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US 8,266,071 B2Granted
Manifest generation and download systems and methods
AssigneeUnited Parcel Service of America, Inc.
InventorsJim Holsen, Duane Anderson, Juan Perez, Mark Davidson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to systems and methods to generate a manifest of work that is to be performed by a driver. Specifically, systems and methods are described in the context of a package delivery system to generate a manifest of deliveries and pickups to be performed by a driver and to download the generated manifest to a portable computing device used by the driver to service the route.
Claims25
A system for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the system comprising:
- (A) a work allocation system comprising a device configured to assign one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;
- wherein:
- the device is further configured to:
- monitor the assigned packages and to generate a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes;
- and
- generate the manifest to comprise one or more assignments in a predetermined order, wherein at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages;
- and
- (B) a portable computing device that is configured to:
- receive the manifest of work in an electronic format;
- facilitate display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;
- receive one or more updates to the electronic manifest from the device;
- revise the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received;
- and
- reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.
11 more elements
A method for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the method comprising:
- at a first device of a work allocation system:
- assigning one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;
- monitoring the assigned packages and generating a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes,
- wherein the manifest comprises one or more assignments in a predetermined order, and at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages;
- and
- at a portable computing device:
- receiving the manifest of work in an electronic format;
- facilitating display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;
- receiving one or more updates to the electronic manifest from the first device;
- revising the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received;
- and
- repositioning, via a processor of the portable computing device, the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.
9 more elements
A computer program product for generating a manifest of work in a package delivery system, the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
- program code instructions configured to assign one or more of a plurality of packages that are destined for a designated geographic location, to one of a plurality of preexisting delivery routes based at least in part on shipping label data of the packages;
- program code instructions configured to monitor the assigned packages and generate a manifest of work for each of the plurality of preexisting delivery routes;
- program code instructions configured to generate the manifest to comprise one or more assignments in a predetermined order, wherein at least one of the assignments is associated with a time for completing delivery of at least one of the packages;
- program code instructions configured to enable receipt of the manifest of work in an electronic format;
- program code instructions configured to facilitate display of the assignments in the predetermined order, the order comprising a sequential order in which the assignments are to be completed;
- program code instructions configured to enable receipt of one or more updates to the electronic manifest from a first device;
- program code instructions configured to revise the electronic manifest by adding or removing at least one assignment corresponding to delivery of one of the packages based on at least one of the updates received;
- and
- program code instructions configured to reposition the at least one assignment higher in the displayed predetermined order signifying an increased priority in response to determining a current time that is within a predetermined time period of the time for completing delivery.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.