Delivery system using secondary shipping service provider

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a delivery system using secondary transportation service providers. More specifically, a tool for dynamically booking a secondary transportation vehicle from an autonomous transportation vehicle is disclosed. The tool identifies a route of an autonomous transportation vehicle transporting one or more products from a first location to a second location. The tool publishes the one or more products online for purchase. The tool identifies a customer order for the one or more products. The tool requests a secondary transportation vehicle to deliver the one or more products to fulfill the customer order. The tool instructs the secondary transportation vehicle to retrieve the one or more products from the autonomous transportation vehicle to fulfill the customer order. The tool instructs the secondary transportation vehicle to deliver the one or more products from the autonomous transportation vehicle to a delivery location to fulfill the customer order.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates generally to supply chain operations, and more specifically to product delivery logistics. Background Technology

[0002] Logistics automation is the application of computer software and automated machinery to improve the efficiency of logistics operations. Logistics automation can refer to the real-time planning, control, and coordination of multiple autonomous vehicles used to deliver products to customers.

[0003] Autonomous vehicles, such as autonomous transport trucks, can provide the ability to transport products from a first location to a second location. Autonomous transport trucks can also serve as mobile warehouses, distributing products from the first location to multiple additional locations. Customers may be able to purchase products in transit directly from autonomous transport trucks, and the purchased products can be directly distributed from the autonomous transport trucks to the customers. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and computer system for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles. The method includes one or more computer processors identifying a route for an autonomous transport vehicle to transport one or more products from a first location to a second location. The method includes the one or more computer processors publishing the one or more products online as available for purchase. The method includes the one or more computer processors identifying customer orders for one or more products. The method includes the one or more computer processors requesting a secondary transport vehicle to deliver one or more products to fulfill a customer order. The method includes the one or more computer processors instructing a secondary transport vehicle to retrieve one or more products from an autonomous transport vehicle to fulfill a customer order. The method includes the one or more computer processors instructing a secondary transport vehicle to deliver one or more products from an autonomous transport vehicle to a delivery location to fulfill a customer order. Attached Figure Description

[0005] Figure 1 A data processing environment according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, generally designated as 100.

[0006] Figure 2 It is a delivery communication program (such as) depicting an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 A flowchart of the operation steps of a delivery communication procedure (generally specified as 200), which is used to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles from an autonomous transport vehicle for delivering products to a customer.

[0007] Figure 3 This is a block diagram depicting components of a data processing environment according to embodiments of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 The server is typically configured with a 300 port. Detailed Implementation

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention recognize that, in situations where autonomous transport trucks are transporting products from a first location to a second location and customers are using online purchasing services to buy products in transit from the autonomous transport trucks, the autonomous transport trucks may not be able to deliver or distribute the purchased products to each customer's delivery location. For example, transport restrictions, such as available road space, road hazards, vehicle weight restrictions, maximum vehicle height restrictions, and rural destinations far from the transport route, may prevent autonomous transport trucks from delivering or distributing purchased products to customers. Embodiments of the present invention recognize that, in situations where autonomous transport trucks are transporting products from a first location to a second location and customers are using online purchasing services to buy products in transit from the autonomous transport trucks, delivering products to customers presents numerous environmental and logistical challenges that may become prohibitively costly.

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention provide the capability to: based on received online purchases of various products being transported on autonomous transport trucks, instruct autonomous transport trucks to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles for delivery of products from autonomous transport vehicles to customers, wherein the secondary transport vehicles are also instructed to retrieve various products from the autonomous transport trucks along predetermined transport routes, and deliver different products to one or more customers at one or more delivery locations. Embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to utilize communication matrices and simulation models to predict scenarios and outcomes that will optimize delivery costs and delivery efficiency in product delivery.

[0010] Such embodiments can be implemented in various forms, and details of exemplary implementations will be discussed below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] Reference will now be made in more detail to the various embodiments of the invention. Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram according to at least one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a data processing environment, generally designated as 100, suitable for providing a delivery communication system utilizing a secondary transportation service provider. The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This illustration provides only one implementation and does not imply any limitation regarding the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications to the described environments without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. Figure 1 This includes network 102, server 104, and one or more client devices, such as client device 106, client device 108, and client device 110.

[0012] In one embodiment, network 102 is the Internet, representing a global collection of networks and gateways communicating with each other using the TCP / IP protocol. Network 102 may include wired cables, wireless communication links, fiber optic cables, routers, switches, and / or firewalls. Server 104, client device 106, client device 108, and client device 110 are interconnected via network 102. Network 102 may be any combination of connections and protocols capable of supporting communication between server 104, client device 106, client device 108, client device 110, and delivery communication program 112. Network 102 may be, for example, a telecommunications network, a local area network (LAN), a virtual local area network (VLAN), a wide area network (WAN) (such as the Internet), or a combination of all three, and may include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. Network 102 may include one or more wired and / or wireless networks capable of receiving and transmitting data, voice and / or video signals (including multimedia signals comprising voice, data, and video information), and location data (including Global Positioning System (GPS) data, etc.). Generally speaking, network 102 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication between server 104, client device 106, client device 108, client device 110 and delivery communication program 112, as well as other computing devices and servers (not shown) within data processing environment 100. Figure 1 This is intended as an example, not as an architectural limitation on different embodiments.

[0013] In one embodiment, server 104 may be, for example, a server computer system, such as a management server, web server, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of sending and receiving data. In another embodiment, server 104 may be a data center, comprising a network and a collection of servers (such as virtual servers and applications deployed on virtual servers) that provide IT services to external parties. In yet another embodiment, server 104 represents a “cloud” of computers interconnected by one or more networks, wherein server 104 is a computing system that utilizes clustered computers and components to act as a single, seamless pool of resources when accessed via network 102. This configuration can also be implemented for data centers, in addition to cloud computing applications. In one embodiment, server 104 includes a delivery communication program 112 for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles for delivering products from autonomous transport vehicles to customers.

[0014] In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 operates on a central server (such as server 104) and can be utilized by one or more client devices (such as client devices 106, 108, and 110) via an application downloaded from the central server or a third-party app store and executed on one or more client devices. In another embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be software downloaded from a central server (such as server 104) and installed on one or more client devices (such as client devices 106, 108, and 110). In yet another embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be used as a software service provided by a third-party cloud service provider (not shown). In yet another embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may include one or more components (not shown), such as attachments, plug-ins, and agents, installed on one or more client devices (such as client devices 106, 108, and 110), for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles for delivering products to customers. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be an additional feature of a logistics service that provides the ability to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles from the autonomous transport vehicle to deliver products to a customer. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be fully integrated with one or more autonomous transport vehicles deployed by the logistics service. In some embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 may be partially integrated or separate from the logistics service. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be an additional feature of a conventional navigation system (not shown) that enables the autonomous transport vehicle to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles for delivering products from the autonomous transport vehicle to a customer. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be fully integrated with a navigation system integrated with the autonomous transport vehicle. In some embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 may be partially integrated into or separate from a conventional navigation system integrated with the autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 may be an application downloaded from an app store or a third-party vendor that can be used in conjunction with a logistics management tool that integrates with one or more client devices (such as client device 106, client device 108, and client device 110) to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles from the autonomous transport vehicle to deliver products from the autonomous transport vehicle to the customer.

[0015] In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 can be utilized by client devices (such as client devices 106, 108, and 110) to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles (such as client device 106) from autonomous transport vehicles (such as client device 110) for delivery of products from the autonomous transport vehicle to customers. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the capability to instruct the autonomous transport vehicle to request secondary transport vehicles from a second transport service provider, based on online orders received from one or more customers for one or more products being transported from a first location on the autonomous transport vehicle to a second location, to deliver one or more products from the autonomous transport vehicle to one or more customers at the delivery location. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the capability to identify a predetermined route for the autonomous transport vehicle, one or more orders placed by one or more customers for products transported by the autonomous transport vehicle, a delivery location for each of the one or more customers, and one or more secondary transport vehicles deployed by a secondary transport service provider for retrieving products purchased by the one or more customers from the autonomous transport vehicle and delivering the products to each of the one or more customers at the different delivery locations. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to virtually advertise (i.e., advertise online availability) various products being transported by autonomous transport vehicles from a first location to a second location. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to broadcast various products along a predetermined geographical boundary surrounding the autonomous transport vehicle, allowing one or more customers within the predetermined geographical boundary to view and purchase the various products online. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to communicate and exchange location information between the autonomous transport vehicle and one or more secondary transport vehicles, allowing the autonomous transport vehicle and one or more secondary transport vehicles to cooperate to facilitate the transfer of products purchased by one or more customers from the autonomous transport vehicle to one or more secondary transport vehicles for delivery to one or more customers. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to identify a customer's delivery location based on the selection of a secondary transport vehicle, and to identify a route from the autonomous transport vehicle or a roadside inventory checkpoint to the delivery location. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to determine one or more roadside inventory checkpoints to accept products from the autonomous transport vehicle and to provide fixed locations for secondary transport vehicles to retrieve products without having to assemble with the autonomous transport vehicle.In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 provides the ability to identify the direction of travel of the autonomous transport vehicle and the secondary transport vehicle, such that when the autonomous transport vehicle and the secondary transport vehicle are about to intersect while traveling in opposite directions, delivery communication program 112 can deploy one or more drones to transfer products from the autonomous transport vehicle to the secondary transport vehicle, thereby reducing operating costs and saving time.

[0016] In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may be configured to access various data sources, such as databases or repositories (not shown), which may include personal data, content, contextual data, or information that the user wishes not to be processed. Personal data includes personally identifiable information or sensitive personal information, as well as user information such as tracking or geolocation information. Processing refers to any automated or non-automated operation, or a set of operations, such as collecting, recording, organizing, structuring, storing, adapting, altering, retrieving, consulting, using, transmitting, disseminating, or otherwise making available, combining, restricting, erasing, or destroying personal data. Delivery communication program 112 allows for authorized and secure processing of personal data. In various embodiments, delivery communication program 112 obtains informed consent from the user, wherein the user is notified of the collection of personal data, thereby allowing the user to opt in or opt out of processing of personal data. Consent may take several forms. Opt-in consent may impose on the user taking an affirmative action before personal data is processed. Alternatively, opt-out consent may impose on the user taking an affirmative action to prevent personal data from being processed before it is processed. In another embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 provides information about the nature of personal data and processing (e.g., type, scope, purpose, duration, etc.). In various embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 provides the user with a copy of the stored personal data. In various embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 allows for the correction or completion of incorrect or incomplete personal data. In various embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 allows for the immediate deletion of personal data.

[0017] In one embodiment, client devices 106, 108, and 110 are clients of server 104 and may be, for example, desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, thin clients, or any other electronic device or computing system capable of communicating with server 104 via network 102. For example, client device 106 may be a mobile device (such as a smartphone) capable of connecting to a network (such as network 102) to access the Internet, utilizing one or more communication tools, and utilizing one or more software applications. In another example, client devices 108 and 110 may be computing devices utilized by IT event management services, respectively. In one embodiment, client devices 106, 108, and 110 may be any suitable type of client device capable of executing one or more applications using a mobile operating system or a computer operating system. In one embodiment, client devices 106, 108, and 110 may include a user interface (not shown) for providing a user (e.g., an SRE, client, or IT event manager, etc.) with the ability to interact with delivery communication program 112, one or more SREs utilizing computing devices (such as client device 108), and one or more communications originating from computing devices (such as client device 110). A user interface refers to the information (such as graphics, text, and sound) presented to a user by a program, and the control sequences the user uses to control the program. Many types of user interfaces exist. In one embodiment, a user interface may be a graphical user interface (GUI). A GUI is a type of user interface that allows a user to interact with an electronic device such as a keyboard and mouse through graphical icons and visual indicators (such as secondary symbols), as opposed to text-based interfaces, typed command labels, or text navigation. In computers, GUIs were introduced as a response to the perceptually steep learning curve of command-line interfaces, which require typing commands on a keyboard. Actions in a GUI are often performed through direct manipulation of graphical elements.

[0018] In one embodiment, client device 106 may be any wearable electronic device capable of sending, receiving, and processing data, including wearable electronic devices attached to glasses and sunglasses, helmets, watches, clothing, wigs, tattoos, embedded devices, etc. In one embodiment, client device 106 may be any wearable computer capable of operating computer programs (such as delivery communication program 112) to dynamically book from an autonomous transport vehicle or a secondary transport vehicle used to deliver products from the autonomous transport vehicle to a customer. Wearable computers are microelectronic devices that can be worn by a carrier under, with, or on clothing, and in or attached to glasses, hats, or other accessories. Wearable computers are particularly suitable for applications requiring computational support more complex than hardware-coded logic. Typically, client devices 106, 108, and 110 each represent one or more programmable electronic devices or combinations of programmable electronic devices capable of executing machine-readable program instructions and communicating via a network (such as network 102) with other computing devices (not shown) within data processing environment 100. In one embodiment, client devices 106, 108, and 110 may be integrated into a vehicle. For example, client devices 106, 108, and 110 may include a head-up display (HUDS) integrated into the dashboard of an autonomous transport vehicle such as client device 110 or a secondary transport vehicle such as client device 106 to project images onto the vehicle's windshield. Typically, client devices 106, 108, and 110 each represent one or more programmable electronic devices or combinations of programmable electronic devices capable of executing machine-readable program instructions and communicating with other computing devices (not shown) within data processing environment 100 via a network (such as network 102).

[0019] In one embodiment, client device 108 represents a secondary transport vehicle, such as a motor vehicle (e.g., car, bus, box truck, van, motorcycle, scooter, etc.), deployed by a secondary transport service provider upon receiving a request from an autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, client device 108 may be a secondary transport vehicle deployed by a secondary transport service provider for transporting people from a first location to a second location. In one embodiment, client device 108 may be any type of secondary transport vehicle capable of being deployed by a secondary transport service provider for transporting products from an autonomous transport vehicle to a delivery location. In one embodiment, client device 110 represents an autonomous transport vehicle, such as an autonomous truck, deployed by a logistics service provider for transporting products from a first location to a second location. In one embodiment, client device 110 represents an autonomous transport vehicle with any level of autonomy integration (e.g., Level 3, Level 4, Level 5), such as constrained platooning of trucks, constrained autonomy, and fully driverless autonomy.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a flowchart depicting the operational steps of a measurement procedure (such as measurement procedure 112, generally designated as 200) according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is used to dynamically book secondary transport vehicles from an autonomous transport vehicle for delivering products from the autonomous transport vehicle to a customer.

[0021] Delivery communication program 112 identifies routes for autonomous transport vehicles (202). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 identifies routes for autonomous transport vehicles by determining autonomous transport vehicles such as client devices 110 deployed by a logistics service provider. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 communicates with the logistics service provider to determine autonomous transport vehicles based on, for example, fleet logs. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 determines a first location, such as the location where the autonomous transport vehicle is loaded with one or more products to be transported (e.g., a manufacturing facility), and a second location, such as the location where the autonomous transport vehicle travels to deliver one or more products (e.g., a warehouse). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 uses data such as Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates, route navigation data, and logistics data to determine the routes already determined for the autonomous transport vehicles.

[0022] Delivery communication program 112 publishes one or more products being transported by an autonomous transport vehicle (204). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 publishes one or more products being transported by an autonomous transport vehicle by utilizing, for example, scannable codes (e.g., QR codes), labels (e.g., barcodes), loading logs, and inventory lists to determine the inventory of multiple available products loaded onto the autonomous transport truck. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 publishes one or more of the multiple available products online using, for example, a mobile application or website, wherein publishing one or more products includes advertising one or more products as available for sale. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 publishes one or more products by creating a mobile geofence boundary attached to the autonomous transport vehicle (i.e., following the autonomous transport vehicle) along the route, such that they can be viewed online by customers located within the mobile geofence boundary (i.e., within a predetermined proximity to the autonomous transport vehicle). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 shares the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle within the mobile geofence boundary, allowing customers to determine their location relative to the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 publishes one or more available products from the plurality of products as a list of available products or a plurality of available products. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 updates the list or batch of available products based on one or more customer orders for one or more products, such that when a product is purchased online from an autonomous transport vehicle, the delivery communication program 112 updates the list to prevent any unavailable products from being published for purchase. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 removes one or more products from the online view where one or more products are added to a customer order.

[0023] Delivery communication program 112 identifies one or more customer orders (206) for one or more products. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 identifies one or more customer orders for one or more products by receiving one or more customer orders published as available for purchase. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 generates a customer order when a customer completes an online purchase of one or more products available on an autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 communicates one or more customer orders with the autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, based on one or more customer orders, delivery communication program 112 determines the customer location and delivery location of one or more products required to fulfill one or more customer orders by extracting information from the customer orders. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 aggregates multiple customer orders received within a mobile geofence boundary such that one or more products required to fulfill one or more customer orders within the mobile geofence boundary can be marked for payment and delivery. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may determine a threshold number of customer orders and a threshold number of products to be purchased before planned payment from the autonomous transport vehicle (e.g., disembarking at an inventory checkpoint, a roadside station for unloading products, etc.).

[0024] Delivery communication program 112 requests a secondary transport vehicle (208). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 requests a secondary transport vehicle in response to receiving one or more customer orders for one or more products. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may request a secondary transport vehicle, such as client device 106, by determining a threshold number of customer orders and a threshold number of products purchased from the autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 requests a secondary transport vehicle from a secondary transport service provider to complete the final delivery of one or more products to one or more customers within a moving geofence boundary. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 analyzes one or more customer orders to determine the customer location, delivery location, current location of the autonomous transport vehicle, estimated arrival time of the secondary transport vehicle from the originating location to the autonomous transport truck, and route from the current location of the autonomous transport truck to the delivery location of one or more products. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 determines the type of secondary transport vehicle (e.g., truck, car, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle, etc.) to be requested, based at least in part on the volume of one or more products sold within the moving geofence boundary, the size of one or more products purchased, and the distance from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location, enabling the secondary transport vehicle to efficiently deliver one or more products to the corresponding delivery location within the moving geofence boundary. In one embodiment, the secondary transport vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle, such as an autonomous car or drone, or a conventional vehicle requiring an operator.

[0025] In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 utilizes a communication matrix established between the logistics service provider, autonomous transport vehicle, secondary transport service provider, and secondary transport vehicle to identify various parameters for inclusion in a digital twin simulation model, which drives informed decision-making when booking a secondary transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 generates a simulation model that takes various parameters as input, including but not limited to one or more products being transported by the autonomous transport vehicle, multiple road conditions, multiple weather conditions, travel distance (e.g., route distance, delivery distance from the autonomous transport vehicle to the customer, distance from the secondary transport vehicle to the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle, etc.), multiple road features (e.g., road dimensions, road vehicle weight restrictions, etc.), multiple traffic conditions (e.g., construction zones, accidents, travel delays due to congestion, etc.), and the secondary transport vehicle using a single booked deliverable customer, to identify one or more scenarios where booking a secondary transport vehicle optimizes the delivery process from the autonomous transport vehicle to the customer. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 performs a cost-benefit analysis of the cost of booking secondary transport vehicles while transporting one or more products from a first location to a second location to determine when to book secondary transport vehicles to optimize the delivery process for delivering one or more available products from an autonomous transport vehicle to a customer. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 identifies one or more scenarios in which booking secondary transport vehicles for delivering one or more available products from an autonomous transport vehicle to a customer optimizes the delivery process. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 performs a simulation to examine the total delivery cost by considering one or more scenarios and various parameters collected from a communication matrix to identify when to book secondary transport vehicles, the type of secondary transport vehicles booked, and how many secondary transport vehicles to book. In one embodiment, the delivery communication program 112 utilizes digital twin simulation technology to determine one or more scenarios that improve the efficiency and cost of delivering one or more available products from an autonomous transport vehicle to a customer.

[0026] In various embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 performs digital twin simulations to determine appropriate decisions for booking secondary transport vehicles. For example, considering one or more parameters such as the suspension system of the secondary transport vehicle, the delivery communication program 112 may determine that fragile products should not be delivered with a secondary transport vehicle having a rigid suspension system. In yet another example, considering one or more parameters such as the overall condition of the secondary transport vehicle, the delivery communication program 112 may determine that booking a secondary transport vehicle for more than ten years may not be cost-effective for products requiring long delivery routes to the customer and should be avoided when booking a secondary transport vehicle. In various embodiments, the delivery communication program 112 performs digital twin simulations to identify appropriate timing, location, type of secondary transport vehicle, product safety status, timely delivery, etc., to ensure that the cost of booking a secondary transport vehicle is optimized when delivering one or more available products to the customer location. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 inputs various parameters into a digital twin simulation component to train a simulation model, thereby determining an accurate representation of secondary transport vehicle performance, product delivery performance, and customer satisfaction under specific simulation conditions and in a specific simulation environment, and outputting recommendations for booking secondary transport vehicles with optimized delivery costs. In various embodiments, delivery communication program 112 outputs from the digital twin simulation component a performance score indicating the performance level of secondary transport vehicles under certain conditions and a cost optimization score indicating the amount of cost savings when booking secondary transport vehicles to deliver one or more available products from autonomous transport vehicles to customers.

[0027] Delivery communication program 112 instructs a secondary transport vehicle to retrieve one or more products to fulfill one or more customer orders (210). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 instructs the secondary transport vehicle to retrieve one or more products to fulfill one or more customer orders by sending the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle and a determined route from the secondary transport vehicle's location to the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 instructs the secondary transport vehicle to assemble with the autonomous transport vehicle to retrieve one or more products to fulfill one or more customer orders. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may instruct the autonomous transport vehicle to unload one or more products using an integrated robotic system for payment to the secondary transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may instruct the operator of the secondary transport vehicle to remove one or more products required to fulfill one or more customer orders. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may instruct the autonomous transport vehicle to unload one or more products at a predetermined inventory checkpoint (e.g., a centralized location within a mobile geofence boundary, a designated roadside unloading location, etc.) and further instruct the secondary transport vehicle to retrieve one or more products from the predetermined inventory checkpoint to fulfill one or more customer orders, which prevents the secondary transport vehicle from chasing the autonomous transport vehicle, which is always in motion.

[0028] Delivery communication program 112 instructs secondary transport vehicles to deliver one or more products to a delivery location (212). In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 instructs secondary transport vehicles to deliver one or more products to a delivery location by sending the delivery location of each of the one or more products and a preferred route from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 generates a predetermined route to the secondary transport vehicle that optimizes the delivery time from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location and transmits the predetermined route to the secondary transport vehicle. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may determine an ordered list of delivery sequences specifying one or more products to be delivered to one or more customers based on a predetermined proximity to the autonomous transport truck or a predetermined inventory checkpoint. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may share delivery information for one or more products among multiple secondary transport vehicles and enable communication devices between the multiple secondary transport vehicles to allow the exchange of products for faster delivery. In one embodiment, delivery communication program 112 may instruct secondary transport vehicles to return undelivered products to a predetermined inventory checkpoint, so that the returned products can be reissued for purchase.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a block diagram depicting components of a data processing environment according to embodiments of the present invention, such as server 104 of data processing environment 100, generally designated 300. It should be understood that... Figure 3 This illustration only provides one possible implementation and does not imply any limitations regarding the environment, as different embodiments can be implemented. Many modifications can be made to the depicted environment.

[0030] In the illustrative embodiment, server 104 in data processing environment 100 is shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device (such as computer system 310). Components of computer system 310 may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units 314, memory 324, and a bus 316 that couples various system components including memory 324 to processing unit 314.

[0031] Bus 316 represents any one or more of several types of bus architectures, including memory buses or memory controllers, peripheral buses, accelerated graphics ports, and processor or local buses using any of the various bus architectures. By way of example and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) buses, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) buses, Enhanced ISA (EISA) buses, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local buses, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) buses.

[0032] Computer system 310 typically includes various computer system readable media. Such media can be any available media accessible by computer system 310, and includes volatile and non-volatile media, removable and non-removable media.

[0033] Memory 324 may include computer system readable media in the form of volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM) 326 and / or cache memory 328. Computer system 310 may further include other removable / non-removable, volatile / non-volatile computer system storage media. By way of example only, storage system 330 may be provided for reading and writing from non-removable non-volatile magnetic media (not shown, and generally referred to as "hard disk drives"). Although not shown, disk drives for reading from or writing to removable non-volatile disks (e.g., "floppy disks") and optical disk drives for reading from or writing to removable non-volatile optical disks (such as CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, or other optical media) may be provided. In such cases, each may be connected to bus 316 via one or more data media interfaces. As will be further described and depicted below, memory 324 may include at least one computer program product having a set (e.g., at least one) of program modules configured to perform the functions of embodiments of the invention.

[0034] A program / utility 332 having one or more sets of program modules 334 may be stored in memory 324, as an example and not a limitation, along with an operating system, one or more applications, other program modules, and program data. Each or some combination of the operating system, one or more applications, other program modules, and program data may include an implementation of a network environment. Program modules 334 typically perform functions and / or methods as described herein in embodiments of the invention. Computer system 310 may also communicate with one or more external devices 312 (e.g., keyboard, pointing device, display 322, etc.) or with one or more devices that enable a user to interact with computer system 310 and any device that enables computer system 310 to communicate with one or more other computing devices (e.g., network interface card, modem, etc.). Such communication may occur via input / output (I / O) interface 320. Furthermore, computer system 310 may communicate with one or more networks such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and / or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter 318. As depicted, network adapter 318 communicates with other components of computer system 310 via bus 316. It should be understood that, although not shown, other hardware and software components (such as microcode, device drivers, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archiving storage systems) may be used in conjunction with computer system 310.

[0035] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible means for retaining and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital universal disk (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices such as punch cards, or protrusions in recesses (on which instructions are recorded), and any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used herein, computer-readable storage media should not be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0036] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a suitable computing / processing device via a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network), or to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, optical fibers, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to a computer-readable storage medium within the suitable computing / processing device.

[0037] Computer-readable program instructions used to perform the operations of this invention may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​(such as Smalltalk, C++, etc.) and conventional procedural programming languages ​​(such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages). The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs) may be personalized to execute computer-readable program instructions by utilizing state information from the computer-readable program instructions in order to perform aspects of this invention.

[0038] The present invention will now be described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0039] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions comprises an article of manufacture containing instructions that implement aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0040] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus or other equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other equipment to produce computer-implemented processing, such that the instructions that execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other equipment perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0041] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, including one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative embodiments, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than shown in the figures. For example, depending on the function involved, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or these blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0042] Various embodiments of the invention have been described for illustrative purposes, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The terminology used herein has been chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, or technical improvements to techniques found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0043] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. It should be understood that any particular nomenclature used herein is for convenience only, and therefore the invention should not be limited to any particular function identified and / or implied by such nomenclature. Furthermore, as used herein, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles, the method comprising: The route of the autonomous transport vehicle that transports one or more products from a first location to a second location is identified by one or more computer processors; The one or more computer processors publish the one or more products online as available for purchase; Customer orders for the one or more products are identified by the one or more computer processors; The one or more computer processors request the secondary transport vehicle to deliver the one or more products to fulfill the customer order; The one or more computer processors instruct the secondary transport vehicle to retrieve the one or more products from the autonomous transport vehicle to fulfill the customer order; as well as The one or more computer processors instruct the secondary transport vehicles to deliver the one or more products from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location to fulfill the customer order. Publishing one or more products online as available for purchase further includes: The inventory of the one or more products loaded onto the autonomous transport vehicle is determined by the one or more computer processors using scannable codes; The one or more computer processors use a mobile application to advertise the one or more products as available for sale; and A mobile geofence boundary is created by the one or more computer processors along the route and fixed to the autonomous transport vehicle, wherein the one or more products can be viewed online by the customer located within the mobile geofence boundary.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Identifying the route of the autonomous transport vehicle further includes: The one or more computer processors determine the autonomous transport vehicle deployed by the logistics service provider, the first location of the autonomous transport vehicle carrying the one or more products, and the second location where the autonomous transport vehicle is traveling to deliver the one or more products.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Identifying customer orders further includes: The customer order is communicated to the autonomous transport vehicle by the one or more computer processors; and The one or more computer processors extract information from the customer order to determine the customer location and the delivery location.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: Multiple customer orders received within the mobile geofence boundary are aggregated by the one or more computer processors; as well as The one or more computer processors determine the threshold number of customer orders and the threshold number of products to be purchased before planning to pay for products from the autonomous transport vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The request for secondary transport vehicles further includes: The one or more computer processors determine a threshold quantity for customer orders and a threshold quantity for products already purchased from the autonomous transport vehicle; and The type of secondary transport vehicle to be requested is determined by the one or more computer processors based at least in part on the volume of the one or more products sold within the mobile geofence boundary, the size of the one or more products purchased, and the distance from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, Instructing the secondary transport vehicle to retrieve the one or more products to fulfill the customer order further includes: The current location of the autonomous transport vehicle is sent to the secondary transport vehicle by the one or more computer processors; The determined route from the location of the secondary transport vehicle to the current location of the autonomous transport vehicle is sent by the one or more computer processors; The one or more computer processors instruct the secondary transport vehicles to assemble with the autonomous transport vehicles to retrieve the one or more products to fulfill the one or more customer orders; and The one or more computer processors instruct the autonomous transport vehicle to unload the one or more products using an integrated robotic system to pay the secondary transport vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the secondary transport vehicle to deliver the one or more products from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location further comprises: A predetermined route to the secondary transport vehicle is generated by the one or more computer processors, the predetermined route optimizing the delivery time from the autonomous transport vehicle to the delivery location; The one or more computer processors determine, based on a predetermined proximity to the autonomous transport vehicle, an ordered list of delivery sequences specifying that the one or more products will be delivered to the delivery location; and The predetermined route and the ordered list are transmitted to the secondary transport vehicle by the one or more computer processors.

8. A computer program product for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles, the computer program product comprising program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A computer system for dynamically booking secondary transport vehicles from autonomous transport vehicles, the computer system comprising: One or more computer processors; One or more computer-readable storage media; as well as Program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, wherein the stored program instructions are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform the operation of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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