Proactive Item Aggregation for Single-Courier Delivery Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing delivery systems are inefficient when end users need to obtain multiple items from different service providers, often requiring multiple couriers and leading to delayed delivery of priority items due to non-proximate or slow service providers.
Innovation Solution
A central server computer uses a machine learning model to predict item aggregates likely to be ordered by end users, proactively placing items at strategic locations for efficient retrieval and delivery by a single transporter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple couriers are used to retrieve items from different service providers, then each item can be delivered independently, but the system complexity and delivery cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple item retrieval operations into a single courier route by identifying proximate service providers and aggregating items into bundles. The single courier collects multiple items from different service providers along an optimized path and delivers them together to the end user, reducing the number of couriers from multiple to one while maintaining delivery speed.
2Device complexity
If a single courier retrieves items from non-proximate service providers, then courier resources are optimized, but delivery time increases due to longer travel distances
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively identifies and bundles items from proximate service providers before the delivery request is fully processed. By pre-grouping items that can be collected on a single courier route, the system eliminates unnecessary travel time when the actual delivery occurs, as the courier only needs to follow an optimized path through already-identified proximate locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines whether to use a single courier or multiple couriers based on the spatial relationships between service providers and the characteristics of items. The routing and courier assignment are not fixed but adapt based on real-time analysis of service provider locations, item priorities, and courier availability.
3Device complexity
If items are collected from service providers in sequence, then a single courier can deliver all items, but the delivery of priority items is delayed by slower service providers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the delivery bundle into priority items and non-priority items. Priority items are identified and flagged separately, allowing the system to optimize their retrieval and delivery independently. The courier route is planned to prioritize pickup and delivery of high-priority items first, while non-priority items are collected along the route without delaying the overall delivery timeline.
Data Source
AI summary
The method includes determining, by a central server computer using a machine learning model, aggregates of items that are likely to be ordered by end users. The method also includes initiating placement of the items in the aggregates of items in one or more locations based on locations of the end users, receiving a request for an aggregate of items, and initiate the fulfillment of the request for the aggregate of items, where the items in the aggregates of items are at the one or more locations.