DE102021005890A1 - Method and system for conveying parcels - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transporting packages (5) from a sender (10) by means of at least one transport medium (30) via at least one station (20) to a recipient (12), the package (5) having a transport medium (30) is handed over; data assigned to the package (5) are recorded by at least one identification component (22) of the transport medium (30); on the basis of the recorded data, an evaluation of the further transport of the package (5) is carried out as a function of further transport media (30); a transport medium (30) for the further transport of the package (5) is selected on the basis of a result of the evaluation carried out. The invention also relates to a system for transporting parcels (5) from a sender (10) to a recipient (12), which comprises at least one transport medium (30) and at least one station (20), the system for carrying out the method according to the invention is set up.

Description

The invention relates to a method for transporting parcels from a sender using at least one transport medium via at least one station to a recipient. The invention also relates to a system for conveying parcels from a sender to a recipient.

Prior art methods of shipping sort packages based on information on the labels of the packages. The sorting is carried out by a scanner reading the label and a PLC controlling an end point based on the stored logic. For example, there is a barcode with a code on the label. This coding documents information about the destination of the packet. Based on this coding and the logic in the sorting system, the parcel is assigned to a delivery area.

Defined delivery areas in parcel delivery are usually static. However, the volume of items, i.e. the number of packages to be delivered within a delivery area, is variable. This leads to a very uneven utilization of the existing transport media and the individual drivers, depending on the day and delivery area. A dynamic change in the delivery areas of a single delivery driver in order to evenly distribute this workload is very complex. Depending on the situation, this can lead to overcapacity or undercapacity.

From the US2020/0272991A1 a method and a system for transporting packets from a sender via at least one station to a recipient are known. The invention is based on the object of further developing a method and a system for transporting parcels.

The object is achieved by a method for transporting packages with the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous refinements and developments are the subject of the dependent claims. The object is achieved by a system for conveying packages with the features specified in claim 9. Advantageous refinements and developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

A method for transporting packages from a sender by means of at least one transport medium via at least one station to a recipient is proposed, the package being handed over to a transport medium; data associated with the package is captured by at least one identification component of the conveyance medium; on the basis of the recorded data, an evaluation of the further transport of the parcel is carried out as a function of further transport media; and based on a result of the evaluation performed, a transportation medium for further transportation of the package is selected.

A large number of evaluation criteria can be taken into account when evaluating the further transport of the parcel. The result of the evaluation carried out is determined by a, usually different, weighting of the individual evaluation criteria. Such evaluation criteria are, for example, a current capacity utilization of the transport medium, consumption of resources, in particular fuel, during further transport, expected CO2 emissions during further transport or a duration of further transport. Other evaluation criteria are, for example, the need for refrigeration, the suitability of the transport medium in terms of dimensions or weight of the package, and the suitability of the transport medium for transporting fragile objects or hazardous substances. This significantly increases the flexibility when transporting the parcel. The method according to the invention also makes it possible to dynamically change delivery areas depending on the current volume of mail and the available capacities. Dynamic delivery areas can be used because the systems can be configured from a central location. Dynamic delivery areas ensure more even utilization of the existing capacities and savings in resources, since existing capacities can be used through better distribution and adaptation to actual needs.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the data assigned to the package contain a delivery address of the recipient and/or information about an intended time for delivery of the package and/or a weight of the package and/or dimensions of the package and/or information about the contents of the package . When evaluating the further transport and the selection of the transport medium, all essential data can therefore be taken into account, including whether the content is fragile or a hazardous substance for which special transport requirements must be observed.

• einem Fahrradkurier,
• einem fahrerlosen Transportfahrzeug,
• einem Lieferwagen,
• einem schienengebundenen Fahrzeug,
• einem Kühlwagen,
• einem Gefahrguttransporter.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a transport medium for further transport of the package is selected from at least the following options:

• a bike courier,
• a driverless transport vehicle,
• a van,
• a rail vehicle,
• a refrigerated truck,
• a dangerous goods transporter.

The list is only exemplary and not exhaustive. Thus, there is a choice of suitable transport medium for packages of different sizes and weights, as well as for delivery addresses of different distances.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the data associated with the package is sent to a selection module, and the selection module selects a transport medium for further transport of the package, with the selection module carrying out an assessment of the further transport of the package for each of the available transport media, each a result of the evaluation is assigned to the available transport media, and that transport medium is selected for the further transport of the parcel, which has the best result. The assessment and the selection of the transport medium are carried out centrally by the selection module.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the selection module is spatially separated from the transport medium. A communication link is established over a digital network between the transport medium and the selection module, and the data associated with the packet is communicated to the selection module over the communication link.

The selection module is stored on an external server, for example. The digital network is, for example, a wide area network, in particular the Internet. In particular, communication links can be established between a plurality of transport media and the selection module via the digital network.

For this purpose, each available transport medium is preferably registered in a central module directory, and the selection module carries out an assessment of the further transport of the parcel for each transport medium registered in the central module directory. The list of modules can be constantly updated and in particular has information about the availability of the transport media.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the data assigned to the package are forwarded to the available transport media, with each transport medium having an evaluation unit. An assessment of the further transport of the parcel is carried out by the assessment unit of each available transport medium, a result of the assessment is sent from each of the available transport mediums to a decision-making unit, and a transport medium for further transport of the parcel is selected by the decision-making unit, with that transport medium being selected for further transport of the package that has the best result is selected. The evaluation of the transport medium is carried out decentrally by the evaluation unit of the respective transport medium. The transport medium is selected centrally by the decision-making unit.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the data assigned to the package are forwarded to the available transport media, with each transport medium having an evaluation unit. An evaluation of the further transport of the parcel is carried out by the evaluation unit of each available transport medium, a result of the evaluation is forwarded to the other transport media from each of the available transport media, the own result of each transport medium is compared with the results of the other transport media, and that transport medium is selected for further carriage of the package with the best result. The evaluation of the transport medium is carried out decentrally by the evaluation unit of the respective transport medium. The transport medium is also selected decentrally by the transport media.

A system according to the invention for transporting parcels from a sender to a recipient comprises at least one transport medium and at least one station. The system according to the invention is set up to carry out the method according to the invention.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the at least one identification component of the at least one transport medium is designed as a barcode scanner or as an optical camera or as a scale. Depending on the selection of the identification component, all essential data can be recorded that must be taken into account when evaluating the further transport and the selection of the transport medium.

The at least one transport medium preferably has a plurality of different identification components. Depending on the type of identification components, all essential data can be recorded that are used in the evaluation of further transport and the choice of transport medium must be taken into account.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one station has a data acquisition module for acquiring data from a package, a conveyor module for transporting the package within the station, and a sorting module for selecting a transport medium for further transport of the package. The data acquisition module serves in particular to acquire data such as weight, optical information and the barcode of the package. The conveyor module serves in particular to transport the package from the data acquisition module to the sorting module. The sorting module is used in particular for sorting the packages at nodes in the material flow when selecting a transport medium for further transport of the package.

According to an advantageous development of the invention, the data acquisition module, the conveyor module and the sorting module each have at least one selectable mechanical component, at least one selectable control component, at least one selectable software component and at least one selectable identification component. Said modules thus have hardware components and software components. Said modules are each constructed in the form of a modular system with a number of components, each of the components being selectable from a plurality of existing components and being interchangeable with other components. Thus, the said modules can be flexibly adapted to current requirements.

The mechanical component is, for example, a conveyor system that can be exchanged at will. The software component is responsible for providing the functionality, such as controlling actuators and sensors. The software is located locally on the module's control component. The control component also has the function of a gateway and is responsible for the connectivity of the module. The control component also controls the actuators electronically.

The identification component is used to identify packages. The identification takes place, for example, by scanning a barcode or label or by optically recognizing characteristics of the package. For this reason, the identification component can be selected from a barcode scanner or an optical camera, among other things. The barcode scanner captures the shipment number, the camera captures the dimensions of the package and the optical data on the package, such as handling instructions or company identification. A combination of several identification components is also conceivable.

The hardware can also be equipped with additional functions using software.

Said modules have interfaces consisting of three levels, namely a mechanical level, an electrical level and a control level. By standardizing these levels, the modules can be quickly adapted to new requirements and used flexibly in the logistics chain. In addition, the modules can be combined with one another as desired. This achieves a very high level of flexibility and the system can be dynamically adapted to current needs. This makes dynamic delivery areas possible. A vertical integration is carried out, which makes it possible to change delivery areas dynamically, depending on the current volume of shipments and the available capacities.

Said modules have properties. The properties describe information that the module has about itself and that the module posts to the packets after processing. This information includes, for example, the current location, the costs incurred when processing a parcel within the module, and the distance covered within the module with CO2 emissions.

The invention is not limited to the combination of features of the claims. For the person skilled in the art, there are further meaningful combinations of claims and/or individual claim features and/or features of the description and/or the figures, in particular from the task and/or the task arising from comparison with the prior art.

• 1: eine schematische Darstellung eines Systems zur Beförderung von Paketen,
• 2: eine schematische Darstellung der Auswahl eines Beförderungsmediums gemäß einer ersten Variante,
• 3: eine schematische Darstellung der Auswahl eines Beförderungsmediums gemäß einer zweiten Variante und
• 4: eine schematische Darstellung der Auswahl eines Beförderungsmediums gemäß einer dritten Variante.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures. The figures represent the subject matter of the invention only schematically. It shows:

• 1 : a schematic representation of a system for conveying parcels,
• 2 : a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium according to a first variant,
• 3 : a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium according to a second variant and
• 4 : a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium according to a third variant.

1 shows a schematic representation of a system for transporting parcels 5 from a sender 10 to a recipient 12. The system comprises a plurality of transport media 30 and a number of stations 20. Parcels 5 are transported from the sender 10 by means of the transport media 30 via the stations 20 to the recipient 12 promoted. The recipient 12 is, for example, a customer who has ordered goods from the sender 10, for example an Internet retailer. The sender 10 packs the ordered goods in a package 5 and hands over the package 5 to a first station 20, for example a post office. The package 5 is then transferred to a transport medium 30 and transported by means of the transport medium 30 from the first station 20 to a second station 20, for example a package distribution center. The package 5 is then transferred to a further transport medium 30 and transported from the second station 20 to the recipient 12 by means of the further transport medium 30 .

A suitable transport medium 30 is selected in each case for transporting the package 5 . In the illustration shown here, the transport medium 30 is shown in the form of a delivery van. Depending on the requirements, another transport medium 30 is better suited for transporting the package 5 and is selected for transporting the package 5, for example a bicycle courier, a driverless transport vehicle, a rail vehicle, in particular a railway, a refrigerated truck or a dangerous goods transporter.

Each transport medium 30 comprises at least one identification component 22 for recording data that is assigned to a package 5 . The at least one identification component 22 of the transport medium 30 is, for example, a barcode scanner or an optical camera or a scale. It is also conceivable that the transport medium 30 has a plurality of different identification components 22 .

The data assigned to a package 5 contain, for example, a delivery address for the recipient 12 and/or information about an intended time for the delivery of the package 5 to the recipient. Said information and the delivery address are applied to the package in the form of a barcode, for example, and can be detected by an identification component 22 designed as a barcode scanner. The data assigned to a package 5 contain, for example, a weight of the package 5, which can be detected by an identification component 22 designed as a scale. The data assigned to a package 5 contain, for example, dimensions of the package 5 and/or information about the contents of the package 5. Said information is printed on the package, for example, and, like the dimensions of the package 5, can be detected by an identification component 22 designed as an optical camera .

The stations 20 are, for example, parcel distribution centers or post offices. The stations 20 each include a data acquisition module 23 for acquiring data on a package 5, a conveyor module 24 for transporting the package 5 within the station 20, and a sorting module 26 for selecting a transport medium 30 for further transport of the package 5.

The data acquisition module 23 is used to acquire data such as weight, optical information and the barcode of the package 5. The conveyor module 24 is used to transport the package 5 from the data acquisition module 23 to the sorting module 26. The sorting module 26 is used to sort the packages 5 at nodes in the Material flow when selecting a transport medium 30 for further transport of the package 5.

The data acquisition module 23, the conveyor module 24 and the sorting module 25 each have at least one selectable mechanical component, at least one selectable control component, at least one selectable software component and at least one selectable identification component 22.

2 shows a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium 30 according to a first variant. As already mentioned, the data assigned to the package 5 are recorded by the identification component 22 of the transport medium 30 . The data assigned to the packet 5 are then sent to a selection module 60 .

A transport medium 30 for further transport of the package 5 is selected by the selection module. In this case, the selection module 60 carries out an assessment of the further transport of the parcel 5 for each of the available transport media 30 . A result of the evaluation is then assigned to each of the available conveyance media 30 . The transport medium 30 that has the best result is selected for the further transport of the package 5 .

For this purpose, each available transport medium 30 is first in a central Modulver register 62 registered. The selection module 60 carries out an assessment of the further transport of the parcel 5 for each transport medium 30 registered in the central module directory 62 .

When evaluating the transport media 30 for the further transport of the parcel 5, factors such as utilization of the transport medium 30, properties such as costs, transport criteria such as whether cooling is possible, and the time required for further transport are taken into account. If necessary, the current traffic situation and parking options are taken into account.

3 shows a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium 30 according to a second variant. As already mentioned, the data assigned to the package 5 are recorded by the identification component 22 of the transport medium 30 . The data assigned to the packet 5 are then forwarded to the available transport media 30 via a switching unit 66 .

Each transport medium 30 has an evaluation unit. An evaluation of the further transport of the package 5 is then carried out by the evaluation unit of each available transport medium 30 .

A result of this evaluation is then forwarded from each of the available transport media 30 to a decision-making unit 64 via the switching unit 66 . A transport medium 30 for further transport of the package 5 is then selected by the decision unit 64 . The transport medium 30 that has the best result is selected for the further transport of the package 5 .

The data assigned to the package 5 are also sent to an order unit 26 via the switching unit 66 . The order unit 26 is also supplied with information about which transport medium 30 has been selected for the further transport of the package 5 . The order unit 26 manages all orders transmitted via the switching unit 66 for the transport of the package 5.

4 shows a schematic representation of the selection of a transport medium 30 according to a third variant. As already mentioned, the data assigned to the package 5 are recorded by the identification component 22 of the transport medium 30 . The data assigned to the packet 5 are then forwarded to the available transport media 30 via a switching unit 66 .

Each transport medium 30 has an evaluation unit. An evaluation of the further transport of the package 5 is then carried out by the evaluation unit of each available transport medium 30 .

A result of the evaluation is then forwarded to the remaining transport media 30 from each of the available transport media 30 . The result of each transport medium 30 is compared with the results of the other transport media 30 . The transport medium 30 that has the best result is selected for the further transport of the package 5 .

The data assigned to the package 5 are also sent to an order unit 26 via the switching unit 66 . The order unit 26 is also supplied with information about which transport medium 30 has been selected for the further transport of the package 5 . The order unit 26 manages all orders transmitted via the switching unit 66 for the transport of the package 5.

Reference List

5

package

10

Sender

12

recipient

20

station

22

identification component

23

data acquisition module

24

conveyor module

25

sorting module

26

order unit

30

medium of transport

60

selection module

62

central module directory

64

decision unit

66

switching unit

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• US 2020/0272991 A1 [0004]

Claims (13)

Method of conveying parcels (5) from a sender (10) by means of at least one transport medium (30) via at least one station (20) to a receiver (12), wherein the package (5) is handed over to a conveyance medium (30); data assigned to the package (5) are recorded by at least one identification component (22) of the transport medium (30); depending on the data collected an assessment of the further transport of the package (5) is carried out as a function of further transport media (30); based on a result of the evaluation carried out a transport medium (30) is selected for further transport of the package (5). procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that the data associated with the package (5) includes a delivery address of the recipient (12) and/or information about an intended time for delivery of the package (5) and/or a weight of the package (5) and/or dimensions of the Package (5) and / or information about a content of the package (5) included. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a transport medium (30) for further transport of the package (5) is selected from: a bicycle courier, a driverless transport vehicle, a delivery van, a rail vehicle, a refrigerated truck, a dangerous goods transporter. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data assigned to the package (5) are sent to a selection module (60), and a transport medium (30) for further transport of the package (5) is selected by the selection module (60), wherein the selection module (60) carries out an evaluation of the further transport of the package (5) for each of the available transport media (30), each of the available transport media (30) is assigned a result of the evaluation, and that transport medium (30) for the further Promotion of the package (5) is selected which has the best result. procedure after claim 4 , characterized in that the selection module (60) is spatially separated from the transport medium (30), and that a communication connection is established via a digital network between the transport medium (30) and the selection module (60), and that the packet (5 ) associated data are fed to the selection module (60) via the communication link. Procedure according to one of Claims 4 until 5 , characterized in that each available transport medium (30) is registered in a central module register (62), and the selection module (60) for each transport medium (30) registered in the central module register (62) evaluates the further transport of the package ( 5) is carried out. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data assigned to the package (5) are forwarded to the available transport media (30), each transport medium (30) having an evaluation unit, from the evaluation unit of each available transport medium (30) an evaluation of the further transport of the package (5) is carried out, a result of the evaluation is sent from each of the available transport media (30) to a decision-making unit (64), and from the decision-making unit (64) a transport medium (30) for further transport of the package (5) is selected, with that transport medium (30) being selected for the further transport of the package (5) which has the best result. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data assigned to the package (5) are forwarded to the available transport media (30), each transport medium (30) having an evaluation unit, from the evaluation unit of each available transport medium (30) an evaluation of the further transport of the package (5) is carried out, a result of the evaluation is forwarded to the other transport media (30) from each of the available transport media (30), the result of each transport medium (30) is compared with the results of the other transport media (30). is, and that transport medium (30) is selected for the further transport of the package (5) which has the best result. A system for conveying parcels (5) from a sender (10) to a recipient (12), comprising at least one transport medium (30) and at least one station (20) , characterized in that the system for carrying out the method is set up according to at least one of the preceding claims. system after claim 8 , characterized in that the at least one identification component (22) of the at least one transport medium (30) is designed as a barcode scanner or as an optical camera or as a scale. system according to one of the claims 9 until 10 , characterized in that the at least one transport medium (30) has a plurality of different identification components (22). system according to one of the Claims 10 until 11 , characterized in that the at least one station (20) has a data acquisition module (23) for acquiring data of a package (5), a conveyor module (24) for transporting the package (5) within the station (20) and a sorting module (25 ) for selecting a transport medium (30) for further transport of the package (5). system after claim 12 , characterized in that the data acquisition module (23), the conveyor module (24) and the sorting module (25) each have at least one selectable mechanical component, at least one selectable control component, at least one selectable software component and at least one selectable identification component (22).

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