Real-Time Parcel Delivery Intercept Point Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current parcel delivery systems face challenges such as unnecessary delivery attempts, recipient inconvenience, and liability for lost or stolen packages, particularly with expensive items that require signature validation, as recipients often need to wait for scheduled delivery times or travel to pick up packages.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a real-time parcel delivery (RTD) service using IoT computing devices to identify and select intercepting locations for parcel delivery, allowing recipients to meet drivers at convenient points, reducing delivery attempts and liability, and utilizing machine learning to predict and recommend optimal intercept points based on recipient schedules and behavior patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional scheduled delivery is used, then delivery service can operate with fixed routes and times, but recipients experience inconvenience and unnecessary delivery attempts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic intercept point selection that adapts to recipient availability and delivery route conditions. The system dynamically determines optimal intercept points along delivery routes based on real-time factors such as recipient location, preferred locations, and delivery timing, transforming the static scheduled delivery model into a flexible dynamic system that reduces unnecessary delivery attempts and improves recipient convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intercept points as intermediary locations between the delivery driver and the recipient's final destination. These intercept points serve as meeting locations where recipients can conveniently receive packages without requiring the driver to travel to the recipient's exact address, thereby reducing delivery attempts and improving ease of operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If intercepting locations are implemented for flexible delivery, then recipient convenience improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the delivery process into distinct phases: route planning with predefined intercept points, recipient selection of preferred intercept points, and coordinated meeting at selected locations. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down the flexible delivery coordination into manageable discrete steps rather than requiring continuous real-time negotiation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing multiple intercept points along delivery routes before delivery occurs. The system proactively identifies and marks suitable intercept locations based on historical data, geographic information, and predicted recipient preferences, so that when delivery time arrives, recipients can simply select from pre-vetted options rather than requiring complex real-time decision-making
3Reliability
If multiple delivery attempts are made, then delivery success rate improves, but cost and time loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system learns from past delivery interactions, recipient preferences, and intercept point utilization patterns. This feedback enables the system to improve delivery success rates by predicting recipient availability and preferred intercept points more accurately over time, reducing the need for multiple delivery attempts and associated costs
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for managing real time parcel delivery in an internet of things (IoT) computing environment are presented. One or more intercepting locations may be identified and determined to replace an originally scheduled delivery location for real-time delivery of a parcel to a recipient using one or more IoT computing devices. The one or more intercepting locations may be selected to replace the originally scheduled location for real-time delivery of the parcel to the recipient using the one or more IoT computing devices. Real-time delivery of the parcel to the one or more intercepting locations may be arranged/coordinated between a delivery service and the recipient.