Abstract: Systems and methods provide real-time shipping optimization recommendations for reducing the cost of shipping freight units in a shipment. System comprises a measurement system in communication with a computer system that comprises a client computer device in communication with a host computer system. The measurement system comprises multiple sensing devices to determine weight, dimensions, and other shipping parameters of the freight units in the shipment. The computer system computes a current shipping cost and density based on the shipping parameters. The computer system determines shipping recommendations including recommended adjustments to the shipping parameters that reduce the current shipping cost. The shipping recommendations are transmitted to the client computer device prior to loading the shipment onto a carrier vehicle for the shipment.

Abstract: An asset manager controls power distribution within an aggregated distributed energy resources system (“DERs system”) having a plurality of assets. The asset manager is configured to operate with a given asset. As such, the asset manager has 1) an interface to receive asset information relating to the given asset and to communicate with another asset manager in the DERs system, and 2) a function generator configured to produce a local cost function using data relating to the given asset only. The local cost function represents a portion of a system cost function for the DERs system. The asset manager also has 3) a controller configured to use the local cost function for the given asset to manage operation of the given asset in the DERs system. In addition, the controller also is configured to determine, using the local cost function, an operating point for the given asset.

Abstract: Methods, systems, devices and/or apparatuses for an electronic shipping label. The electronic shipping label includes a communication device that is configured to obtain from an electronic device multiple electronic image files. The electronic shipping label includes a touch-screen display that has one or more user interface elements that are configured to toggle among the multiple electronic image files and initiate access to the shipping container. The electronic shipping label includes a processor. The processor is configured to obtain a first electronic image file from the multiple electronic image files. The processor is configured to render the first electronic image file during a first leg of the plurality of legs of the shipping itinerary. The processor is configured to access a second electronic image file from the multiple electronic image files or the shipping container when the one or more user interface elements are selected.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a system and method for generating a delivery plan for multi-tier delivery schemes are described. Embodiments may include generating a delivery plan for a region including multiple delivery locations. The delivery plan may specify at least one agent delivery route within the region. The delivery route may include at least one shipment acquisition location coinciding with an expected travel route of a vehicle conveying shipments. The agent delivery route may be traversed by an agent that is to deliver a specific group of shipments acquired from the vehicle at the shipment acquisition location. Embodiments may include selecting the specific group of shipments for delivery on the delivery route. The selecting is based on a time constraint for delivering the group of shipments to respective delivery locations along the delivery route, and historical delivery time information for previous deliveries to the delivery locations along the delivery route.

Abstract: A distribution system is linked to a delivery vehicle delivering a product stored in a warehouse to a delivery destination and includes an automatic conveyance device and an automatic conveyance device server. An automatic conveyance device server transmits a release instruction to an automatic conveyance device when receiving a request for delivery, transmits a loading instruction for loading of a product to a delivery vehicle to the automatic conveyance device when receiving loading permission, and transmits a release completion notification to a transmitter of a delivery request when receiving information indicating the releasing is completed.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide parasitic postage indicia comprising thin indicium information and corresponding postage indicium data are shown. The thin indicium information may be disposed in a mail scan block in parasitism for use in identifying the corresponding postage indicium data. This thin indicium information may comprise one or more pieces of information configured to be carried within a structure of a mail scan block present on a mail item and which uniquely or substantially uniquely identifies a postage indicium data packet comprised of postage indicium data. The postage indicium data may be generated as proof of payment for postal services and stored for access using the thin indicium information. As a mail item is processed a mail scan block thereon may be scanned and the thin indicium information extracted for identifying a corresponding postage indicium data packet for proof of payment for postal services.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method comprising identifying at least one of a characteristic and an identity of an item for delivery from an origin to a destination; identifying a plurality of possible routes between the origin and the destination using mapping information, the mapping information including for each of the plurality of possible routes, a characterization of each of a plurality of route segments comprising the possible route; evaluating the plurality of possible routes in view of the identified at least one of the item characteristic and the item identity to select one of the plurality of possible routes; and providing the selected one of the plurality of possible routes to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle delivers the item from the origin to the destination via the identified route.

Abstract: A fuel price determination system may receive transaction data identifying purchases, made with transaction cards and mobile transaction card applications of client devices, of fuel at fuel stations. The fuel price determination system may receive location data identifying locations associated with users of the client devices and the transaction cards, and user history data associated with prior purchases of fuel at fuel stations by the users. The fuel price determination system may process the transaction data, location data, and user history data, with a machine learning model, to determine fuel prices at the fuel stations. The fuel price determination system may determine a ranked list of particular fuel stations in a geographical area based on the fuel prices and populate, based on the location data and the ranked list, a map to identify the particular fuel stations and the fuel prices at the particular fuel stations.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, that enable clients to create custom conditional segments on which other clients can claim a spot. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a device of a creator, attributes of a conditional segment created by the creator through an interface presented at the device. In response to receiving the attributes of the conditional segment, clients are notified that the conditional segment is available and the clients are enabled to claim a spot on the conditional segment. A determination is made whether to convert the conditional segment to a confirmed segment based on a number of spots claimed by the clients. Prior to converting the conditional segment to a confirmed segment, a given client is cancelled from the conditional segment in response to receiving, from the given client, a request to cancel the claimed spot.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing a subscription service award. The systems and methods perform operations including receiving a user request to access a travel services system; receiving a token from the user that corresponds to a previously purchased subscription to the travel services system; determining whether the token matches one of a plurality of valid tokens; in response to determining that the token matches one of a plurality of valid tokens, prompting, the user to select a start date to begin reserving travel services with the travel services system; and authorizing the user to reserve a travel service with the travel services system starting from the selected start date until a specified end date.

Abstract: A scheduling device performs a method of scheduling transports by a fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs, to enable improved utilization of the fleet. The method includes computing, for the fleet, aggregated cost data, ACM, that associates utilization cost with distributed sub-regions within a geographic region, the utilization cost of a respective sub-region representing an estimated cost for directing at least one of the UAVs to the respective sub-region. The method further includes receiving a query indicative of one or more potential locations for pick-up or delivery of a payload, determining, based on the ACM, a transportation price for at least one potential location, and presenting the transportation price for the at least one potential location. The scheduling device thereby provides an interactive ordering system that enables utilization of the fleet to be automatically optimized by swarm intelligence.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for resolving a risk associated with a shipped physical object. The methods and servers comprise associating a time with a geographical region. The methods and servers also comprise receiving a set of locations associated with transport of a physical object. In addition, the methods and servers comprise determining that the set of locations fails to satisfy a condition associated with the time and the geographical region. The sensor devices report location data to a server at a first time interval, wherein the location data fails to satisfy a condition associated with a time and a geographical region. The sensor devices also receive an indication of a panic mode. In addition, the sensor devices also report location data to the server at a second time interval, wherein the second time interval is different than the first time interval.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for generating logistics zones. The apparatus may include at least one memory and at least one processor configured to generate logistics zones responsive to receipt of a selection of a geographic area. The logistics zones are generated based on street segment attribute data. The logistics zones include a geo-fenced right zone on a right side of corresponding street segments and a geo-fenced left zone on a left side of the street segments. The processor is also configured to determine addresses in the logistics zones based on analyzing the street segment attribute data. The processor is further configured to generate a route for delivery or pickup of packages within the logistics zones based on a trace order of the logistics zones specifying a sequential order to travel within the logistics zones responsive to determining a shortest travel path. Corresponding computer program products and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A distributed ledger based utility system architecture may be configured to enable secure payments, data transmission, and meter configuration of smart sensors. The utility system architecture may be a tiered architecture including multiple nodes at different levels of the architecture where each level may contain a different portion of the distributed ledger. As information is added to the distributed ledger, each portion of the distributed ledger may be updated based on whether the information is relevant to that node. The information may include rate contract transactions, meter configuration data transactions, payment transactions, or the like.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processor-readable storage media for remote controlling of electronic shelf labels. An example method includes receiving, at a computing device, store layout data of a retail store and product data. The product data identifies at least one product and a price of the product. The method causes an optical emitter to emit an optical signal to at least one electronic shelf label based at least in part on the store layout data, the product data, and a predetermined rule. The optical signal bears the product data and is configured to cause the electronic shelf label to change displayable information to reflect new product data. The electronic shelf label can also send feedback to the optical emitter to inform that the optical signal was successfully received.

Abstract: A distributed ledger based utility system architecture may be configured to enable secure payments, data transmission, and meter configuration of smart sensors. The utility system architecture may be a tiered architecture including multiple nodes at different levels of the architecture where each level may contain a different portion of the distributed ledger. As information is added to the distributed ledger, each portion of the distributed ledger may be updated based on whether the information is relevant to that node. The information may include rate contract transactions, meter configuration data transactions, payment transactions, or the like.

Abstract: A distributed ledger based utility system architecture may be configured to enable secure payments, data transmission, and meter configuration of smart sensors. The utility system architecture may be a tiered architecture including multiple nodes at different levels of the architecture where each level may contain a different portion of the distributed ledger. As information is added to the distributed ledger, each portion of the distributed ledger may be updated based on whether the information is relevant to that node. The information may include rate contract transactions, meter configuration data transactions, payment transactions, or the like.

Abstract: A secure, computerized locker bank that is adapted to facilitate the payment for, and physical exchange of an item between entities who have brokered the sale of the item via a marketplace, such as an on-line marketplace (e.g., an on-line auction site, an on-line classified advertisement site, or an online retail marketplace), or a traditional marketplace (e.g., traditional paper classified advertisements). In particular embodiments, each locker in the computerized locker bank comprises one or more imaging devices for allowing a potential purchaser to view an item (e.g., stored within a locker) before purchasing the item and retrieving it from the locker.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing the collection and delivery of goods using mobile computing devices included a management system hosted on a server receiving a request from a first user through an application on a computing device for a pick-up of an item from a first location. A second user capable of fulfilling the pick-up request is identified. Details of the pick-up request are transmitted to an application on a second user computing device, wherein a visual map of the first location is displayed on the user computing device. At least one time-stamped, geo-located photograph of the item is uploaded to the application of the second user computing device. Delivery of the item to a second location is validated through at least one code identifier, wherein the code identifier is transmitted from the management system to the first user computing device.

Abstract: Various aspects of the subject technology relate to systems, methods, and machine-readable media for an interactive analytics platform responsive to data inquiries. These aspects include identifying a request for energy consumption data of an energy user from a user in a live interaction with the energy user. A utility bill as well as energy consumption data associated with the second user may be retrieved using an authentication of the second user. Energy consumption factors that influence a billing amount of the utility bill may be identified based on the energy consumption data. An interface with specific billing insights that correspond to the energy consumption factors is generated. The specific billing insights provide an explanation as to why the billing amount of the utility bill exceeded a cost expectation of the second user. The interface mapped with the utility bill may be provided for display.