Dynamic Delivery Location Routing to Reduce User Waiting Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often face inconvenience when receiving deliveries at fixed shipping addresses due to uncertainty about delivery times, leading to wasted time waiting and inability to run errands nearby.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows users to select delivery to their computing device location within a defined area during a time window, with the delivery system logging the device's location to provide accurate delivery routes and offering options to reschedule, cancel, or deliver to a fixed address if the user leaves the area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If delivery is made to a fixed shipping address, then the delivery location is stable and easy to reach, but the user must wait unnecessarily at the address and cannot run errands nearby
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic delivery location tracking by continuously monitoring the user's computing device location via GPS or other location services. The delivery location is no longer fixed but dynamically updates based on the user's real-time position, allowing the user to move freely while the system adjusts the delivery destination accordingly.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where the delivery system continuously receives location updates from the user's computing device and adjusts the delivery route and destination in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures the delivery agent is always directed to the user's current location, eliminating unnecessary waiting time.
2Productivity
If the user moves away from the delivery address to run errands, then the user can be more productive, but the delivery may arrive while the user is away causing inconvenience
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically tracks the user's location throughout the delivery time window. If the user moves away to run errands, the system continues to monitor their position and updates the delivery destination when they return or when they indicate their intended location, ensuring reliable delivery regardless of the user's movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The user can preliminarily indicate their intended location or errand destination before the delivery arrives. The system uses this preliminary information to plan the delivery route and timing, ensuring the delivery agent reaches the correct location even if the user is temporarily away.
3Measurement precision
If the delivery system tracks the user's location continuously, then the delivery accuracy is improved, but the system complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous tracking, the system uses periodic location updates at strategically chosen intervals and key moments (such as when the delivery time window approaches or when the user indicates movement). This periodic approach maintains sufficient location accuracy while reducing computational complexity and energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A user places an order on a merchant website associated with a merchant system via a user computing device. The user selects an option for delivery to the user computing device location within a delivery area during a delivery time window and authorizes a delivery system to log the location of the user computing device during and/or a period of time before the delivery time window. When the delivery time window arrives, the delivery system provides a delivery route to a delivery agent computing device. When the delivery agent arrives at the user computing device's location, the user receives an alert that the delivery agent has arrived and receives a package from the delivery agent. If the user does not remain within the delivery area, the user may cancel the order and the delivery, may reschedule the delivery, and/or may accept delivery of the order to a fixed shipping address.