Optimizing task assignments in a delivery system
US10818186B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 18, 2017 |
| Grant date | Oct 27, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2038 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05D1/69
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An online shopping concierge system identifies a set of delivery orders and a set of delivery agents associated with a location. The system allocates the orders among the agents, each agent being allocated at least one order. The system obtains agent progress data describing travel progress of the agents to the location, and order preparation progress data describing progress of preparing the orders for delivery. The system periodically updates the allocation of the orders among the agents based on the agent progress data and the order preparation progress data. This involves re-allocating at least one order to a different delivery agent. When a first agent arrives at the location, the system assigns to the first agent the orders allocated to the first agent. The system then removes the first agent from the set of available delivery agents, and removes the assigned delivery orders from the set of delivery orders.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.