Oil-field trucking dispatch
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, with one or more processors over a network at a driver dispatch server system, a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank;
in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating, with one or more processors, a tank-run record, the tank-run record specifying a tank-run and identifying the oil or gas related facility and indicating a need for a truck to unload the tank and transport fluid;
sending, with one or more processors, a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck;
receiving, with one or more processors over the network, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank;
after receiving the tank-run claimed message, performing, with one or more processors, operations comprising;
confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed by another driver;
after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and
sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver that the tank-run has been claimed by the driver;
after receiving the tank-nearly-full message, selecting, with one or more processors, one or more proposed unload destinations from among a plurality of candidate unload destinations based on estimated unload times at the respective candidate unload destinations, wherein the estimated unload times are determined, with one or more processors, at least in part by operations comprising;
predicting arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations;
predicting arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers who have claimed other tank-runs to the respective candidate unload destinations; and
estimating unload durations of time at the respective candidate unload destinations based on parameters comprising;
the predicted arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations;
the predicted arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers; and
available tank capacities at the respective candidate unload destinations indicated by an Internet-connected fluid-level sensor at the respective candidate unload destinations; and
sending identifiers of the selected proposed unload destinations to the mobile device of the driver, wherein the driver dispatch server system, after the confirmation, causes one or more commands to be sent to adjust a flow rate at one of the proposed unload destinations, the oil or gas related facility, or both based on a predicted arrival time of the driver.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a process including: receiving a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank; in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating a tank-run record; sending a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck; receiving, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank; and after the tank-run claimed message, performing steps including: confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed; after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver.
29 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving, with one or more processors over a network at a driver dispatch server system, a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank; in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating, with one or more processors, a tank-run record, the tank-run record specifying a tank-run and identifying the oil or gas related facility and indicating a need for a truck to unload the tank and transport fluid; sending, with one or more processors, a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck; receiving, with one or more processors over the network, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank; after receiving the tank-run claimed message, performing, with one or more processors, operations comprising; confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed by another driver; after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver that the tank-run has been claimed by the driver; after receiving the tank-nearly-full message, selecting, with one or more processors, one or more proposed unload destinations from among a plurality of candidate unload destinations based on estimated unload times at the respective candidate unload destinations, wherein the estimated unload times are determined, with one or more processors, at least in part by operations comprising; predicting arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; predicting arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers who have claimed other tank-runs to the respective candidate unload destinations; and estimating unload durations of time at the respective candidate unload destinations based on parameters comprising; the predicted arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; the predicted arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers; and available tank capacities at the respective candidate unload destinations indicated by an Internet-connected fluid-level sensor at the respective candidate unload destinations; and sending identifiers of the selected proposed unload destinations to the mobile device of the driver, wherein the driver dispatch server system, after the confirmation, causes one or more commands to be sent to adjust a flow rate at one of the proposed unload destinations, the oil or gas related facility, or both based on a predicted arrival time of the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23)
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20. A method, comprising:
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receiving, with one or more processors over a network at a driver dispatch server system, a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank; in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating, with one or more processors, a tank-run record, the tank-run record specifying a tank-run and identifying the oil or gas related facility and indicating a need for a truck to unload the tank and transport fluid; sending, with one or more processors, a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck; receiving, with one or more processors over the network, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank; after receiving the tank-run claimed message, performing, with one or more processors, operations comprising; confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed by another driver; after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver that the tank-run has been claimed by the driver; after receiving the tank-nearly-full message, selecting, with one or more processors, one or more proposed unload destinations from among a plurality of candidate unload destinations based on estimated unload times at the respective candidate unload destinations, wherein the estimated unload times are determined, with one or more processors, at least in part by operations comprising; predicting arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; predicting arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers who have claimed other tank-runs to the respective candidate unload destinations; and estimating unload durations of time at the respective candidate unload destinations based on parameters comprising; the predicted arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; the predicted arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers; and available tank capacities at the respective candidate unload destinations indicated by an Internet-connected fluid-level sensor at the respective candidate unload destinations; and sending identifiers of the selected proposed unload destinations to the mobile device of the driver; receiving, from the mobile device of the driver, a chosen unload destination from among the sent proposed unload destinations; and causing a pump speed of a pump at the chosen unload destination to accelerate based on an estimated arrival time of the trucker at the proposed unload destination and real-time data about the capacity of the unload destination to accept fluid.
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21. A system, comprising:
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one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that when executed by at least some of the processors effectuate operations comprising; receiving over a network a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank; in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating a tank-run record, the tank-run record specifying a tank-run and identifying the oil or gas related facility and indicating a need for a truck to unload the tank and transport fluid; sending a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck; receiving, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank; and after receiving the tank-run claimed message, performing steps comprising; confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed by another driver; after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver that the tank-run has been claimed by the driver; after receiving the tank-nearly-full message, selecting, with one or more processors, one or more proposed unload destinations from among a plurality of candidate unload destinations based on estimated unload times at the respective candidate unload destinations, wherein the estimated unload times are determined, with one or more processors, at least in part by operations comprising; predicting arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; predicting arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers who have claimed other tank-runs to the respective candidate unload destinations; and estimating unload durations of time at the respective candidate unload destinations based on parameters comprising; the predicted arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; the predicted arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers; and available tank capacities at the respective candidate unload destinations indicated by an Internet-connected fluid-level sensor at the respective candidate unload destinations; and sending identifiers of the selected proposed unload destinations to the mobile device of the driver, wherein the driver dispatch server system, after the confirmation, causes one or more commands to be sent to remotely adjust a valve or adjust a pump-rate, wherein the adjustment is based on a predicted arrival time of the driver at the respective unload destination. - View Dependent Claims (22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system, comprising:
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one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that when executed by at least some of the processors effectuate operations comprising; receiving over a network a tank-nearly-full message indicating that a tank at an oil or gas related facility is or will be ready for a truck to unload and transport fluid accumulating in the tank; in response to the tank-nearly-full message, creating a tank-run record, the tank-run record specifying a tank-run and identifying the oil or gas related facility and indicating a need for a truck to unload the tank and transport fluid; sending a description of the tank-run to a mobile device of a driver of an oilfield truck; receiving, from the mobile device of the driver of the oilfield truck, a tank-run claimed message indicating that the driver will drive to the oil or gas related facility and transport at least some of the fluid accumulating in the tank; and after receiving the tank-run claimed message, performing steps comprising; confirming that the tank-run has not yet been claimed by another driver; after the confirmation, designating the tank-run as claimed by the driver; and sending confirmation to the mobile device of the driver that the tank-run has been claimed by the driver; after receiving the tank-nearly-full message, selecting, with one or more processors, one or more proposed unload destinations from among a plurality of candidate unload destinations based on estimated unload times at the respective candidate unload destinations, wherein the estimated unload times are determined, with one or more processors, at least in part by operations comprising; predicting arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; predicting arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers who have claimed other tank-runs to the respective candidate unload destinations; and estimating unload durations of time at the respective candidate unload destinations based on parameters comprising; the predicted arrival times of the driver at the respective candidate unload destinations; the predicted arrival times at the respective candidate unload destinations of other drivers; and available tank capacities at the respective candidate unload destinations indicated by an Internet-connected fluid-level sensor at the respective candidate unload destinations; and sending identifiers of the selected proposed unload destinations to the mobile device of the driver; and causing a flow rate into the tank to be slowed based on an estimated arrival time of the trucker at the tank by causing a valve to be closed or a pump to be slowed.
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Specification