Route Management System for Perishable Goods Spoilage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cold chain distribution systems lack efficient methods to determine optimal transportation routes for perishable goods, which can lead to spoilage and increased risk due to inadequate temperature control and route planning, posing challenges for farmers and the industry.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes sensors to monitor perishable good parameters, a route management module to adjust routes based on these parameters, a cost module to optimize costs, and a risk analysis module to assess and mitigate risks, integrated with user devices for real-time adjustments and alerts, to determine and select the best transportation routes for perishable goods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional transport refrigeration systems are used without route optimization, then temperature control is maintained, but spoilage risk increases and transportation costs rise
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary route analysis and optimization before transportation begins. Multiple potential routes are evaluated in advance based on temperature conditions, travel time, and risk factors, allowing the selection of the optimal route that minimizes spoilage risk while maintaining temperature control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors temperature conditions, vehicle location, and route parameters during transportation, comparing actual conditions against predicted conditions. This feedback loop enables real-time route adjustments to maintain optimal temperature control and prevent spoilage.
2Reliability
If multiple route parameters are analyzed for optimization, then delivery reliability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The route management system is designed to perform multiple functions: route planning, temperature prediction, risk assessment, real-time monitoring, and dynamic adjustment. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated system, the patent achieves high delivery reliability without proportionally increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically analyzes route parameters, predicts temperature conditions, and adjusts routes without requiring manual intervention. The autonomous operation reduces the operational complexity burden on users while maintaining high delivery reliability through continuous optimization.
3Loss of substance
If real-time monitoring and route adjustment are implemented, then spoilage risk is reduced, but operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts monitoring intensity and route parameters based on real-time conditions. When temperature conditions are stable and within acceptable ranges, monitoring frequency is reduced and energy consumption is minimized. When conditions approach critical thresholds, the system intensifies monitoring and makes corrective route adjustments, optimizing the balance between spoilage prevention and energy usage.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for determining transportation for perishable goods including: a storage device to store vehicle parameters, user parameters, destination parameters, and perishable good requirements; and a route management system coupled to the storage device. The route management system including: a route determination module to determine potential routes in response to at least one of the vehicle parameters, user parameters, destination parameters, and perishable good requirements; a cost module to determine cost parameters of the perishable goods in response to at least one of the potential routes, user parameters, perishable good requirements, and vehicle parameters; a risk analysis module to determine risk parameters in response to at least one of the potential routes, user parameters, perishable good requirements, and vehicle parameters; and a meshing module to determine output parameters in response to at least one of the potential routes, cost parameters, and risk parameters.