Transportation management processes and systems
OwnerWilliam P.C. Hoinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to transportation management processes and systems. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method in a computer system for determining one or more routes for transporting items, including receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, generating one or more consolidations, and generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or an order. The method further includes generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops wherein each route is associated with one or more shipments. The method still further includes selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters.
Claims18
A method in a computing system comprising a central processing unit for determining one or more routes for transporting items, the method comprising:
- receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, each order having an associated time attribute and an associated physical attribute;
- generating, by the central processing unit, one or more consolidations, each consolidation including an origination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, a physical attribute, a vehicle attribute, each consolidation being associated with two or more orders having common origination stops, common destination stops, and compatible time attributes, wherein the origination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common origination stops of the two or more associated orders, the destination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common destination stops of the two or more associated orders, the physical attribute of each consolidation corresponds to the physical attributes of the two or more associated orders, and the time attribute of each consolidation is compatible with the time attributes of the two or more associated orders;
- generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or includes a single order;
- generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops, each route being associated with one or more shipments;
- and
- selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters.
A computer-readable storage device storing instructions for controlling a computing environment to perform a method comprising:
- receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, each order having an associated time attribute and an associated physical attribute;
- generating one or more consolidations, each consolidation including an origination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, a physical attribute, a vehicle attribute, each consolidation being associated with two or more orders having common origination stops, common destination stops, and compatible time attributes, wherein the origination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common origination stops of the two or more associated orders, the destination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common destination stops of the two or more associated orders, the physical attribute of each consolidation corresponds to the physical attributes of the two or more associated orders, and the time attribute of each consolidation is compatible with the time attributes of the two or more associated orders;
- generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or includes a single order;
- generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops, each route being associated with one or more shipments;
- and
- selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters.
A computing system for determining one or more routes for transporting items, comprising:
- a central processing unit;
- a memory;
- an order receiving subsystem for receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, each order having an associated time attribute and an associated physical attribute;
- a consolidation generating subsystem for generating one or more consolidations, each consolidation including an origination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, a physical attribute, a vehicle attribute, each consolidation being associated with two or more orders having common origination stops, common destination stops, and compatible time attributes, wherein the origination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common origination stops of the two or more associated orders, the destination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the common destination stops of the two or more associated orders, the physical attribute of each consolidation corresponds to the physical attributes of the two or more associated orders, and the time attribute of each consolidation is compatible with the time attributes of the two or more associated orders;
- a shipment generating subsystem for generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or includes a single order;
- a route generating subsystem for generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops, each route being associated with one or more shipments;
- and
- a route selection subsystem for selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.