IP Library Granted Patent US 12,632,895
Granted Patent B2
US 12,632,895 · App. 18/599,378 · Granted May 19, 2026

Out-of-store purchase routing systems, methods, and media

Inventor: Jinxiang Pei (Wilmette, IL)
Assignee: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
G06Q30/0639G06Q30/0635
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,632,895
App. No.
18/599,378
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems, methods, and media for picking-up and delivering products are disclosed. Some embodiments route shoppers to acquire products for multiple customers orders from multiple suppliers using a variety of transportation modes. The transportation modes may differing maximum weight carrying and volume carrying capacities, maximum vehicle speeds. Moreover, some embodiments may account for a different number vehicles for each transportation mode and may further account for the availability of shoppers and vehicles.

Claims (57)

1 . A system, comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute computer-implemented vehicle routing algorithms stored in memory, the one or more processors being configured to:

receive shipment orders for products from suppliers;

select a first mode of transportation;

assign a first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation to ship the products from the suppliers by generating route assignments according to capacity-based constraints comprising weight limits, volume limits, and shipping-window constraints using a first vehicle routing algorithm; and

in response to a lack of availability of the first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation:

identify a subset of the products that cannot be shipped by the first mode of transportation according to the capacity-based constraints;

select a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation; and

assign the subset of the products to vehicles of the second mode of transportation by generating route assignments according to a second vehicle routing algorithm and that applies the capacity-based constraints of the second mode of transportation.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether all of the products have been acquired from the suppliers; and

request delivery of the products to respective customers in response to determining that all of the products have been acquired.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

generate routes according to a maximum volume carrying capacity and a maximum weight carrying capacity of the first mode of transportation and the second mode of transportation.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

sort routes by total weight of products to be acquired by each respective route; and

assign the routes to the vehicles in decreasing order of total weight of products to be acquired via the respective route.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

assign a plurality of routes to a vehicle if the vehicle is capable of sequentially completing each of the plurality of routes within a specified shipping window.

6 . A method, comprising:

using one or more processors configured to execute computer-implemented vehicle routing algorithms stored in memory, for:

receiving shipment orders for products from suppliers;

selecting a first mode of transportation;

assigning a first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation to ship the products from the suppliers by generating route assignments according to capacity-based constraints comprising weight limits, volume limits, and shipping-window constraints using according to a first vehicle routing algorithm and a first vehicle carrying capacity; and

in response to a lack of availability of the first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation:

identifying a subset of the products that cannot be shipped by the first mode of transportation according to the capacity-based constraints;

selecting a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation; and

assigning the subset of the products to vehicles of the second mode of transportation by generating route assignments according to a second vehicle routing algorithm that applies the capacity-based constraints of the second mode of transportation.

7 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

determining whether all of the products have been acquired from the suppliers; and

requesting delivery of the products to respective customers in response to determining that all of the products have been acquired.

8 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

generating routes according to a maximum volume carrying capacity and a maximum weight carrying capacity of the first mode of transportation and the second mode of transportation.

9 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

sorting routes by total weight of products to be acquired by each respective route;

assigning routes to the vehicles in decreasing order of total weight of products to be acquired via the respective route.

10 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:

assigning a plurality of routes to a vehicle if the vehicle is capable of sequentially completing each of the plurality of routes within a specified shipping window.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions that, in response to being executed, configure:

one or more processors to execute computer-implemented vehicle routing algorithms stored in memory, the one or more processors being configured to:

receive shipment orders for products from suppliers;

select a first mode of transportation;

assign a first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation to ship the products from the suppliers by generating route assignments according to capacity-based constraints comprising weight limits, volume limits, and shipping-window constraints using a first vehicle routing algorithm; and

in response to a lack of availability of the first plurality of vehicles of the first mode of transportation:

identify a subset of the products that cannot be shipped by the first mode of transportation according to the capacity-based constraints;

select a second mode of transportation that is different than the first mode of transportation; and

assign the subset of the products to vehicles of the second mode of transportation by generating route assignments according to a second vehicle routing algorithm that applies the capacity-based constraints of the second mode of transportation.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine whether all of the products have been acquired from the suppliers; and

request delivery of the products to respective customers in response to determining that all of the products have been acquired.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

generate routes according to a maximum volume carrying capacity and a maximum weight carrying capacity of the first mode of transportation and the second mode of transportation.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

sort routes by total weight of products to be acquired by each respective route; and

assign the routes to the vehicles in decreasing order of total weight of products to be acquired via the respective route.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

assign a plurality of routes to a vehicle if the vehicle is capable of sequentially completing each of the plurality of routes within a specified shipping window.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2024
From: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
To: JPP, LLC, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 067063/0523 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2024
From: TRANSFORM SR BRANDS LLC
To: CANTOR FITZGERALD SECURITIES, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 067063/0561 →