Method and electronic device for distributing delivery orders

Abstract

The electronic device of various embodiments of the present invention can be configured as follows: upon receiving a delivery order for a plurality of items from a customer's terminal device, a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items are identified; based on the plurality of distribution warehouses, a plurality of combinations of distribution warehouses capable of releasing all of the plurality of items are generated; based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items, the estimated number of packages for releasing the plurality of items is calculated for each of the plurality of combinations; based on the estimated number of packages for each of the plurality of combinations, one of the plurality of combinations is determined as a first combination; and the delivery order is assigned to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination.

Description

Method and Electronic Device for Allocating Delivery Orders The present invention relates to a technology for allocating delivery orders, and more particularly to a technology for determining which of a plurality of distribution warehouses (or distribution centers) to allocate each of a plurality of delivery orders (e.g., orders requesting delivery of specific items). Companies operating e-commerce services typically store a plurality of items in a plurality of distribution warehouses, and after receiving an order from a customer, they ship the corresponding items from the distribution warehouse storing the corresponding items and deliver them to the customer. The types and inventories (quantities) of items stored in each of the plurality of distribution warehouses may vary. When a customer signs a delivery order for a plurality of items, it is important to determine from which distribution warehouse to ship the plurality of items. For example, previously, items were shipped from the distribution warehouse closest to the customer's delivery location and delivered to the customer. For items not in stock in that distribution warehouse, the items were shipped from the second-closest distribution warehouse with that item in stock and delivered to the customer. Previously, even when it was possible to combine and package a plurality of items, they were packaged individually, resulting in an unnecessary increase in the use of boxes for packaging and thus an unnecessary waste of the fees paid to the delivery company. [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to various embodiments of the present invention, the technical problem is to package items that can be combined and packaged into one package for a plurality of items, thereby minimizing the number of packages (e.g., boxes) used. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the technical problem is to generate all possible combinations of a plurality of items that can be shipped and calculate the expected number of packages for each combination, thereby determining the combination that can minimize the number of packages used. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the technical problem is to minimize the number of packages used for delivering a plurality of items included in a delivery order, thereby reducing the delivery cost and reducing waste generation. [Technical Means for Solving the Problem] The electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may include a communication circuit, a memory, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive a delivery order for a plurality of items from a customer's terminal device, confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items, generate combinations of a plurality of distribution warehouses that can ship all of the plurality of items based on the plurality of distribution warehouses, calculate the expected number of packages for shipping the plurality of items for each of the plurality of combinations based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items, determine one of the plurality of combinations as the first combination based on the expected number of packages for each of the plurality of combinations, and dispatch the delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: among the above-mentioned plural combinations, in the order of the above-mentioned expected number of packages from less to more, determine the first combination group including at least one combination, and based on the expected number of packages of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group, determine the first combination in the first combination group. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: based on the expected number of packages of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group, in the first combination group, confirm the combination with the least expected number of packages, and when the number of the combination with the least expected number of packages is 1, determine the confirmed combination as the first combination. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: when the number of the combination with the least expected number of packages is 2 or more, determine the 2 or more combinations as the second combination group, confirm the number of the distribution warehouses of each of the combinations included in the second combination group, and in the second combination group, determine the combination with the least confirmed number of distribution warehouses as the first combination. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: when the number of the combination with the least confirmed number of distribution warehouses is 2 or more, determine the 2 or more combinations as the third combination group, for each of the combinations included in the third combination group, confirm the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped out, and in the third combination group, determine the combination with the largest number of items that can be shipped out in the confirmed distribution warehouse as the first combination. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: confirm the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped out among the above-mentioned plural items, in the above-mentioned plural combinations, determine the second combination including the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped out, calculate the expected number of packages for shipping out the above-mentioned plural items for the second combination, compare the expected number of packages of the first combination with the expected number of packages of the second combination, and based on the comparison result, determine the final combination for dispatching the above-mentioned delivery order among the first combination and the second combination. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: in response to the expected number of packages of the first combination being less than the expected number of packages of the second combination, determine the first combination as the above-mentioned final combination, in response to the expected number of packages of the first combination being greater than or equal to the expected number of packages of the second combination, determine the second combination as the above-mentioned final combination, and dispatch the above-mentioned delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the final combination. The characteristics of each of the above-mentioned plural items in various embodiments may include information related to the size, weight, suitable storage temperature, or whether care needs to be taken to avoid breakage of each of the above-mentioned plural items. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: Based on the characteristics of each of the above-mentioned plurality of items, it is determined whether the above-mentioned plurality of items can be packaged together, and based on whether the above-mentioned plurality of items can be packaged together, for each of the above-mentioned plurality of combinations, the expected number of packages for shipping the above-mentioned plurality of items is calculated. The above-mentioned processor of various embodiments may be configured as follows: Based on the delivery location related to the above-mentioned delivery order, the location of the distribution warehouse, and the types and inventories of the items stored in each of the above-mentioned distribution warehouses, a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the above-mentioned plurality of items are confirmed. The method for allocating a delivery order implemented by an electronic device according to various embodiments of the present invention may include the following operations: receiving a delivery order for a plurality of items from a customer's terminal device; confirming a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the above-mentioned plurality of items; generating, based on the above-mentioned plurality of distribution warehouses, a plurality of combinations of distribution warehouses that can ship all of the above-mentioned plurality of items; calculating, for each of the above-mentioned plurality of combinations, the expected number of packages for shipping the above-mentioned plurality of items based on the characteristics of each of the above-mentioned plurality of items; determining, based on the expected number of packages for each of the above-mentioned plurality of combinations, one of the above-mentioned plurality of combinations as the first combination; and dispatching the above-mentioned delivery order to at least one of the distribution warehouses included in the above-mentioned first combination. [Effects of the Invention] According to various embodiments of the present invention, for a plurality of items, items that can be packaged together can be packaged into one package, thereby minimizing the number of packages (e.g., boxes) used. According to various embodiments of the present invention, all possible combinations of shipping a plurality of items can be generated, and the expected number of packages for all combinations can be calculated, thereby determining the combination that can minimize the number of packages used. According to various embodiments of the present invention, the number of packages used for delivering a plurality of items can be minimized, thereby reducing the delivery cost and reducing waste generation. The embodiments of the present invention are illustrated for the purpose of explaining the technical idea of the present invention. The scope of the patent application of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments or the specific descriptions of these embodiments. Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms and scientific terms used in the present invention have the meanings commonly understood by those of ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. All terms used in the present invention are selected for the purpose of more clearly explaining the present invention and are not selected to limit the scope of the patent application of the present invention. Regarding expressions such as "including", "comprising", "having", etc. used in the present invention, unless otherwise mentioned in the sentence or passage containing the corresponding expression, they should be understood as open-ended terms having the possibility of including other embodiments. Regarding the singular expressions described in the present invention, unless otherwise mentioned, they may include the meanings of plural forms, and the same applies to the singular expressions described in the claims for patent application. Expressions such as "first", "second", etc. used in the present invention are used to distinguish a plurality of constituent elements from each other, and do not limit the order or importance of these constituent elements. The term "unit" used in the present invention refers to software or a hardware constituent element such as an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). However, the "unit" is not limited to hardware and software. The "unit" can be configured to be located in an addressable storage medium or can be configured to reproduce one or more processors. Therefore, as an example, the "unit" includes constituent elements such as software constituent elements, object-oriented software constituent elements, class constituent elements, and task constituent elements, processors, functions, attributes, programs, subroutines, fragments of code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided inside the constituent elements and the "unit" can be combined into a smaller number of constituent elements and "units", or can be further separated into other constituent elements and "units". The so-called "based on ~" expression used in the present invention is used to describe one or more factors that affect the act or action of determination or judgment described in the sentence or passage containing the expression, and this expression does not exclude other factors that affect the act or action of determination or judgment. In the present invention, when referring to a certain constituent element being "connected" or "linked" to another constituent element, it should be understood that the above-mentioned certain constituent element can be directly connected or linked to the above-mentioned another constituent element, or can be connected or linked to the above-mentioned another constituent element through a new other constituent element as a medium. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding constituent elements. Also, in the following description of the embodiments, repeated descriptions of the same or corresponding constituent elements may be omitted. However, even if the description of a constituent element is omitted, it does not mean that such a constituent element is not included in a certain embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system 10 of various embodiments of the present invention. The system 10 may include an electronic device 110, a plurality of terminal devices 120, and a plurality of management devices 130. The electronic device 110 may be a server device that operates services related to an online store. The electronic device may operate a distribution system for allocating delivery orders generated in the online store to a suitable distribution warehouse. The plurality of terminal devices 120 may refer to the terminal devices owned by respective ones of a plurality of customers who purchase items through an online store and execute an order for requesting delivery of the items. The terminal device 120 may be a device capable of connecting to the Internet, and for example, may be a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a wearable device, or a head mounted display (HMD). The plurality of management devices 130 may be devices that operate a warehouse management system (WMS) for each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. The plurality of terminal devices 120 and the plurality of management devices 130 in various embodiments may be connected to each other through a network with the electronic device 110 and exchange various data. The electronic device 110 may receive various delivery orders from the plurality of terminal devices 120. For example, the first customer may purchase a specific item through the first customer's terminal device 120a and sign a delivery order requesting delivery of the specific item to the delivery location. In this case, the first customer's terminal device 120a may transmit the delivery order of the specific item to the electronic device 110. In this figure, although it is shown that the plurality of terminal devices 120 includes the first terminal device 120a, the second terminal device 120b, and the third terminal device 120c, the number of the plurality of terminal devices 120 may also include a number more than that shown. The delivery order disclosed herein refers to an order (or request) in which a customer requests delivery of an ordered product to a delivery location set by the customer. The customer may directly input the desired delivery location when signing the delivery order. The customer may also settle a plurality of items at once through the customer's terminal device 120, thereby generating a delivery order including the plurality of items. In this case, the customer's terminal device 120 may transmit the delivery order including the plurality of items to the electronic device 110. The electronic device 110 may accept the delivery order of the plurality of items from the customer's terminal device 120. In this document, the "delivery order of a plurality of items" or the "delivery order including a plurality of items" may refer to the customer's order requesting delivery of a plurality of items to a specified delivery location. Each of the plurality of management devices 130 is a device that operates a plurality of distribution warehouses, and can store and manage information related to each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. For example, the first management device 130a can store information related to the first distribution warehouse, and the second management device 130b can store information related to the second distribution warehouse. Regarding the information related to the first distribution warehouse, information related to the types and inventory of the items stored (deposited) in the first distribution warehouse can be stored. For example, the information related to the first distribution warehouse may include information indicating the following: there are n pieces of the first item stored, there are m pieces of the second item stored, and the third item is not stored. In the same way, each of the plurality of management devices 130 can store information related to the items stored (deposited) in the corresponding distribution warehouse. Each of the plurality of management devices 130 can transmit information related to the items stored in the corresponding distribution warehouse to the electronic device 110. Therefore, the electronic device 110 can store information related to the items stored in each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. The electronic device 110 can store information related to the locations of the plurality of distribution warehouses. For example, the electronic device 110 can store information related to the types and inventory of the items stored in the first distribution warehouse, and can also store information related to the location of the first distribution warehouse. When receiving delivery orders for a plurality of items from the customer's terminal device 120, the electronic device 110 can select (determine) at least one distribution warehouse to ship the plurality of items in order to deliver the plurality of items to the customer. The electronic device 110 can assign the corresponding delivery order to the determined at least one distribution warehouse. In this case, each of the at least one distribution warehouses can ship the items included in the delivery order and deliver them to the customer's delivery location. The specific method of allocating and assigning delivery orders will be described below. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the electronic device 110 according to various embodiments of the present invention. Referring to Figure 2, the electronic device 110 according to various embodiments may include a processor 111, a memory 113, and a communication circuit 115. At least one of the components included in the electronic device 110 may be omitted, and other components may be added to the electronic device 110. It may be implemented by additionally or alternatively integrating some of the components, or implemented as a single or multiple individuals. At least some of the components within the electronic device 110 are connected to each other by a bus, GPIO (General Purpose Input / Output), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface), or MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), etc., so that information and / or signals can be transmitted and received. According to various embodiments, the processor 111 of the electronic device 110 may be configured to perform operations or information processing related to the control and / or communication of each component of the electronic device 110 (e.g., the memory 113). For example, the processor 111 may be operatively connected to the components of the electronic device 110. The processor 111 may load commands or data received from other components of the electronic device 110 into the memory 113, process the commands or data stored in the memory 113, and store the resulting data. The processor 111 disclosed in this specification may also refer to a collection of one or more processors 111. According to various embodiments, the memory 113 of the electronic device 110 may store instructions for the operation of the processor 111. The memory 113 may store information related to customers. For example, the memory 113 may store information entered when a customer joins a membership and the personal information of the customer entered after joining the membership. For example, the memory 113 may store the age, gender, purchase records, and address of the customer. The memory 113 may store information related to each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. The memory 113 may store information related to each of the plurality of distribution warehouses received from each of the plurality of management devices 130. Information related to each of the plurality of distribution warehouses may include, for example, the types and inventories of items stored in each of the plurality of distribution warehouses, and may include information related to the locations of the plurality of distribution warehouses. The memory 113 may store information related to the types and sizes of boxes used for packaging items in each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. For example, the memory 113 may store information indicating that the first distribution warehouse uses a box with dimensions of 100*70*70 cm, and the second distribution warehouse uses a box with dimensions of 48*38*34 cm. Information related to the types and sizes of boxes may be used when determining whether a plurality of items can be combined for packaging. The memory 113 may store information related to a plurality of items sold in an online store. Information related to the plurality of items may include the characteristics of each of the plurality of items. The characteristics of each of the plurality of items may include information related to the size, weight, suitable storage temperature, or whether care needs to be taken to prevent damage (e.g., whether it is a fragile item) of each of the plurality of items. For example, the characteristics of the first item may include information indicating that the first item is a hexahedral item with dimensions of 50*50*10 cm, has a weight of 20 kg, has a suitable storage temperature of room temperature, and does not require care to prevent damage. For example, the characteristics of the second item may include information indicating that the second item is a spherical item with a diameter of 10 cm, has a weight of 5 kg, has a suitable storage temperature between 0 degrees Celsius and 10 degrees Celsius, and requires care to prevent damage. According to various embodiments, the communication circuit 115 of the electronic device 110 may establish a wired or wireless communication channel with external devices (e.g., a plurality of terminal devices 120 and a plurality of management devices 130), and transmit and receive various data with the external devices. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 115 may include at least one port for connecting to an external device via a wired cable to perform wired communication with the external device. In such a case, the communication circuit 115 may communicate with the externally connected device via the at least one port. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 115 may be configured to include a cellular communication module and connect to a cellular network (e.g., 3G (3rd Mobile Communication Technology), LTE (Long-Term Evolution), 5G (5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology), Wibro (Wireless Broadband), or Wimax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access)). According to various embodiments, the communication circuit 115 may include a short-range communication module and use short-range communication (e.g., Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), UWB (Ultra Wide Band)) to transmit and receive data with external devices, but is not limited thereto. According to an embodiment, the communication circuit 115 may include a non-contact communication module for non-contact communication. The non-contact communication may include, for example, at least one non-contact short-range communication technology such as NFC (Near Field Communication) communication, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) communication, or MST (Magnetic Secure Transmission) communication. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the operation of the electronic device 110 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method of allocating delivery orders to customers according to the first embodiment. Specifically, FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrams for explaining a cost-based order distribution method, which is an allocation method that can minimize the number of packages used for a plurality of items included in a delivery order for a delivery customer. Referring to the operation flowchart 300, in operation 310, the processor 111 of the electronic device 110 in the first embodiment can receive a delivery order for a plurality of items from the customer's terminal device 120. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the customer purchases the first item, the second item, the third item, the fourth item, and the fifth item through the terminal device 120 and requests a delivery order for the first item to the fifth item for explanation. Referring to operation 410 in FIG. 4, the processor 111 of the electronic device 110 can receive the delivery order for the first item to the fifth item S 1 , S 2 , S 3 , S 4 , S 5 from the customer's terminal device 120. The delivery order may include information related to the delivery location set by the customer. In operation 320, the processor 111 in the first embodiment can confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items. The processor 111 can confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items among the distribution warehouses it operates and manages. In the above example, the processor 111 can confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the first item to the fifth item. In operation 420 in FIG. 4, the processor 111 can confirm: the first distribution warehouse C storing the first item S 1 , the second item S 2 , the third item S 3 and the fourth item S 4 ; the second distribution warehouse C storing the first item S 1 , the second item S 1 , and the third item S 2 ; the third distribution warehouse C storing the fifth item S 3 ; the third distribution warehouse C storing the fifth item S 2 ; the third distribution warehouse C storing the fifth item S 5 ; the fourth distribution warehouse C storing the first item S 3 ; the first item S 1 and the second item S 2the 4th distribution warehouse C 4 ; and storing the 4th item S 4 and the 5th item S 5 the 5th distribution warehouse C 5 . For example, the processor 111 may exclude the 6th distribution warehouse that does not store the 1st to 5th items from the above distribution order. The processor 111 of the first embodiment may confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of a plurality of items based on the delivery location related to the distribution order, the location of the distribution warehouse, and the types and inventories of the items stored in each distribution warehouse. For example, the processor 111 may confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses that are close to the delivery location and store at least one of a plurality of items. Whether it is close to the delivery location can be determined based on whether the delivery location is within a preset distance from the location of the distribution warehouse. For example, the processor 111 may exclude from the above distribution order the following distribution warehouses in the distribution warehouses, that is, although they store at least one of a plurality of items, they are located at a position outside the preset distance from the delivery location. In operation 330, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may generate a combination of a plurality of distribution warehouses that can ship all of the plurality of items based on the confirmed plurality of distribution warehouses. The processor 111 may generate all possible combinations for shipping all of the plurality of items based on the plurality of distribution warehouses confirmed in operation 320. For example, referring to operation 431 of operation 430 in FIG. 4, in the above example, the 1st distribution warehouse C 1 can store the 1st item S 1 , the 2nd item S 2 , the 3rd item S 3 and the 4th item S 4 , the 3rd distribution warehouse C 3 can store the 5th item S 5 , therefore, if the 1st distribution warehouse C 1 and the 3rd distribution warehouse C 3 are selected, then the 1st to 5th items S 1 to S 5All items are out of the warehouse. Therefore, the processor 111 can generate a combination of distribution warehouses (Combination #A) called "1st Distribution Warehouse C 1 / 3rd Distribution Warehouse C 3 ". In the same way, if the 2nd distribution warehouse for storing the 1st item, 2nd item, and 3rd item and the 5th distribution warehouse for storing the 4th item and 5th item are selected, then all the 1st to 5th items can be taken out of the warehouse. Therefore, the processor 111 can generate another combination of distribution warehouses (Combination #B) called "2nd Distribution Warehouse C 2 / 5th Distribution Warehouse C 5 ". In the same manner as above, the processor 111 can generate all possible combinations, namely, Combination #C called "1st Distribution Warehouse C 1 / 5th Distribution Warehouse C 5 ", Combination #D called "1st Distribution Warehouse C 1 / 2nd Distribution Warehouse C 2 / 5th Distribution Warehouse C 5 ", etc. That is, the processor 111 can generate a plurality of combinations that can take out all the 1st to 5th items included in the delivery order. In operation 340, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can calculate the estimated number of packages for taking out the plurality of items for each of the plurality of generated combinations based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items. The estimated number of packages for taking out the plurality of items can refer to the number of packages that will be used when taking out the plurality of items. The processor 111 can determine whether the plurality of items can be combined and packaged based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items. The combined packaging disclosed herein means using one box to package two or more items into one package. The processor 111 can determine whether the plurality of items can be combined and packaged based on information related to the size, weight, suitable storage temperature, or whether care needs to be taken to avoid damage of each of the plurality of items. For example, considering their respective characteristics, the first item, the second item, and the third item may be items that can be packaged together. In this case, the processor 111 may determine that the first item, the second item, and the third item are items that can be packaged together. For example, considering their respective characteristics, the first item and the fourth item may be items that cannot be packaged together. In this case, the processor 111 may determine that the first item and the fourth item are items that cannot be packaged together. For example, considering their respective characteristics, the fourth item and the fifth item may be items that can be packaged together. In this case, the processor 111 may determine that the fourth item and the fifth item are items that can be packaged together. In other embodiments, the processor 111 may determine whether a plurality of items can be packaged together by considering not only the respective characteristics of the plurality of items but also the characteristics of the boxes used in the corresponding distribution warehouse. Specifically, the size of the boxes used in the distribution warehouse may also be considered to determine whether a plurality of items can be packaged together. Based on whether the above-mentioned plurality of items can be packaged together, the processor 111 may calculate the estimated number of packages for shipping the above-mentioned plurality of items for each of the above-mentioned plurality of combinations. Referring to operations 433 and 435 of operation 430 in FIG. 4, for example, the processor 111 may, for a combination (combination #A) of a distribution warehouse called "the first distribution warehouse C 1 / the third distribution warehouse C 3 ", calculate the estimated number of packages for shipping the first item to the fifth item. Assume that a large box with a size of 100*70*70 cm is used in the first distribution warehouse C 1 . In the case of shipping the first item S 1 , the second item S 1 , the third item S 2 , and the fourth item S 3 from the first distribution warehouse C 4 , since the first item S 1 , the second item S 2 , and the third item S 3 can be packaged together, the large box used in the first distribution warehouse C 1 can be used to package them into one package. However, since the fourth item S 4Cannot be packaged together with the first item S 1 Therefore, they need to be separately packaged into different parcels. Thus, the processor 111 can use the first distribution warehouse C 1 to ship out the first item to the fourth item S 1 to S 4 The expected number of parcels is 2 (2p, 2 parcels (2 parcels)). Also, the processor 111 can use the third distribution warehouse C 3 to ship out the fifth item S 5 The expected number of parcels is calculated as 1 (1p, 1 parcel (1 parcel)). Therefore, the processor 111 can calculate the expected number of parcels for shipping out the first item to the fifth item in the first distribution warehouse C 1 and the third distribution warehouse C 3 as a total of 3 (3p, 3 parcels (3 parcels)). For example, the processor 111 can also calculate the expected number of parcels for shipping out multiple items for a combination called "the second distribution warehouse C 2 / the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 " (combination #B). For example, assume that a small box with dimensions of 48*38*34 cm is used in the second distribution warehouse C 2 In the second distribution warehouse C 2 the first item S 1 the second item S 2 and the third item S 3 can be packaged together in terms of item characteristics, but the above three items cannot be packaged together in the small box used in the second distribution warehouse C 2 In the second distribution warehouse C 2 the first item S 1 can be separately packaged using the above small box, and the second item S 2 and the third item S 3Packed together in the above small box. That is, in this case, the second distribution warehouse C 2 for shipping the first to the third items S 3 has an estimated number of packages of 2. Also, assume that the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 uses a large box with dimensions of 100*70*70 cm. The fourth item S 4 and the fifth item S 5 can be packed together based on the characteristics of the items. Therefore, the fourth item S 4 and the fifth item S 5 can be packed together into one package using the above large box. That is, the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 for shipping the fourth and fifth items S 4 and S 5 has an estimated number of packages of 1. Therefore, the estimated number of packages for shipping the first to the fifth items S 2 in the second and fifth distribution warehouses C of combination #B 5 to S 1 to S 5 is calculated to be 3 in total. For example, in the same way, the processor 111 can calculate the estimated number of packages for shipping the first to the fifth items S 1 in the combination of distribution warehouses called "the first distribution warehouse C 5 / the fifth distribution warehouse C 1 " (combination #C) to be 2 in total (1 + 1). For example, the processor 111 can calculate the estimated number of packages for shipping the first to the fifth items S 5 in the combination of distribution warehouses called "the first distribution warehouse C 1 / the second distribution warehouse C 2 / the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 " (combination #D) to be 2 in total. 5 The expected number of packages is calculated to be a total of three (1 + 1 + 1). For each of the plural combinations, the expected number of packages for shipping the plural items can be calculated by the same method as the above method. In operation 350, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can determine one of the plural combinations as the first combination based on the expected number of packages for each of the plural combinations. The first combination is a combination of distribution warehouses determined by a cost-based order allocation method, and refers to the combination with the lowest expected cost. Specifically, the processor 111 can first determine the combination with the fewest expected number of packages among the plural combinations as the first combination. If there are two or more combinations with the fewest expected number of packages, the combination with the fewest number of distribution warehouses included therein can be determined as the first combination. If there are two or more combinations with the fewest expected number of packages, and there are also two or more combinations with the fewest number of distribution warehouses included therein, the combination with more items shipped from one distribution warehouse can be determined as the first combination. The specific method of determining the first combination among the plural combinations will be described below. For example, referring to operation 440 in FIG. 4, the processor 111 can sort the plural combinations in ascending order of the expected number of packages, and determine three combinations in ascending order of the expected number of packages. The above three are only examples and can of course be changed. For example, the combination #C with the fewest expected number of packages (two) among the plural combinations can be determined as the first rank. Also, for combinations with the same expected number of packages, a higher rank can be assigned to the combination with a smaller number of distribution warehouses included therein. Also, for combinations with the same number of distribution warehouses included therein, a higher rank can be assigned to the combination with a larger maximum number of items (shippable) that can be shipped from one distribution warehouse. The number of items that can be shipped from a distribution warehouse can refer to the number of types of items that can be shipped from the distribution warehouse among the plural items included in the delivery order. For example, the expected number of packages for combination #A and combination #B is the same, both being three. Also, the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #A and combination #B is the same, being two. That is, combination #A includes the so-called first distribution warehouse C 1 and the third distribution warehouse C 3 of the two distribution warehouses, and combination #B also includes the so-called second distribution warehouse C 2 and the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 of the two distribution warehouses. However, for combination #A, the maximum number of items that can be shipped from one distribution warehouse is four (that is, in the first distribution warehouse C 1 in which, the first to fourth items S can be shipped out 1 to S 4 ), for combination #B, the maximum number of items that can be shipped out from one distribution warehouse is 3 (i.e., in the second distribution warehouse C 2 in which, the first to third items S can be shipped out 1 to S 3 ), thus, the processor 111 can determine combination #A with a greater maximum number of items that can be shipped out from one distribution warehouse as the second priority, and determine combination #C as the third priority. In operation 360, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can dispatch the above-mentioned delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination. For example, when the first combination is determined to be combination #C called "the first distribution warehouse / the fifth distribution warehouse", the processor 111 can dispatch the delivery order to the management devices 130 of the first distribution warehouse and the fifth distribution warehouse respectively. Referring to operation 450 in FIG. 4, the processor 111 can dispatch the above-mentioned delivery order to the management device 130 of the first distribution warehouse, so that the first to third items are shipped out from the first distribution warehouse. Also, the processor 111 can dispatch the above-mentioned delivery order to the management device 130 of the fifth distribution warehouse, so that the fourth and fifth items are shipped out. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operations of the electronic device 110 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the operations related to operation 350 in FIG. 3. Referring to the flowchart of operations 500, in operation 501, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can sort a plurality of combinations in ascending order according to the expected number of packages of each combination. The plurality of combinations can be sorted in ascending order according to the expected number of packages for shipping out a plurality of items of each combination calculated in operation 340 in FIG. 3. In operation 503, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can determine a first combination group including at least one combination among the plurality of combinations in the order of increasing expected number of packages. For example, the processor 111 can determine a first combination group including 3 combinations among the plurality of combinations in the order of increasing expected number of packages. The number of combinations included in the above-mentioned first combination group is only an example and can be changed. In operation 505, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may confirm, in the first combination group, the combination with the smallest estimated number of packages based on the estimated number of packages of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group. In operation 507, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may determine whether the number of combinations with the smallest estimated number of packages is 1. If the number of combinations with the smallest estimated number of packages is 1, then branch to operation 527 (507 - Yes), and the processor 111 may determine the confirmed combination as the first combination. The processor 111 may determine the combination with the smallest estimated number of packages among the plurality of combinations as the first combination. Therefore, the processor 111 can prevent unnecessary individual packaging by selecting the combination that minimizes the estimated number of packages, thereby reducing the cost caused by the unnecessary use of boxes. If the number of combinations with the smallest estimated number of packages is more than 2, then branch to operation 509 (507 - No), and the processor 111 may determine the above - mentioned more than 2 combinations with the smallest estimated number of packages as the second combination group. If the estimated number of packages of combination #E and combination #F is the same minimum value of 3, then combination #E and combination #F may be determined as the second combination group. In operation 511, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may confirm the number of distribution warehouses included in each of the combinations included in the second combination group. That is, the processor 111 may confirm the number of distribution warehouses included for each of the combinations included in the second combination group. In operation 513, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may sort each of the combinations included in the second combination group in ascending order according to the confirmed number of distribution warehouses. For example, if it is confirmed that the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #E is 2 and the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #F is 3, these combinations may be sorted in ascending order. In operation 515, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may determine, in the second combination group, the combination with the smallest confirmed number of distribution warehouses as the above - mentioned first combination. In operation 517, the processor 111 of the first embodiment may determine whether the number of the combination with the smallest confirmed number of distribution warehouses is 1. If the number of the combination with the smallest confirmed number of distribution warehouses is 1, then branch to operation 527 (operation 517 - Yes), and the processor 111 may determine the combination with the smallest confirmed number of distribution warehouses as the first combination. That is, when the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #E is 2 and the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #F is 3, combination #E may be determined as the first combination. If the number of the combinations with the smallest number of distribution warehouses in the above confirmation is two or more, then it branches to operation 519 (operation 517 - No), and the processor 111 can determine the above two or more combinations with the smallest number of distribution warehouses as the third combination group. For example, when the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #A is two and the number of distribution warehouses included in combination #F is also two, combination #E and combination #F can be determined as the third combination group. In operation 521, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can confirm, for each combination included in the third combination group, the distribution warehouse with the largest quantity of items that can be shipped out. The distribution warehouse with the largest quantity of items that can be shipped out can refer to the distribution warehouse with the largest variety of items that can be shipped out among the distribution warehouses included in the corresponding combination. In operation 523, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can sort, in descending order, each combination included in the third combination group according to the quantity of items that can be shipped out of the distribution warehouses confirmed for each combination included in the third combination group. In operation 525, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can confirm, within the above third combination group, the combination with the largest quantity of items that can be shipped out from one distribution warehouse. That is, the processor 111 can confirm, for each combination included in the third combination group, the combination with the largest quantity of items that can be shipped out from one distribution warehouse. Then, it proceeds to operation 527, and the processor 111 can determine, within the above third combination group, the combination with the largest number of types of items that can be shipped out from the confirmed distribution warehouse as the first combination. That is, when the expected package quantities of two or more combinations are the same and the number of distribution warehouses included is also the same, the combination with a larger variety of items that can be shipped out from one distribution warehouse can be determined as the first combination. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the operations of the electronic device 110 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a method of allocating delivery orders by comparing a cost-based order allocation method with a basic order allocation method. Referring to the flowchart 600 of operations, in operation 610, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can receive a delivery order for a plurality of items from the customer's terminal device 120. In operation 620, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can confirm the estimated number of packages of the first combination determined by cost-based order allocation. For example, based on the cost-based order allocation method described in FIGS. 3 to 5, the best combination of distribution warehouses for shipping a plurality of items included in the outbound delivery order can be determined. The best combination of distribution warehouses can be, for example, the combination of distribution warehouses with the smallest estimated number of packages for shipping a plurality of items, which can be referred to as the first combination. The processor 111 can confirm the estimated number of packages of the first combination. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the combination #C equivalent to "the first distribution warehouse / the fifth distribution warehouse" can be determined as the best combination of distribution warehouses, that is, the first combination. The processor 111 can calculate the estimated number of packages of the first combination, that is, combination #C, as 2. In operation 630, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can confirm the estimated number of packages of the second combination determined by the basic order allocation method. The second combination can be the best combination of distribution warehouses for shipping a plurality of items included in the outbound delivery order according to the basic order allocation method. The basic order allocation method can be a method for determining the best combination of distribution warehouses for shipping a plurality of items included in the outbound delivery order by considering at least one of the following information: the location of the distribution warehouse, the types and inventory of items stored in the distribution warehouse, the distribution warehouses预先指定 in the area including the delivery location, the priority order of the delivery type, the priority order of the delivery company, the priority order of the distribution warehouse set according to the product, or first-in, first-out. The method for determining the best combination of distribution warehouses of the basic order allocation method is as follows. The processor 111 can confirm the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped among the plurality of items included in the delivery order. For example, the first distribution warehouse storing the first to fourth items among the first to fifth items included in the allocation order can be confirmed. After that, among the plurality of combinations, the processor 111 can determine the second combination including the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped as described above. For example, the combination #A of distribution warehouses, that is, "the first distribution warehouse / the third distribution warehouse", can be determined as the second combination. The combination #A of distribution warehouses includes the first distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped as described above and is a combination that can ship all the plurality of items. For example, the processor 111 can determine the estimated number of packages of combination #A, which is determined as the second combination, as 3. In operation 640, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can confirm whether the estimated number of packages of the second combination determined by the basic order allocation is less than the estimated number of packages of the first combination determined by the cost-based order allocation. That is, the processor 111 can determine the final combination for dispatching the above delivery order among the above first combination and the above second combination by comparing the estimated number of packages of the first combination with the estimated number of packages of the above second combination. When the expected number of packages in the first combination is less than that in the second combination, it branches to operation 650 (640 - Yes), and the processor 111 can determine the first combination as the final combination. In operation 660, the processor 111 can dispatch the delivery order according to the first combination. That is, the processor 111 can determine the first combination as the final combination and dispatch the above-mentioned delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination. That is, when the first combination determined by cost-based order allocation is selected, separate volume balancing may not be implemented. That is, in terms of cost, the first combination determined by cost-based order allocation is the best combination, so volume balancing can be omitted. Volume balancing will be described below. When the expected number of packages in the first combination is greater than or equal to that in the second combination, it branches to operation 670 (650 - No), and the processor 111 can determine the second combination as the final combination. In operation 680, the processor 111 can perform volume balancing. Volume balancing can be an operation of adjusting the outbound quantity of items in consideration of the manpower of the corresponding distribution warehouse, the status of the warehouse, and the quantity of dispatched delivery orders. The manager of the corresponding distribution warehouse can set the volume balancing through the management device 130. For example, the manager of a specific distribution warehouse can adjust the quantity of the delivery order dispatched to the above-mentioned specific distribution warehouse through the management device 130. That is, the manager can set the volume balancing to a specific value through the management device 130 to avoid dispatching delivery orders exceeding the set value. That is, when volume balancing is performed in a specific distribution warehouse, it is possible not to dispatch delivery orders exceeding a certain value to the specific distribution warehouse. The operation 680 related to volume balancing can also be omitted. In operation 690, the processor 111 of the first embodiment can dispatch the delivery order according to the second combination determined as the final combination. That is, the delivery order can be dispatched to at least one distribution warehouse included in the second combination. When volume balancing is performed, the delivery order can also be dispatched in a manner that reflects the volume balancing. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the operations of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the flowchart 700 of the operations, in operation 710, the processor 111 of the electronic device 110 of the second embodiment can receive the delivery orders of a plurality of items from the customer's terminal device 120. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the customer purchases 2 first items S through the terminal device 120 1 、1 second item S 2 、1 third item S 3 and 1 fourth item S 4Please also explain the delivery orders for the above-mentioned Article 1 to Article 4. In operation 720, the processor 111 of the electronic device 110 of the second embodiment can confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items to be delivered. The processor 111 can confirm a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items in the distribution warehouses that it operates and manages. For example, the processor 111 can confirm (identify) the first distribution warehouse C storing the first item S 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 3 1 2 4 2 4 5 2 3 6 1 2 7 1 2 8 、存放第4物品S​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ 4 's 9th sorting warehouse C 9 and the storage of the 4th item S 4 's 10th sorting warehouse C 10 . In operation 730, the processor 111 of the second embodiment can determine the priority of each of the plurality of sorting warehouses based on the quantity of the types of products stored in each of the plurality of sorting warehouses and the inventory of the products. Specifically, the processor 111 can sort the plurality of sorting warehouses identified above in descending order according to the quantity of the types of products stored in each sorting warehouse. For example, the processor 111 can sort the 2nd sorting warehouse C that stores 2 types of items 2 , the 3rd sorting warehouse C 3 , the 4th sorting warehouse C 4 , the 5th sorting warehouse C 5 , the 6th sorting warehouse C 6 , the 7th sorting warehouse C 7 and the 8th sorting warehouse C 8 into the 1st priority sorting warehouse group. The processor 111 can sort the 1st sorting warehouse C that stores 1 type of item 1 , the 9th sorting warehouse C 9 and the 10th sorting warehouse C 10 into the 2nd priority sorting warehouse group. The types of products stored in each of the plurality of sorting warehouses can be received from the plurality of management devices 130 of each of the plurality of sorting warehouses and stored in the memory 113. The processor 111 can sort the sorting warehouses with the same quantity of stored products in descending order according to the inventory of the products stored in each sorting warehouse. For example, in the 1st priority sorting warehouse group, the 2nd sorting warehouse S 2 stores 100 of the 1st product S 1 and 100 of the 3rd product S 3 , and the 3rd sorting warehouse C 3 stores 50 of the 1st product S 1 and 100 third products S 3 In the case of, the second distribution warehouse C 2 The total item inventory stored is 200, which is more than that of the third distribution warehouse C 3 The total item inventory (150) stored, so the processor 111 can use the second distribution warehouse C 2 Classify as higher than the third distribution warehouse C 3 Of the rank. Using the above method, the processor 111 can determine (ascertain) the priority of each of the plurality of distribution warehouses based on the types and inventories of the items stored in each of the plurality of distribution warehouses. In operation 740, the processor 111 of the second embodiment can select one candidate distribution warehouse from the plurality of distribution warehouses in descending order of priority. In operation 750, the processor 111 of the second embodiment can calculate the expected number of packages for shipping at least one item stored in the selected candidate distribution warehouse. For example, assume that the second distribution warehouse C 2 Among the plurality of distribution warehouses is the one with the highest priority. Since the second distribution warehouse C 2 Stores 100 first products S 1 and 100 third products S 3 , so 2 first products S included in the shipping order can be shipped 1 and 1 third product S 3 . Here, the processor 111 can calculate for shipping from the second distribution warehouse C 2 Shipping 2 first products S 1 and 1 third product S 3 The expected number of packages. In order to use the boxes used in the second distribution warehouse C 2 To ship the above products, 2 first products S 1 Can be put into one box and the third product S 3Put it in another box for outbound delivery. That is, for outbound delivery from the second sorting warehouse C 2 The expected number of packages for at least one item stored is 2. In operation 760, the processor 111 of the second embodiment can confirm whether there is a package containing one item in the expected packages. For example, the processor 111 can confirm the following: for outbound delivery from the second sorting warehouse C 2 The expected number of packages for at least one item stored is 2, among which there is a package containing only one third item S 3 package. If there is a package containing one item in the expected packages, branch to operation 770 (760 - Yes), and the processor 111 can exclude the above candidate sorting warehouse from the above plurality of sorting warehouses. For example, if there is a package containing one item in the expected packages, it is not a combination for minimizing the number of packages, so the corresponding candidate sorting warehouse can be excluded from this delivery order. The processor 111 of the second embodiment can return to operation 740 and select a candidate sorting warehouse from the plurality of sorting warehouses in descending order of priority. For example, when excluding the second sorting warehouse C 2 In the case of, the sorting warehouse with the highest priority can be reselected as the candidate sorting warehouse after excluding the second sorting warehouse. If there is no package containing one item in the expected packages, branch to operation 780 (760 - No), and the processor 111 can determine the above candidate sorting warehouse as the final sorting warehouse for implementing the above delivery order. In operation 790, the processor 111 of the second embodiment can confirm whether there are remaining items among the plurality of items other than the above at least one item. If there are remaining items to be delivered, it can return to operation 720 to re - execute the selection of the sorting warehouse for delivering the remaining items. For example, when selecting the second sorting warehouse C 2 , and determining to ship 2 first items S 2 from the second sorting warehouse C 1 and 1 third item S 3 In the case of, there is still 1 second item S 2 and 1 fourth item S 4 included in the delivery order remaining. 2 and one fourth article S 4 distribution warehouse. In this case, for example, the second article S 2 and the fourth article S 4 can be determined as the fifth distribution warehouse C 5 as the next candidate distribution warehouse. After that, it can be carried out in the same manner as the above method. By the above method, at least one final distribution warehouse for a plurality of articles included in a delivery order for delivering to customers can be determined. Therefore, a plurality of articles can be delivered to customers by a combination of final distribution warehouses. In the flowchart shown in the drawings, the process steps, method steps, algorithms, etc. are described in sequence, but such processes, methods, and algorithms can be configured in a manner that operates in any suitable order. In other words, the steps of the processes, methods, and algorithms described in various embodiments of the present invention do not need to be implemented in the order described in the present invention. Also, even if some steps are described as not being implemented simultaneously, in other embodiments, such some steps can be implemented simultaneously. Also, the example of the process described in the drawings does not mean that the illustrated process excludes other changes or modifications to it, and does not mean that any one of the illustrated process or its steps is necessary for one or more embodiments of the various embodiments of the present invention, nor does it mean that the illustrated process is preferable. The above method has been described by specific embodiments, but the above method can also be implemented as computer-readable code in a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording devices that store data readable by a computer system. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium can include ROM (Read only memory), RAM (Random-access memory), CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read-Only Memory), magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc. Also, the computer-readable recording medium can be dispersed in computer systems connected to a network to store and execute the computer-readable code in a distributed manner. And the functional programs, codes, and code segments for implementing the above embodiments can be easily inferred by programmers in the field to which the present invention belongs. 10: System 110: Electronic device 111: Processor 113: Memory 115: Communication circuit 120: Terminal device 120a: First terminal device 120b: Second terminal device 120c: Third terminal device 130: Management device 130a: First management device 130b: Second management device 130c: 300: Action flowchart 310: Action 320: Action 330: Action 340: Action 350: Action 360: Action 410: Action 420: Action 430: Action 431: Action 433: Action 435: Action 440: Action 450: Action 500: Action flowchart 501: Action 503: Action 505: Action 507: Action 509: Action 511: Action 513: Action 515: Action 517: Action 519: Action 521: Action 523: Action 525: Action 527: Action 600: Action flowchart 610: Action 620: Action 630: Action 640: Action 650: Action 660: Action 670: Action 680: Action 690: Action 710: Action 720: Action 730: Action 740: Action 750: Action 760: Action 770: Action 780: Action 790: Action FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a system of various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electronic device of various embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an action flowchart of an electronic device of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a method of distributing a delivery order to a customer of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an action flowchart of an electronic device of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an action flowchart of an electronic device of the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is an action flowchart of an electronic device of the second embodiment of the present invention. 10: System 110: Electronic device 120: Terminal device 120a: First terminal device 120b: Second terminal device 120c: Third terminal device 130: Management device 130a: First management device 130b: Second management device 130c:

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: Communication circuits; The processor is configured as follows: Upon receiving a delivery order for a plurality of items from a customer's terminal device, it identifies a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items; based on the plurality of distribution warehouses, it generates a plurality of combinations of distribution warehouses capable of shipping all of the plurality of items; based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items, it calculates the expected number of packages for shipping the plurality of items for each of the plurality of combinations; among the plurality of combinations, it determines a first combination group including at least one combination in ascending order of expected package quantity; based on the expected package quantity of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group, it determines a first combination in the first combination group and dispatches the delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured such that: based on the expected number of packages of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group, the combination with the fewest expected number of packages in the first combination group is identified, and when the number of the combination with the fewest expected number of packages is 1, the identified combination is determined as the first combination.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured such that: when the number of combinations with the minimum expected number of packages is two or more, the two or more combinations are identified as a second combination group; the number of distribution warehouses for each combination included in the second combination group is confirmed; and the combination with the minimum number of confirmed distribution warehouses in the second combination group is identified as the first combination.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured as follows: when there are two or more combinations of the minimum number of confirmed distribution warehouses, the two or more combinations are identified as a third combination group; for each combination included in the third combination group, the distribution warehouse with the largest number of items that can be shipped out is identified; and in the third combination group, the combination of the confirmed distribution warehouses with the largest number of items that can be shipped out is identified as the first combination.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: identify the distribution warehouse with the largest number of outbound items among the plurality of items; determine a second combination among the plurality of combinations that includes the distribution warehouse with the largest number of outbound items; calculate the expected number of packages for outbound of the plurality of items for the second combination; compare the expected number of packages of the first combination with the expected number of packages of the second combination; and, based on the comparison result, determine the final combination for dispatching the delivery order among the first combination and the second combination.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to: determine the first group as the final group in response to the estimated number of packages in the first group being less than the estimated number of packages in the second group; determine the second group as the final group in response to the estimated number of packages in the first group being greater than or equal to the estimated number of packages in the second group; and assign the delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the final group.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the characteristics of each of the plurality of articles include information relating to the size, weight, suitable storage temperature, or whether care should be taken to avoid damage to each of the plurality of articles.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the plurality of items can be packaged together based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items; and calculate the expected number of packages for shipment of the plurality of items for each of the plurality of combinations, based on whether the plurality of items can be packaged together.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to: identify a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items based on the delivery location associated with the delivery order, the location of the distribution warehouse, and the type and inventory of the items stored in each of the distribution warehouses.

10. A method for allocating delivery orders, performed via an electronic device, comprising the following actions: receiving a delivery order for a plurality of items from a customer's terminal device; identifying a plurality of distribution warehouses storing at least one of the plurality of items; generating a plurality of combinations of distribution warehouses capable of dispatching all of the plurality of items based on the plurality of distribution warehouses; calculating, for each of the plurality of combinations, the expected number of packages for dispatching the plurality of items based on the characteristics of each of the plurality of items; determining a first combination group comprising at least one combination in the plurality of combinations, in ascending order of the expected number of packages; determining a first combination in the first combination group based on the expected number of packages of each of the at least one combination included in the first combination group; and dispatching the delivery order to at least one distribution warehouse included in the first combination.

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