Equipment Staging Application for Rental Facility Logistics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Equipment rental facilities face inefficiencies and safety issues due to the challenges of managing and staging heavy equipment, including equipment not being at suitable locations, maintenance issues, and last-minute cancellations, which affect throughput and customer safety.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented system and method for equipment rental staging, utilizing a mobile application and platform that enables efficient deployment and management of equipment assets through a staging application with features like reservations management, synchronization server, and mobile device integration, allowing for real-time updates and communication, even in areas with limited connectivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If equipment is manually staged and managed at rental facilities, then equipment can be made available to customers, but vehicular congestion and safety issues increase due to constant loading and unloading operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment availabilityVSAvoidvehicular congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary staging of equipment in designated areas before customers arrive to pick them up. The staging application identifies equipment that will be needed soon and positions it in advance, reducing the frequency and intensity of loading/unloading operations during peak customer traffic periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary staging area between equipment storage and customer pickup locations. This intermediate zone allows equipment to be pre-positioned and prepared, acting as a buffer that reduces direct traffic flow between storage areas and customer access points, thereby reducing congestion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If equipment is staged in advance to improve customer service, then equipment transfer efficiency increases, but equipment may not be at suitable locations due to last-minute cancellations or maintenance issues

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment transfer efficiencyVSAvoidequipment location flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The staging plan is not static but dynamically adjusted based on real-time conditions. The system continuously monitors equipment status, customer reservations, and facility conditions, automatically modifying staging assignments to respond to cancellations, maintenance needs, or location changes while maintaining overall efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates feedback loops where equipment status changes, customer actions, and maintenance requirements are continuously reported back to the staging application. This feedback enables the system to recalculate and adjust staging plans in real-time, ensuring equipment is positioned appropriately even when conditions change unexpectedly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If more equipment is staged to meet increasing customer demand, then customer service improves, but facility congestion and safety risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomer service capacityVSAvoidsafety risks

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The facility is divided into multiple specialized staging areas with different characteristics (e.g., heavy equipment zones, light equipment zones, high-traffic areas, low-traffic areas). Each area is optimized for specific equipment types and traffic patterns, allowing high-volume staging in safe, designated zones while keeping customer pathways clear and safe.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Productivity

If equipment rental facilities handle more loadings and unloadings daily to meet demand, then revenue potential increases, but delays and inefficiencies increase due to contending with large and hazardous items

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethroughput volumeVSAvoidprocessing delays

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical operations with automated systems. The staging application automatically calculates optimal equipment assignments, determines staging locations, and coordinates pickups, replacing manual planning and coordination that cause delays. GPS tracking and automated notifications further reduce manual intervention and waiting time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11836772B2Equipment staging application and platform

Publication Date: 2023.12.05 UNITED RENTALS INC

AI summary

In various embodiments, an application and platform comprising systems and methods for staging equipment rentals is given. In association with an equipment rental facility, a mobile application can be utilized to identify the nature, quantity and maintenance condition of selected equipment assets that can be rented. The mobile application can identify the staging status of a specific equipment asset, facilitating efficient selection of desired equipment assets in advance of arrival of a customer. Staging status, and additional parameters, can be displayed and acted upon based on visual elements in association with the mobile application such as color, icons, or other visual elements, and first and second visual elements can be used to provide significance.