Fleet Routing via Gravity Point Territory Weighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing routing systems face challenges in achieving balanced distribution of stops across territories defined by fixed boundaries, leading to unbalanced routing solutions, and require manual adjustments, which can be computationally demanding and inefficient, especially when considering temporary exclusion zones and non-linear territory weighting.
Innovation Solution
The system introduces a territory weighting module that uses a gravity point-based approach to dynamically assign stops, allowing for overlapping territories and non-linear weighting, and incorporates distance estimation techniques to provide efficient routing solutions without the need for manual boundary adjustments, while also accounting for temporary exclusion zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If fixed boundaries are used to define territories, then routing solutions can be provided, but the distribution of stops across territories becomes unbalanced and requires manual adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter for territory definition from fixed boundaries to gravity points with associated weights. This allows stops to be automatically assigned based on their proximity to gravity points and the weights assigned to those points, achieving balanced stop distribution without manual boundary adjustments. The gravity point system dynamically assigns stops based on calculated gravitational attraction, resolving the contradiction between providing routing solutions and achieving balanced stop distribution.
2Productivity
If manual boundary adjustments are made to achieve balanced distribution, then stop distribution improves, but computational complexity and time requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gravity point system performs self-service by automatically calculating stop assignments based on predefined gravity points and their weights. The system computes the gravitational attraction of each gravity point on all stops and automatically assigns stops to the nearest gravity point, eliminating the need for manual boundary adjustments. This self-service mechanism achieves balanced stop distribution while maintaining low computational complexity compared to manual optimization approaches.
3Productivity
If traditional routing algorithms are used, then routes can be calculated, but they cannot efficiently handle temporary exclusion zones and non-linear territory weighting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic elements by allowing gravity point weights to be adjusted and by enabling the system to handle temporary exclusion zones. The gravity point weights can be modified to reflect changing territorial importance, and the system can dynamically exclude specific zones from stop assignments. This dynamic capability allows traditional routing algorithms to efficiently handle complex scenarios like temporary exclusion zones and non-linear territory weighting while maintaining route calculation efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Vehicle management systems and associated processes can incorporate calculations for categorizing locations on a map as within one or more territories based on proximity of the location to predetermined points with in the territories. The systems and processes can also incorporate techniques for estimating total distance required to traverse a route reaching all of a set of predetermined stops, without using a routing algorithm that would provide a usable route for a vehicle, but is less computationally demanding. The systems and processes can also include techniques for incorporating legs of a route that extend through a temporary exclusion zone.