Granted Patent B1

US 11,808,589 · App. 16/404,028 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

Inventors: Yuqian Dong (Southborough, MA); Girish Kulkarni (Cambridge, MA)

Assignee: Staples, Inc.

G01C21/3453G01C21/3446G06F16/29

Abstract

Claims (53)

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, one or more floating geographic areas from a set of geographic areas based on delivery data, the one or more floating geographic areas including one or more floating addresses located in the one or more floating geographic areas, the one or more floating addresses being separate from one or more static addresses, the one or more static addresses being statically assigned over multiple periods, the one or more floating addresses being assignable in each of the multiple periods;

generating, by the computing device, an initial static territory-route mapping associating one or more static geographic areas with the one or more static addresses in the one or more static geographic areas;

generating, by the computing device, one or more periodic routes based on the initial static territory-route mapping and the one or more static addresses;

computing, by the computing device, a route-value target for each of the one or more periodic routes based on a load value of each of the one or more periodic routes;

assigning, by the computing device, a first floating address of the one or more floating addresses to a first route of the one or more periodic routes based on the route-value target of the first route, the first floating address being located in the one or more floating geographic areas;

generating, by the computing device, a delivery vehicle load plan based on the one or more periodic routes and the assignment of the first floating address to the first route;

providing, by the computing device, a graphical interface indicating the one or more periodic routes; and

automatically performing, by the computing device, one or more defined operations based on the delivery vehicle load plan, the one or more defined operations including dispatching an automated guided vehicle to execute operations based on the delivery vehicle load plan.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the initial static territory-route mapping is generated for a certain time period, the one or more static geographic areas being static over the certain time period, and

a periodicity of the one or more periodic routes is a sub-division of the certain time period.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

minimizing, by the computing device, a total number of routes in the one or more periodic routes based on a total demand of deliveries in the one or more periodic routes.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a high-touch address from among the one or more floating addresses based on attributes of the high-touch address; and

assigning, by the computing device, the high-touch address to a second route of the one or more periodic routes.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the route-value target for each route in the one or more periodic routes is based on a delivery volume and a driving distance for each route.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein each of the set of geographic areas corresponds to a zip code.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generating the one or more periodic routes based on the initial static territory-route mapping includes running a vehicle routing problem solver to compute a particular route among addresses in a particular static geographic area of the one or more static geographic areas.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein computing the route-value target for each of the one or more periodic routes is based on a distance traveled in the particular route among the addresses in the particular static geographic area.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein assigning the first floating address to the first route is further based on a route value of the first route and includes determining the route value of the first route based on a scheduled time used for deliveries assigned to the first route.

10 . A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:

determine one or more floating geographic areas from a set of geographic areas based on delivery data, the one or more floating geographic areas including one or more floating addresses located in the one or more floating geographic areas, the one or more floating addresses being separate from one or more static addresses, the one or more static addresses being statically assigned over multiple periods, the one or more floating addresses being assignable in each of the multiple periods;

generate an initial static territory-route mapping associating one or more static geographic areas with the one or more static addresses in the one or more static geographic areas;

generate one or more periodic routes based on the initial static territory-route mapping and the one or more static addresses;

compute a route-value target for each of the one or more periodic routes based on a load value of each of the one or more periodic routes;

assign a first floating address of the one or more floating addresses to a first route of the one or more periodic routes based on the route-value target of the first route, the first floating address being located in the one or more floating geographic areas;

generate a delivery vehicle load plan based on the one or more periodic routes and the assignment of the first floating address to the first route;

provide a graphical interface indicating the one or more periodic routes; and

automatically perform one or more defined operations based on the delivery vehicle load plan, the one or more defined operations including dispatching an automated guided vehicle to execute operations based on the delivery vehicle load plan.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein

the initial static territory-route mapping is generated for a certain time period, the one or more static geographic areas being static over the certain time period, and

a periodicity of the one or more periodic routes is a sub-division of the certain time period.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to minimize a total number of routes in the one or more periodic routes based on a total demand of deliveries in the one or more periodic routes.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the instructions further cause the system to determine a high-touch address from among the one or more floating addresses based on attributes of the high-touch address, and assign the high-touch address to a second route of the one or more periodic routes.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the route-value target for each route in the one or more periodic routes is based on a delivery volume and a driving distance for each route.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein each of the set of geographic areas corresponds to a zip code.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein generating the one or more periodic routes based on the initial static territory-route mapping includes running a vehicle routing problem solver to compute a particular route among addresses in a particular static geographic area of the one or more static geographic areas.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein computing the route-value target for each of the one or more periodic routes is based on a distance traveled in the particular route among the addresses in the particular static geographic area.

18 . A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, by a computing device, a set of floating geographic areas with one or more floating addresses located in the set of floating geographic areas, the one or more floating addresses being separate from a static address, the static address being statically assigned over multiple periods, the one or more floating addresses being assignable in each of the multiple periods;

generating, by the computing device, an initial static territory-route mapping that associates a static geographic area with the static address in the static geographic area;

generating, by the computing device, a set of periodic routes based on the initial static territory-route mapping;

determining, by the computing device, a high-touch address from among the one or more floating addresses based on attributes of the high-touch address;

assigning, by the computing device, the high-touch address to a first route of the set of periodic routes;

computing, by the computing device, a route-value for at least one of the set of periodic routes;

assigning, by the computing device, a particular floating address of the one or more floating addresses to a second route of the set of periodic routes based on the route-value of the second route;

performing, by the computing device, a first defined operation based on the set of periodic routes, the assignment of the high-touch address to the first route, and the assignment of the particular floating address to the second route;

providing, by the computing device, a graphical interface indicating assignment information, the assignment information indicating one or more of the assignment of the high-touch address to the first route and the assignment of the particular floating address to the second route; and

automatically performing, by the computing device, one or more second defined operations based on the assignment information, the one or more second defined operations including dispatching an automated guided vehicle to execute operations based on the assignment information.

Assignments (8)

Cited By (3)

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