Dangerous goods shipping management systems

• US 10,783,489 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 09/22/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2017
• 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: Bonin, Paul, Engberg, Kaj, Collins, Shawn, Janney, Taylor
• Primary Examiner(s): Mackey, Patrick H
• Application Number:
  US15/895,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20180232690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/128 the workpiece itself serves as a record carrier, e.g. by its form, by marks or codes on it
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• 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

Abstract

As deliveries of items containing dangerous goods are made from a vehicle/container, systems update stored information to reflect the reduced number of points of dangerous goods currently on the vehicle/container. Conversely, when the vehicle/container picks up dangerous goods, the systems update the information to reflect the increased number of points of dangerous goods currently on the vehicle/container. The systems identify potential delivery routes, such that the vehicle/container may deliver items containing dangerous goods prior to picking up new items, so as to maintain the total points of dangerous goods on the vehicle/container below a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A system for transporting goods, the system comprising:

a cargo area for holding a plurality of items;

one or more memory storage areas associated with the cargo area; and

one or more processors in communication with the one or more memory storage areas for executing the steps of;

receiving first package materials data associated with a first item positioned within the cargo area, wherein the first package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the first item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the first item;

storing the first package materials data in the one or more memory storage areas;

determining, based on the first package materials data, a first point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item;

receiving a first delivery route, wherein the first delivery route comprises a first serviceable point at which the first item is scheduled to be removed from the cargo area;

receiving a request to pick up a second item at a second serviceable point on the first delivery route;

receiving second package materials data associated with the second item, wherein the second package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the second item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the second item;

determining, based on the first package materials data and the second package materials data, a second point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item and the second item;

determining whether the second point value exceeds a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the second point value exceeds the predetermined threshold, generating a second delivery route based at least in part on the second point value associated with the first item and the second item; and

generating instructions to re-route the cargo area from the first delivery route to the second delivery route and

causing the delivery of the first item along the second delivery route.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle and wherein the cargo area is positioned within the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a container and wherein the cargo area is positioned within the container.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the second serviceable point on the second delivery route.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the first serviceable point on the first delivery route.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a mobile computing entity, wherein the mobile computing entity comprises the one or more processors.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein receiving the first package materials data comprises scanning indicia positioned on the first item with the mobile computing entity.

8. A method for transporting goods, the method comprising:

receiving first package materials data associated with a first item positioned within a cargo area, wherein the first package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the first item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the first item;

determining, based on the first package materials data, a first point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item;

receiving a first delivery route, wherein the first delivery route comprises a first serviceable point at which the first item is scheduled to be removed from the cargo area;

receiving a request to pick up a second item at a second serviceable point on the first delivery route;

receiving second package materials data associated with the second item, wherein the second package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the second item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the second item;

determining, based on the first package materials data and the second package materials data, a second point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item and the second item;

determining whether the second point value exceeds a predetermined threshold;

in response to determining that the second point value exceeds the predetermined threshold, generating a second delivery route based at least in part on the second point value associated with the first item and the second item; and

re-routing the cargo area from the first delivery route to the second delivery route; and

causing the delivery of the first item along the second delivery route.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cargo area is positioned within a vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the cargo area is positioned within a container.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the second serviceable point on the second delivery route.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the first serviceable point on the first delivery route.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving the first package materials data comprises scanning indicia positioned on the first item with a mobile computing entity.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the second package materials data comprises receiving a signal from a central computing entity with mobile computing entity.

15. One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving first package materials data associated with a first item positioned within a cargo area, wherein the first package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the first item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the first item;

determining, based on the first package materials data, a first point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item;

receiving a first delivery route, wherein the first delivery route comprises a first serviceable point at which the first item is scheduled to be removed from the cargo area;

receiving a request to pick up a second item at a second serviceable point on the first delivery route;

receiving a second package materials data associated with the second item, wherein the second package materials data comprises (1) a classification associated with materials positioned within the second item, and (2) a quantity of the materials positioned within the second item;

determining, based on the first package materials data and the second package materials data, a second point value associated with the cargo area based at least in part on the classification and the quantity of the material positioned within the first item and the second item;

generating a second delivery route based at least in part on the second point value associated with the first item and the second item;

generating instructions to re-route the cargo area from the first delivery route to the second delivery router; and

causing the first item to be delivered along the second delivery route.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the second point value exceeds a predetermined threshold.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising generating the second delivery route in response to determining that the second point value exceeds the predetermined threshold.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the cargo area is positioned within a vehicle.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the first serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the second serviceable point on the second delivery route.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second serviceable point is designated to be serviced before the first serviceable point on the first delivery route.