Granted Patent B1

US 10,796,583 · App. 16/876,440 · Granted Oct 6, 2020

Inventors: Brett Wallin (Westchester, IL); Anthony Roth (Westchester, IL); Christopher Poulos (Westchester, IL); Mradul Modi (Westchester, IL)

Assignee: IAA, Inc.

G08G1/202G01C21/3605G06Q10/10G06Q40/08G08G1/205

Abstract

Claims (56)

1. A method for dispatching work assignments to tow service providers, the method comprising:

receiving, at a processor of an enterprise server device, a work assignment request message from a user device, the work assignment request message having been generated by the user device based on input provided by a tow service provider via the user device;

selecting, with the processor from a set of pending tow request stocks, an initial pool of tow request stocks for fulfillment by the tow service provider;

generating, with the processor based on the initial pool of tow request stocks, a refined pool of tow request stocks, the refined pool of tow request stocks being generated to exclude, from the initial pool of tow request stocks, tow request stocks for which the tow service provider does not meet at least one fulfillment requirement;

generating, with the processor based on the refined pool of tow request stocks, an optimized pool of tow request stocks to include one or more tow request stocks selected, according to one or more optimization criteria, from the refined pool of tow request stocks;

generating, with the processor, one or more work assignment response messages to include information assigning tow request stocks in the optimized pool to the tow service provider; and

causing, with the processor, the one or more work assignment response messages to be transmitted from the enterprise server device to the user device to provide the information assigning tow request stocks in the optimized pool of tow request stocks to the user device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the method further comprises determining, with the processor based on a tow service provider profile maintained by the enterprise server device, one or more of i) that the tow service provider does not have a predetermined towing license, ii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined payment method, and iii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined type of pickup, and

generating the refined pool of tow request stocks comprises generating the refined pool of tow request stocks to exclude, from the selected pool of tow request stocks, one or more of i) tow request stocks that require the predetermined tow license, ii) tow request stocks that require the particular payment method, and iii) tow request stocks that that require the predetermined type of pickup.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks comprises generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on one or more of i) a current load of a tow truck of the tow service provider, ii) a maximum load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, iii) a current location of the tow service provider, iv) destinations of vehicles in the current load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, and v) destinations of vehicles in the refined pool of tow request stocks.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks comprises generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on respective capacities of one or more yards that are one or both of i) the destinations of the vehicles in the current load of a tow truck of the tow service provider and ii) the destinations of vehicles in the refined pool of tow request stocks.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks comprises generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on one or more of i) due times for fulfillment of tow requests in the refined pool of tow requests, ii) priorities of respective insurance providers that provided tow requests in the refined pool of tow requests, and iii) service level agreements with the insurance providers.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the refined pool of tow request stocks includes respective tow request stocks associated with respective insurance providers, and

generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks comprises generating the optimized pool of tow request stocks further based on one or both of i) priorities associated with the insurance providers and ii) progress towards daily goals specified in service level agreements with the respective insurance providers.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the initial pool of tow request stocks for potential fulfillment by the tow service provider includes selecting the initial pool of tow request stocks based on whether the tow service provider is working on a catastrophe pickup assignment or a regular pickup assignment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the method further comprises generating, with the processor, documentation needed for fulfillment of the tow request stocks in the optimized pool assigned to the tow service provider, and

generating the one or more work assignment response messages comprises generating the one or more work assignment response messages to further include the documentation.

9. A tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, or media, storing machine readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a work assignment request message from a user device, the work assignment request message having been generated by the user device based on input provided by a tow service provider via the user device;

select, from a set of pending tow request stocks, an initial pool of tow request stocks for fulfillment by the tow service provider;

generate, based on the initial pool of tow request stocks, a refined pool of tow request stocks, the refined pool of tow request stocks being generated to exclude, from the initial pool of tow request stocks, tow request stocks for which the tow service provider does not meet at least one fulfillment requirement;

generate, based on the refined pool of tow request stocks, an optimized pool of tow request stocks to include one or more tow request stocks selected, according to one or more optimization criteria, from the refined pool of tow request stocks;

generate one or more work assignment response messages to include information assigning tow request stocks in the optimized pool to the tow service provider; and

cause the one or more work assignment response messages to be transmitted from the enterprise server device to the user device to provide the information assigning the tow request stocks in the optimized pool of tow request stocks to the user device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to

determine, based on a tow service provider profile maintained by the enterprise server, one or more of i) that the tow service provider does not have a predetermined towing license, ii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined payment method, and iii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined type of pickup, and

generate the refined pool of tow request stocks to exclude, from the selected pool of tow request stocks, one or more of i) tow request stocks that require the predetermined tow license, ii) tow request stocks that require the predetermined payment method, and iii) tow request stocks that that require the predetermined type of pickup.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on one or more of i) a current load of a tow truck of the tow service provider, ii) a maximum load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, iii) a current location of the tow service provider, iv) destinations of vehicles in the current load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, and v) destinations of vehicles in the refined pool of tow request stocks.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on respective capacities of one or more yards that are one or both of i) the destinations of the vehicles in the current load of a tow truck of the tow service provider and ii) the destinations of vehicles in the refined pool of tow request stocks.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on one or more of i) due times for fulfillment of tow requests in the refined pool of tow requests, ii) priorities of respective insurance providers that provided tow requests in the refined pool of tow requests, and iii) service level agreements with the insurance providers.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein

the refined pool of tow request stocks includes respective tow request stocks associated with respective insurance providers, and

the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to generate the optimized pool of tow request stocks further based on one or both of i) priorities associated with the insurance providers and ii) progress towards daily goals specified in service level agreements with the respective insurance providers.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to select the initial pool of tow request stocks based on whether the tow service provider is working on a catastrophe assignment or a regular assignment.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium or media of claim 9 , wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to

generate documentation needed for fulfillment of the tow request stocks in the optimized pool assigned to the tow service provider, and

generate the one or more work assignment response messages to further include the documentation.

17. A system for automatic dispatch of work assignments to tow service providers, the system comprising:

an auto dispatch application implemented on one or more processors of a user device, the auto dispatch application configured to

provide a user interface for entering a work assignment request by a user of the user device, the user being a tow service provider,

in response to input provided via the user interface by the user of the user device, generate a work assignment request message requesting work assignment for fulfillment by the tow service provider, and

cause the user device to transmit the work assignment request message, via a network, to an enterprise server device; and

an auto dispatch system implemented on one or more processors of the enterprise server device, the auto dispatch system configured to

receive the work assignment request message transmitted by the user device,

select, from a set of pending tow request stocks, an initial pool of tow request stocks for fulfillment by the tow service provider,

generate, based on the initial pool of tow request stocks, a refined pool of tow request stocks, the refined pool of tow request stocks being generated to exclude, from the initial pool of tow request stocks, tow request stocks for which the tow service provider does not meet at least one fulfillment requirement,

generate, based on the refined pool of tow request stocks, an optimized pool of tow request stocks to include one or more tow request stocks selected, according to one or more optimization criteria, from the refined pool of tow request stocks,

generate one or more work assignment response messages to include information assigning tow request stocks in the optimized pool to the tow service provider, and

cause the one or more work assignment response messages to be transmitted from the enterprise server device to the user device to provide the information assigning the tow request stocks in the optimized pool of tow request stocks to the user device.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the auto dispatch system is further configured to:

determine, based on a tow service provider profile maintained by the enterprise server, one or more of i) that the tow service provider does not have a predetermined towing license, ii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined payment method, and iii) that the tow service provider does not handle a predetermined type of pickup, and

generate the refined pool of tow request stocks to exclude, from the selected pool of tow request stocks, one or more of i) tow request stocks that require the predetermined tow license, ii) tow request stocks that require the predetermined payment method, and iii) tow request stocks that that require the predetermined type of pickup.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the auto dispatch system is configured to generate the optimized pool of tow request stocks based on one or more of i) a current load of a tow truck of the tow service provider, ii) a maximum load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, iii) a current location of the tow service provider, iv) destinations of vehicles in the current load of the tow truck of the tow service provider, and v) destinations of vehicles in the refined pool of tow request stocks.

Assignments (9)