Logistics management system and method

Abstract

A logistics management system comprising (i) an input unit adapted to input delivery information of at least one order, the delivery information of the order comprising at least a first location and a second location, and (ii) a processor in operative communication with the input unit, adapted to confirm availability with a plurality of courier units and a plurality of vehicle units, and recommending a delivery route of the order based on a correlation between the delivery information of the order and availability of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units, the plurality of courier units further including a plurality of first mile couriers and a plurality of last mile couriers, the delivery route comprises a first mile courier for collecting the shipment from the first position, and a vehicle unit for receiving the shipment from the first mile courier and transporting the shipment; and a last mile courier for delivering the shipment from the vehicle unit to the second location.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a logistics management system and method. More specifically, the present invention relates to a logistics management system and method for recommending a delivery route for at least one delivery order. Background Art

[0002] The sudden surge in the use of online shopping platforms by shoppers due to the COVID outbreak and the subsequent lockdown in most cities has led to an increase in the demand for last-mile delivery of shopping items from warehouses or retail stores to homes and offices. In addition, wholesalers have been noticed expanding downwards to offer online stores of their products to capitalize on the phenomenon of engaging in direct sales to households.

[0003] Traditional large-scale logistics services meet the needs of delivering large quantities of goods from wholesalers' warehouses to retailers for distribution, or from wholesalers' warehouses to retail businesses that consume goods to produce other finished products. For packages of small quantities of retail goods, most suppliers rely on local delivery services that serve specific cities or areas within cities. There are also crowdsourcing platforms that mobilize the crowd for last-mile delivery services.

[0004] In the logistics industry, there are generally two types of distribution systems. One is the traditional fixed hub and spoke system as mentioned by Brimich Logistics GmbH, namely "The Hub and Spoke Distribution Model: Improved Logistics for Almost Any Business" (https: / / www.thebrimichgroup.com / hub-and-spoke-distribution-model / ), which relies on providing one or more fixed points (each fixed point, a "hub") to collect shipments of goods, where they can be sorted, inspected and repacked, and different logistics service providers (each logistics service provider, a "spoke", which radiates from the hub) will pick up their shipments from the hub and deliver the shipments to their respective recipients. Depending on the area that the logistics company wants to cover, there can be one central hub, or multiple central hubs, each serving a predetermined sub-area within it, or it may be necessary to establish "intermediate hubs" to facilitate intermediate stops for any of its hired vehicles and couriers on long-distance journeys. Under the fixed hub-and-spoke system, a significant amount of expense is spent on renting physical hubs and hiring full-time personnel to pick up shipments from each hub and make last-mile deliveries to recipients.

[0005] Another more recent development is a point-to-point system that can rely on outsourced vehicles and couriers, wherein each order is assigned to a specific vehicle (for long distances) or a specific courier (within walking distance). In this system, each vehicle and courier is assigned one or more delivery orders without the coordination of delivery orders. Each of them may have traveled an unnecessary distance. In addition, during their service time, they may not carry any shipments (for example, when they go to the pickup point to pick up goods, or when they complete the return trip after the shipment is distributed to the pickup person), and their most of the carrying capacity is not fully utilized. Another problem faced by some current point-to-point systems is that even if the order includes the distribution of several shipments from, for example, a place of origin to several different destinations, it also accepts the order from the sender and fully distributes it to a vehicle. If the delivery address is too far away for the vehicle, so that it is impossible to complete the journey without wasting too much time, fuel costs, and road or tunnel fees, the vehicle may even reject the order request.

[0006] There is a missing piece of market demand that has not yet been fully met, which is the service of delivering heavy and bulky goods from wholesalers or retailers to home customers in a reliable and cost-effective manner.

[0007] Existing local delivery services face difficulties, such as high labor costs of finding couriers who can carry heavy goods, resulting in consumers being generally unwilling to bear the high costs of such courier services. These difficulties are more severe in densely populated cities, where the road systems are complex due to their long history. Hong Kong is a good example of such a city. Vehicle drivers usually need to be accompanied by accompanying couriers who travel with the vehicle to assist in loading and unloading shipments from the vehicle. Sometimes, vehicle drivers are also pedestrians. They walk to the destination to deliver the goods and sometimes receive parking tickets for breaking the law. The problem they often face is finding the best site to park their vehicle so that there is enough time for their accompanying couriers or themselves to unload the shipment from the vehicle and walk to the destination family's house to deliver the shipment and return to the vehicle to go to the next destination.

[0008] Typically, existing local logistics service providers also face the problem of having idle and spare capacities in their delivery vehicles, which, if utilized, could increase their revenue and, in the long run, could save fuel (for vehicles) and energy (for couriers).

[0009] Existing crowdsourcing platforms focus on express delivery and on-demand meal delivery, which are very different from household goods delivery that can be scheduled within a certain time period, and express delivery may not be critical. Such express delivery services are not the focus of the present invention. Summary of the invention

[0010] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a logistics management system, comprising: (i) an input unit, which is suitable for inputting delivery information of at least one order, wherein the delivery information of the order includes at least a first location and a second location, and (ii) a processor, which is in operative communication with the input unit, and is suitable for confirming availability with multiple courier units and multiple transportation units, and recommending a delivery route for the order based on a correlation between the delivery information of the order and the availability of the multiple courier units and the multiple transportation units, wherein the multiple courier units also include multiple first mile couriers and multiple last mile couriers, wherein the delivery route includes a first mile courier for collecting shipments from the first location, a transportation unit for receiving items from the first mile courier and transporting the shipment, and a last mile courier for delivering the shipment from the transportation unit to the second location.

[0011] In an embodiment, the delivery routes include at least a first delivery route for a first order and a second delivery route for a second order, wherein a first transportation unit of the first delivery route is the same as a second transportation unit of the second delivery route, and / or a first first-mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as a second first-mile courier of the second delivery route, and / or a first last-mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as a second last-mile courier of the second delivery route.

[0012] In an embodiment, the processor is adapted to assign a scheduled first mile courier and a scheduled last mile courier to an order based on availability of a plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

[0013] In an embodiment, the processor is adapted to classify the orders into a first bundle based on a first location and a second bundle based on a second location, wherein each of the first bundle and the second bundle includes at least one order, wherein the first location or the second location is located within a predetermined geographic area.

[0014] In an embodiment, the size of the predetermined geographical area is defined by a predetermined diameter.

[0015] In an embodiment, the predetermined diameter is 300 feet.

[0016] In an embodiment, the predetermined geographic area is of a size that is reachable by a plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

[0017] In an embodiment, the geographic area includes a first geographic area and a second geographic area, wherein the processor is adapted to assign a predetermined transportation unit to travel between at least the first geographic area and the second geographic area, and the transportation unit is assigned to load at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier at the first geographic area and unload at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier at the second geographic area.

[0018] In an embodiment, the processor is adapted to determine one or more pickup points at which the vehicle unit loads at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier and one or more unloading points at which the vehicle unit unloads at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier.

[0019] In an embodiment, the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more drop-off points are determined by traffic data and / or road layout.

[0020] In an embodiment, the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more drop-off points are determined based on previously used locations stored within the system.

[0021] In an embodiment, the system is adapted to assign a compass number to the order, wherein the compass number represents a direction of the second location relative to the first location.

[0022] In an embodiment, the system is adapted to allocate a vehicle unit to load at least two shipments assigned with the same compass number.

[0023] In an embodiment, the order includes a first order and a second order, and the processor is suitable for assigning a first expected trip to a first transport unit for the first order and assigning a second expected trip to a second transport unit for the second order, wherein the processor is also suitable for modifying the first and second expected trips in response to a predetermined condition by arranging the first and second transport units to meet at a predetermined meeting point, at which predetermined meeting point at least one shipment is transferred from the first transport unit to the second transport unit.

[0024] In an embodiment, the predetermined condition is selected from a change in traffic conditions, a capacity of a vehicle unit, or a combination thereof.

[0025] In an embodiment, the system further comprises an output unit adapted to output a respective expected trip to each of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units.

[0026] In an embodiment, the input unit is adapted for a plurality of courier units and a plurality of vehicle units to update their respective availabilities.

[0027] In an embodiment, the delivery information of the order further includes weight, size, sender information, recipient information, estimated pickup time, estimated delivery time, monetary value, or a combination thereof.

[0028] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of courier units is a human, a robot, or a drone.

[0029] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of vehicle units comprises one or more vehicles having a mode of transportation selected from air, sea, land, or a combination thereof.

[0030] In an embodiment, the one or more vehicles are selected from a van, a car, a bus, a ship, an airplane, a train, a truck, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a helicopter, a drone, or a combination thereof.

[0031] In an embodiment, each of the one or more vehicles has a coverage area defined by a predetermined radius.

[0032] In an embodiment, the predetermined radius is 500m.

[0033] In an embodiment, the vehicle unit comprises at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein the processor is adapted to arrange the first vehicle and the second vehicle to meet to transfer the shipment from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

[0034] In an embodiment, the system is accessible via the Internet.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a logistics management method, comprising the following steps: (i) inputting delivery information of at least one order, wherein the delivery information of the order includes at least a first location and a second location; (ii) confirming availability with a plurality of courier units and a plurality of vehicle units, wherein the plurality of courier units include a plurality of first-mile couriers and a plurality of last-mile couriers; and (iii) recommending a delivery route for the order by correlating the delivery information of the order with the availability of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units; wherein the delivery route includes a first-mile courier for collecting shipments from the first location, a vehicle unit for receiving shipments from the first-mile courier and transporting the shipment, and a last-mile courier for delivering the shipment from the vehicle unit to the second location.

[0036] In an embodiment, the delivery routes include at least a first delivery route for a first order and a second delivery route for a second order, wherein a first transportation unit of the first delivery route is the same as a second transportation unit of the second delivery route, and / or a first first-mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as a second first-mile courier of the second delivery route, and / or a first last-mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as a second last-mile courier of the second delivery route.

[0037] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of assigning a scheduled first mile courier and a scheduled last mile courier to the order based on the availability of the plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

[0038] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of grouping the orders into a first bundle based on a first location and a second bundle based on a second location, wherein each of the first bundle and the second bundle comprises at least one order, wherein the first location or the second location is located within a predetermined geographic area.

[0039] In an embodiment, the size of the predetermined geographical area is defined by a predetermined diameter.

[0040] In an embodiment, the predetermined diameter is 300 feet.

[0041] In an embodiment, the predetermined geographic area is of a size that is reachable by a plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

[0042] In an embodiment, the geographic area includes a first geographic area and a second geographic area, and the method further includes the step of assigning a predetermined transportation unit to travel between at least the first geographic area and the second geographic area, wherein the transportation unit is assigned to load at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier at the first geographic area and unload the at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier at the second geographic area.

[0043] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of determining one or more pickup points at which the vehicle unit loads at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier and one or more unloading points at which the vehicle unit unloads at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier.

[0044] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of interactively adjusting the location of one or more pickup points and drop-off points based on traffic data and / or road layout.

[0045] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of suggesting locations of one or more pickup and drop-off points based on previously used locations stored within the system.

[0046] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of assigning a compass number to the order, wherein the compass number indicates a direction of the second location relative to the first location.

[0047] In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of allocating a transport unit to load at least two shipments assigned with the same compass number.

[0048] In an embodiment, the at least one order includes a first order and a second order, and the first expected trip is assigned to the first transport unit for the first order, and the second expected trip is assigned to the second transport unit for the second order, and the method also includes a step of modifying the first and second expected trips in response to a predetermined condition by arranging the first and second transport units to meet at a predetermined meeting point, at which predetermined meeting point at least one shipment is transferred from the first transport unit to the second transport unit.

[0049] In an embodiment, the predetermined condition is selected from a change in traffic conditions, a capacity of a vehicle unit, or a combination thereof.

[0050] In an embodiment, the method comprises the step of outputting a respective recommended route to each of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units.

[0051] In an embodiment, the delivery information of the order also includes weight, size, sender information, recipient information, estimated pickup time, estimated delivery time, monetary value, or a combination thereof.

[0052] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of courier units is a human, a robot, or a drone.

[0053] In an embodiment, each of the plurality of vehicle units comprises a vehicle of one or more modes of transportation selected from air, sea, land, or a combination thereof.

[0054] In an embodiment, the one or more vehicles are selected from a van, a car, a bus, a ship, an airplane, a train, a truck, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a helicopter, a drone, or a combination thereof.

[0055] In an embodiment, each of the one or more vehicles has a coverage area defined by a predetermined radius.

[0056] In an embodiment, the predetermined radius is 500m.

[0057] In an embodiment, the vehicle unit comprises at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein the method further comprises the step of arranging the first and second vehicles to meet to transfer the shipment from the first vehicle to the second vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] In order to be able to obtain a more accurate understanding of the above invention, a more specific description of the invention briefly described above will be presented by reference to specific embodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings. The drawings presented herein may not be drawn to scale, and any reference to dimensions in the drawings or the following description is specific to the disclosed embodiments.

[0059] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a logistics management system according to the present invention;

[0060] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a delivery route according to the present invention;

[0061] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of two vehicles at the two ends of a road where no intersection or U-turn is allowed;

[0062] Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the steps of proposing a new pickup point or unloading point according to the method of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 5 is a flow chart showing steps for updating a plurality of spatial pickup locations stored in a database according to a method of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing a dispatched trip of a transport unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 7 is a graph showing a comparison of a compass and an actual trip of a vehicle unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0066] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution between the pickup points and a plurality of first locations within a bundle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0067] Fig. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for assigning a courier unit and a vehicle unit to each delivery order according to the present invention;

[0068] Fig.10 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for determining a pickup point and a drop-off point for a transport unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0069] Fig.11 is a schematic diagram showing a plurality of trips assigned to a transport unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0070] Fig.12is a diagram showing actions taken by the system of the present invention in response to fluctuations in density of orders, couriers, and vehicle drivers;

[0071] Fig.13 is a diagram illustrating affirmative and negative responses to historical performance of a courier unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0072] Fig.14 is a diagram illustrating affirmative and negative responses to a vehicle driver's historical performance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0073] Fig.15 is a diagram showing a comparison between an estimated meeting time and an arrival time for all stops in a delivery route according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0074] Fig.16 is a diagram illustrating positive and negative responses to the presence of other used rendezvous locations in the vicinity of a selected rendezvous location according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0075] Fig.17 is a schematic diagram showing an actual traffic condition according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a new pickup point or unloading point is proposed by the system;

[0076] Fig.18 is a diagram illustrating affirmative and negative responses to the presence of any other intended trips for vehicles having overlapping destination coverage areas in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a logistics management system and method that at least improve some of the problems faced by those skilled in the art, particularly couriers and delivery vehicle drivers.

[0078] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided, comprising: a back-end database having parameters of delivery orders for building-specific addresses, having multiple front-end user interfaces for inputting data by each participating courier unit and vehicle unit, including a vehicle unit (implicitly, whose driver makes the decision), a first mile courier or a last mile courier; an interactive front-end user interface for delivery orders entered by the sender and managed by the system; and a back-end computerized system for assigning tasks for delivery orders to first mile couriers, last mile couriers, and grouping nearby pickup tasks and delivery order tasks in a bundle, assigning bundles of pickup tasks and delivery order tasks to vehicle units, interactively calculating and suggesting suitable pickup and drop-off points for each of the vehicle units and couriers for each group of bundled tasks, coordinating the expected trips and confirmed trips of each vehicle unit to align the starting point, meeting point and end point of its assigned order tasks, monitoring each expected trip and confirmed trip, and sending feedback to all delivery courier units and vehicle units and recipients upon any transfer and arrival of shipments of goods being delivered. In the context of this specification, a shipment refers to the goods or items to be delivered in a delivery order.

[0079] The improvements of the present invention allow the system to be flexibly arranged between a point-to-point system and a fixed hub-and-spoke system depending on the usage status of the system, and are equipped with technical features that help overcome the above-mentioned problems in each of the two systems. The system arrangement of the present invention is more like a point-to-point system when the system usage is low (defined as a state where the capacity of the forwarding agent is not fully utilized), and more like a fixed hub-and-spoke system when the system usage is high (defined as a state where the capacity of at least one forwarding agent is fully utilized), but without using any physical hub.

[0080] [I. Basic operation of the system, receiving delivery orders, allocating to the first mile, transportation unit, and last mile to complete the delivery order]

[0081] Figure 1 An embodiment of a logistics management system 100 according to the present invention is shown. System 100 is a centralized system with the ability to handle multiple delivery orders and coordinate appropriate delivery routes to complete the delivery of shipments within the estimated delivery time. Processor 110 processes the location information of the delivery order, including the origin (the place specified by the sender to pick up the goods) and the destination (specified by the sender), such as an address and / or GPS point, of each shipment, and then assigns three parties to deliver the shipment point-to-point from the origin address provided by the sender (i.e., the address where the shipment is picked up) to the destination address of the recipient. These parties are the first mile courier, the transportation unit, and the last mile courier. More specifically, when the information of the delivery order is entered by the sender, the processor first breaks down the information into 3 tasks:

[0082] (i.) The first task, matching a first-mile courier who will pick up the shipment from the origin to the meeting point;

[0083] (ii.) a second task, matching a transport unit that transports a shipment from a first meeting point to a second meeting point, meeting with a satisfying first mile courier at the first meeting point to load the shipment onto the transport unit, and meeting with a last mile courier at the second meeting point to unload the shipment to the last mile courier; and

[0084] (iii.) The third task is to match a last-mile courier who will deliver the shipment from the second meeting point to the destination.

[0085] refer to Figure 1 The system 100 includes an input unit 130 for inputting the delivery information 131 of the shipment, the availability information 133 of the courier unit, and the availability information 135 of the vehicle unit to the processor 110 for analysis and calculation, so as to provide a match between the three parties and the recommendation of a coordinated delivery route to complete the delivery order. In an embodiment, the system 100 also includes a courier profile database for storing the availability information 133 of the courier unit, and a vehicle unit profile database for storing the availability information 135 of the vehicle unit.

[0086] The delivery information includes the GPS point or address of the origin from which the shipment is picked up, as provided by the sender, and the GPS point or address of the destination to which the shipment is delivered. The precise location of the destination can be further adjusted by the recipient of the shipment. Other delivery information of the shipment can also be input into the system 100 for more thorough analysis. The delivery information can include a description of the shipment, the weight, size and measurement of the shipment, the estimated delivery time desired by the sender, the monetary value of the shipment item, or other useful information useful for consideration by the processor 110 when matching tasks with couriers and vehicle units.

[0087] The delivery routes 140 of the present invention are implemented by three parties: the first mile courier, the last mile courier, and the transportation unit. The system 100 requires each of the three parties to input their availability and capacity information, including, for example, their maximum carrying capacity, their preferred work community, their preferred weekdays, their preferred work hours, their blocked dates, etc., in order to create a unique availability profile for each of them. There is an interface in the system for couriers and transportation units to log into the system to update their profiles.

[0088] Reference now Figure 2, each of the first mile couriers 210, 215, the transport unit 220, and the last mile couriers 230, 235 has different tasks along the delivery route 200. The first mile courier 210 is responsible for picking up the shipment from the origin (i.e., the first location provided by the sender 201) and delivering it directly to the transport unit 220 at the meeting point so that the shipment is loaded onto the transport unit 220. The transport unit 220 is responsible for receiving shipments from multiple first mile couriers 210, 215, and then transporting the shipments from at least a first area to a second area. Upon arriving at the second area, the last mile couriers 230, 235 are responsible for unloading the shipments from the transport 220 and delivering them to the recipients 205, 207 at the destination, respectively.

[0089] The vehicle unit 220 includes one or more vehicles selected from the following categories: air, sea, and land transport. Examples of vehicles include vans, cars, buses, ships, airplanes, trains, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, helicopters, drones, etc. Depending on the load and journey of the vehicles, the vehicle unit 220 may include more than one vehicle. In this case, the vehicles need to meet at a meeting point so that the shipment is transferred from one vehicle to another vehicle in order to continue the journey.

[0090] [II. Building a cluster - explaining how it works in the system]

[0091] The serviceable area of ​​the system is divided into districts, which are divided into sub-districts, which are divided into neighborhoods, and a neighborhood is defined to cover a specific cluster of buildings (explained below). Tasks in received delivery orders are processed so that they are each classified and labeled accordingly according to the location of the origin and destination addresses (according to their longitude and latitude, or GPS points). The system of the present invention is configured in such a way that delivery orders with origins within the same cluster of buildings or within the same neighborhood are grouped together for analysis, thereby allowing them to be processed by the processor at the same time.

[0092] For example, based on the availability profiles of couriers in the system, the system will select suitable first mile tasks within a building cluster or neighborhood and send them to all couriers that match the task. The first mile courier can select and pick one or more displayed tasks. This reduces the travel time required for any one courier to cross the neighborhood to perform the first mile task. In addition, the courier is familiar with the streets and roads and traffic in his / her neighborhood(s) and will stay within the neighborhood more efficiently to complete the task.

[0093] In addition, the system includes another back-end database for storing location information in the serviceable area. The back-end database is configured to group the buildings / houses in the serviceable area into multiple building clusters. The buildings / houses surrounded by the same road and street group are grouped together in the uniquely identified building cluster. The traffic conditions allowed by the surrounding roads and streets are also outlined (profile), including the direction of travel (for example, one-way or two-way), to assist the system in identifying the local traffic route and coordinating the itinerary of the vehicle unit, and also to suggest the meeting point of the courier and the vehicle unit. The building cluster is a node in the mathematical graphical representation of the area, and the streets and / or roads (together with the one-way / two-way traffic identified) around the building cluster are the paths linking the nodes. Nodes and paths are used as basic units by the system processor 110, and graph theory is applied to plan local traffic routes for the vehicle units in the community or subdivision.

[0094] Now refer to Figure 3 , which shows by way of illustration two vehicle units 1 and 2, which are parked at both ends of a two-way road 300, with a double line 310 between them, where no crossing or U-turns are allowed. The Euclidean distance between vehicle units 1 and 2 is short, but the design of the road and traffic rules prohibit vehicle 1 from traveling directly to the location of vehicle 2 along the Euclidean distance, so the two vehicles are separated by a large actual traffic distance. If a single vehicle unit is assigned to take on the two tasks of collecting shipments at points 1 and 2, a lot of time will be wasted in traffic. Instead, the system will not select these two tasks and display them to a single vehicle unit, but will display these two tasks to more than one vehicle unit to allow different vehicle units to pick up these two tasks.

[0095] [III. How the First Mile Courier Selects the Location of the Meeting Point with the Transport Unit]

[0096] The system begins planning the expected vehicle trip by first setting up the first rendezvous point between the first mile courier and the vehicle unit. When the courier selects and picks up the first mile task, the system records the location of the first mile courier, typically down to the building cluster and community where the first mile courier specifies that he will be at the specified date and time. The system will then check its database for the following: (i) locations used in the past to load / unload shipments between any vehicle unit and the courier, and (ii) locations used in the past to load / unload shipments between any vehicle unit and the first mile courier. The system presents the 5 most frequently used past locations and suggests them to the first mile courier. The first mile courier makes a choice of the best option for the location, and this is set as the first rendezvous point with the vehicle unit on the delivery route for the delivery order. If there is no used past location that can be selected in the system database, or if the first mile courier does not like any of the options suggested by the system, the first mile courier is prompted to use his suggested location to meet up with the vehicle unit and send the location to the system. The First Mile Courier can make suggestions by text or by giving the name by voice in conjunction with the geographic location (PIN) on a map. The system will record the longitude and latitude of the location in its database of past locations used for future use.

[0097] Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the steps of the process, the method comprising the following steps:

[0098] Step 410 —The system checks its database for previously used rendezvous locations.

[0099] Step 420 - Having stored previously used rendezvous locations in the database, the system will suggest them to the First Mile Courier.

[0100] Step 430 —If there is no previously used rendezvous location stored in the database, the system asks the First Mile Courier for his preferences which are then recorded in the system.

[0101] [IV. How the system selects tasks to send to a vehicle unit and how the system forms a trip]

[0102] Figure 5 is a flow chart showing steps for requesting a vehicle unit to fill a vehicle unit with a shipment of a delivery order task, wherein the steps include:

[0103] Step 510 - The system searches the spatial location pool near the starting location of the vehicle unit to check for existing spatial pickup locations. The pickup location appears in the pickup location pool only when the first mile courier has picked up the first mile delivery task and order, and selects a meeting point with the vehicle.

[0104] Step 520 —The vehicle unit picks up a task from a pool of spatial pickup locations based on the origin and destination or compass.

[0105] Step 530 —The system then updates the spatial pickup location pool to be displayed to the transportation unit, including all those delivery order tasks that start in communities that the existing route of the picked-up tasks passes through, with the same or aligned compass numbers toward the next and subsequent stops.

[0106] Step 540 —The vehicle unit continues to add tasks for delivery orders until capacity is full or the estimated time schedule exceeds his plan.

[0107] For a particular transport unit that has entered the system and registered its transport capacity and home address, its preferred wage rate (monthly, daily or hourly), its last fuel bill (cost and mileage), the system records the driver's community (usually down to a cluster of buildings). The system selects the spatial location of a pickup point from the database that matches and exceeds the capacity of the target transport unit based on:

[0108] (i.) The transport unit's preferred route for the operation (including at least a starting community and a destination, and optionally intermediate stop communities or subdistricts). Unless the driver specifies otherwise, the system assumes that the preferred route ends at the driver's starting location.

[0109] (ii.) the preferred time period of the transport unit for the journey, or

[0110] (iii.) Whether the vehicle unit already has an existing mission, if so, what is the spare capacity of the vehicle unit and what are the start and end points of the existing mission, if not,

[0111] In which region or community the driver wishes to start and end.

[0112] The system has a pool of spatial locations (usually not more than 150% of the capacity or spare capacity of the vehicle unit) selected by a specific vehicle unit. The vehicle unit sends a signal to the system by selecting a task for a delivery order. The system then sends a signal to the vehicle unit to pick up a delivery order task with the same compass number starting from the same community, or in a community, subdistrict or region through which the route of the first selected delivery order task will pass, or in a community that is the destination of the first delivery order task.

[0113] Figure 6An expected trip 600 of a vehicle unit through regions 1 to 4 is shown. The expected trip 600 of the vehicle unit begins at a start point 610 in region 1 and ends at a destination 620 in region 4. On the way from the start point 610 to the destination 620, the vehicle unit also travels through regions 2 and 3.

[0114] Each delivery order has a starting point address, which is the origin address, the destination address, the longitude and latitude of the pickup location, and the longitude and latitude of the unloading location. Compass needles in degrees are calculated and used to group delivery orders that "go the same way" for vehicle units. These delivery orders are within the pickup time period (starting from the time the first mile courier picks up the goods from the origin address to the time the first mile courier loads it onto the vehicle unit) and the route determined by the order of the lower levels of the hierarchy of the vehicle unit through the coverage area. For example, if the origin address and the destination address are in different regions, the route consists of the partitions it passes through. Alternatively, if the origin address and the destination address are in different partitions, the route consists of the communities that the vehicle unit passes through.

[0115] The system identifies related orders or orders with similar compasses starting from regions 2 and 3 towards regions 3 and 4. Once the first task is selected, the vehicle driver will be prompted to select these candidate tasks. The system is equipped with a compass identifier. When a delivery instruction is entered into the system, the compass identifier marks it as "direction". This flexibility allows the delivery route of the vehicle to be designed to maximize its spare capacity throughout the trip. The system assumes that the driver always prefers to end the entire trip near the location where he or she started the trip, unless the driver informs the system here that he prefers to end the entire trip for the day.

[0116] Figure 7 A compass 713 is shown calculated from the vehicle's actual journey 711. Compass 713 is a single degree representation of the direction of the order compared to the vehicle's actual journey to deliver the order, using an origin address 710 and a destination address 720 or pickup and drop-off locations of the agent.

[0117] [V. Operation of multiple transport units with multiple couriers in a community]

[0118] refer to Figure 8, which shows the distribution of vehicle units between multiple sender addresses 810 and recommended pickup points (i.e., first meeting points) 820. In order to ensure more efficient delivery, the vehicle units of the present invention do not need to travel to each sender address 810 to collect shipments from the senders. Instead, the vehicle units wait at collection points 820 (given by the couriers picking up at 810), where the first mile courier will collect the shipments from the corresponding origin addresses 810 and deliver them to the vehicle units at the pickup points 820. In an embodiment, there is a single collection point 820 within the area 820. Alternatively, there are multiple pickup points within the area, requiring the vehicle units to travel through all pickup points in order to collect all shipments for delivery.

[0119] [VI. Delivery orders - 3 tasks, how to filter and display multiple tasks to couriers and transportation units]

[0120] The processor of the present invention processes the delivery order, and each delivery order is decomposed into three tasks. For example, the system will filter all the first mile tasks in all the received delivery orders, and select those that match the courier's availability profile from them. The system suggests and displays a list of first mile tasks that can be accepted or rejected by the courier to those suitable couriers. These tasks are grouped into a bundle. In an embodiment, a bundle of tasks for the first mile courier is a group of filtered tasks within an area of ​​a specific diameter such as 300 feet around the location of the first mile courier, which is the maximum walkable distance that is usually accessible to most people at any time. The bundle of tasks may require the first mile courier to load the shipment onto different vehicle units. In contrast, a bundle of tasks for a vehicle unit is a group of filtered tasks within an area of ​​a specific radius such as 500 meters, which can be reached by the courier within a specific time period. The area can be a predetermined specified area within a community, or a floating area within a community.

[0121] Reference now Fig. 9, which shows a method for simultaneously assigning tasks for a particular order to a pool of eligible courier units and vehicle units. Upon receiving a delivery order, the system's processor records the required pickup time starting from the origin address. Based on the courier availability profile, the system filters the first mile tasks for the received delivery order, and selects those couriers whose profiles match the tasks, and shows and displays the tasks to all those matching couriers (nearby couriers with spare capacity). Once the courier accepts the task, the task disappears from the other matching courier task lists. Similarly, based on the vehicle unit availability profile, the system filters the tasks for the received delivery order, and selects those vehicle units whose profiles match the tasks, spare capacity, and travel direction, wherein the travel direction matches the direction of the candidate order with a matching direction determined by the system compass. Once the vehicle unit accepts the task, the task disappears from the other matching vehicle unit task lists. Subsequently, the system selects from its database the most suitable first mile courier, last mile courier, and vehicle that can work in a specific area within the target delivery time. The processor then requests confirmation from the courier unit and the vehicle unit by utilizing a method comprising the following steps:

[0122] Step 910 —The system sends requests to courier units and vehicle units, asking for their availability to undertake the task within the specified area and within the specified time period. With respect to courier units, the processor further requests information about their expected delivery cost, their available capacity, which is defined as their maximum capacity minus the weight of any objects they have transported, and their proximity to the origin address. With respect to vehicle units, the processor requests information about the expected delivery cost, availability at the target delivery time, and available capacity.

[0123] Step 920 - Once the courier unit and vehicle unit have agreed to pick up the task, the processor will confirm this with the courier unit and vehicle unit that responded first. The order will then be dispatched to the courier unit and vehicle unit that have expressed their availability. However, if they indicate that they cannot complete the task, the processor will again select from multiple courier units and vehicle units.

[0124] Step 930 —The system records the expected location and progress of the dispatched courier / vehicle at the specified time and date, along with their weight capacity and associated costs.

[0125] [VII. Determine the meeting point between the courier and the transport unit]

[0126] Fig.10A method for determining a transportation unit's rendezvous point (i.e., pickup point and drop-off point) with couriers (first mile couriers and last mile couriers) is shown. As described above, delivery orders are broken down into tasks, and tasks are grouped into bundles, which are groups of tasks within a region. For each bundle, the system's processor calculates the best or closest rendezvous point for the transportation unit as follows:

[0127] Step 1010 —sending a request to the vehicle units to request their availability to be assigned to the task,

[0128] Step 1020 —considering whether each of the first mile tasks and the last mile tasks in each delivery order is assigned to a different first mile courier and last mile courier,

[0129] Step 1030 —If yes, determine the closest meeting point for each address based on previously used meeting points or meeting points suggested by nearby couriers.

[0130] Step 1040 —If no, calculate the optimal meeting point for the vehicle unit based on the locations of the origin and destination and the weight cost of the courier, where the weight cost is the cost or fee charged by the courier unit per kilogram per hour.

[0131] Step 1050 —Planning the expected trip of the transportation unit based on the calculated meeting points with the first mile courier and the last mile courier.

[0132] Fig.11 Results for expected trips planned for different transport units are shown, where x is the origin or pickup point of the transport and o is the end point, which is the meeting point or drop-off point with the last mile courier. Considering the shortest path route planning based on the local traffic flow around the building cluster, the recommended expected trips for the transports are indicated by closed lines and the numbers indicate the order in which the system recommends each transport to make stops.

[0133] [VIII. How the system fully distributes all tasks in a delivery order]

[0134] In an embodiment, the system is also designed to satisfy the complete allocation of all order pickup points and unloading points of one or more transport units for delivery orders received within a certain time interval, and to satisfy the route planning algorithm of "M (orders from M pickup locations) to N (delivery to N unloading locations)". M may include one or more transfer locations for shipments from other (one or more) transport units. N may include one or more transfer locations for shipments to other (one or more) transport units.

[0135] The system can allocate all order pickups and drops off for one or more vehicle units at different levels of a geographic hierarchy covering an area. More specifically, the geographic hierarchy is defined in descending order from regions, districts, subdistricts, communities to building clusters. Although this hierarchy is not used to manage the geographic distribution and allocation of delivery orders as in a typical fixed hub-and-spoke distribution system, it is generally used as a rule to switch the system to different calculation, marking and planning modes. When there is very little demand for cargo transshipment, a higher hierarchy is used. When there is a large demand for cargo transshipment, a lower hierarchy is used.

[0136] When there is an unattended order or there is an unattended task for an order (i.e., no courier or transport unit is selected), either because there are no eligible couriers or transport units for which the system will suggest and display such an unattended task, or there are eligible couriers or transport units but the task has not been selected, the system will automatically search for the next nearest courier and transport unit to consider selecting for the task.

[0137] The system determines the width of the pool of couriers or transport units it will suggest and display for selection for a particular mission by analyzing the relative demand and supply of services (participating missions) in the area. The demand and supply of services are calculated using the density of the coverage area.

[0138] [IX. Coverage area]

[0139] In a further embodiment, the system determines the density of supply and demand by using coverage areas. The system creates a coverage area when:

[0140] (i.) A courier enters the system and creates a profile with a preferred travel distance (e.g., no greater than 300 feet in diameter), in which case the coverage area is a fixed circle with a diameter of 300 feet centered at the courier's location, and as the courier shares a GPS location with the system and moves (the courier's coverage area), then the coverage area moves;

[0141] (ii.) a vehicle unit enters the system and creates a profile with a preferred distance (e.g., no more than 500 meters) before loading a shipment, in which case the coverage area is a fixed circle with a radius of 500 meters centered on the location of the vehicle unit, and if the vehicle unit shares a GPS location with the system and moves (coverage area of ​​the vehicle unit),

[0142] Then the coverage area moves;

[0143] (iii.) An agent (i.e., courier or transportation unit) has entered the system's area to "shop" for some delivery order tasks within a specific time period. The system identifies the tasks for the delivery orders that have the closest Euclidean distance to him or her near the specified starting location within the given time period. Unlike (i) and (ii), this is a coverage area with a varying radius (as delivery orders are added to or subtracted from the delivery order pool).

[0144] (Agent's task selection coverage area);

[0145] Density analysis is performed for a group of delivery order origin addresses or pickup points. The system calculates the center of the group or the address of the origin of the delivery order. The longest Euclidean distance from the orders in the group to the center is the radius (the area covered by the order origin).

[0146] Perform density analysis on a group of delivery order destination addresses or drop-off locations, or analyze whether there is overlap with another delivery group. (Order destination coverage area).

[0147] Density analysis is performed for a group of couriers. The system calculates the center of the group's couriers' locations (registered locations within a certain period of time or mobile locations shared by GPS). The longest Euclidean distance from a courier in the group to the center of the group is the radius. (Courier unit coverage area).

[0148] Density analysis is performed for a group of vehicles. The system calculates the location center of the group of vehicle units (registered location within a certain period of time or mobile location shared by GPS). The longest Euclidean distance from the courier in the group to the center of the group is the radius. (Vehicle unit coverage area).

[0149] The system uses density to calculate whether there is sufficient delivery capacity in a particular area and to determine whether a particular origin or destination area is designated by region (e.g., New Territories East), district (e.g., Sai Kung District), subdistrict (e.g., Sai Ying Pun), or neighborhood (e.g., the name of a street or estate). The delivery order farthest from the agent's designated origin is the radius of the coverage area, and the density of the coverage area is the number of orders divided by the radius of the coverage area.

[0150] Fig.12 The order supply and demand balance is shown. If there are too many orders, then at 1210, the system will transfer the order request to another time period, find couriers and transportation units from those who work outside its coverage area, increase the price of the order (region specific), and increase the recommended price of the courier and transportation unit. If there are too few orders, then at 1220, the system will only find couriers and transportation units from those who work within its coverage area.

[0151] Similarly, if there are too many couriers and vehicles, the system only looks for couriers and vehicles from those working within its coverage area and lowers the agent's recommended price at 1230. If there are too few couriers and vehicles, the system moves the order request to another time period at 1240, looks for couriers and vehicles from those working outside its coverage area, increases the order price, and increases the agent's recommended price.

[0152] The size of the coverage area is determined by the relative demand for freight transfers, the quantity and weight of which is related to the supply of transfer capacity in the available transport units. The coverage area can be an order origin coverage area or an order destination coverage area. The order origin coverage area is visually or conceptually a circle that includes the registered origin addresses (first use) or pickup locations (not first use) of all eligible delivery orders, centered on the available transport units in its origin area, and the demand for freight transfers in the order origin coverage area is equal to or less than the transport capacity. The order destination coverage area is the smallest circle that includes the registered destination addresses (first use) or unloading locations (not first use) of all eligible delivery orders, centered on the point in the middle of the delivery address or unloading location. The size of the coverage area is used to determine the geographic name level of the origin and destination. For example, if the coverage area covers more than one region, the name is region. Or, if the coverage area covers more than one subdistrict, the name is region. A qualified delivery order is an order that is suitable for a transport unit to consider accepting pickup. It is an order that is picked up around the location of the transport unit, or an order that is within the same destination coverage area of ​​one or more orders that the transport unit has already picked up, and is picked up along the route of the transport unit (identified by the compass) if it has an existing route, or if it has already started some mission of picking up order deliveries that follow a specific route. One use of the tiered system is to help the first mile courier user see a description of the destination that the transport unit is going to in the system.

[0153] The inverse of the footprint density is the size of the circle divided by the number of locations within the circle. If there is only one location, the density is zero. Processors can only handle numbers that are not infinite, so all calculations are performed using the inverse of the footprint density rather than the footprint density itself.

[0154] More specifically, the system is equipped and specifically designed to overcome the problems in the traditional methods in the route planning system. Now the traditional or conventional transportation and path selection (routing) system uses the Euclidean distance method and the like to arrange the order of the pickup and unloading location of the vehicle unit. The technical improvement is that the arrangement of the order of the pickup or unloading location is based on the orderly route of the building cluster. One advantage is that it does not cause the vehicle unit to travel unnecessary long distances or make unnecessary U-turns or illegal U-turns. This improvement is due to two reasons of system design: (i) the addresses in the database are grouped into building clusters defined by streets and the roads around them; (ii) if the building is suitable for an accompanying courier, a non-accompanying courier or any one of the two, the database of the address has an identification. The accompanying courier is a courier who will travel with the vehicle unit in part or all of the expected journey of the vehicle unit.

[0155] The present invention allows delivery orders from one shipper to be placed in more than one transport unit heading to different routes, or orders from different shippers to be placed in the same transport unit heading to similar or nearby areas or communities. The pickup and drop-off locations are selected based on:

[0156] (i.) the preferred route indicated by the transport unit,

[0157] (ii.) the spare capacity of the transport unit,

[0158] (iii.) the quantity or volume of the shipment to be transshipped,

[0159] (iv.) each order picked up, followed by the corresponding order abandoned; and

[0160] (v.) The minimum distance traveled by a vehicle unit.

[0161] [X. How the system tracks the performance of couriers and transport units]

[0162] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system tracks the performance of couriers and transport units. It decides which assigned tasks are grouped into bundles of tasks to be selected by couriers or transport units. For each courier, the system only calculates their performance on tasks that are to be delivered immediately. Sometimes, a courier picks up a task but decides to load it onto a transport unit later, or a courier picks up a task from a transport unit but delivers it to the destination at a scheduled time. Only express services require courier units and transport units to perform tasks immediately.

[0163] The courier's performance is based only on the time and location of the pickup point and the origin address, or only on the time and location of the unloading point and the destination address, which are marked by the synchronization of signals from the communication means between the agent and the transport unit or the sender. The registered address in the database of registered building addresses will indicate:

[0164] (i.) Type of access to the building (e.g., only for non-travel courier and vehicle units, only for travel courier and vehicle units, open)

[0165] (ii.) Type of access to upper level (e.g., walking level, elevator)

[0166] (iii.) The need for door-to-door delivery personnel to register

[0167] (iv.) A system that uses statistical analysis to calculate the performance of different couriers in delivering to buildings:

[0168] (v.) Movement or walking speed

[0169] (vi.) Stair climbing and descending speed

[0170] (vii.) Elevator speed

[0171] Fig.13 A diagram illustrating tracking of courier performance by an embodiment of the system is shown. At step 1300, the system checks whether the courier's profile has historical performance estimates. If so, then at step 1310, the system plans the courier's expected performance given the registered origin, pickup location or drop-off location, and destination address. If not, then at step 1320, the system plans the courier's expected performance using existing performance estimates given the registered origin, pickup location or drop-off location, and destination address.

[0172] For each vehicle unit, the system calculates its vehicle performance based on the speed between stops and the time spent at each stop. The movement performance of the vehicle unit is based only on the time (and some time, longitude and latitude positions) and position of the rendezvous points with other courier units and vehicle units, which are marked by the synchronization of signals from the communication means between other courier units and vehicle units. The docking performance (time spent at the stops) of the vehicle unit is based only on the GPS exchange with the vehicle unit and the stop position.

[0173] The system then uses statistical analysis to calculate the delivery performance of the vehicle unit:

[0174] (i.) Speed ​​on highways

[0175] (ii.) Local road speed

[0176] (iii.) Waiting time at each station

[0177] Fig.14 A diagram illustrating tracking of vehicle unit performance by an embodiment of the system is shown. In step 1400, the system checks whether the courier's profile has historical performance estimates. If so, then in step 1410, the system plans the courier's expected performance given the registered origin and pickup location or drop-off location and destination address. If not, then in step 1420, the system plans the courier's expected performance using existing performance estimates given the registered origin and pickup location or drop-off location and destination address.

[0178] In an embodiment of the present invention, the system is able to compare the collective performance of couriers and transport units at different meeting points (pick-up point, unloading point). The system decides which meeting point to recommend to the transport unit and courier if the following conditions are met:

[0179] (i.) such rendezvous point falls within the courier's coverage area (e.g., 300 feet in diameter) centered at the initially proposed rendezvous point;

[0180] (ii.) the collective performance of the transport units from the rendezvous point to the next stop and the collective performance of the couriers between the new rendezvous point and the registered address is improved; and

[0181] (iii.) Performance is measured in terms of cost.

[0182] The cost of a vehicle unit is the estimated fuel cost for the traffic flow distance from one station to the next station, and the time cost of the vehicle unit for the estimated time difference for the vehicle unit to travel to the next station.

[0183] The courier's cost is the courier's time cost for the difference in estimated time for the courier to travel from the new meeting point to the proposed meeting point. The recommendation is made when the expected vehicle trip is created, but before the final confirmation of the expected trip becomes the confirmed vehicle trip. The currency adjustment recommendation is recommended to both the vehicle driver and the courier before they are accepted and confirmed.

[0184] Fig.15The time management planning for the courier unit and the vehicle unit is shown, as well as the assessment of the uncertainty of the traffic conditions at different times. The estimated time A0 is compared with the actual time of the vehicle's arrival at the subsequent station. If A0 < B0, the vehicle is not in the schedule, and the system updates the new estimated time A1 to A1 + B0 - A0. Alternatively, if A0 > B0, the vehicle is ahead of the schedule, and the new estimated time A1 of the vehicle is updated to A1 + A0 - B0.

[0185] In a further embodiment, the system compares the actual performance of the transport unit (and courier unit) to the estimated performance and updates the last updated estimated time at each stop of the confirmed trip.

[0186] The system updates the estimated meeting and arrival times for all subsequent stops in the confirmed itinerary if:

[0187] (i.) The real time of arrival at the rendezvous point is ahead of the schedule

[0188] (ii.) The real time to reach the rendezvous point is behind schedule

[0189] The system will also note the absolute time it took to complete the route in that time period, and how much the actual time deviated from the estimate for that time period and route.

[0190] [XI. Floating branch point]

[0191] In another embodiment, the system is designed to change the suggestions of some pickup and drop-off locations for first-mile couriers and last-mile couriers, or to group the suggestions of some pickup or drop-off locations to include locations that were not suggested by the courier associated with the trip but were previously used by other couriers or suggested by the transport unit if the system does not have such locations, due to improved overall operational efficiency of the transport unit delivery trip and the associated delivery order tasks linked to the trip.

[0192] This particular feature minimizes the use of roads by relocating some pickup and drop-off locations to other existing locations or locations used by others but not suggested by any courier associated with the vehicle trip, resulting in lower total operating costs or shorter operating times. This may happen, for example, when the utilization of the system is high and the transit time of many couriers (whose cargo transfer capacity is lower than that of the cargo vehicle) at a lower transfer speed will be greater than the delivery time of each courier. Alternatively, this may happen when a certain route of a vehicle unit will be much longer due to traffic flow if the locations of couriers that are close to each other in terms of Euclidean distance do not change.

[0193] Fig.16 Floating branch point location selection recommendation is shown. In step 1600, at each pickup and unloading location (within the courier coverage area centered on the courier's initial suggested meeting point), the system checks whether there are other used meeting points that will shorten the journey of the vehicle unit to the next stop. If so, then in step 1610, the system plans the expected cost difference of the vehicle unit performance. Suggest a location to both the courier and the vehicle unit. Recommend the price that the vehicle unit will subsidize to the courier. If not, then in step 1620, the system asks the vehicle unit whether they are willing to provide a physical location (using the geographic location on the map, using text or voice to enter) as an alternative meeting point. Predict the expected cost difference of the vehicle unit performance from this new meeting point. Recommend the price that the vehicle unit will subsidize to the courier.

[0194] As an example, Fig.17 The benefits of the current system design are shown. Fig.17 An actual traffic situation is shown, where three streets are one-way. If the pickup and unloading points are set to 1710 and 1712, the vehicle unit will have to enter the same road at least twice to reach the two couriers, which is time consuming. In contrast, the system of the present invention calculates and proposes new pickup and unloading points based on clusters defined by the actual street layout. Fig.17 As shown, the system proposes that Courier 1 move to location 1720 and Courier 2 move to location 1722 so that the vehicle units only have to travel a single trip 1730 to complete the delivery task, thereby saving time and money.

[0195] [XII. Floating Hub]

[0196] In another embodiment, the system is designed with a "floating hub system design".

[0197] The feature is to calculate the minimization of the total distance traveled by two or more transportation units from different origin areas, regions or communities to the same area, region or community.

[0198] Identification of shipment transfers between two vehicles is accomplished using a two-dimensional matrix that represents the cost of transfers from an origin region, district, or community on one axis to a destination region, district, or community on another axis. The cost number may be a simple count indicating the cross-cost from one region to its neighboring regions in terms of travel time, tunnel tolls, or gasoline costs.

[0199] The calculation is done when one or more vehicles have been instructed to accept certain tasks. The expected journey is formed by the profile of the vehicle unit, the journey in the order of the areas or sectors that the vehicle unit passes through from the starting point to the end point, the expected time schedule for each stop, and a list of task order numbers.

[0200] Visually or conceptually, a circle of the destination coverage area for each expected trip is drawn on a map around the destination region, subdivision, neighborhood, or cluster of buildings. When there is an overlap of two circles, a larger circle is created to include the two overlapping circles, and the density of the larger circle is calculated in conjunction with all locations in the overlapping circles. The density number of the larger circle, which is the quotient of the average of the overlapping circle densities, is a measure of efficiency improvement.

[0201] Once the system has identified the overlap of the destination coverage area circle, it will check whether at least one vehicle unit has enough spare capacity to carry the goods of other vehicle units in the destination coverage area. If this is the case, the system will check with each vehicle unit whether they are willing to meet to transship some goods, and the saving of time, additional income or fuel costs, etc. will occur due to transshipment. The system will select the vehicle unit with the densest destination coverage area to carry out this task. Then, the system will suggest the used position along the intersection of their itinerary, or somewhere close to their two itineraries, so that the total distance traveled by the two is minimized. The used position ("vehicle transportation position") is suggested in an area or sub-area along their respective itineraries. The used position, or the center of the area or sub-area under the situation that there is no such position available, will be used to calculate the expected schedule and site location of the expected itinerary of the two vehicle units. If there is no such position available, the system will ask their suggestions to each vehicle unit. When both are confirmed, a new expected itinerary is created in the expected itinerary pool.

[0202] The system sorts the sizes of the circles in the destination coverage area, starting with larger circles and working down to smaller circles. (Larger circles mean greater potential savings in travel distance.) The system also groups the additional locations with the first set and calculates a new itinerary by connecting all nodes with the shortest path.

[0203] Linear programming calculations are used to identify combinations of transports, which are matrix variables of transport locations and shipment transfer amounts at locations between transport units.

[0204] The advantages of the present invention over existing fixed hub-and-spoke systems are that firstly there is no fixed cost of dedicated infrastructure or site. As a result, the entire system can be deployed in any region or new city with very low setup costs. The desired effect of this innovation is to increase the efficiency factor of road use and the convenience factor for road users.

[0205] In another embodiment, if a transport unit and another transport unit traveling to the same area (both forming an expected trip, but not yet forming a confirmed trip) exchange some stops (and cargo will be unloaded at those stops), the system compares their collective performance, where performance is measured in cost. The system decides which meeting point should be recommended to the two transport units if the following conditions are met:

[0206] (i.) Such a rendezvous point has been previously used by other courier units and transport units and falls within the transport unit's itinerary (e.g. 500 meters in diameter) centered around an initial stop suggested by the system (accepted and confirmed floating branch point regulation) or the courier.

[0207] (ii.) After accepting the recommendation, one or both transport units suggest a new meeting point for the recommended transfer.

[0208] The recommendation is made when the expected itinerary of the transport unit is formed, but before the final confirmation of the expected itinerary becomes the confirmed itinerary of the transport unit. The currency adjustment suggestion is recommended to both transport units before they are accepted and confirmed. Fig.18 Recommendations for floating hubs are shown. At step 1800, for each expected trip of a vehicle unit, the system checks whether there are other expected trips for the vehicle unit with overlapping target coverage areas. If so, then at step 1810, the system analyzes the unloading locations of the two vehicle units in the grid by going through the permutations of alternative stops for the two vehicle units to travel, the new rendezvous location as an additional stop for the vehicle units to rendezvous and transship or exchange delivery orders, and recommends the best alternative with monetary adjustment suggestions to be accepted and confirmed by both vehicle units. If not, then at step 1820, the system moves to another expected trip of the other vehicle unit or makes a stop.

[0209] The system monitors the historical performance of couriers and vehicle units based on the time used for each trip and each task for first-mile and last-mile deliveries. The delivery capacity for a community is determined by the aggregate capacity of first-mile couriers or last-mile couriers within each community based on their preferred task locations. When the delivery demand for a community exceeds (or cannot meet) the delivery capacity of the first-mile or last-mile couriers within the community, the system will recommend that couriers within the community increase (reduce) costs or consider working longer (shorter) periods.

[0210] Likewise, the delivery capacity of each area or region is determined based on the aggregate capacity of the vehicle units in a region based on their preferred working routes or working regions. When the delivery demand for the region exceeds (or cannot meet) the delivery capacity of the vehicle units in the region, the system will suggest that the vehicle units selected to travel to the region increase (reduce) costs or consider working for a longer (shorter) period. The foregoing disclosure of specific embodiments is intended to illustrate the broad concepts encompassed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A logistics management system, comprising: (i) an input unit adapted to input delivery information of at least one order, wherein the delivery information of the order includes at least a first location and a second location, and (ii) a processor in operative communication with the input unit, adapted to confirm availability with a plurality of courier units and a plurality of transportation units, and recommend a delivery route for the order based on a correlation between the delivery information of the order and the availability of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of transportation units, wherein the plurality of courier units further include a plurality of first mile couriers and a plurality of last mile couriers, The delivery route includes a first mile courier for collecting the shipment from the first location, a transportation unit for receiving items from the first mile courier and transporting the shipment, and a last mile courier for delivering the shipment from the transportation unit to the second location.

2. The logistics management system according to claim 1, wherein the delivery routes include at least a first delivery route for the first order and a second delivery route for the second order, in, The first transportation unit of the first delivery route is the same as the second transportation unit of the second delivery route, and / or the first first mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as the second first mile courier of the second delivery route, and / or the first last mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as the second last mile courier of the second delivery route.

3. A logistics management system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the processor is adapted to allocate a scheduled first mile courier and a scheduled last mile courier to the order based on the availability of the plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

4. A logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor is suitable for classifying the orders into a first bundle based on the first location and a second bundle based on the second location, wherein each of the first bundle and the second bundle includes at least one order, wherein the first location or the second location is located within a predetermined geographic area.

5. The logistics management system of claim 4, wherein the size of the predetermined geographical area is defined by a predetermined diameter.

6. The logistics management system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined diameter is 300 feet.

7. The logistics management system of claim 4, wherein the predetermined geographic area is of a size that is reachable by the plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

8. A logistics management system according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the geographic area includes a first geographic area and a second geographic area, wherein the processor is suitable for allocating a predetermined transportation unit to travel between at least the first geographic area and the second geographic area, and the transportation unit is assigned to load at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier at the first geographic area and unload at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier at the second geographic area.

9. A logistics management system according to claim 8, wherein the processor is suitable for determining one or more pickup points and one or more unloading points, at which the vehicle unit loads the at least one shipment from the at least one first-mile courier and at which the vehicle unit unloads the at least one shipment to the at least one last-mile courier.

10. The logistics management system according to claim 9, wherein the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more unloading points are determined by traffic data and / or road layout.

11. The logistics management system of claim 10, wherein the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more drop-off points are determined based on previously used locations stored in the system.

12. A logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system is adapted to assign a compass number to the order, wherein the compass number represents the direction of the second position relative to the first position.

13. The logistics management system of claim 12, wherein the system is adapted to allocate the vehicle unit to load at least two shipments assigned the same compass number.

14. A logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one order comprises a first order and a second order, and the processor is adapted to assign a first expected trip to a first transport unit for the first order and a second expected trip to a second transport unit for the second order, in, The processor is further adapted to modify the first expected trip and the second expected trip in response to a predetermined condition by arranging the first transport unit and the second transport unit to meet at a predetermined meeting point, at which at least one shipment is transferred from the first transport unit to the second transport unit.

15. The logistics management system according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a change in traffic conditions, a capacity of the vehicle unit, or a combination thereof.

16. The logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an output unit adapted to output a corresponding expected trip to each of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units.

17. The logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the input unit is adapted for the plurality of courier units and the plurality of vehicle units to update their respective availabilities.

18. The logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery information of the order further includes weight, size, sender information, recipient information, estimated pickup time, estimated delivery time, monetary value or a combination thereof.

19. The logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of courier units is a human, a robot or a drone.

20. The logistics management system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the plurality of vehicle units comprises one or more vehicles having a transportation mode selected from air, sea, land, or a combination thereof.

21. The logistics management system of claim 20, wherein the one or more vehicles are selected from a van, a car, a bus, a ship, an airplane, a train, a truck, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a helicopter, a drone, or a combination thereof.

22. The logistics management system according to claim 20 or 21, wherein each of the one or more vehicles has a coverage area defined by a predetermined radius.

23. The logistics management system according to claim 22, wherein the predetermined radius is 500m.

24. A logistics management system according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the vehicle unit comprises at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, wherein the processor is suitable for arranging the first vehicle and the second vehicle to meet for transferring the shipment from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

25. A logistics management system according to any preceding claim, wherein the system is accessible via the Internet.

26. A logistics management method, comprising the following steps: (i) inputting delivery information of at least one order, wherein the delivery information of the order includes at least a first location and a second location; (ii) confirming availability with a plurality of courier units and a plurality of transportation units, wherein the plurality of courier units include a plurality of first-mile couriers and a plurality of last-mile couriers; as well as (iii) recommending a delivery route for the order by correlating the delivery information for the order with the availability of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of transportation units; The delivery route includes a first mile courier for collecting the shipment from the first location, a transportation unit for receiving the shipment from the first mile courier and transporting the shipment, and a last mile courier for delivering the shipment from the transportation unit to the second location.

27. The logistics management method according to claim 26, wherein the delivery routes include at least a first delivery route for the first order and a second delivery route for the second order, in, The first transportation unit of the first delivery route is the same as the second transportation unit of the second delivery route, and / or the first first mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as the second first mile courier of the second delivery route, and / or the first last mile courier of the first delivery route is the same as the second last mile courier of the second delivery route.

28. The logistics management method according to claim 26 or claim 27, further comprising the step of allocating scheduled first mile couriers and scheduled last mile couriers to the orders based on the availability of the plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

29. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 28, further comprising the step of grouping the orders into a first bundle based on the first location and a second bundle based on the second location, wherein each of the first bundle and the second bundle includes at least one order, wherein the first location or the second location is located within a predetermined geographic area.

30. The logistics management method of claim 29, wherein the size of the predetermined geographical area is defined by a predetermined diameter.

31. The logistics management method of claim 30, wherein the predetermined diameter is 300 feet.

32. The logistics management method of claim 31, wherein the predetermined geographic area is of a size that is reachable by the plurality of courier units within a predetermined time period.

33. A logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 32, wherein the geographical area includes a first geographical area and a second geographical area, and the method further includes a step of allocating a predetermined transportation unit to travel between at least the first geographical area and the second geographical area, wherein the transportation unit is assigned to load at least one shipment from at least one first mile courier at the first geographical area and unload at least one shipment to at least one last mile courier at the second geographical area.

34. The logistics management method according to claim 33 also includes the steps of determining one or more pickup points and one or more unloading points, wherein the vehicle unit loads the at least one shipment from the at least one first-mile courier at the one or more pickup points, and unloads the at least one shipment to the at least one last-mile courier at the one or more unloading points.

35. The logistics management method according to claim 34 further comprises the step of interactively suggesting the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more unloading points based on traffic data and / or road layout.

36. The logistics management method according to claim 35 further includes a step of suggesting that the locations of the one or more pickup points and the one or more unloading points be determined based on previously used locations stored in the system.

37. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 36, further comprising the step of assigning a compass number to the order, wherein the compass number indicates a direction of the second position relative to the first position.

38. The logistics management method of claim 37, further comprising the step of assigning the vehicle unit to carry at least two shipments assigned the same compass number.

39. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 38, wherein the at least one order comprises a first order and a second order, and a first expected trip is assigned to a first transport unit for the first order, and a second expected trip is assigned to a second transport unit for the second order, in, The method also includes the step of modifying the first expected trip and the second expected trip in response to a predetermined condition by arranging the first transport unit and the second transport unit to meet at a predetermined meeting point, at which predetermined meeting point at least one shipment is transferred from the first transport unit to the second transport unit.

40. The logistics management method according to claim 39, wherein the predetermined condition is selected from a change in traffic conditions, a capacity of the transportation unit, or a combination thereof.

41. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 40, further comprising the step of outputting a corresponding recommended route to each of the plurality of courier units and the plurality of transportation units.

42. A logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 41, wherein the delivery information of the order also includes weight, size, sender information, recipient information, estimated pickup time, estimated delivery time, monetary value or a combination thereof.

43. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 42, wherein each of the plurality of courier units is a person, a robot or a drone.

44. The logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 43, wherein each of the plurality of vehicle units comprises one or more vehicles having a transportation mode selected from aviation, sea, land, or a combination thereof.

45. The logistics management method according to claim 44, wherein the one or more vehicles are selected from vans, cars, buses, ships, airplanes, trains, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles, helicopters, drones or combinations thereof.

46. ​​The logistics management method according to claim 44 or 45, wherein each of the one or more vehicles has a coverage area defined by a predetermined radius.

47. The logistics management method according to claim 46, wherein the predetermined radius is 500m.

48. A logistics management method according to any one of claims 26 to 47, wherein the vehicle unit includes at least a first vehicle and a second vehicle, and wherein the method further comprises a step of arranging the first vehicle and the second vehicle to meet to transfer the shipment from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.

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