IE20080092A1 - Method and apparatus for delivery rescheduling - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for rescheduling deliveries of consignments maintains, in a database, a schedule of consignment deliveries for at least one delivery vehicle and an electronic communications address such as a mobile telephone number of an intended recipient for each consignment in the delivery schedule. Notification of intended delivery are automatically transmitted, over a communications network, to intended delivery are automatically transmitted, over a communications network, to intended recipients in the dilivery schedule using the electronic communications address for each intended recipient. Each intended recipient can then reply with an electronic intended delivery responses confirming or rescheduling the intended delivery. Based on the intended delivery responses, the system automatically and in real time updates the delivery vehicle via a mobile communications network. Substantial reduction in the number of failed deliveries is effected. <Figure 1>

Description

The present invention relates to systems for scheduling deliveries IjyiT Π ('Tc/y j other consignments to multiple geographic addresses. IB 1 W1, 1 7 Mb & 66 In recent years, the popularity of home shopping, e.g. from catalogue Sid mternetbased retailing, has increased significantly. This has resulted in a substantial rise in the number of shipments of parcels and other consignments to consumers’ residential addresses.

A significant problem is that many residential premises are not occupied during normal delivery hours and therefore the consignee is often not present to receive the consignment when a delivery driver arrives. This is particularly problematic when the consignment cannot be left at the deliveiy address unattended or at alternative premises nearby, e.g. because the consignment is high value and/or requires a signature on delivery, or because no neighbour is available to receive the consignment.

In such cases, normal practice is to leave a card advising the consignee of the failed delivery attempt and usually offering further information on the timing of a future attempt to deliver, or details of where to collect the consignment, e.g. from a central depot. In any case, the attempted delivery results in wasted time for the delivery driver with consequent waste of fuel and other resources.

Although some consignors have attempted to reduce this problem by offering prearranged delivery times and/or dates with the consignee, e.g. at the time of ordering the goods to be delivered, this is often not entirely satisfactory. This can be for a number of reasons: the delivery ‘window’ (e.g. one day, or half day) may be too large to be useful to the consignee or may be too far in the future for the consignee to be sure they will he at home; there may be uncertainty in when the consignment will be available for delivery; and the geographic distribution of *»· wwnii ma~g7 roe! < i j 'J K*. /UilLI tiwiiaE I .... ., .*vrJaisu/ |t0 80 Ο92, The present invention is directed to an automated system for reducing the number of failed deliveries.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for rescheduling deliveries of consignments, comprising: a central server maintaining a schedule of consignment deliveries for at least one delivery vehicle and for storing an electronic communications address of an intended recipient for each consignment in the delivery schedule; a first communications interface, coupled to a communications network, enabling communication to and from the electronic communications address of each intended recipient; a second communications interface, coupled to a communications network, enabling communication to a delivery schedule mobile display device in the at least one delivery7 vehicle; a processor, associated with the central server, adapted to: issue electronic intended deliver)7 notifications to intended recipients in the delivery schedule via the first communications interface; receive one or more electronic intended deliver)7 responses from one or more intended recipients; and based on the intended delivery responses, update the delivery schedule mobile display device with a new delivery schedule via the second communications interface.

According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method for rescheduling deliveries of consignments, comprising the steps of: maintaining, in a database, a schedule of consignment deliveries for at least one delivery vehicle and an electronic communications address of an intended recipient for each consignment in the delivery schedule; automatically transmitting, over a communications network, electronic intended deliver)7 notifications to intended recipients in the delivery schedule using the electronic communications address for each intended recipient; ΙΕΟ 8 0 ο 9 2 receiving, over a communications network, electronic intended deliver}' responses from one or more intended recipients in response to the intended deliver}' notifications; and based on the intended delivery responses, automatically updating the 5 deliver}' schedule displayed on a mobile display device via a mobile communications network.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic flow diagram for a method of controlling deliveries of consignments to multiple, geographically dispersed, recipients; and Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of apparatus for controlling deliveries of consignments to multiple, geographically dispersed, recipients.

Referring to figure 1, a delivery organisation (e.g. a parcel carrier) receives, from a shipper or consignor, their preferences in respect of delivery of one or more consignments (step 10). These preferences may include modes of delivery, including those relating to urgency, security and traceability of consignments. The delivery organisation also receives shipping details for a specific consignment of goods to be delivered to an intended recipient or consignee (step 11). Typically, the shipping details will include at least the name of the intended recipient and the geographic address where the delivery is to be made and a consignment identification number. This information is preferably provided to the delivery organisation electronically, e.g. by an electronic data interchange file transfer.

The shipping details also include an electronic communications address for the intended recipient of a consignment. In a preferred arrangement, the electronic communications address is a mobile telephone number suitable for receiving text messages (e.g. using the SMS system). Alternatively, the electronic communications address could be, for example, an e-mail address. Ideally, though not exclusively, the electronic communications address is one which will enable fast delivery of a text message to a mobile telecommunications device such as a telephone, PDA or other mobile communications-enabled computing device. ΙΕΟ 8 0 Ο 9 2 As shown at step 12, consignments are tracked within the delivery network. Eventually, the consignments reach the relevant final stage of the delivery network, e.g. a local depot from which individual deliveries to specific addresses are made.

At this time, a schedule of deliveries for a delivery vehicle can be drawn up. The schedule preferably takes into account optimisation of routes that may be taken by one or more delivery vehicles so that efficiency in the delivery system is maintained. The schedule preferably also takes into account any other restrictions or special requirements of the consignments for delivery. It will be recognised that delivery schedules could also be drawn up sooner than when consignments reach the local depot. In principle, deliver}' schedules can be drawn up as soon as shipping details of a consignment are known and could be continually updated as new consignments are added to the system.

As shown in step 13, an electronic communication is sent to the intended recipient of each consignment where an electronic communications address is available. This electronic communication is a notification of intended delivery and is described here as an 'intended deliver}' notification'. Preferably, this notification is a text message sent to the mobile telephone of the intended recipient. As discussed earlier, other forms of electronic communication such as e-mail could be used. In one preferred arrangement, the text messages are sent to respective intended recipients of the consignments on the morning of the planned deliveries.

The text message preferably advises the intended recipient that a parcel or consignment is due for delivery to them that day. The text message could also include other useful information such as one or more of the identity of the shipper or consignor, the identity of the delivery organisation, and a consignment identification number or tracking number. The text message may also include a more specific planned delivery time (e.g. today at approximately 15.00 hrs) or planned deliver}7 time window (e.g. today between 13.00 and 17.00 hrs). ΙΕΟ 8Ο Ο 9 2 The text message includes one or more options for rescheduling the delivery, if the stated time is unsuitable for the intended recipient. The text message may include one or more of the following options, for example: Do nothing = the delivery will be made as planned Enter 1 = reschedule the delivery7 for the next working day Enter 2 = reschedule the delivery for two working days forward Enter 3 = reschedule the delivery' for three working days forward There may he numerous other possibilities. For example, the message may include an option for positively confirming acceptability of the delivery rather than the do nothing option, e.g.

Enter 0 = confirm the scheduled delivery is acceptable Other examples may include providing more specific timed options for rescheduling a delivery, e.g. offering options of morning or afternoon.

As shown in step 14, the intended recipient receives the text message to which he or she may simply respond with one of the offered options. This could be initiated simply by a ’reply’ function of the intended recipient's mobile phone.

At step 15, the delivery organisation determines whether a response has been received to the intended delivery notification. The response is an electronic message from the intended recipient indicating whether the planned delivery schedule is acceptable and/or indicating one or more options for rescheduling the delivery. This will be referred to herein as an 'intended delivery response'. Thus, in the example given above, the intended delivery response may simply be a 1, 2 or 3.

Other alternatives are possible. The delivery response may indicate more specific options for rescheduling the delivery. The delivery response preferably includes an identification field identifying the relevant intended recipient and/or a consignment ID code. It will be understood that the information identifying the intended recipient may be evident from the sender's electronic communications IEO 8 Ο Ο 9 2 address in the delivery response (e.g. the mobile telephone number or e-mail address). The consignment ID might be deduced if the intended recipient only has one outstanding intended delivery notification. Alternatively, the consignment ID and/or intended recipient ID might be automatically embedded in the reply message.

If no intended delivery response is received in respect of an intended deliver}7 notification 13, then no change is made to the planned deliver}7 schedule (step 16). If a response is made, however, this is received (step 17) from the communications network by a central server which then creates (step 18) a number of update events. These update events may include an update (step 19) to a central customer services database which can be accessed (step 20) for the purposes of consignment tracking. The update events may also include updating (step 21) of a diary or event logger for reporting functions (step 22).

However, of primary importance, the update events include at least the generation of an update message (step 23) which can be received, over a mobile communications network, by a mobile display device in the relevant delivery vehicle. The mobile display device in each delivery vehicle provides a delivery schedule for a given round on that day or part of that day. This delivery schedule is immediately and automatically updated (step 24) according to the information received in the update message of step 23. The mobile display device may provide an audible or visual alert to the driver of the vehicle that a change in the delivery schedule has been effected.

Thus, it will be seen that, in substantially real time (allowing only for minor communication delays in the networks transmitting the messages), intended delivery responses indicating a required change in the deliver}7 schedule can be communicated to the drivers of delivery vehicles so that their schedules can be updated immediately as soon as the text message responses have been received. If a delivery response is received in sufficient time, i.e. before departure of the delivery vehicle on a delivery round, then clearly the consignment may not even need to be loaded onto the delivery vehicle. However, of particular benefit is the IEO 80 092 feature that even where delivery responses are received from an intended recipient whilst a deliver}7 vehicle is on the road, the driver's schedule can be updated in real time automatical!}7 by direct intervention of the intended recipient. The driver is thereby immediately effectively directed to remove certain segments of the deliver}7 schedules.

Depending upon the nature of the intended deliver}7 notification, and the options for rescheduling by response message, the updating of the schedule on the mobile display device may include deleting the delivery from the schedule entirely, or resequencing the consignments for deliver}7 in the schedule, e.g. moving a consignment to a morning delivery to an afternoon delivery from the same vehicle.

Figure 2 illustrates a system 30 suitable for implementing the invention. An FTP server 31 is used by the delivery organisation to receive shipping data 32 and preference data from a shipper or consignor's computer system 33. This information is directed to a central server 35 via an information gateway or communications interface 34. The communications interface 34 is coupled to a communications network 36 such as a public mobile telephony or cell phone network. This enables communication by text message to and from the mobile telephones 40, 41, 42 of intended recipients. As discussed previously, the network could alternatively, or in addition, include the internet thereby enabling e-mail or other electronic communication with computer devices of intended recipients.

The central server 35 creates and maintains a database 45 of delivery schedules for each delivery vehicle, each delivery schedule providing a list of consignments for that particular vehicle on a delivery round. The central server 35 also stores, e.g. in memory 46, an electronic communications address such as a mobile telephone number for each intended recipient in a delivery schedule. The delivery schedules are made accessible to local depot computer systems 49 for use when loading delivery vehicles.

The central server is also in communication (e.g. via a communications interface and network 38). with a plurality of delivery schedule mobile display devices Ifco8 Ο Ο 92 οΟ, 51, 52 which are adapted to receive and display7 a deliver}' schedule for the vehicle in which they are located. The mobile display devices 50, 51, 52 may be an}' suitable mobile computing device such as a handheld or dashboard mounted unit. The mobile display devices 50, 51, 52 are preferably connected to the central server 35 by way of the public mobile telephone network, which could be the same network as network 36. In this respect, the interface 37 may be separate from or the same as gateway 34.

In preferred arrangements, the mobile display devices 50, 51, 52 may also act as delivery status input devices recording information in real time relating to deliveries made. This may include collecting recipient signatures for proof of deliver}'. This information can be returned to the central server 35 in real time via the network 38 as a delivery round progresses and can be stored a suitable event log 47 or tracldng database 48. Alternatively, the delivery status information can be stored in the mobile devices 50, 51, 52 for later upload to central server 35.

As mentioned in connection with figure 1, the central server 35 may thus create updates for a tracking database 48 and an event log 47.

When an intended delivery response is received requiring rescheduling of a consignment delivery, not only can the delivery schedule on the mobile display device 50, 51, 52 be updated, but the rescheduled time for delivery is updated on the delivery schedules in database 45 for subsequent days. Local depots can then access the revised delivery schedules for subsequent days to ensure that the correct consignments are re-loaded.

Preferably, rescheduled deliveries are handled in the same way as first time deliveries, in that the intended recipient receives a further intended delivery notification on the morning of the rescheduled delivery. This will enable the intended recipient to confirm the delivery or reschedule it again in the same manner as the original delivery schedule. After receiving a delivery response requesting rescheduling of a delivery, the central server 35 may also issue a ΙΕΟ 8 Ο Ο 9 2 confirmatory text message to the intended recipient confirming the rescheduling of the delivery.

It will be recognised that the functions of the central server 35, interfaces 31, 34, 5 37 and databases 45 - 48 could also be provided not only by a single unit but also by a distributed computer network and references to a 'central server' should be construed accordingly.

It will also be recognised that the principles described here can be extended to large numbers of delivery vehicles each with a requisite display device 50, 51, 52 and large numbers of depots, all controlled by the central server.

The system described herein offers significant advantages. The use of text message deliver)7 responses from intended recipients for immediate updating of delivery schedules on board delivery vehicles can result in a significant improvement in first time delivery success with consequent reduction in use of physical resources, reduction in the cost of operation and greater customer satisfaction.

Other embodiments are intentionally within the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims (29)

1. Apparatus for rescheduling deliveries of consignments, comprising: a central server maintaining a schedule of consignment deliveries for at least one deliver}' vehicle and for storing an electronic communications address of an intended recipient for each consignment in the deliver}' schedule; a first communications interface, coupled to a communications network, enabling communication to and from the electronic communications address of each intended recipient; a second communications interface, coupled to a communications network, enabling communication to a delivery schedule mobile display device in the at least one delivery vehicle; a processor, associated with the central server, adapted to: issue electronic intended delivery notifications to intended recipients in the delivery schedule via the first communications interface; receive one or more electronic intended deliver}' responses from one or more intended recipients; and based on the intended delivery responses, update the deliver}' schedule mobile display device with a new delivery schedule via the second communications interface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first communications interface is coupled to a mobile telephony network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the intended delivery notifications are SMS messages for transmittal to intended recipients’ mobile telephones.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the intended delivery responses are SMS messages received from intended recipients’ mobile telephones.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the second communications interface is coupled to a mobile telephony network for communication with the delivery schedule mobile display device. ΙΕΟ 80 0 92

6. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the electronic communications addresses for each intended recipient comprise at least one of a mobile telephone number or an e-mail address.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the electronic intended deliver} 7 notifications each comprise a message indicating an expected delivery date and/or time and indicating a plurality of options for rescheduling delivery. S. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the plurality of options for rescheduling deliver) 7 include a plurality of alternative new delivery dates and/or times.

8. 9. The apparatus of claim 7 or claim 8 in which the electronic intended delivery responses each include a selection of one of the plurality of options for rescheduling delivery.

9. 10. The apparatus of claim 7 in which the processor is adapted to process intended delivery responses by the steps of: (i) where the intended delivery response indicates selection of a rescheduled delivery, either (ii) deleting the respective consignment delivery from the schedule displayed on the mobile display device, or (iii) resequencing the consignment deliveries in the schedule displayed on the mobile display device.

10. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the processor is adapted to update the deliver} 7 schedule display device substantially instantaneously following receipt of an intended delivery response.

11. 12. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a plurality of delivery schedule mobile display devices located in respective delivery vehicles, the apparatus maintaining a schedule of consignment deliveries for each mobile display device and updating each mobile display device with a respective new delivery schedule IE 0 8 0 0 9 2 each time a relevant intended deliver}' response is received in respect of a deliver}' schedule on the respective mobile display device.

12. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which each mobile display device further includes a deliver/ status input device for tracking deliveries made.

13. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the delivery status input device includes electronic signature recording means.

14. 15. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the first and second communications interfaces are the same.

15. 16. A method for rescheduling deliveries of consignments, comprising the steps of: maintaining, in a database, a schedule of consignment deliveries for at least one delivery vehicle and an electronic communications address of an intended recipient for each consignment in the deliver}' schedule; automatically transmitting, over a communications network, electronic intended delivery notifications to intended recipients in the delivery schedule using the electronic communications address for each intended recipient; receiving, over a communications network, electronic intended delivery responses from one or more intended recipients in response to the intended deliver}' notifications; and based on the intended delivery responses, automatically updating the delivery schedule displayed on a mobile display device via a mobile communications network.

16. 17. The method of claim 16 in which the communications network is a mobile telephony network.

17. 18. The method of claim 17 in which the intended delivery notifications are SMS messages transmitted to intended recipients’ mobile telephones. ΙΕΟ 8 Ο Ο 9

18. 19. The method of claim 17 in which the intended deliver) 7 responses are SMS messages received from intended recipients’ mobile telephones.

19. 20. The method of claim 16 in which the electronic communications address for each intended recipient comprises at least one of a mobile telephone number or an e-mail address.

20. 21. The method of claim 16 in which the electronic intended delivery notifications each comprise a message indicating an expected delivery date and/or time and indicating a plurality of options for rescheduling delivery.

21. 22. The method of claim 21 in which the plurality of options for rescheduling deliver) 7 include a plurality of alternative new deliver) 7 dates and/or times.

22. 23. The method of claim 21 or claim 22 in which the electronic intended deliver) 7 responses each include a selection of one of the plurality 7 of options for rescheduling delivery.

23. 24. The method of claim 21 further including processing intended delivery responses by the steps of: (i) where the intended delivery response indicates selection of a rescheduled delivery, either (ii) deleting the respective consignment delivery from the schedule displayed on the mobile display device, or (iii) resequencing the consignment deliveries in the schedule displayed on the mobile display device.

24. 25. The method of claim 16 in which the step of updating the delivery schedule displayed on the mobile display device is carried out substantially instantaneously following receipt of an intended delivery response.

25. 26. The method of claim 16 further including maintaining, in the database, a plurality of delivery schedules for mobile display devices located in respective IE Ο 80 Ο 9 2 delivery vehicles, and updating each mobile display device with a respective new deliver} 7 schedule each time a relevant intended delivery response is received in respect of a deliver} 7 schedule on the respective mobile display device. 5

26. 27. The method of claim 26 further including maintaining, on each mobile display device, a deliver}' status record tracking deliveries made.

27. 28. Apparatus for rescheduling deliveries of consignments substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

28.

29. A method of rescheduling deliveries of consignments substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.