Electronic device and method for batch processing customer delivery orders

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic device and method for obtaining first delivery order information from a customer, identifying a group containing the first delivery order information from one or more configured groups, determining whether to initiate delivery-related work to process the delivery order set included in the group based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group, and, if it is determined to initiate delivery-related work, identifying the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned. This disclosure discloses a method for processing information related to delivery orders using an electronic device, which includes the steps of: obtaining first delivery order information from a customer; identifying one or more configured groups that contain the first delivery order information; determining whether to initiate delivery-related work to handle the delivery order sets included in the group based on the information of the delivery order sets included in the group; and, if it is determined that delivery-related work should be initiated, identifying the delivery person to whom the delivery order sets will be assigned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and a method thereof for collectively processing customer delivery orders. More specifically, the present disclosure confirms a group including first delivery order information obtained from a customer, and determines whether to start delivery-related operations for processing a delivery order set included in the group based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group. When it is determined to start the delivery-related operations, the present disclosure relates to a method for confirming a delivery person to whom the delivery order set is assigned and an electronic device using the same.

Background Art

[0002] With the development of electronic technology, e-commerce has become established as a field of shopping. Customers can purchase items online without directly going to a shopping mall or a market, and the items purchased online are delivered to the delivery destination requested by the customer. With the spread of Internet use, the e-commerce market has been expanding. Especially with the spread of infectious diseases, the scale of the e-commerce / online purchase field where products can be purchased without face-to-face contact has been continuously expanding. For example, the market scale of the food delivery service has increased significantly from about $359.3 billion in 2019 to about $454.5 billion in 2023.

[0003] In the case of some deliveries such as food delivery, timely delivery is particularly important to maintain its freshness and temperature. Conventionally, it was the limit for a delivery person to process the delivery operations for one order at a time or, at most, to collectively process about two to three orders based on the arbitrary judgment of the delivery person. However, when the delivery person cannot process a large number of delivery operations at once in this way, not only does the delivery cost increase, but if the capacity of the delivery person is not sufficiently ensured, the processing of each delivery may even be further delayed. Considering such points, if a plurality of delivery operations can be processed at once, it is considered that a more competitive service can be provided in terms of both customer satisfaction and cost reduction.

[0004] In this regard, prior art such as Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2422151 and Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2358616 can be referenced. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The problem that this embodiment aims to solve is to provide an electronic device and method that obtains first delivery order information from a customer, identifies a group containing the first delivery order information from one or more configured groups, determines whether or not to start delivery-related work to process the delivery order set included in the group based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group, and, if it is determined that delivery-related work should be started, identifies the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned.

[0006] The technical problems that this embodiment aims to solve are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems can be inferred from the following embodiments. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A method for processing information related to delivery orders using an electronic device according to one embodiment includes the steps of: obtaining first delivery order information from a customer; identifying a group from one or more set groups that contains the first delivery order information; determining whether or not to start delivery-related work to handle the delivery order set included in the group based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group; and, if it is determined that delivery-related work should be started, identifying the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the step of confirming the group containing the first delivery order information may include: confirming one or more of the processing start time information specified for each of the one or more groups set up and the location information associated with each of the one or more groups set up; and determining which of the one or more groups set up is suitable to contain the first delivery order information based on one or more of the processing start time information and the location information.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the location information may include one or more of the location information of stores associated with the set of delivery orders included in the set of one or more groups and the location information of delivery destinations associated with the set of delivery orders included in the set of one or more groups.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the step of confirming the group containing the first delivery order information may include the step of confirming the quantity information of the delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order sets contained in each of the one or more groups set up; and the step of determining which of the one or more groups set up is suitable for containing the first delivery order information based on the quantity information of the delivery orders.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the step of confirming the group to which the first delivery order information is contained may include the step of setting up a new group to which the first delivery order information is to be allocated if it is determined that there is no group among the one or more groups set up that is suitable to contain the first delivery order information.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the step of determining whether or not to start the delivery-related work may include the step of determining whether or not the number of delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order set included in the group is equal to or greater than a set standard number.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may determine whether or not to initiate the delivery-related work based on the time information associated with the group.

[0014] According to one embodiment, a method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include one or more of the following steps: transmitting a request to the store for assistance with preparing items corresponding to the first delivery order information; and confirming whether the store accepts the request.

[0015] According to one embodiment, when the store accepts the request for delivery, the method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include the step of setting reminder information to be transmitted to the store.

[0016] According to one embodiment, if it is determined not to initiate the delivery-related work, the method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include the step of transmitting a postponement request to the store regarding the preparation of the items corresponding to the first delivery order information.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the step of transmitting the postponement request may include one or more of the following steps: confirming the estimated time required to prepare the item corresponding to the first delivery order information; confirming the estimated pickup time of the delivery person for the item corresponding to the first delivery order information; deciding how long to postpone the preparation of the item based on the estimated time required and the estimated pickup time; and providing the store with the result of the decision on how long to postpone the preparation of the item.

[0018] According to one embodiment, when it is determined that the delivery-related work should be initiated, the method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include the steps of obtaining scheduled delivery time interval information related to the first delivery order information; and providing the scheduled delivery time interval information to the customer.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the electronic device can acquire the delivery completion time zone information based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group.

[0020] According to one embodiment, a method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include the steps of: determining one or more candidate groups that may include the first delivery order information; obtaining one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information related to each of the one or more candidate groups that includes the first delivery order information; and providing the one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information to the customer.

[0021] According to one embodiment, a method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include, upon receiving customer input corresponding to a specific candidate delivery completion time interval information included in one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information, the step of re-determining the candidate group corresponding to the specific candidate delivery completion time interval information to be the group that includes the first delivery order information.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the electronic device may determine whether or not to initiate delivery-related work for processing a set of delivery orders included in a group, based on the likelihood that the set of delivery orders will be processed faster than a particular type of delivery order that is not assigned to a group and for which delivery-related work for processing is initiated immediately.

[0023] According to one embodiment, a method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include one or more of the steps of obtaining route information for the delivery person and obtaining cost information for the delivery-related work.

[0024] According to one embodiment, a method for processing information related to the delivery order may further include evaluating a processing result related to the delivery orders included in the set one or more groups based on one or more of the number information of the delivery orders processed included in the set one or more groups, the acceptance rate information of the store related to the preparation work of the items corresponding to the delivery orders included in the set one or more groups and the request for the preparation work, and the ratio information of the actual delivery completed within the scheduled delivery completion time period related to the delivery orders included in the set one or more groups.

[0025] An electronic device for processing information related to a delivery order according to one embodiment includes a transceiver, a memory storing instruction codes, and a processor, the processor being connected to the memory, obtaining first delivery order information from a customer, identifying a group among the set one or more groups that includes the first delivery order information, and determining whether to start delivery-related operations for processing the set of delivery orders included in the group based on the information of the set of delivery orders included in the group, and identifying a delivery person to whom the set of delivery orders is assigned when it is determined to start the delivery-related operations.

[0026] Specific matters of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings.

Advantages of the Invention

[0027] According to the present disclosure, an electronic device and a method therefor for batch-processing customer delivery orders maintain high customer satisfaction related to the provision of delivery services by maintaining timely delivery of items, reduce the number of delivery personnel required for delivery while preventing deterioration in freshness and temperature of items, shorten the total distance that delivery personnel have to move, reduce overall delivery costs, and improve the efficiency of providing delivery services.

[0028] The effects of the invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] It is a schematic configuration diagram showing a system for processing a delivery order according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a diagram for illustratively comparing a conventional delivery model and a delivery model according to the present disclosure according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a flowchart of the operation of a method for an electronic device to process information related to a delivery order according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a diagram for explaining a case of providing a store with a postponement request related to the preparation of an item according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram for illustratively comparing conventional delivery completion scheduled time zone information and delivery completion scheduled time zone information according to the present disclosure according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram for illustratively comparing information transmitted to a conventional store and information transmitted to a store according to the present disclosure according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] It is an illustrative diagram for specifically explaining the overall operation of a system for processing a delivery order according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a flowchart of the operation of a method for processing a customer's delivery order according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] It is an illustrative diagram of the configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0030] The terminology used in the embodiments has been selected to the greatest extent possible from commonly used terms, taking into account the functions described herein, although this may change depending on the intent of the articulators, case law, the emergence of new technologies, etc. In some cases, the applicant has arbitrarily selected terms, in which case their meaning will be described in detail in the relevant sections of the documentation. Therefore, the terminology used in this disclosure should not be merely nominal terms, but should be defined based on the meaning of the term and the overall content of this disclosure.

[0031] When a specification states that a part "includes" a component, this does not mean that other components are excluded, unless otherwise stated, but rather that other components may be included. Furthermore, terms such as "...part" and "...module" used in the specification mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be embodied in hardware or software, or in a combination of hardware and software.

[0032] Throughout the specification, the expression “at least one of a, b, and c” may encompass “a alone,” “b alone,” “c alone,” “a and b,” “a and c,” “b and c,” or “all of a, b, and c.”

[0033] The term "terminal" as used below can refer to a computer or portable terminal that can connect to a server or other terminals via a network. Here, a computer includes, for example, a laptop, desktop, or laptop computer equipped with a web browser, while a portable terminal can include, for example, all types of handheld wireless communication devices that guarantee portability and mobility, such as communication infrastructure terminals for IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), smartphones, and tablet PCs.

[0034] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the attached drawings, so as to be easily implemented by a person ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. However, this disclosure can be embodied in a variety of different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0036] In describing the embodiments, explanations of technical content that is well known in the art to which the present invention belongs and is not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to convey the gist of the present invention more clearly without compromising it by omitting unnecessary explanations.

[0037] For similar reasons, some components in the attached drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or shown schematically. Furthermore, the sizes of each component do not fully reflect their actual dimensions. In each drawing, identical or corresponding components are assigned the same reference number.

[0038] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become apparent by referring in detail to the embodiments described below, together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and can be embodied in a variety of different forms, and these embodiments are merely provided to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform those who are ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains, of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined only by the scope of the claims. Throughout this specification, the same reference numerals refer to the same components.

[0039] At this point, it will be understood that each block of the processing flowchart diagram and the combination of the flowchart diagram can be performed by computer program instructions. Since these computer program instructions can be implemented on the processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing equipment, the instructions, performed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing equipment, will generate means for performing the functions described in the flowchart blocks(et). Since these computer program instructions can also be stored in computer-available or computer-readable memory that can direct the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to embody the functions in a particular manner, the instructions stored in that computer-available or computer-readable memory can also produce manufactured items that contain instruction means for performing the functions described in the flowchart blocks(et). Since computer program instructions can also be implemented on a computer or other programmable data processing equipment, a series of operational steps can be performed on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment to generate a process to be executed on the computer, and instructions to perform on the computer or other programmable data processing equipment can also provide steps to perform the functions described in the flowchart blocks(et).

[0040] Furthermore, each block can represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing one or more executable instructions for performing a specific logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative execution examples, the functions mentioned in a block may occur out of order. For example, two blocks shown consecutively may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or the blocks may occasionally be executed in reverse order by the functions in question.

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a system for processing customer delivery orders according to one embodiment.

[0042] According to various embodiments, the system 100 for processing delivery orders includes an electronic device 110 and a customer device 120, and may further include at least one of a store device 130 and a delivery person device 140, depending on the embodiment. Depending on the embodiment, the system 100 for processing delivery orders may further include a network that facilitates the transmission and reception of information between at least some of the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130 and the delivery person device 140.

[0043] Each of the electronic device 110, customer device 120, store device 130, and delivery person device 140 may include a transceiver, memory, and a processor. Furthermore, each of the electronic device 110, customer device 120, store device 130, and delivery person device 140 represents a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which can be embodied in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. On the other hand, throughout the embodiments, each of the electronic device 110, customer device 120, store device 130, and delivery person device 140 is referred to as a separate device or server, which can be a logically separated structure, and at least some of these can be embodied by functions separated from a single device or server.

[0044] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130, and the delivery person device 140 may include a number of computer systems or computer software embodied on a network server. For example, at least a portion of the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130, and the delivery person device 140 may refer to computer systems and computer software that are connected to subordinate devices that can communicate with other network servers via a computer network such as an intranet or the internet, receive requests for work to be performed, perform the work related thereto, and provide the results of the performance. In addition, at least a portion of the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130, and the delivery person device 140 may be understood as a broader concept that includes a set of application programs that can run on a network server and various databases built on internal or other connected nodes. For example, at least some of the electronic devices 110, customer devices 120, store devices 130, and delivery personnel devices 140 can be implemented using network server programs provided in various ways by operating systems such as DOS, Windows, Linux, UNIX, or macOS.

[0045] The electronic device 110, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may include computer devices, mobile communication terminals, servers, etc. The electronic device 110, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may include, or be connected to, input devices such as touchpads, mice, and keyboards for receiving input. Furthermore, the electronic device 110, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may include, or be connected to, output devices such as screens, speakers, and interface devices for providing information to the user. In addition, the input and output devices of the electronic device 110, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may be integrated or interconnected, for example, an interface for receiving input may be displayed on at least one of the electronic device 110, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140.

[0046] The electronic device 110 is a device that acquires and provides various information and processes various information. The electronic device 110 can perform various tasks for processing information related to delivery orders. Specifically, the electronic device 110 acquires first delivery order information from a customer, identifies the group containing the first delivery order information from one or more configured groups, determines whether to start delivery-related work to handle the delivery order set included in the group based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group, and if it decides to start delivery-related work, identifies the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned. In this regard, the first delivery order information may be acquired from the customer's device 120, but is not limited to this, and various embodiments may exist in relation to its acquisition, such as the customer directly inputting order information into the electronic device 110. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may identify a delivery person and transmit a request (or instruction) regarding the delivery order set to the delivery person's device 140 used by that delivery person.

[0047] On the other hand, if it is decided not to start delivery-related work, the electronic device 110 may transmit a postponement request regarding the preparation of items corresponding to the first delivery order information to the store's device 130.

[0048] Depending on the embodiment, the electronic device 110 may perform at least some of the operations of the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140. For example, in relation to an operation to receive information from a customer, an interface for receiving information may be displayed on the output device of the electronic device 110, allowing the customer or others to provide input to the interface. As another example, in relation to an operation to provide information to a store or to a delivery person, the electronic device 110 may output information via its output device, which may then be reviewed by the store or the delivery person.

[0049] Furthermore, two or more of the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130, and the delivery person device 140 may be embodied in substantially one device. For example, if the electronic device 110 and the store device 130 are embodied in substantially one device, the operation of the store device 130, described later, may be performed by the electronic device 110, and the operation of sending and receiving information between the electronic device 110 and the store device 130 may be understood as an operation in which information is processed within the electronic device 110.

[0050] The customer may be the entity that ordered the delivery of items such as food and beverages. The customer's device 120 may be a device operated and managed by the customer. The customer's device 120 may receive user input from the customer or other sources, or receive information from electronic devices 110 or other sources, and perform corresponding operations. For example, the customer's device 120 may receive delivery order information from the customer and provide it to the electronic device 110. The customer's device 120 may also obtain scheduled delivery completion time range information from the electronic device 110 and provide it to the customer.

[0051] The store may correspond to an entity that sells items such as food and beverages. The store's device 130 may be a device operated and managed by the store. The store's device 130 may receive user input from the store (which can be understood as a concept including item producers and item sellers, etc.) or information from the electronic device 110, etc., and perform corresponding operations. For example, the store's device 130 may receive a request from the electronic device 110 for someone to take charge of item preparation work, transmit it to the store, receive input indicating whether the store accepts or rejects the request, and transmit that acceptance or rejection to the electronic device 110. The store's device 130 may also receive a request from the electronic device 110 for a postponement of item preparation and / or information on the delivery person's expected pickup time, and transmit this to the store. The store's device 130 in this embodiment may include a terminal used by the store, and may be embodied in the form of an application installed on a smartphone or an application installed on a POS machine.

[0052] Delivery personnel can include various entities that pick up items such as food and beverages from a store and deliver them from the store to the user. Delivery personnel can include various businesses that provide delivery services within a specific geographical area, and businesses can include corporations and individuals. Delivery personnel may also include businesses that deliver regardless of geographical area. Furthermore, delivery personnel can include various entities that provide delivery services within a specific range of delivery means, and specific delivery means can include walking, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles. In addition, depending on the embodiment, specific delivery means can include various forms of delivery means such as drones and rail. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can identify a delivery person to whom a delivery order (or set of delivery orders) is assigned, taking into account various information such as the store's location, the customer's location, and traffic conditions.

[0053] The delivery person's device 140 may be a device operated and managed by the delivery person. The delivery person's device 140 may receive user input from the delivery person or other users, or receive information from the electronic device 110 or other users, and perform corresponding operations. For example, the delivery person's device 140 may receive a request for assignment regarding a delivery order set from the electronic device 110, transmit it to the delivery person, receive input indicating whether the store accepts the assignment request, and transmit that acceptance or rejection to the electronic device 110. The delivery person's device 140 may also receive one or more of the following from the electronic device 110: route information for the delivery person and cost information for delivery-related work, and transmit it to the delivery person.

[0054] In connection with this, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may convert information received from the electronic device 110, etc., or a user interface generated based on the received information, into a form that can be output to an output device such as a screen, and provide it to the user, the store, and the delivery person. Alternatively, the customer's device 120, the store's device 130, and the delivery person's device 140 may provide delivery-related information received from the electronic device 110, etc., directly through an output device such as a screen without conversion.

[0055] More detailed information regarding the operation of the electronic device 110, the customer device 120, the store device 130, and the delivery person device 140 will be described later in Figures 2 to 8.

[0056] The operations associated with a series of information processing methods according to various embodiments may be embodied by a single physical device, or by a plurality of physical devices organically combined. For example, some of the components included in the system 100 for processing delivery orders may be embodied by one physical device, and the remaining parts may be embodied by another physical device. For example, one physical device may be embodied as part of the electronic device 110, and the other physical device may be embodied as part of the store's device 130 or other external device. Optionally, each component included in the system 100 for processing delivery orders may be distributed and arranged in different physical devices, and the distributed components may be organically combined to perform the functions and operations of the system 100 for processing delivery orders. For example, the electronic device 110 herein includes at least one sub-device, and some operations described as being performed by the electronic device 110 may be performed by a first sub-device, and other operations may be performed by a second sub-device.

[0057] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating a comparison between a conventional delivery model according to one embodiment and a delivery model according to this disclosure.

[0058] Referring to Figure 2, in relation to the delivery of items where timely delivery is important, such as food and beverages, in the case of a conventional delivery model 210 according to one embodiment, the principle was that a delivery person would process delivery work for one order at a time. In special circumstances, such as when a delivery person arbitrarily decides that consolidated delivery is possible, or when delivery orders from the same store are received at short intervals, two or three orders may be processed together, but these are merely individual exceptional cases, and rules for consolidated delivery could not be established and consistently applied. For example, in the example illustrated in relation to drawing reference numeral 210, the process of confirming which delivery person will be assigned delivery work for each of the received customer orders O1, O2, and O3 is performed independently (E1, E2, and E3 of 210), but there is no confirmation of which delivery person will be assigned delivery work on the premise that the orders will be processed together. In this way, the process of identifying the delivery person to be assigned to each customer order is carried out independently. Therefore, unless there are special circumstances, different delivery people will pick up each item (P1, P2, P3 of 210) and deliver the items (C1, C2, C3 of 210).

[0059] On the other hand, in the case of the train model 220 of this disclosure, a method for processing multiple delivery orders together is presented, and the consistent application of this method can significantly contribute to increasing delivery efficiency. Specifically, by determining which of the one or more set trains to include each delivery operation, confirming whether delivery-related work to process the set of delivery orders included in the train can be started, and if it is determined that it can be started, confirming which delivery person will be assigned to the train, the set of delivery orders included in the train can be assigned to a single delivery person. In the example illustrated in relation to drawing reference numeral 220, the 2:30 PM train includes customer orders O1, O2, and O3, and one delivery person can be assigned to process these customer orders.

[0060] In this disclosure, the term “train,” which emphasizes the commencement of delivery-related work according to a set schedule, and the term “group,” which emphasizes the inclusion of multiple delivery order information, may be used interchangeably. In connection with this, “train” and “group” throughout the descriptions in this disclosure can be understood to refer to substantially the same subject.

[0061] On the other hand, while the train begins delivery-related work according to the set schedule, the schedule set in relation to the train (i.e., the time or time interval associated with the train) is not necessarily fixed, and depending on the embodiment (for example, if the set conditions are met), the schedule may be fluid, such as being able to advance or delay the time or time interval associated with the train. For example, in the example illustrated in relation to drawing number 220, the scheduled departure time for the 2:30 PM train is 2:30 PM, but it is also possible to wait until 2:36 PM.

[0062] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment, which processes information related to delivery orders.

[0063] Referring to Figure 3, an electronic device 110 according to one embodiment obtains first delivery order information 301 from a customer. The first delivery order information may include information on one or more items, or more directly, a delivery request relating to one or more items. The operation of "obtaining first delivery order information from a customer" may include, but is not limited to, obtaining a first delivery order from a customer's device 120.

[0064] In the following, for the sake of clarity, we will use expressions such as "item information included in the first delivery order information" or "item corresponding to the first delivery order information." However, in relation to these expressions, the first delivery order information may include information on multiple items or correspond to multiple items (i.e., "one or more items" is generalized to "item" for the sake of clarity), and may also include order requests for items (i.e., the case in which "order requests" are included is generalized to the case in which "item information" is included for the sake of clarity).

[0065] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can transmit a request for assistance regarding the preparation of items corresponding to the first delivery order information to the store 302. The operation of "transmitting a request for assistance regarding the preparation of items to the store" may include, but is not limited to, transmitting a request for assistance regarding the preparation of items to the store's device 130.

[0066] Regarding which store to transmit the request for item preparation to, if the customer specifies a particular store, the request may be transmitted to that store. On the other hand, if no particular store is specified, the store to which the request is transmitted may be determined by considering information such as the type of item ordered by the customer, the customer's location, and the store's location. In addition, there are various embodiments regarding which store to transmit the request for item preparation to, and no particular embodiment limits the scope of this disclosure.

[0067] Depending on the embodiment, a request for a preparatory worker may include a unilateral instruction regarding a preparatory worker, a confirmation request regarding a preparatory worker, or a request for acceptance by a store regarding a preparatory worker. In this regard, if the request for a preparatory worker includes a unilateral instruction, a store for a preparatory worker can be determined by transmitting the request for a preparatory worker. On the other hand, if the request for a preparatory worker includes a confirmation request regarding a preparatory worker, a store for a preparatory worker can be determined by receiving a confirmation response from the store regarding this. On the other hand, if the request for a preparatory worker includes a request for acceptance by a store regarding a preparatory worker, a store for a preparatory worker can be determined by confirming whether the store accepts this (for example, by confirming whether the response transmitted from the store's device 130 is an acceptance response or a rejection response).

[0068] On the other hand, if it is determined that the store to which the request for responsibility regarding the preparation work was transmitted cannot be assigned the preparation work, such as when an acknowledgment response from the store is not received or a refusal response is received from the store, the electronic device 110 may transmit the request for responsibility regarding the preparation work to another store, or if there are no other stores to which the request for responsibility can be transmitted, it may transmit information to the customer's device 120 to the effect that the first delivery order information cannot be processed.

[0069] On the other hand, if the store accepts the assignment request, the electronic device 110 may further set reminder information to be transmitted to the store, which will be discussed later in Figure 7.

[0070] The electronic device 110 confirms the group containing the first delivery order information from among the one or more configured groups 303. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 confirms one or more of the processing start time information specified for each of the one or more configured groups and the location information associated with each of the one or more configured groups, and based on the confirmed processing start time information and location information, it can determine which group among the one or more configured groups is suitable for containing the first delivery order information. For example, if the first delivery order information is received at 1:53 PM and its delivery destination is Gil-eum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, (i) groups whose associated location information is located at a distance less than a standard value (e.g., 5 km) from Gil-eum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul can be selected first, and (ii) among the first selected groups, the group whose departure time is after the time of receipt of the first delivery order information (1:53 PM) but is closest to 1:53 PM can be confirmed to determine which group contains the first delivery order information.

[0071] On the other hand, the location information associated with each of the one or more groups set up according to one embodiment may include one or more of the location information of stores associated with the delivery order sets included in the set up group and the location information of delivery destinations associated with the delivery order sets included in the set up group. That is, in relation to the example described above, a group whose associated location information is within 5 km of Gil-eum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul may include a group in which the location of one or more stores associated with the delivery order sets included in the group is within 5 km of Gil-eum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, a group in which the location of one or more delivery destinations associated with the delivery order sets included in the group is within 5 km of Gil-eum-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, and a group that satisfies either of the two conditions.

[0072] However, this is only one embodiment, and the location information associated with each of the one or more groups set up may include various types of information in addition to the store's location information and the delivery destination's location information.

[0073] In relation to an embodiment for determining a group suitable for containing the first delivery order information based on one or more of the confirmed processing start time information and location information, as a specific example, the electronic device 110 may determine whether the time required from the time of acceptance to the time of actual delivery completion for each order in the delivery order set included in the group does not exceed the set time (or whether the time required to the promised delivery completion time or the end of the delivery completion time interval does not exceed the set time) when the first delivery order information is included in the group, and determine whether the group is suitable for containing the first delivery order information. For example, when the electronic device 110 includes the first delivery order information in a particular group, it may determine whether each order corresponding to the delivery order set included in the group (same applies to the first delivery order) can be actually delivered within one hour from the time of acceptance, and if it cannot be delivered within one hour, it may determine that the group is not suitable for containing the first delivery order information.

[0074] In this regard, depending on the embodiment, the electronic device 110 may acquire specific delivery route information and take this into consideration to determine whether or not it is a suitable group to include first delivery order information.

[0075] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can check the quantity information of delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order sets included in one or more configured groups, and determine which of the one or more configured groups is suitable for including the first delivery order information based on the checked quantity information of delivery orders. For example, the electronic device 110 can determine whether the number of order information items included in each group is the same as or greater than a set standard number (e.g., 3 items), and can exclude the first delivery order information from groups that contain the same or greater number of order information items than the standard number. In this regard, the "standard number" may, but is not limited to, the maximum number of order items that can be included in a train.

[0076] As another example, the electronic device 110 can achieve economic efficiency in delivery by (i) primarily selecting groups that contain fewer order information items than a standard number, and (ii) secondarily identifying groups among the primarily selected groups that contain more order information items than the remaining groups, thereby identifying the groups that contain the first delivery order information, and thereby guiding orders to be concentrated in groups that already contain a certain number of orders.

[0077] On the other hand, depending on the embodiment, the electronic device 110 may also compare the total number of items ordered instead of comparing the number of individual delivery orders, and in some embodiments, it may further compare attributes such as volume and weight. By determining the actual burden on the delivery person for each order in this way, it may be possible to more realistically determine whether the delivery person can handle the additional first delivery order information included in the group without difficulty.

[0078] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can predict the time required to process a first delivery order based on previous historical data (for example, data including past history regarding the time taken to complete delivery for order processing) and identify a group containing the first delivery order information based on this. In some embodiments, in addition to historical data, various other pieces of information such as current traffic conditions and the number of orders accepted in the vicinity may also be considered when the electronic device 110 predicts the time required to process a first delivery order.

[0079] On the other hand, various methods for determining the group containing the first delivery order information can also be used to determine one or more candidate groups, as described later. For example, if the electronic device 110 predicts the time required to process the first delivery order and the predicted delivery completion time intervals, with 99% accuracy, include delivery completion time intervals corresponding to three different groups, the electronic device 110 may determine one of these to be the group containing the first delivery order information, and the remaining two groups to be the candidate groups described later.

[0080] In addition to the embodiments described above, various other embodiments may exist for determining a group suitable for containing the first delivery order information. Furthermore, the embodiments described above are not mutually exclusive but can be combined. For example, the electronic device 110 can (i) primarily select groups in which the number of order information items included is less than a set number and the distance from the delivery destination of the first delivery order information is less than a standard value, and (ii) secondarily confirm the group among the primarily selected groups whose departure time is after the time of receipt of the first delivery order information but is closest to that time of receipt, thereby confirming the group containing the first delivery order information.

[0081] On the other hand, if it is determined that none of the one or more configured groups are suitable for containing the first delivery order information, the electronic device 110 can configure a new group to which the first delivery order information will be assigned, as will be explained later in Figure 7.

[0082] With respect to a group that has been confirmed to contain the first delivery order information, the electronic device 110 determines whether or not to start delivery-related work to handle the delivery order set included in the group, based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group 304. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can determine whether or not to start delivery-related work to handle the delivery order set included in the group by determining whether the number of delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order set included in the group is equal to or greater than a set reference number. The "reference number" in this context may correspond to the "reference number" described in one embodiment related to the operation in drawing no. 303, but is not limited thereto, and may have a different value from the reference number described in drawing no. 303 depending on the embodiment.

[0083] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may determine whether or not to start delivery-related work based on time information associated with the group. The time information associated with the group may include scheduled processing start time information associated with the group. In this regard, the electronic device 110 according to one embodiment may determine to start delivery-related work if the current time has reached the scheduled processing start time associated with the group, or if the scheduled processing start time associated with the group has passed.

[0084] On the other hand, although the term "time information" was used for the sake of explanation, the expression "time information related to the group" can be understood and interpreted as including "time interval information related to the group."

[0085] In addition to the embodiments described above, various other embodiments may exist for determining whether or not to initiate delivery-related work. For example, the electronic device 110 may determine whether or not to initiate delivery-related work for a set of delivery orders included in a group based on the likelihood that the set of delivery orders will be processed faster than a specific type of delivery order (which may fall under the example of "expedited delivery" described later) that is not assigned to a group and for which delivery-related work for processing is initiated immediately (it is very difficult to predict this with 100% accuracy, so the likelihood is estimated). This prevents potential dissatisfaction among customers who request expedited delivery by ensuring that customers who pay more for expedited delivery are guaranteed faster delivery than if they requested consolidated delivery.

[0086] Furthermore, the embodiments described above are not mutually exclusive but are combinable embodiments. For example, the electronic device 110 may determine to start delivery-related work if (i) the number of delivery orders is equal to or greater than a set baseline number, and (ii) the current time has reached or passed the scheduled start time for processing related to the group.

[0087] Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, if the current time has passed the scheduled processing start time and the number of orders included in the group has not reached the standard number, but is relatively close to the standard number, then delivery-related work can be started even though the number of orders included in the group has not reached the standard number, or conversely, even though the scheduled processing start time has passed, the system may wait to accept additional orders. Conversely, if the current time is before the scheduled processing disclosure time, but the number of orders included in the group has reached the standard number, then delivery-related work can be started even though the scheduled processing start time has not been reached, or conversely, even though the number of orders has reached the standard number, the system may wait to accept additional orders. Thus, various embodiments related to determining whether or not to start delivery work can exist in relation to this disclosure, and no particular embodiment limits the scope of this disclosure.

[0088] When it is determined that delivery-related work should begin, the electronic device 110 confirms the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned 305. In one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may transmit assignment information regarding the delivery order set to the delivery person's device 140 306. In this regard, similar to those described above in relation to assignment requests transmitted to the store, the assignment information regarding the delivery order set may also include unilateral instructions regarding who will be in charge of the delivery order set, a request for confirmation regarding who will be in charge of the delivery order set, or a request for the store's acceptance regarding who will be in charge of the delivery order set. That is, in some embodiments, the delivery person confirmed by the electronic device 110 is not immediately determined to be the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned, but rather the delivery person may be determined to be the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned after receiving a confirmation response from the delivery person or confirming an acceptance response from the delivery person.

[0089] On the other hand, regarding who should be assigned a delivery order set, there can be various embodiments, such as an embodiment that determines based on the time when each delivery person was available to perform their duties (for example, the time when they previously completed a task, or, if they have not performed a task on the day in question, the time when they reported for work), an embodiment that determines based on each delivery person's work area, an embodiment that determines based on each delivery person's skill level, and an embodiment that determines based on each delivery person's recent performance, and no particular embodiment limits the scope of this disclosure.

[0090] According to one embodiment, when it is determined that delivery-related work should be started, the electronic device 110 can obtain scheduled delivery completion time interval information related to the first delivery order information and provide it to the customer. A more detailed explanation and example related thereto will be described later in Figure 5.

[0091] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can evaluate the processing results for delivery orders included in one or more configured groups. More specifically, the electronic device 110 according to one embodiment can evaluate the processing results for delivery orders included in one or more configured groups based on one or more of the following: (i) quantity information of delivery orders processed included in one or more configured groups (may include total quantity information, or average quantity information for each group); (ii) acceptance rate information of stores regarding requests for responsibility for preparation work related to the preparation work of items corresponding to delivery orders included in one or more configured groups; and (iii) ratio information related to the estimated delivery completion time interval obtained in relation to the delivery orders included in one or more configured groups, in which the actual completion of delivery occurred within that estimated delivery completion time interval. In addition, depending on the embodiment, the electronic device 110 may evaluate the processing results for delivery orders included in one or more configured groups or obtain feedback information related to the processing of delivery orders based on one or more of the following: information on cases that resulted in an undesirable customer experience (for example, when the time of delivery completion to the customer was more than 15 minutes later than the end point of the estimated delivery time zone information provided to the customer, or when an order was canceled more than 15 minutes after the time of ordering), customer order cancellation information, information on the actual time required by the store to prepare the items, and information on the time the delivery person waited because the items were not ready.

[0092] By evaluating the processing results in this way, it is possible to improve the direction of service delivery in a more favorable direction in various aspects, such as customer satisfaction, timely delivery, and cost savings.

[0093] On the other hand, if there are special circumstances that make it clear that the provision of service is not normal, such as when the actual time required by the store to prepare an item exceeds the critical time, when the store's acceptance rate falls below the critical ratio, when the waiting time of a delivery person exceeds the critical time, when the ratio of cases resulting in an undesirable customer experience out of all orders exceeds the critical ratio, or when the customer's reorder rate falls below the critical ratio, the electronic device 110 may interrupt the provision of service (in some cases, it may interrupt the provision of the delivery service itself, or it may interrupt the provision of the consolidated delivery service).

[0094] In this way, by interrupting service provision in special circumstances, it is possible to provide near real-time monitoring and emergency interruption capabilities. This may have the technical effect of reducing cases where inappropriate service provision continues until information for evaluation has accumulated, even though the service provision is inappropriate.

[0095] Figure 4 illustrates a case in which a request for postponement regarding the preparation of an item is made to the store according to one embodiment.

[0096] Referring to Figure 4, if it is determined not to initiate delivery-related work according to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may transmit a postponement request for the preparation of items corresponding to the first delivery order information to the store. Referring to the example 400 shown in Figure 4, in an example where the 2:30 PM train includes customer orders O1, O2, and O3, the electronic device 110 may transmit postponement requests to the stores that will process each order in relation to customer orders O1 and O2, which were received before customer order O3. More specifically, if the first store accepts the order for customer order O1 (MO1), and the second store accepts the order for customer order O2 (MO2), but has not yet initiated delivery-related work for the group, the electronic device 110 may transmit a postponement request for the preparation of items ("Food prep delay") to the first store 401, and may also transmit it to the second store 402.

[0097] By transmitting a postponement request in this manner, it is possible to prevent items from being prepared too early, leading to a loss of freshness or cooling down, thus ensuring that customers receive items in the best possible condition. This can be considered a useful effect that can compensate for the drawbacks of consolidating and shipping multiple orders together.

[0098] In a more specific embodiment, if the electronic device 110 determines that it will not initiate delivery-related work for a group containing first delivery order information, it may determine the estimated time required to prepare the items corresponding to the first delivery order information and the estimated pickup time (expressed as "time" for convenience of explanation, but can be understood as a concept including a time interval) for the items corresponding to the first delivery order information. Based on the estimated time required and estimated pickup time, the electronic device 110 may decide how long to postpone the preparation of the items and provide the store with the result of that decision. For example, if the current time is 2:00 PM, the estimated time required to prepare the items is 15 minutes, and the estimated pickup time is 2:40 PM, the electronic device 110 may provide the store with a decision to postpone the preparation of the items until 2:25 PM. In this regard, various embodiments may exist regarding the operation of obtaining the estimated time required to prepare the items, such as embodiments that consider previous order processing history and embodiments that consider the attributes of the items. Furthermore, regarding whether or not to request a postponement of item preparation, various embodiments may exist, such as not providing the store with a decision to postpone item preparation, for example, for types of items where timely delivery is not important, such as manufactured goods or long-term storage foods, there is no need to determine the estimated time required for preparation or the timing of item pickup, and no decision to postpone item preparation may be provided. No particular embodiment limits the scope of this disclosure.

[0099] On the other hand, since the first delivery order information is order information for which the processing method is to be determined at the present time, it can be understood that at the time of O1 reception, O1-related information becomes the first delivery order information, at the time of O2 reception, O2-related information becomes the first delivery order information, and at the time of O3 reception, O3-related information becomes the first delivery order information. In other words, it can be understood that at the time of O3 reception, it was decided to start delivery-related work, but at the time of O1 reception, it was decided not to start delivery-related work and a request for postponement regarding item preparation was transmitted to the first store 401, and at the time of O2 reception, it was also decided not to start delivery-related work and a request for postponement regarding item preparation was transmitted to the second store 402.

[0100] Depending on the embodiment, providing the store with pickup time information allows the store to determine the estimated time required to prepare the items and voluntarily postpone the preparation of food and beverages (for example, if information is provided that the estimated pickup time is 2:40 PM, the store can postpone the preparation of the items until 2:25 PM). In addition to the embodiments described above, there may be various other embodiments related to this disclosure.

[0101] On the other hand, depending on the embodiment, even if it is determined to start delivery-related work for a group containing the first delivery order information, a request for postponement of item preparation may be provided to the store if the time required to prepare the items is even shorter than the time until the expected pickup time. For example, in the illustrated example, even if it is determined to start delivery-related work for a group at the time of O3 reception, in some embodiments, a request for postponement of item preparation may also be transmitted to the third store.

[0102] Referring to drawing number 403, the electronic device 110 may provide delivery completion time interval information to each customer who has provided delivery order information.403 Even if multiple order information is included in the same group, the deliveries will not be completed at the same time, so the delivery completion time interval information may differ for each order.In the illustrated example, the electronic device 110 may provide delivery completion time interval information to customer C1 corresponding to delivery order O1, customer C2 corresponding to delivery order O2, and customer C3 corresponding to delivery order O3, and may provide each customer with delivery completion time interval information that is different from each other, taking into account the specific contents of each order.

[0103] An embodiment relating to providing delivery completion time section information is illustrated in Figure 5. Referring to the example 500 shown in Figure 5, in the case of a conventional delivery model 510, estimated delivery time information for delivery was provided separately for express delivery and general delivery. On the other hand, in the case of the train model according to the present disclosure 520, estimated delivery time information is provided in the case of express delivery, while delivery completion time section information may be provided in the case of other delivery orders processed by the method of the present disclosure 521.

[0104] In this regard, “Expedited Delivery” does not include delivery operations or groups that have a higher priority than general orders that were received earlier, and may include various types of delivery operations, such as delivery operations that are handled on a one-to-one basis, and the scope of this disclosure is not limited to any particular type.

[0105] More specifically, if it is determined that delivery-related work should be initiated, the electronic device 110 may acquire and provide to the customer delivery completion time interval information related to the first delivery order information. On the other hand, depending on the embodiment, even if it is determined that delivery-related work should not be initiated, the electronic device 110 may acquire and provide to the customer delivery completion time interval information related to the first delivery order information. However, considering that there is greater uncertainty regarding the prediction of the delivery completion time when delivery-related work has not yet been initiated, if it is determined that delivery-related work should not be initiated, the electronic device 110 may apply a more flexible criterion (i.e., a criterion that makes the time from the time of acceptance of the delivery order to the delivery completion time interval longer, or makes the range of the delivery completion time interval wider) compared to when it is determined that delivery-related work should be initiated, and acquire and provide delivery completion time interval information.

[0106] According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 can acquire estimated delivery completion time interval information based on information of a set of delivery orders included in a group. That is, the estimated delivery completion time interval information corresponding to each of the multiple orders included in the set of delivery orders is not the same for each order, but one order may influence the estimated delivery completion time interval information of other orders. For example, the electronic device 110 may acquire estimated delivery completion time interval information by considering the overall route for processing the delivery orders included in the set of delivery orders and the processing order of the delivery work corresponding to each delivery order, or by considering the density of delivery work in relation to the processing of the delivery orders included in the set of delivery orders, and various other embodiments may also exist.

[0107] On the other hand, an electronic device 110 according to one embodiment may determine one or more candidate groups that may contain the first delivery order information, and for each of the one or more candidate groups, obtain and provide to the customer one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information related to the first delivery order information if it is included. This may include, for example, embodiments that assume that the first delivery order information belongs to other groups.

[0108] Furthermore, when the electronic device 110 receives customer input corresponding to a specific candidate delivery completion time zone information included in one or more candidate delivery completion time zone information, it may re-determine the candidate group corresponding to the specific candidate delivery completion time zone information to a group that includes the first delivery order information. For example, in the train model example shown in Figure 5 520, the electronic device 110 may not only provide delivery completion time zone information 521 but also further provide candidate delivery completion time zone information 522, and when it receives customer input corresponding to the candidate delivery completion time zone information, it may re-determine the candidate group corresponding to the candidate delivery completion time zone information to a group that includes the first delivery order information, thereby ensuring that the items ordered by the customer are delivered to the relevant time zone.

[0109] On the other hand, an electronic device 110 according to one embodiment may provide the customer with cost information for delivery-related work, which may include information on delivery costs that the customer can save by processing the delivery as general delivery (e.g., example 510) or as consolidated delivery according to the present disclosure (e.g., example 520) compared to processing it as expedited delivery. In this regard, when delivery is carried out using the train model of the present disclosure, the number of delivery personnel required for delivery is reduced, the total distance that delivery personnel must travel is shortened, and overall delivery costs can be reduced, thus reducing the delivery costs that the customer must bear. For example, in the example 510 of the conventional model shown in Figure 5, the customer can save 500 won by processing it as general delivery, while in the example 520 of the train model, the customer can save 1000 won by processing it as consolidated delivery, and such information may be provided to the customer.

[0110] Figure 6 shows one embodiment relating to providing a store with one or more of the following: a request for delay in item preparation and / or pickup time information. Referring to the example 600 shown in Figure 6, in the case of a conventional delivery model 610, since it is based on one-to-one delivery, it does not provide a request for delay in item preparation or / or pickup time information. In contrast, in the case of the model 620 according to this disclosure, by providing one or more of the following: a request for delay in item preparation and / or pickup time information, it is possible to prevent items from being prepared too early, resulting in a loss of freshness or cooling down, thus enabling customers to receive items in the best possible condition, even without a one-to-one delivery method.

[0111] Figure 7 is an illustrative diagram illustrating the overall operation of a system for processing delivery orders according to one embodiment.

[0112] Referring to Figure 7, an Order Placement request received from a customer (e.g., customer's device 120) according to one embodiment is transmitted to the Fulfillment Engine (702) 701, and the Fulfillment Engine 702 may request Store Fulfillment (703) to determine the responsible store. In this regard, "Receipt of Order Placement Request" in drawing number 701 can be understood as an example of the operation to obtain first delivery order information from the customer (see 301 in Figure 3).

[0113] Store fulfillment 703 may generate a request for service and transmit it to one or more of the store app and / or store gateways (e.g., FoodTech) 704. In this regard, “Generating and transmitting a request for service” in drawing no. 704 may be understood as an example of the operation of transmitting a request for service regarding item preparation work to the store (see 302 in Figure 3). When store fulfillment 703 transmits a request for service to the store gateway, the store gateway may transmit the request for service to the store POS. In this regard, the store app may include an app installed directly on the store's equipment 130, the store gateway may include an electronic device 110 and an intermediary program that operates between the store and the electronic device 110, and the store POS may include a POS device that is an example of the store's equipment 130. Any of the store app, store gateway, and store POS may be understood as being included in or an example of the store's equipment 130 in this disclosure.

[0114] If the store fulfillment 703 receives an acceptance response regarding a task request from one or more of the store app and store POS 706, the store fulfillment 703 transmits a request to set item preparation reminder information to the store task scheduler 707, and the store task scheduler 707 may further set item preparation reminder information in response (all of the setting request transmission operation and item preparation reminder information setting operation 708). Based on the item preparation reminder information, the store fulfillment 703 may then confirm the arrival of the reminder time (which may be determined based on the item preparation reminder information) and transmit the reminder to one or more of the store app and store gateway 704. On the other hand, the store device 130 may transmit information indicating that the item is ready to the store fulfillment 703 regardless of whether a reminder is set or not 706. In one embodiment, the store device 130 may transmit a reminder to one or more of the store app and store gateway only if information indicating that the item is ready is not received by the time of the reminder.

[0115] On the other hand, the assignment engine 709 can identify groups that contain delivery order information. The operation of the assignment engine 709 to identify groups that contain delivery order information can be understood as an example of the operation to identify groups that contain delivery order information from one or more configured groups (see 303 in Figure 3).

[0116] Specifically, the allocation engine 709 may request the allocation work scheduler 710 to schedule a new train (i.e., a group) (i.e., to set up a new group for assigning delivery order information) or to add new order information to an existing train 711. In this regard, the allocation engine 709 may schedule a new train if it determines that there is no existing group suitable to include the order corresponding to the order received from the customer, or if it determines that the order is suitable to be merged with other orders.

[0117] According to one embodiment, the assignment engine 709 may receive information from the fulfillment engine 702 indicating the store's acceptance response to the assignment request, and based on this, identify a group containing delivery order information, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0118] The assignment work scheduler 710 schedules delivery order information to the train based on the received request, determines whether to initiate delivery-related work for a particular group (which can be understood as an example of the operation of 304 in Figure 3), and if it determines to initiate delivery-related work, it may transmit a request to the assignment engine 709 to assign the delivery order sets included in the group to a delivery person 712. In this regard, “transmitting a request to assign the delivery order sets to a delivery person” in drawing number 712 can be understood as an example of the operation to confirm the delivery person to whom the delivery order sets will be assigned (see 305 in Figure 3).

[0119] The assignment engine 709 may transmit the delivery person assignment request to the delivery person fulfillment 714 as is, or, depending on the embodiment, may obtain one or more of the following and transmit them to the delivery person fulfillment 714: route information for the delivery person and cost information for delivery-related work 713. In this regard, the cost information for delivery-related work may include various types of information, such as information on the costs to be borne by the electronic device 110 for processing the delivery-related work, information on the costs to be borne by the customer, information on the costs to be borne by the store, and information on compensation to be paid to the delivery person, and no particular information limits the scope of this disclosure.

[0120] The delivery person fulfillment unit 714 can transmit assignment information regarding the delivery order set to the delivery person app 715 716. The delivery person app 715 can be understood as an example of the delivery person's device 140. Furthermore, the operation of drawing number 716 can be understood as an example of the operation of transmitting assignment information regarding the delivery order set to the delivery person (see 306 in Figure 3).

[0121] In connection with illustrating an example of the overall operation of the system described above, an example is given of obtaining route information for delivery personnel and cost information for delivery-related work before delivery personnel verification, in which case there may be an advantage in that the delivery personnel can be solicited to take on the work based on the obtained information, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the electronic device 110 may obtain route information for delivery personnel and cost information for delivery-related work after delivery personnel verification, in which case there may be an advantage in that more accurate route information can be obtained by taking into account information such as the specific skill level and means of transportation of the delivery personnel in question.

[0122] In relation to Figure 7, various operating entities such as the fulfillment engine 702, store fulfillment 703, store work scheduler 707, assignment engine 709, assignment work scheduler 710, and delivery person fulfillment 714 have been described, but it should not be assumed that each of these operating entities corresponds to a separate device from one another. According to one embodiment, at least some of the fulfillment engine 702, store fulfillment 703, store work scheduler 707, assignment engine 709, assignment work scheduler 710, and delivery person fulfillment 714 may be included in the electronic device 110. Furthermore, depending on the embodiment, at least some of the fulfillment engine 702, store fulfillment 703, store work scheduler 707, assignment engine 709, assignment work scheduler 710, and delivery person fulfillment 714 may substantially correspond to conceptual components set out to provide a clearer conceptual understanding of the operations performed by the electronic device 110, in which case the components do not need to be physically separated from one another.

[0123] On the other hand, this does not mean that the scope of this disclosure is necessarily limited to the fact that the fulfillment engine 702, store fulfillment 703, store work scheduler 707, assignment engine 709, assignment work scheduler 710, and delivery person fulfillment 714 are all included in the electronic device 110. For example, the fulfillment engine 702, store fulfillment 703, and assignment engine 709 are conceptual components included in the electronic device 110, but the store work scheduler 707, assignment work scheduler 710, and delivery person fulfillment 714 may be separate devices distinct from the electronic device 110. Various embodiments are possible.

[0124] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a method for processing a customer's delivery order according to one embodiment.

[0125] Referring to Figure 8, in one embodiment, the electronic device 110 acquires first delivery order information from the customer 810. The operation of acquiring first delivery order information from the customer may include, but is not limited to, acquiring the first delivery order from the customer's device 120. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may transmit a request for responsibility regarding the preparation work of the items corresponding to the first delivery order information to the store.

[0126] The electronic device 110 confirms which of the configured groups contains the first delivery order information. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 confirms one or more of the processing start time information specified for each configured group and the location information associated with each configured group, and based on the confirmed processing start time information and location information, it may determine which of the configured groups is suitable for containing the first delivery order information. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may confirm the quantity information of the delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order sets included in each configured group, and based on the confirmed quantity information of the delivery orders, it may determine which of the configured groups is suitable for containing the first delivery order information.

[0127] The electronic device 110 determines whether or not to start delivery-related work to process the delivery order set included in the group 830. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may determine whether or not to start delivery-related work to process the delivery order set included in the group by determining whether or not the number of delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order set included in the group is equal to or greater than a set reference number. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may further determine whether or not to start delivery-related work based on time information associated with the group.

[0128] When it is determined that delivery-related work should begin, the electronic device 110 confirms the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned 305. According to one embodiment, the electronic device 110 may transmit the assignment information regarding the delivery order set to the delivery person's device 140.

[0129] Figure 9 is an illustrative diagram of the configuration of an electronic device for distributing items according to one embodiment.

[0130] Referring to Figure 9, the electronic device 110 includes a processor 920 and memory 930, and in some embodiments, may further include a transceiver 910. The electronic device 110 can be connected to customer devices 120, store devices 130, delivery personnel devices 140, and other external devices via the transceiver 910 to exchange data.

[0131] The processor 920 may include at least one of the devices described in Figures 1 to 8, or may perform at least one of the methods described in Figures 1 to 8. The memory 930 may store information for performing at least one of the methods described in Figures 1 to 8. The memory 930 may be volatile memory or non-volatile memory.

[0132] The processor 920 can execute programs and control electronic devices 110 for providing information. The code of the programs executed by the processor 920 can be stored in memory 930.

[0133] Furthermore, the electronic device 110 of one embodiment may further include an interface that can provide information to the user.

[0134] On the other hand, this specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention, and although specific terms are used, these are merely general terms used to facilitate the explanation of the technical content of the invention and to aid in the understanding of the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention. It will be obvious to those ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains that other modifications based on the technical idea of ​​the invention are also possible, in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0135] The electronic device or terminal relating to the embodiments described above may include a processor, memory for storing and executing program data, permanent storage such as a disk drive, a communication port for communicating with external devices, and user interface devices such as a touch panel, keys, and buttons. The method embodied in the software module or algorithm is computer-readable code or program instructions executable on the processor, which may be stored on a computer-readable recording medium. Here, computer-readable recording media include magnetic recording media (e.g., ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random-access memory), floppy disks, hard disks, etc.) and optically readable media (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)). Computer-readable recording media may be distributed across computer systems connected to a network, and computer-readable code may be stored and executed in a distributed manner. The medium is computer-readable, can be stored in memory, and can be executed on the processor.

[0136] This embodiment can be represented by a functional block configuration and various processing stages. Such a functional block can be embodied by various numbers of hardware and / or software configurations that perform a particular function. For example, the embodiment may employ an integrated circuit configuration such as memory, processing, logic, look-up table, etc., which can perform various functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices. Just as the components can be executed by software programming or software elements, this embodiment includes various algorithms embodied by combinations of data structures, processes, routines or other programming configurations, and can be embodied in programming or scripting languages ​​such as C, C++, Java, assembler, Python, etc. The functional aspects can be embodied by algorithms executed by one or more processors. Furthermore, this embodiment can employ prior art for electronic environment configuration, signal processing, and / or data processing. Terms such as “mechanism,” “element,” “means,” and “configuration” can be used broadly and are not limited to mechanical and physical configurations. The terms can also include the meaning of a series of software processes (routines) in conjunction with a processor, etc.

[0137] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative examples, and other embodiments may be realized within the scope of the claims described later.

Claims

1. A method for processing information related to delivery orders using an electronic device, The stage of obtaining the first delivery order information from the customer, The step of identifying the group that contains the aforementioned first delivery order information from among the one or more groups that have been set, A step of determining whether or not to initiate delivery-related work to process (handling) the delivery order sets included in the group, based on the information of the delivery order sets included in the group. A method for processing information related to a delivery order, including the step of identifying a delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned when it is determined that the delivery-related work will commence.

2. The step of identifying the group containing the aforementioned first delivery order information is: A step of confirming one or more of the following for each of the one or more groups set up: the scheduled processing start time information and the location information associated with each of the one or more groups set up. A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the step of determining a group among the one or more set groups that is suitable for containing the first delivery order information, based on one or more of the processing start time information and the location information.

3. The aforementioned location information is A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes one or more of the following: location information of a store associated with a set of delivery orders included in one or more of the set of one or more groups, and location information of a delivery destination associated with a set of delivery orders included in one or more groups.

4. The step of identifying the group containing the aforementioned first delivery order information is: The steps include: confirming the quantity information of delivery orders corresponding to the delivery order sets included in each of the one or more groups set above; A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, characterized by comprising the step of determining, based on the quantity information of the delivery order, a group among the one or more groups set up that is suitable for containing the first delivery order information.

5. The step of identifying the group containing the aforementioned first delivery order information is: A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, characterized in that, if it is determined that there is no group among the one or more groups set up that is suitable to include the first delivery order information, the method includes setting up a new group to which the first delivery order information is to be assigned.

6. The step of deciding whether or not to start the aforementioned delivery-related work is: A method for processing information related to delivery orders according to claim 1, characterized by including the step of determining whether the number of delivery orders corresponding to the set of delivery orders included in the group is equal to or greater than a set standard number.

7. A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic device determines whether or not to initiate the delivery-related work based on the time information associated with the group.

8. The stage of transmitting a request to the store for the person in charge of preparing the items corresponding to the first delivery order information, The stage of confirming whether the store accepts the aforementioned request for responsibility and A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, further comprising one or more of the following.

9. If the aforementioned store accepts the aforementioned request for the person in charge, A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 8, further comprising the step of setting reminder information for transmission to the store.

10. If it is decided not to commence the aforementioned delivery-related work, A method for processing information relating to a delivery order according to claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a postpone request to the store regarding the preparation of items corresponding to the first delivery order information.

11. The step of transmitting the aforementioned postponement request is: The steps include: confirming the estimated time required to prepare the items corresponding to the first delivery order information; The stage of confirming the estimated pickup time of the delivery person for the item corresponding to the first delivery order information, Based on the estimated time required and the estimated pickup time, the step of deciding how long to postpone the preparation of the item, The step of providing the store with the result of the decision regarding how long the preparation of the aforementioned items will be postponed. A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 10, characterized by including one or more of the following.

12. When it is determined that the aforementioned delivery-related work should be initiated, The steps include obtaining scheduled delivery completion time interval information related to the first delivery order information, The step of providing the customer with the information regarding the estimated delivery completion time and section, A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, further comprising:

13. The method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 12, characterized in that the electronic device obtains the scheduled delivery completion time interval information based on the information of the delivery order set included in the group.

14. The step of determining one or more candidate groups that may include the first delivery order information, For each of the one or more candidate groups, if the first delivery order information is included, obtain one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information related thereto. The step of providing the customer with information on one or more candidate delivery completion time segments, A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 12, further comprising the following:

15. A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving customer input corresponding to a specific candidate delivery completion time interval information included in one or more candidate delivery completion time interval information, and then re-determining the candidate group corresponding to the specific candidate delivery completion time interval information to be a group that includes the first delivery order information.

16. A method for processing information related to delivery orders according to claim 1, further characterized in that the electronic device determines whether or not to initiate delivery-related work for processing a set of delivery orders included in a group, based on the likelihood that the set of delivery orders will be processed faster than a particular type of delivery order for which delivery-related work for processing is initiated immediately without being assigned to a group.

17. The steps include obtaining route information for the aforementioned delivery person, The step of obtaining cost information for the aforementioned delivery-related work. A method for processing information related to a delivery order according to claim 1, further comprising one or more of the following.

18. The quantity information of delivery orders that are included in one or more of the aforementioned groups and processed, In relation to the preparation work for items corresponding to delivery orders included in one or more of the aforementioned groups, the store's acceptance rate information regarding the request for responsibility for that preparation work, and The ratio information relating to the estimated delivery completion time interval information obtained in connection with one or more delivery orders included in the aforementioned set groups, where the actual completion of delivery occurred within that estimated delivery completion time interval. A method for processing information related to delivery orders according to claim 1, further comprising the step of evaluating the processing results for delivery orders included in the set one or more groups based on one or more of the above.

19. A computer-readable non-temporary recording medium that stores a program for causing a computer to perform the method described in claim 1.

20. An electronic device that processes information related to delivery orders, It includes a transceiver, memory for storing command words, and a processor. The processor is connected to the memory, We obtain the first delivery order information from the customer, Check the group that contains the aforementioned first delivery order information from among the one or more groups that have been set up, Based on the information of the delivery order sets included in the group, a determination is made as to whether or not to initiate delivery-related operations to process the delivery order sets included in the group. An electronic device that, when it is determined to commence the aforementioned delivery-related work, identifies the delivery person to whom the delivery order set will be assigned.

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