Dynamic Delivery Location and Time Selection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional delivery systems face inefficiencies due to consignees not being available at scheduled delivery times, leading to multiple carrier trips and constraints on consignee movement, highlighting the need for improved delivery options that accommodate changing consignee locations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that programmatically determine and communicate the best delivery location and time based on the consignee's schedule, using default delivery information and estimated delivery times, by querying consignee schedule data, calculating impact factors like vehicle availability, traffic, and fuel consumption, and selecting the least impactful delivery option.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a carrier delivers a package to the default delivery address at the scheduled time, then the delivery process is simple and straightforward, but the consignee may not be available to receive the package, resulting in multiple trips and resource wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by determining the consignee's availability and location before the delivery occurs. The carrier system queries the consignee's calendar/schedule data in advance to identify when and where the consignee will be available to receive the package, allowing the carrier to plan the delivery route and timing accordingly, thus avoiding multiple trips and ensuring successful delivery on the first attempt
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the consignee's schedule and location data, and using this information to adjust delivery plans. The carrier system receives updates about the consignee's availability and modifies the delivery timing and location based on this feedback, ensuring that deliveries are made when the consignee is actually available, thereby improving delivery success rate and reducing resource wastage
2Reliability
If the consignee adjusts their schedule to be available for the scheduled delivery, then the package can be delivered as planned, but the consignee's movement and activities are constrained
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the consignee to adjust their schedule to match the delivery time, the system inverts the approach by having the delivery time and location adapt to the consignee's schedule. The carrier system queries the consignee's calendar data and determines delivery parameters based on when the consignee is already available, thus eliminating the need for the consignee to change their activities or movement patterns while still ensuring reliable delivery completion
3Reliability
If the carrier makes multiple trips to deliver the package, then the package will eventually be delivered, but carrier resources are wasted and delivery efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary determination of the consignee's availability and location before the delivery occurs. By querying the consignee's schedule data in advance and identifying the optimal delivery time and location, the carrier can plan a single efficient trip rather than making multiple unsuccessful attempts, thus improving delivery efficiency while ensuring reliable delivery completion
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes the delivery parameters (time and location) based on the consignee's schedule and availability data. Instead of using a fixed delivery time and location, the system adjusts these parameters to match when the consignee is actually available, enabling successful delivery in a single trip and eliminating the productivity loss associated with multiple trips
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for programmatically determining/identifying a delivery location and time based on the schedule of the consignee. One example embodiment may include a method comprising receiving shipping/parcel information/data, the shipping/parcel information/data indicative of an item/parcel to be delivered to a consignee by a carrier, determining whether consignee schedule information/data is accessible, the consignee schedule information/data comprising information/data indicative of a consignee and information/data indicative of a location and an associated time at which the consignee has indicated an ability to receive an item, and providing, to a client device, via a network, a delivery location and a delivery time, the delivery location and the delivery time determined between the consignee schedule information/data and the default delivery location and the estimated time of delivery.