Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for controlling access to a seat based on payments. The method can include: reading, at a card reader located at a seat, payment information from a payment card; validating the payment information; sending a control signal to a locking device to unlock the seat; detecting that an occupant left the seat; and in response to detecting that the occupant left the seat, sending a control signal the locking device to lock the seat.

Abstract: Exemplary systems and methods for facilitating access to events based on associations between payment accounts and such access are disclosed. One exemplary method includes receiving, at a computing device, an access request for an event where the access request is associated with a consumer requesting access to the event, and searching, by the computing device, in a data structure for a payment account identified in the request. When the identified payment account is found, the method includes verifying, by the computing device, that the identified payment account is associated with the event. And, when association of the payment account and the event is verified, the method includes causing, by the computing device, an access output to be generated at the event, whereby the consumer is permitted access to the event, based on the access output, without separately presenting credentials.

Abstract: Multimodal transportation planning and access provided through personal computing devices leverages visually identifiable identicons that authorize transportation on a transportation asset. Identical identicons on a traveler's personal computing device and a transportation professional's device indicate by their matching authorization by the traveler to access the transportation asset.

Abstract: A transportation service reservation method executes, by a computer, a process including receiving a ride request specifying an origin and a destination, generating feasible products having service types, by referring to a storage unit that stores information indicating a schedule allocated to each vehicle and the service types of the schedule, for each vehicle capable of providing products having the service types, computing a choice probability of each product forming an assortment of the feasible products, for each of assortments satisfying a predetermined condition amongst the subsets of the feasible product set that are generated, computing an expected value of a number of future ride requests, and selecting an assortment to be presented with respect to the ride request, from the assortment satisfying the predetermined condition, based on the choice probability and the expected value.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for image assisted delivery. A computing device may identify a delivery location based at least in part on an image file received from a first client device. The computing device may then generate a series of directions from a current location of a second client device to the delivery location. The computing device may subsequently send the series of directions to the second client device. Finally, the computing device may send the image file received from the first client device to the second client device.

Abstract: Apparatus for managing transportation vehicles includes a plurality of containers each attached to a respective one of the vehicles and containing a memory, a wireless transmitter, a receiver and a writer for storing data in the memory, where data includes a secure section of data defining for the vehicle cargo packing slip information and a non-secure section of data defining for the vehicle safety information relating to the current vehicle contents. The apparatus further includes a first reader for receiving the data in the secure section and second portable reader for receiving the data in the non-secure section where the second reader is arranged to provide to a person in possession of the second reader only data from the non-secure section defining for the vehicle said safety information relating to the current vehicle contents and not the data from the secure section.

Abstract: In some examples, a vehicle includes a controller configured to receive information of a characteristic relating to transport of a cargo transportation unit (CTU), the information sent by the CTU, and determine, based on the received information, whether the vehicle is able to transfer the CTU to a destination of the CTU.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for crowdsource loaned code with blockchain. A method include: initiating, by a customer, a request of crowdsource of a courier for delivering an order when the customer places the order, the request including a delivery time and a delivery address; generating a public key of the customer based at least on the order; specifying the courier by matching the request with information of the courier; obtaining, by the courier, the public key of the customer using blockchain; generating, a one-time private key for the courier based on the order or the request; generating a one-time public key for a store based on the order or the request; presenting, by the courier, the public key of the customer or store, or the one-time private key of the courier at the store; verifying, by the store, the public key of the customer or store, or the one-time private key of the courier; and delivering the order by the courier.

Abstract: Methods and systems to establish and execute price offerings among the lenders and borrowers in a bandwidth-sharing ad hoc network for shared bandwidth usage. The method comprises establishing a price offering among a lender and borrower in a bandwidth-sharing ad hoc network for shared bandwidth usage. The method further includes executing the price offering upon acceptance of a lender to the bandwidth-sharing ad hoc network for shared bandwidth usage.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for detecting and preventing inaccurate package delivery statuses. In one embodiment, an example method may include receiving, from a user device, an indication that a package for a recipient was not delivered to a delivery address, determining a user identifier for a user of the user device, determining a location of the user device, determining, using the user identifier and the location, that a likelihood the indication is a false indication satisfies a false indication threshold, and initiating a response action.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control device capable of reducing CO2 emission and primary energy consumption, as well as energy supply cost, to lowest possible levels in optimal energy management. In repeatedly generating two or more energy balance candidates for each unit time for the outputs of the electric power grid and thermal accumulation unit based on combinations of varied values of the output ratios of a CHP, an RES, a thermal energy supply system, and an electrical storage unit and the consumption ratios of electric and thermal loads until the convergence of the evaluation values of the two or more candidates reaches a convergence criterion.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a request for a transportation reservation, allocating at least one resource to accommodate the reservation, monitoring a location of a mobile device associated with the reservation, releasing the at least one resource when the location of the mobile device indicates the at least one resource is no longer needed wherein the mobile device is associated with a subscriber.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, computer program products, and apparatuses for processing package delivery exceptions. In one embodiment, a method for processing an item delivery exception for an item that is to be delivered by a carrier is provided. The method comprises receiving an exception request associated with the item; notifying a delivery vehicle driver of the exception request; receiving input indicating a unique RFID identifier, wherein the unique RFID identifier identifies an exception RFID tag attached to the item; associating the unique RFID identifier with the unique item identifier; after receiving a request to locate the item, activating an RFID reader array, wherein the RFID reader array is located at a facility associated with the carrier; and based at least in part on the detection of the item by at least one RFID reader of the RFID reader array, calculating an estimated location of the item.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a market-based control framework to coordinate a group of autonomous thermostatically controlled loads (TCL) to achieve system-level objectives with pricing incentives is disclosed. In one example of the disclosed technology, a method of providing power to a load via a power grid by submitting bids to a coordinator includes determining an energy response relating price data for one or more energy prices to quantity data for power to be consumed by the load, sending a bid for power for a finite time period based on the energy response to the coordinator, and receiving a clearing price based on: the bid, on bids received from a plurality of additional loads, and a feeder power constraint. In some examples, the energy response is based at least in part on an equivalent thermal parameter model and a control policy indicating one or more power states for the load.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system for correcting address information. The system may include a memory storing instructions and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations may include requesting an address for normalization from at least one of a current address or a residential history of a user; receiving, from a user device, a user input including requested address information responsive to the request for normalization; searching, based on the user input, a cache to determine whether a refined version of the requested address is available; returning, based on a determination that a refined version of the requested address exists in the cache, a refined address as the normalized address to the user; and beginning to transport a package to the user at the normalized address, by providing instructions to a mobile device associated with a delivery worker, to transport the package to the normalized address.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating delivery data models for aerial package delivery. The approach involves determining at least one delivery surface data object to represent one or more delivery surfaces of at least one delivery location, wherein the one or more delivery surfaces represents at least one surface upon which to deliver at least one package. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, a creation of at least one complete delivery data model based, at least in part, on the at least one delivery surface data object to represent the at least one delivery location. The approach further involves causing, at least in part, an encoding of at least one geographic address in the at least one complete delivery data model to cause, at least in part, an association of the at least one complete delivery data model with at least one geographic location.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention would project a route and a delivery schedule for relevant mail pieces and would monitor carrier recorded tracking events for those mail pieces to determine whether or not actual tracking events are following the projected route and the projected schedule, and/or whether or not issues that might impact their delivery and/or their delivery schedule, may have arisen along their projected route; such exemplary embodiments would provide an alert to the relevant user(s) and/or other authorized parties and/or relevant carrier(s) and would facilitate user interaction by the relevant user(s) and/or parties to provide intercept and/or rescue and/or confiscation instructions; exemplary embodiments would facilitate automatic interfaces with the relevant carriers and delivery services for the subject mail piece to resolve rescue, item loss, insurance coverage, postage refund, intervention and/or confiscation instructions and issues.

Abstract: Techniques for managing notifications may be described. In an example, the notifications may relate to an item and may be provided to a user device. An active device may be associated with the item. The active device may store a token for communication with a local area network associated with a location. Based on the communication, a determination may be made that the item may be in proximity to the location. Corresponding notifications may be sent to the user device.

Abstract: Improved movement-based technical solutions for transmitting a corrective pickup notification for a shipped item are described. For example, a first master node at a first location receives shipping information about the item. That master node identifies an intended pickup master node from the shipping information and identifies the location of an ID node associated with the item over a time period, which may indicate the item is moving away from the first location. After identifying a courier master node accompanying the departing ID node, the first master node automatically senses an adverse pickup condition when the identified courier master node does not correspond to the intended pickup master node and the ID node's detected location over time indicates the item is moving away from the first location. The first master node then transmits the corrective pickup notification to a second logistics devices based on the adverse pickup condition sensed.

Abstract: A technique is directed to transporting data storage equipment. The technique involves electronically activating monitoring circuitry which is co-located with the data storage equipment. The technique further involves, after the monitoring circuitry is electronically activated, receiving location data from the monitoring circuitry while the data storage equipment is en route from a first ground location to a second ground location. The technique further involves, based on the location data, performing a set of location evaluation operations to determine whether the data storage equipment is on course along a predefined route between the first ground location and the second ground location.