Abstract: A shipment distribution system and method are presented. The system includes a plurality of goods shipments, one or more delivery vehicles, a tour planning system and a navigation system operating in each delivery vehicle and communicatively linked to the tour planning system. Each goods shipment has a destination address for delivery. Each of the delivery vehicles has a cargo area divided into loading zones. The tour planning system stores a volume of the cargo area of each delivery vehicle. The tour planning system transmits to the navigation system calculated tour routes to deliver each of the goods shipments to corresponding destination addresses according to the positions of the goods shipments in the cargo area and the destination address. Upon arrival at the destination address for each goods shipment, the tour planning system indicates the loading zone in the cargo area storing the goods shipment for delivery.

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 method (800) and system (150) for optimizing delivery of consignments is disclosed. Real-order data for delivering a consignment including a plurality of packages is received. The real-order data includes package related information and vehicle related information, which are pre-processed to generate a plurality of inputs. A machine learning model (164) trained using DRL is selected to optimize an objective function of minimizing an overall cost of consignment delivery by optimizing a number of vehicles selected for consignment delivery and optimizing a number of consignees and a number of drop locations serviced by each selected vehicle. The plurality of inputs is provided to the machine learning model (164) to predict a sequence of loading actions in relation to loading of the plurality of packages in the vehicles. A loading plan (504) is generated based on the sequence of loading actions. The loading plan (504) optimizes the delivery of the plurality of packages associated with the consignment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for ride order dispatching. Such method may comprise obtaining information on a location of a vehicle and a time to input into a trained neural network algorithm; and based on a policy generated from the trained neural network algorithm, obtaining action information for the vehicle, the action information comprising: staying at a current position of the vehicle, re-positioning the vehicle, or accepting a ride order.

Abstract: Illustrative embodiments are directed to methods and computer systems for reporting unusual or anomalous usage a commodity by consumers. A computer system retrieves a set of usage-information datasets corresponding to a set of consumers, each dataset including past usage of the commodity during at least one of a completed billing period and a current usage of the commodity during the current billing period. The computer system establishes a set of report-trigger conditions for the current billing period, each of the report-trigger conditions corresponding to a consumer. The computer system may monitor usage or spending of the set of consumers to determine, for each consumer, whether an estimated usage established for each consumer fulfills the consumer's report-trigger condition. Once the report-trigger condition is fulfilled, the computer system outputs a report to the consumer.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for queueing transportation providers and passengers are described. A method includes queuing in a first queue, first broadcast messages received from passenger mobile devices and queuing in a second queue, second broadcast messages received from transportation provider mobile devices. The method also includes comparing, via a processor, each of the first broadcast messages in the first queue to the second broadcast messages in the second queue to identify a match between one of the first broadcast messages and one of the second broadcast messages.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for managing a user request for a transport of good. An embodiment operates by receiving a user request for the transport of the good from a pickup location to a destination location. After receiving the user request, a pickup and destination node is identified from a pre-generated graph of nodes. Subsequently, a transit cost for the pickup location or the destination location is determined. Based on the lowest transit cost, a preferred route among possible routes from the pickup location is generated. Thereafter, a transporter arrival time related to the pickup location and/or an intermediate location is determined based on the preferred route, and a transporter to pick up the good from the pickup location or the intermediate location is assigned and tracked during the transporting of the good.

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: An improved method for the delivery of an ordered item to a locked storage containers comprising determining the availability of the container to receive a delivery; identifying a time interval during which the delivery can be made; sending a signal to the storage container allowing access by a delivery agent, the improvement wherein delivery is achieved with a robotic positioner and a driverless vehicle.

Abstract: A method and a system for allocating a vehicle to a user are provided. An availability of a vehicle is detected in a geographical location for an allocation. Based on the historical travel data or a real-time travel-related intention of a set of users in the geographical area, a user is identified from the set of users. A notification message is transmitted to a user device of the identified user based on the detected availability of the vehicle in the geographical area. A user response message is received from the user device in response to the transmitted notification message. Based on the received user response message associated with the selected user, the vehicle is allocated to the selected user for a ride.

Abstract: A method for delivering a plurality of items to a plurality of delivery locations uses a mobile transport vehicle to transport a plurality of delivery robots to a first robot drop location. The robots are released at the first robot drop location and travel to assigned, respective delivery locations, which are in the vicinity of the first robot drop location. After completing delivery, each of the robots may proceed to a first robot pick-up location which may be different from the first drop off location. The robots are collected by a mobile transport vehicle and are transported to a second robot drop off location. While being transported, the robots can be reloaded with items for delivery in the vicinity of the second drop off location. A system may include one or more such mobile transport vehicles and a plurality of such robots, under the control of a server.

Abstract: A property tour management system automatically manages creation, real-time facilitation, and analytics associated with property tours. The system includes various portals to provide access to information and performance of functions useful to agents, buyers, and real-estate organizations relating to a property tour experience. The system enables all parties involved to gain a more efficient, more informational, and more enjoyable property tour experience.

Abstract: Methods and systems for recipient-assisted recharging during delivery by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) are disclosed herein. During a UAV transport task, a UAV determines that the UAV has arrived at a delivery location specified by a first flight leg of the transport task. The UAV responsively initiates a notification process indicating that a recipient-assisted recharging process should be initiated at or near the delivery location. When the UAV determines that the recipient-assisted recharging process has recharged a battery of the UAV to a target level, and also determines that a non-returnable portion of the payload has been removed from the UAV while a returnable portion of the payload is coupled to or held by the UAV, the UAV initiates a second flight segment of the transport task.

Abstract: Based on an analysis of historical data of listings for an item, an online marketplace generates a price curve for the item to describe the likelihood to sell as a function of price. Based on seller preference data, an analysis of historical data of listings, or both, the online marketplace estimates the utility preferences for the seller account, such as the cost of time. Using the utility preferences and the price curve for an item, the online marketplace can generate a utility curve that estimates the utility for the seller account as a function of the item price. Using the utility curve, the online marketplace generates utility-based price guidance for a particular seller of the item. A user interface presents the utility-based price guidance to the seller and enables the seller to set the price of the item based on the price guidance.

Abstract: A method and system for determining available shipment options between origin and destination address locations includes defining a plurality of service area polygons as geospatial objects in a geospatial database that correspond to geographic service areas served by a carrier, building a plurality of route definitions that define the shipping services between each origin/destination pair of service area polygons, and defining a plurality of route guide polygons as geospatial objects in the geospatial database that further limit the available shipping services at predetermined locations within the service area polygons.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with predicting energy efficiency program participation are described. Embodiments of a method include obtaining load data for an energy customer, and determining an empirical load shape for the energy customer based on the obtained load data. A defined load shape that most closely matches the empirical load shape is selected for the energy customer. A data structure is generated to include the defined load shape, demographic data and/or site parcel data. It is determined that the energy customer is more likely to participate in an energy efficiency program than a different energy customer by applying a trained predictive model to the data structure. Transmission of information about the energy efficiency program is controlled by assigning a higher priority to a transmission to the energy customer than to a second transmission to the different energy customer.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a multiplicity of motor vehicle parking spaces through a server is provided. Smart parking devices and vehicle occupancy sensors that are each physically proximate to and which correspond to at least one of the parking spaces is interfaced with the server. Parking availability indicators that are each associated with at least one of the parking spaces is interfaced with the server. Street sweeping activity affecting the parking spaces is planned and comprising times and dates over which street sweeping of the parking spaces will occur. Any requests for reserving the use of the parking spaces during the street sweeping activity is denied. The parking availability indicators are activated associated with the parking spaces affected by the street sweeping activity. Occupancy of each of the parking spaces by a motor vehicle is sensed through the nearest vehicle occupancy sensor.

Abstract: In some examples, a movement range indicating a geospatial boundary for executing delivery of a package including a delivery tag may be received by a user device. The delivery tag can include a modifiable display area including first identification information. Location information related to the user device or related to the delivery tag can also be received. A position of the user device or the delivery tag with respect to the geospatial boundary can be determined. Based on the position, the modifiable display area of the delivery tag can be modified to include second identification information.

Abstract: A system and method optimize delivery of a good from a seller to a buyer through a drop-off location. The system illustratively includes at least one processor, configured to identify at least one attribute of the good from a plurality of such attributes; identify at least one attribute of the drop-off location from a plurality of such attributes; compile a match between the identified at least one attribute of the good and the identified at least one attribute of the drop-off location; identify at least one attribute of the seller from a plurality of such attributes; identify at least one attribute of the buyer from a plurality of such attributes; compile a match between the identified at least one attribute of the seller and the identified at least one attribute of the buyer; and select the drop-off location as a delivery destination of the good based on the two matches.

Abstract: A communication network for parking comprises a server to process a payment transaction associated with a parking session and a selected parking related service; a mobile computing device interface for communications between the server and a mobile computing device over a wireless network including information one or more parking related services based on the parking identifier, a parking session, a user selected parking related service, authorization of the parking session and the selected parking related service, approval for a payment transaction, and an end condition associated with the parking session and the selected parking related service; a parking supplier interface for validation communications between the server and the parking supplier including information of the payment transaction between the parking supplier and a payment provider; and a communications link between the server, the mobile computing device, the parking supplier, the payment provider, and the memory.