Mesh Network Delivery Coordination for Route Optimization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Coordinating shipping services for e-commerce platforms is complex due to costly, slow, and unreliable third-party services, and self-delivery services often result in capacity issues for merchants, leading to inefficiencies in delivery route optimization and scheduling.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that aggregates product orders across multiple merchants, identifies optimal delivery routes, and integrates with existing delivery schedules of various entities, including third-party services and merchant hubs, to efficiently slot orders into delivery schedules, leveraging a mesh network of delivery entities for efficient delivery management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If third-party delivery services are used, then delivery coverage and capacity are improved, but delivery cost increases and delivery speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery capacityVSAvoiddelivery cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple delivery entities (merchants and third-party services) into a unified mesh network delivery system. This allows orders to be aggregated and delivered through the most efficient available entity, reducing overall delivery costs while maintaining high capacity through the collective network of all participants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Quantity of substance

If third-party delivery services are used, then delivery capacity is improved, but delivery reliability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery capacityVSAvoiddelivery reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements real-time feedback mechanisms where delivery entities report their current capacity, location, and availability status to the mesh network coordinator. This allows dynamic routing decisions to be made based on current conditions, ensuring reliable delivery by selecting entities that can actually fulfill the delivery at that moment rather than relying on static third-party service availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If merchants provide self-delivery services, then delivery cost is reduced, but delivery capacity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery costVSAvoiddelivery capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh network delivery system enables merchants to serve multiple functions: they act as both product sellers and delivery providers. By participating in the mesh network, merchants can deliver their own orders at low cost while also having their excess capacity utilized to deliver other merchants' orders, thereby increasing overall delivery capacity without additional cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Loss of energy

If self-delivery services are provided, then delivery cost is reduced, but delivery efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery costVSAvoiddelivery efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The delivery system segments the delivery network into multiple independent delivery entities (merchants and third-party services) that operate autonomously within the mesh network. Each entity manages its own delivery capacity and routing, allowing parallel processing of multiple deliveries simultaneously. This segmentation enables low-cost self-delivery by individual merchants while achieving high overall efficiency through the coordinated network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

5Device complexity

If traditional delivery coordination is used, then system complexity is reduced, but delivery route optimization decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoiddelivery route optimization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The mesh network coordinator acts as an intermediary that manages the complexity of coordinating multiple delivery entities. It handles route optimization, capacity matching, and real-time scheduling across the network, while individual merchants and third-party services maintain simple operational systems. This intermediary approach achieves sophisticated route optimization without requiring each participant to manage complex coordination systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11443258B2Real-time order delivery coordination between multiple merchants

Publication Date: 2022.09.13 SHOPIFY INC

AI summary

A computer-implemented is disclosed. The method includes: obtaining current delivery schedules of a plurality of delivery entities, the current delivery schedules including delivery data for pending deliveries of product orders associated with a plurality of merchants; receiving, from a computing device, a first order for a product associated with a first merchant; determining order data for the first order, the order data indicating, at least, an inventory location having available inventory of the product and a delivery destination for the first order; identifying a first set of the pending deliveries, the identifying including comparing delivery routes associated with said pending deliveries with order data for the first order; generating messages for causing delivery entities associated with the first set of pending deliveries to include the first order in their respective delivery schedules; and sending the generated messages to the respective delivery entities.