Determining Vehicle Visit Costs To A Geographic Area

• US 20100100507A1
• Filed: 09/03/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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: Davidson, Mark J., Olsen, John A. III
• Application Number:
  US12/553,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/412
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for assigning parameters to a geographic area to provide more accurate cost and fee estimates associated with a delivery vehicle visit (e.g., a package pickup/delivery) to a location within the geographic area. For example, a geographic area may be defined and information collected that is associated with the geographic area. After defining the geographic area and collecting relevant information, an estimated cost associated with a delivery vehicle visit to a location within the geographic area can be determined, based, for example, at least in part on the information gathered.

Claims

1. A computer system with one or more memory storage areas and one or more processors, the computer system configured to:

define a geographic area;

gather information associated with the geographic area; and

determine, based at least in part on the information gathered, an estimated cost associated with a delivery vehicle visit to a location within the geographic area.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the step of defining a geographic area comprises defining a geofenced area that corresponds to the geographic area.

3. The computer system of claim 1 further configured to:

receive a request for a delivery vehicle visit, wherein the delivery vehicle visit is for (a) delivery of an item to a location or (b) pickup of an item from a location within the geographic area; and

calculate, based at least in part on the estimated cost, an estimated fee for (a) delivery of an item to the location or (b) pickup of an item from the location within the geographic area corresponding to the request.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein in order to gather information associated with the geographic area, the computer system is further configured to:

receive data collected in association with a delivery vehicle or a delivery vehicle driver, said data collected in real time while the delivery vehicle or delivery vehicle driver is operating within the geographic area.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the data collected comprises at least one of time data, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle driver, speed data, distance data, or ignition data.

6. The computer system of claim 5 further configured to:

calculate, based at least in part on the data collected, an average amount of time spent at each location within the geographic area in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average amount of time spent at each location.

7. The computer system of claim 5 further configured to:

calculate, based at least in part on the data collected, an average distance traversed in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average distance traversed.

8. The computer system of claim 5 further configured to:

determine an estimated compensation associated with the delivery vehicle driver, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the estimated compensation.

9. The computer system of claim 5 further configured to:

determine an average distance traversed per unit of fuel used by the delivery vehicle and an average cost per unit of fuel, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the average distance traversed and the cost per unit of fuel.

10. A computer-implemented method comprising:

defining, by one or more processors, a geofence surrounding a geographic area;

storing one or more coordinates associated with the defined geofence in a database;

gathering, by the one or more processors, information associated with the geofenced area;

determining, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the information gathered, an estimated cost associated with a delivery vehicle visit to a location within the geographic area; and

storing the estimated cost associated with delivery vehicle visit to the location within the geofenced area in the database in association with the geofence coordinates.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request for a delivery vehicle visit, wherein the delivery vehicle visit is for (a) delivery of an item to a location or (b) pickup of an item from a location within the geographic area; and

calculating, based at least in part on the estimated cost, an estimated fee for (a) delivery of an item to the location or (b) pickup of an item from the location within the geographic area corresponding to the request.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein gathering information associated with the geofenced area further comprises:

receiving, by the one or more processors, data collected in association with a delivery vehicle or a delivery vehicle driver, said data collected in real time while the delivery vehicle or delivery vehicle driver is operating within the geographic area.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the data collected comprises at least one of time data, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle driver, speed data, distance data, or ignition data.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the data collected, an average amount of time spent at each location within the geographic area in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average amount of time spent at each location.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating, by the one or more processors, based at least in part on the data collected, an average distance traversed in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average distance traversed.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, an estimated compensation associated with the delivery vehicle driver, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the estimated compensation.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, an average distance traversed per unit of fuel used by the delivery vehicle and an average cost per unit of fuel, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the average distance traversed and the cost per unit of fuel.

18. A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to define a geofence surrounding a geographic area;

an executable portion configured to store one or more coordinates associated with the defined geofence in a database;

an executable portion configured to gather information associated with the geofenced area;

an executable portion configured to determine, based at least in part on the information gathered, an estimated cost associated with a delivery vehicle visit to a location within the geographic area; and

an executable portion configured to store the estimated cost associated with delivery vehicle visit to the location within the geofenced area in the database in association with the geofence coordinates.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a request for a delivery vehicle visit, wherein the delivery vehicle visit is for (a) delivery of an item to a location or (b) pickup of an item from a location within the geographic area; and

an executable portion configured to calculate, based at least in part on the estimated cost, an estimated fee for (a) delivery of an item to the location or (b) pickup of an item from the location within the geographic area corresponding to the request.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the executable portion configured to gather information associated with the geofenced area further comprises:

an executable portion configured to receive data collected in association with a delivery vehicle or a delivery vehicle driver, said data collected in real time while the delivery vehicle or delivery vehicle driver is operating within the geographic area.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the data collected comprises at least one of time data, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle, geographic position data associated with the delivery vehicle driver, speed data, distance data, or ignition data.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to calculate, based at least in part on the data collected, an average amount of time spent at each location within the geographic area in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average amount of time spent at each location.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to calculate, based at least in part on the data collected, an average distance traversed in association with the delivery vehicle visit, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the calculated average distance traversed.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine an estimated compensation associated with the delivery vehicle driver, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the estimated compensation within the geofenced area is determined based at least in part on the estimated compensation.

25. The computer program product of 21, further comprising:

an executable portion configured to determine an average distance traversed per unit of fuel used by the delivery vehicle and an average cost per unit of fuel, wherein the estimated cost associated with the delivery vehicle visit is determined based at least in part on the average distance traversed and the cost per unit of fuel.