System for improving efficiencies of on-demand delivery services

• US 9,741,011 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streetlogic Network Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Main Grade Assets, LLC
• Inventors: Beach-Drummond, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wood, Allison
• Application Number:
  US14/568,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20150170099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 705 261- 272, 705 28, 705330, 705334, 705338, 701408, 701410, 701412, 701414, 701420, 701423, 701447
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/38 Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0834 Choice of carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An order and delivery system to be deployed over a regional delivery area includes a business, and a network of mobile storefronts that contain stored inventory and operate within the regional delivery area. An order server receives a query from a consumer, then determines the consumer'"'"'s geolocation, verifies that the consumer'"'"'s geolocation is within the regional delivery area, then logically pairs the consumer with the most strategic mobile storefront. The mobile storefront includes calculating and processing equipment and an onboard computer that receives the order from the consumer, evaluates a current location and heading of the mobile storefront, monitors real-time inventory on board the mobile storefront, prioritizes the order against other orders in queue, determines navigation and routing, estimates a time of arrival (ETA) to the consumer'"'"'s geolocation, and communicates the ETA to the consumer. Workers on board the mobile storefront receive the order and facilitate preparation of the order with its stored inventory for delivery to the consumer at the consumer'"'"'s geolocation.

Claims

1. An order and delivery system to be deployed over a regional delivery area comprising:

a plurality of associated businesses defining a chain within the regional delivery area, each business having a service area associated therewith;

a plurality of mobile storefronts operating within the service area of each respective business; and

an order server configured to communicate over a closed network with said plurality of mobile storefronts through a GPS-based routing program, with said order server further configured to perform the following

receive orders from the consumer via an Internet connected device,

determine the consumer'"'"'s geolocation corresponding to the order,

verify that the consumer'"'"'s geolocation is within the regional delivery area,

calculate via the GPS-based routing program distances between the consumer'"'"'s geolocation and a current location of each of said plurality of mobile storefronts, and

send the order to one of said plurality of mobile storefronts over the closed network based on the calculated distances;

each mobile storefront comprising

a transceiver configured to receive the order from said order server and to communicate with the consumer,

a satellite receiver configured to determine the current location of said mobile storefront,

a navigation terminal,

an expeditor terminal configured to facilitate the order within said mobile storefront, and

an onboard computer comprising a dispatch and routing program configured to

evaluate the current location and heading of said mobile storefront,

prioritize the order against other orders in queue,

provide navigation and routing on the consumer'"'"'s geolocation to said navigation terminal,

monitor in real-time inventory carried by said mobile storefront,

estimate a time of arrival (ETA) of the order to the consumer'"'"'s geolocation,

send a first message to the consumer via said transceiver that includes the ETA and a real-time inventory confirmation of the order, and

send a second message to the consumer via said transceiver that includes an arrival notification when said mobile storefront that received the order is within a pre-determined proximity to the consumer'"'"'s geolocation;

said mobile storefront receiving the order facilitates preparation of the order with its stored inventory for delivery to the consumer at the consumer'"'"'s geolocation.

2. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises office products, with the plurality of associated businesses defining an office products chain, and with the order being an office products order.

3. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises stored food items, with the plurality of associated business defining a restaurant chain, and with the order being a meal order.

4. The order and delivery system according to claim 3 wherein each mobile storefront comprises a mobile kitchen, with each mobile kitchen comprising storage for the food items and kitchen equipment useable to prepare the meal order from the stored food items.

5. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises fuel, with the plurality of associated businesses defining a fuel supply chain, and with the order being a fuel supply order.

6. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises fresh produce, with the plurality of associated businesses defining a produce supply chain, and with the order being a fresh produce order.

7. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises pharmaceutical products, with the plurality of associated businesses defining a pharmacy chain, and with the order being a prescription order.

8. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises grocery products, with the plurality of associated businesses defining a grocery store chain, and with the order being a grocery products order.

9. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein each mobile storefront comprises a motorized vehicle.

10. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said order server is remotely located from said plurality of associated business.

11. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the Internet connected device used by the consumer comprises a personal electronic device.

12. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein the consumer'"'"'s geolocation is at least one of a physical address and a non-physical address.

13. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said order server is configured to receive payment from the consumer so as to pre-pay for the order prior to delivery.

14. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said onboard computer is configured to receive traffic conditions, and to determine the navigation and routing for the mobile storefront based on the received traffic conditions.

15. The order and delivery system according to claim 1 wherein said onboard computer for each mobile storefront is configured to generate a status report that takes into account inventory usage and fuel consumption of said mobile storefront.

16. An order and delivery system to be deployed over a regional delivery area comprising:

at least one business within the regional delivery area;

a plurality of mobile storefronts operating within the regional delivery area; and

an order server configured to communicate over a closed network with said plurality of mobile storefronts through a GPS-based routing program, with said order server further configured to perform the following

receive orders from the consumer via an Internet connected device, then

determine the consumer'"'"'s location corresponding to the order,

verify that the consumer'"'"'s location is within the regional delivery area,

calculate via the GPS-based routing program distances between the consumer'"'"'s geolocation and a current location of each of said plurality of mobile storefronts, and

send the order to one of said plurality of mobile storefronts over the closed network based on the calculated distances;

each mobile storefront comprising

a transceiver configured to receive the order from said order server and to communicate with the consumer,

a satellite receiver configured to determine a current location of said mobile storefront,

a navigation terminal, and

an onboard computer comprising a dispatch and routing program configured to

evaluate the current location and heading of said mobile storefront,

prioritize the order against other orders in queue,

provide navigation and routing on the consumer'"'"'s geolocation to said navigation terminal,

monitor in real-time inventory carried by said mobile storefront,

estimate a time of arrival (ETA) of the order to the consumer'"'"'s geolocation, send a first message to the consumer via said transceiver that includes the ETA and a real-time inventory confirmation of the order, and

send a second message to the consumer via said transceiver that includes an arrival notification when said mobile storefront that received the order is within a pre-determined proximity to the consumer'"'"'s geolocation;

said mobile storefront receiving the order and facilitating preparation of the order with its stored inventory for delivery to the consumer at the consumer'"'"'s location.

17. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein said order server is configured to determine the consumer'"'"'s geolocation based on the consumer'"'"'s Internet connected device.

18. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises office products, with the at least one business being an office products business, and with the order being an office products order.

19. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises stored food items, with the at least one business being a restaurant, and with the order being a meal order.

20. The order and delivery system according to claim 19 wherein each mobile storefront comprises a mobile kitchen comprising storage for the food items and kitchen equipment useable to prepare the meal order from the stored food items.

21. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises fuel, with the at least one business being a fuel supply chain, and with the order being a fuel supply order.

22. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises fresh produce, with the at least one business being defining a produce supply chain, and with the order being a fresh produce order.

23. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises pharmaceutical products, with the at least one business defining a pharmacy chain, and with the order being a prescription order.

24. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein the stored inventory for each mobile storefront comprises grocery products, with the at least one business defining a grocery store chain, and with the order being a grocery products order.

25. The order and delivery system according to claim 16 wherein each mobile storefront comprises a motorized vehicle.