transport the first set of loads:

automatically updating a status of the first set of transportation resources to indicate that the first set of transportation resources is unavailable; and

automatically updating a status of the first set of loads to indicate that the first set of loads is assigned for transportation.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

upon selection of the first set of transportation resources, automatically recommending the first set of loads suitable for transportation using the first set of transportation resources.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on the current geographical locations of the first set of transportation resources.

37. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the first set of loads is recommended based on a type, a volume capacity and/or a size capacity of the first set of transportation resources.

38. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 32, wherein the method further comprises:

upon selection of the first set of loads, automatically recommending the first set of transportation resources suitable for transporting the first set of loads.

39. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on the current geographical locations and/or the one or more geographical destination locations of the first set of loads.

40. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the first set of transportation resources is recommended based on a type, a volume and/or a size of the first set of loads.

41. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein performance of the transportation operation comprises:

transmitting a message to a transportation management entity to transport the first set of loads using the first set of transportation resources to the one or more destination addresses.

42. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein defining the transportation operation comprises:

dragging and dropping, on the map, representations of the first set of loads onto representations of the first set of transportation resources.

43. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input selecting, directly on the map, representations of the one or more geographical destination locations for transporting the first set of loads.

44. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein two or more of the transportation resources are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.

45. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein two or more of the loads are represented on the map using different types of representations and/or different colored representations.