U.S. patent application number 16/164317 was filed with the patent office on 2019-09-26 for energy-efficient delivery of shipments.
This patent application is currently assigned to Deutsche Post AG. The applicant listed for this patent is Heike Bischoff, Sandra Drees, Uwe Radetzki, Boris Trendafilov, Dong Uck Kong. Invention is credited to Heike Bischoff, Sandra Drees, Uwe Radetzki, Boris Trendafilov, Dong Uck Kong.
Application Number | 20190295035 16/164317 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63833930 |
Filed Date | 2019-09-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20190295035 |
Kind Code |
A2 |
Radetzki; Uwe ; et
al. |
September 26, 2019 |
Energy-efficient delivery of shipments
Abstract
In a method, historic delivery information is kept, which is
associated with multiple deliveries of shipments, and the historic
delivery information for each of the deliveries of shipments
associated with the delivery information represents details
pertaining to a delivery route, pertaining to an energy
requirement, and pertaining to a vehicle configuration. In the
method, shipment delivery information is obtained for multiple
shipments to be delivered. The shipment delivery information
represents a detail pertaining to the delivery position for the
delivery of the respective shipment. A delivery route for
delivering the shipments and a vehicle configuration is determined
based on the shipment delivery information and the historical
delivery information. In particular, the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments is determined.
Delivery control information is provided in order to cause delivery
of the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration.
Inventors: |
Radetzki; Uwe; (Bonn,
DE) ; Drees; Sandra; (Konigswinter, DE) ;
Bischoff; Heike; (Koln, DE) ; Trendafilov; Boris;
(Sankt Augustin, DE) ; Uck Kong; Dong; (Bonn,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Radetzki; Uwe
Drees; Sandra
Bischoff; Heike
Trendafilov; Boris
Uck Kong; Dong |
Bonn
Konigswinter
Koln
Sankt Augustin
Bonn |
|
DE
DE
DE
DE
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
Deutsche Post AG
Bonn
DE
|
Prior
Publication: |
|
Document Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190114588 A1 |
April 18, 2019 |
|
|
Family ID: |
63833930 |
Appl. No.: |
16/164317 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 10/08355 20130101;
G05D 1/0217 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 10/08 20060101
G06Q010/08; G05D 1/02 20060101 G05D001/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 18, 2017 |
DE |
10 2017 124 340.2 |
Claims
1. A method performed by an apparatus or a system, wherein the
method comprises: obtaining or keeping historic delivery
information, wherein the historic delivery information is
associated with multiple deliveries of shipments performed by one
or various vehicle(s), and wherein the historic delivery
information for each of the deliveries of shipments associated with
the delivery information represents at least details pertaining to
a delivery route, pertaining to an energy requirement and
pertaining to a vehicle configuration; obtaining shipment delivery
information for multiple shipments to be delivered, wherein the
shipment delivery information at least for each of the shipments
represents a detail pertaining to the delivery position for the
delivery of the respective shipment; determining a delivery route
for delivering the shipments and a vehicle configuration for a
vehicle for delivering the shipments along the determined delivery
route at least partially based on the shipment delivery information
and the historical delivery information, wherein the determining of
the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises the
determining of the expected energy requirement for the delivery of
the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration; providing delivery
control information in order to cause delivery of the shipments
along the determined delivery route by a vehicle having the
determined vehicle configuration.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
determining a possible delivery route for delivering the shipments;
determining a possible vehicle configuration of a vehicle for
delivering the shipments along the possible delivery route;
determining the expected energy requirement for the delivery of the
shipments along the possible delivery route by a vehicle having the
possible vehicle configuration.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
determining whether the expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments along the possible delivery route by a
vehicle having the possible vehicle configuration satisfies a
predetermined energy requirement condition, and wherein the
possible delivery route is determined as a delivery route for
delivering the shipments, and the possible vehicle configuration is
determined as a vehicle configuration for a vehicle for delivering
the shipments along the delivery route, only if it is determined
that the predetermined energy requirement condition is
satisfied.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein if it is determined
that the predetermined energy requirement condition is not
satisfied, the determining of the delivery route and of the vehicle
configuration comprises: determining at least one further possible
delivery route for delivering the shipments; determining a further
possible vehicle configuration of a vehicle for delivering the
shipments along the further delivery route; determining the
expected energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along
the further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration; determining whether the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the
further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration satisfies the predetermined energy
requirement condition.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
selecting at least one of the determined delivery route from a
plurality of possible delivery routes for delivering the shipments
and the determined vehicle configuration from a plurality of
possible vehicle configurations for a vehicle for delivering the
shipments along the delivery route.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the respective
possible delivery route by a vehicle having the respective possible
vehicle configuration is determined for each of the possible
delivery routes and each of the possible vehicle configurations,
and wherein the delivery route from the possible delivery routes
and the vehicle configuration from the possible vehicle
configurations having the lowest expected energy requirement is
selected for the delivery of the shipments.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration is effected at
least partially according to an evolutionary algorithm or an
algorithm for machine learning.
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the historical delivery
information for each of the deliveries of shipments associated with
the delivery information further represents at least one or more of
the following details: a detail pertaining to at least one of a
vehicle speed and vehicle acceleration on the delivery route or on
a section of the delivery route for the delivery of shipments
associated with the respective delivery information; a detail
pertaining to the nature of the delivery route or of a section of
the delivery route for the delivery of shipments associated with
the respective delivery information; and a detail pertaining to the
timing of the delivery of shipments associated with the respective
delivery information.
9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the shipment delivery
information for each of the shipments further represents at least
one or more of the following details: a detail pertaining to
external dimensions of the respective shipment; a detail pertaining
to a weight of the respective shipment; a detail pertaining to a
delivery time or pertaining to a delivery period for the delivery
of the respective shipment; a detail pertaining to a nature of the
delivery position for the delivery of the respective shipment; and
a detail pertaining to a recipient name or pertaining to a
recipient address for the respective shipment.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further
comprises: obtaining or keeping environmental information
associated with the delivery of the shipments, wherein the
determining of at least one of the delivery route and of the
vehicle configuration and of the expected energy requirement is
further based at least partially on the environmental
information.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the environmental
information comprises weather information representing at least one
detail pertaining to the expected weather or pertaining to the
expected position of the sun at at least one delivery position from
the delivery positions.
12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further
comprises: obtaining historical delivery information associated
with the delivery of the shipment when the vehicle having the
determined vehicle configuration has delivered the shipments along
the determined delivery route, wherein the delivery information
represents at least details pertaining to the determined delivery
route, pertaining to the energy requirement and pertaining to the
determined vehicle configuration.
13. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one
memory having program instructions, the at least one memory and the
program instructions being configured so as, together with the at
least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform: obtaining
or keeping historic delivery information, wherein the historic
delivery information is associated with multiple deliveries of
shipments performed by one or various vehicle(s), and wherein the
historic delivery information for each of the deliveries of
shipments associated with the delivery information represents at
least details pertaining to a delivery route, pertaining to an
energy requirement and pertaining to a vehicle configuration;
obtaining shipment delivery information for multiple shipments to
be delivered, wherein the shipment delivery information at least
for each of the shipments represents a detail pertaining to the
delivery position for the delivery of the respective shipment;
determining a delivery route for delivering the shipments and a
vehicle configuration for a vehicle for delivering the shipments
along the determined delivery route at least partially based on the
shipment delivery information and the historical delivery
information, wherein the determining of the delivery route and of
the vehicle configuration comprises the determining of the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the
determined delivery route by a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration; providing delivery control information in
order to cause delivery of the shipments along the determined
delivery route by a vehicle having the determined vehicle
configuration.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the determining of
the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
determining a possible delivery route for delivering the shipments;
determining a possible vehicle configuration of a vehicle for
delivering the shipments along the possible delivery route;
determining the expected energy requirement for the delivery of the
shipments along the possible delivery route by a vehicle having the
possible vehicle configuration.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the determining of
the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
determining whether the expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments along the possible delivery route by a
vehicle having the possible vehicle configuration satisfies a
predetermined energy requirement condition, and wherein the
possible delivery route is determined as a delivery route for
delivering the shipments, and the possible vehicle configuration is
determined as a vehicle configuration for a vehicle for delivering
the shipments along the delivery route, only if it is determined
that the predetermined energy requirement condition is
satisfied.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein if it is
determined that the predetermined energy requirement condition is
not satisfied, the determining of the delivery route and of the
vehicle configuration comprises: determining at least one further
possible delivery route for delivering the shipments; determining a
further possible vehicle configuration of a vehicle for delivering
the shipments along the further delivery route; determining the
expected energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along
the further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration; determining whether the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the
further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration satisfies the predetermined energy
requirement condition.
17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the determining of
the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises:
selecting at least one of the determined delivery route from a
plurality of possible delivery routes for delivering the shipments
and the determined vehicle configuration from a plurality of
possible vehicle configurations for a vehicle for delivering the
shipments along the delivery route.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the
respective possible delivery route by a vehicle having the
respective possible vehicle configuration is determined for each of
the possible delivery routes and each of the possible vehicle
configurations, and wherein the delivery route from the possible
delivery routes and the vehicle configuration from the possible
vehicle configurations having the lowest expected energy
requirement is selected for the delivery of the shipments.
19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the determining of
the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration is effected at
least partially according to an evolutionary algorithm or an
algorithm for machine learning.
20. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the historical
delivery information for each of the deliveries of shipments
associated with the delivery information further represents at
least one or more of the following details: a detail pertaining to
at least one of a vehicle speed and vehicle acceleration on the
delivery route or on a section of the delivery route for the
delivery of shipments associated with the respective delivery
information; a detail pertaining to the nature of the delivery
route or of a section of the delivery route for the delivery of
shipments associated with the respective delivery information; and
a detail pertaining to the timing of the delivery of shipments
associated with the respective delivery information.
21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the shipment
delivery information for each of the shipments further represents
at least one or more of the following details: a detail pertaining
to external dimensions of the respective shipment; a detail
pertaining to a weight of the respective shipment; a detail
pertaining to a delivery time or pertaining to a delivery period
for the delivery of the respective shipment; a detail pertaining to
a nature of the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment; and a detail pertaining to a recipient name or
pertaining to a recipient address for the respective shipment.
22. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the he at least
one memory and the program instructions are further configured so
as, together with the at least one processor, to cause the
apparatus to perform: obtaining or keeping environmental
information associated with the delivery of the shipments, wherein
the determining of at least one of the delivery route and of the
vehicle configuration and of the expected energy requirement is
further based at least partially on the environmental
information.
23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the he at least
one memory and the program instructions are further configured so
as, together with the at least one processor, to cause the
apparatus to perform: obtaining historical delivery information
associated with the delivery of the shipment when the vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration has delivered the
shipments along the determined delivery route, wherein the delivery
information represents at least details pertaining to the
determined delivery route, pertaining to the energy requirement and
pertaining to the determined vehicle configuration.
24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium in which
computer program code is stored, the computer program code when
executed by a processor causing at least one apparatus to perform:
obtaining or keeping historic delivery information, wherein the
historic delivery information is associated with multiple
deliveries of shipments performed by one or various vehicle(s), and
wherein the historic delivery information for each of the
deliveries of shipments associated with the delivery information
represents at least details pertaining to a delivery route,
pertaining to an energy requirement and pertaining to a vehicle
configuration; obtaining shipment delivery information for multiple
shipments to be delivered, wherein the shipment delivery
information at least for each of the shipments represents a detail
pertaining to the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment; determining a delivery route for delivering
the shipments and a vehicle configuration for a vehicle for
delivering the shipments along the determined delivery route at
least partially based on the shipment delivery information and the
historical delivery information, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises the
determining of the expected energy requirement for the delivery of
the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration; providing delivery
control information in order to cause delivery of the shipments
along the determined delivery route by a vehicle having the
determined vehicle configuration.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This patent application claims priority to German
Application No. 10 2017 124 340.2, filed Oct. 18, 2017, the entire
teachings and disclosure of which are incorporated herein by
reference thereto.
FIELD
[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to the
energy-efficient delivery of shipments.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Methods for route planning for a delivery of shipments are
known in the prior art. These route plannings are based on a route
planning algorithm, for example, such as an algorithm for solving
what is known as the commercial traveller problem. In this context,
the route planning can take into consideration particular
predetermined route criteria such as "energy-efficient" route.
However, the energy efficiency of a delivery route obtained for an
"energy-efficient" route as the result of such route planning is
frequently unsatisfactory.
SUMMARY OF A FEW EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention has thus addressed the problem, inter
alia, of improving the methods for route planning known in the
prior art and providing a method, an apparatus, a system and a
computer program that allow more energy-efficient delivery of
shipments.
[0005] According to one exemplary aspect of the invention, a method
performed by an apparatus or a system is disclosed, wherein the
method comprises the following steps: [0006] obtaining and/or
keeping historic delivery information, wherein the historic
delivery information is associated with multiple deliveries of
shipments performed by one or various vehicle(s), and wherein the
historic delivery information for each of the deliveries of
shipments associated with the delivery information represents at
least details pertaining to a delivery route, pertaining to an
energy requirement and pertaining to a vehicle configuration,
[0007] obtaining shipment delivery information for multiple
shipments to be delivered, wherein the shipment delivery
information at least for each of the shipments represents a detail
pertaining to the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment, [0008] determining a delivery route for
delivering the shipments and a vehicle configuration for a vehicle
for delivering the shipments along the determined delivery route at
least partially based on the shipment delivery information and the
historical delivery information, wherein the determining of the
delivery route and of the vehicle configuration comprises the
determining of the expected energy requirement for the delivery of
the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration, [0009] providing
delivery control information in order to cause delivery of the
shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle having
the determined vehicle configuration.
[0010] The apparatus and/or the system are consistent, by way of
example, with the apparatus disclosed below and/or the system
disclosed below.
[0011] According to a further exemplary aspect of the invention, an
apparatus or a system is further disclosed, wherein the apparatus
or the system comprises means configured for performing the
disclosed method or respective means for performing the steps of
the disclosed method.
[0012] In this context, different steps can be performed at least
partially by different means (e.g. components) and/or at least
partially by the same means (e.g. components).
[0013] For example, the disclosed apparatus is an apparatus of a
delivery service (e.g. an (e.g. central) apparatus for at least
partially controlling deliveries to be made by vehicles of the
delivery service, and/or delivery orders of the delivery service)
and/or the disclosed system is a system of a delivery service (e.g.
a system for at least partially controlling deliveries to be made
by vehicles of the delivery service, and/or delivery orders of the
delivery service). A delivery service is a postal and/or parcel
service, for example.
[0014] The disclosed apparatus is, by way of example, a server
apparatus (e.g. a (e.g. central) server apparatus of a delivery
service for at least partially controlling deliveries to be made by
vehicles of the delivery service, and/or delivery orders of the
delivery service). Alternatively, the disclosed apparatus may also
be, by way of example, part of a vehicle, for example the disclosed
apparatus may be a control apparatus and/or part of a control
apparatus of a vehicle (e.g. a vehicle of a delivery service).
[0015] The disclosed system comprises, by way of example, different
apparatuses, with each of the apparatuses comprising one or more of
the means. The different apparatuses may be, by way of example,
different server apparatuses of a server cloud (e.g. of a (e.g.
central) server cloud of a delivery service for at least partially
controlling deliveries to be made by vehicles of the delivery
service, and/or delivery orders of the delivery service).
Alternatively, the system can also comprise just one apparatus
(e.g. the disclosed apparatus).
[0016] The means of an apparatus (e.g. of the disclosed apparatus)
and/or of a system (e.g. of the disclosed system) can comprise
hardware and/or software components. The means can comprise, by way
of example, at least one memory having program instructions of a
computer program (e.g. of the computer program disclosed below) and
at least one processor configured for executing program
instructions from the at least one memory. Accordingly, an
apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory
having program instructions is also intended to be understood as
disclosed according to the invention, the at least one memory and
the program instructions being configured so as, together with the
at least one processor, to cause an apparatus to perform and/or
control a disclosed method.
[0017] For example, the disclosed apparatus or the disclosed system
comprises communication means. By way of example, these
communication means are configured to communicate with an (e.g.
remote) apparatus indirectly (e.g. via further communication means)
and/or directly and to send and/or receive information (e.g. the
shipment delivery information and/or the delivery control
information).
[0018] Alternatively or additionally, the means of the apparatus or
of the system can comprise one or more capture means. It goes
without saying that the apparatus or the system can also comprise
other means (e.g. components) not listed.
[0019] According to a further exemplary aspect of the invention, a
computer program is further disclosed, wherein the computer program
comprises program instructions configured so as, on execution by at
least one processor, to cause an apparatus or a system (e.g. the
disclosed apparatus or the disclosed system) to perform the
disclosed method.
[0020] The disclosed computer program may be distributable, by way
of example, via a network such as the Internet, a telephone or
mobile radio network and/or a local area network. The disclosed
computer program may at least partially be software and/or firmware
of a processor. It may equally at least partially be implemented as
hardware. The disclosed computer program may be stored, by way of
example, on a computer-readable storage medium, e.g. a contactable,
magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic, optical and/or other kind of
storage medium. The storage medium may be, by way of example, part
of a processor, for example a (non-volatile or volatile) program
memory and/or main memory of a processor or a part thereof.
[0021] The disclosed method, the disclosed apparatus, the disclosed
system and the disclosed computer program are, by way of example,
for the energy-efficient control of a delivery of shipments.
[0022] The properties of the disclosed method, the disclosed
apparatus, the disclosed system and the disclosed computer program
are described--in part by way of example--below.
[0023] A shipment is, by way of example, a package, a packaged
item, a parcel shipment and/or a mail shipment. It goes without
saying that a shipment can comprise or may be formed by a liquid, a
gas or loose material.
[0024] A delivery of a shipment in the present case is intended to
be understood to mean the transport of the shipment by a vehicle
along a delivery route to a delivery position for the delivery of
the shipment, for example. Thus, the delivery of shipments (i.e.
multiple shipments) in the present case is intended to be
understood to mean the transport of each of the shipments by a
vehicle along a delivery route to a respective delivery position
for the delivery of the respective shipment, for example.
Accordingly, a vehicle making such a delivery of shipments moves
along the delivery route. At the respective delivery position, the
respective shipment is provided for example by the vehicle or a
delivery agent for collection and/or receipt by the recipient of
the shipment (e.g. stored in a receiving compartment of a receiving
apparatus such as a letterbox and/or parcel box).
[0025] A vehicle making such a delivery of shipments is, by way of
example, an appropriately configured autonomous and/or
semiautonomous land vehicle (e.g. a bicycle, a tricycle, a pedelec,
a car, a heavy goods vehicle, a rail vehicle, such as a locomotive,
an unmanned land vehicle and/or a robot), watercraft (e.g. a ship
such as a cargo ship, a submarine and/or an unmanned watercraft)
and/or aircraft (e.g. an aeroplane, a helicopter, an unmanned
aircraft such as an aerial drone). An autonomous and/or
semiautonomous vehicle is intended to be understood to mean, by way
of example, a vehicle configured to move autonomously and/or at
least partially autonomously. A vehicle is intended to be
understood, by way of example, as at least partially autonomously
moving if the vehicle moves (e.g. travels and/or flies and/or
floats) at least over a section of a predetermined route (e.g. a
delivery route), and navigates along the predetermined route,
independently (e.g. without the influence of a vehicle driver). An
autonomously moving vehicle moves over the entire route
independently (e.g. without the influence of a vehicle driver) and
navigates along the entire route independently, for example. In
this context, an at least partially autonomously moving vehicle can
move and/or navigate along the predetermined route independently of
a user or of other apparatuses (e.g. one or more server
apparatuses), or an at least partially autonomously moving vehicle
can move and/or navigate along the predetermined route at least
partially depending on a user or other apparatuses, e.g. it can
obtain (e.g. from the user by means of an appropriate user input or
from the other apparatuses) information (e.g. navigation
information and/or control information for moving and/or navigating
along the predetermined route). A semiautonomous and/or autonomous
vehicle of this kind is an unmanned vehicle, for example.
[0026] In this context, a route such as a delivery route is
intended to be understood to mean a path description for a path
between multiple positions (e.g. delivery positions), for example.
The path for the most part is not consistent with the line as the
crow flies or the line of sight between these positions, but rather
runs for example along transport routes such as inland transport
routes (e.g. roads, footpaths, railways), water transport routes
(e.g. waterways such as navigable rivers and canals) and/or air
transport routes (e.g. air routes). A route can be represented by
an orderly list of waypoint details, for example, each waypoint
detail representing a position of a waypoint on a path at which the
direction of the path changes, for example.
[0027] The trait that the historical delivery information is
associated with multiple deliveries of shipments made by one or
various vehicle(s) (i.e. deliveries made in the past) is intended
to be understood, by way of example, such that the historical
delivery information for each of the deliveries of shipments
associated with the delivery information represents one or more
details characteristic of the respective delivery of shipments.
Such a detail characteristic of a delivery of shipments represents,
by way of example, a parameter capturable (e.g. captured) and/or
determinable (e.g. determined) by the respective vehicle that has
made the respective delivery during the respective delivery, such
as the energy requirement of the respective vehicle. In this
context, an energy requirement is intended to be understood to
mean, by way of example, an absolute energy requirement (e.g. an
energy requirement in kilowatt hours), an absolute fuel requirement
(e.g. a petrol or diesel requirement in litres), a normalized
energy requirement (e.g. a power in kilowatts (i.e. an energy
requirement per unit time) or an energy requirement per unit
distance (e.g. kilometre) or per shipment) and/or a normalized fuel
requirement (e.g. a petrol or diesel requirement in litres per unit
time (e.g. minute or hour) or per unit distance (e.g. kilometre) or
per shipment) that has been captured and/or determined by the
respective vehicle during the respective delivery. The historical
delivery information can be used, as disclosed below, for training
a knowledge-based and/or self-learning system, for example.
[0028] It goes without saying that the invention is not restricted
to the energy requirement of the respective vehicle as parameters.
Further examples of a parameter capturable (e.g. captured) and/or
determinable (e.g. determined) by the respective vehicle (that has
made the respective delivery) during the respective delivery are a
vehicle speed on the delivery route and/or on a section of the
delivery route, a nature of the respective delivery route and/or of
a section of the respective delivery route and/or a timing of the
respective delivery.
[0029] Information is also intended to be understood in the present
case to mean disclosure of applicable information in coded form
(e.g. in the form of data and/or in the form of a signal).
[0030] A detail is intended to be understood to be represented by
information if the information contains a representation of the
detail, for example.
[0031] Besides details pertaining to an energy requirement, the
historical delivery information for each of the deliveries of
shipments associated with the delivery information represents at
least details pertaining to a delivery route and pertaining to a
vehicle configuration. Accordingly, the historical delivery
information for each of the deliveries of shipments associated with
the delivery information can represent, in addition to an energy
requirement of the respective vehicle capturable (e.g. captured)
and/or determinable (e.g. determined) by the respective vehicle
that has made the respective delivery during the respective
delivery, details pertaining to the delivery route along which the
respective vehicle that has made the delivery has moved during the
delivery and details pertaining to the vehicle configuration of the
respective vehicle that has made the respective delivery.
[0032] In this context, details pertaining to a delivery route are
intended to be understood to mean a representation of the delivery
route (e.g. an orderly list of waypoint details). Details
pertaining to a vehicle configuration represent one or more
parameters characteristic of a vehicle, for example, such as a
vehicle type, a vehicle motorization, a set of tyres on a vehicle
and/or a vehicle design. It goes without saying that the invention
is not restricted to these parameters characteristic of a vehicle.
If a modular vehicle is involved, a vehicle configuration can
represent and/or specify one or more modules with which the vehicle
was and/or is intended to be equipped, for example.
[0033] Obtaining information in the present case is intended to be
understood to mean that this information (e.g. in the form of a
signal) is received by communication means and/or captured by
capture means, for example. Information in the present case is
intended to be understood to be kept, for example, if this
information is stored in a memory (e.g. in the form of data) or a
representation of this information is stored in a memory.
[0034] For example, historical delivery information associated with
a delivery of shipments is received from the vehicle that has made
the delivery (e.g. by means of communication means of the disclosed
apparatus and/or of the disclosed system) and is subsequently
stored (together with other historical delivery information) in a
memory (e.g. a memory of the disclosed apparatus and/or of the
disclosed system).
[0035] The multiple shipments to be delivered for which shipment
delivery information is obtained are intended to be delivered
within one delivery and/or by one vehicle (e.g. as part of one
delivery order), for example. The trait that the shipment delivery
information at least for each of the shipments represents a detail
pertaining to the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment is intended to be understood, by way of
example, such that the shipment delivery information contains a
representation of the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment. Examples of a representation of a position
(e.g. of a delivery position) are address, position and/or
coordinate details. An address detail is, by way of example, a
representation of a postal address (e.g. of a postal address of a
recipient of a shipment). A coordinate detail is, by way of
example, a representation of coordinates of a position such as a
delivery position (e.g. coordinates of a position according to a
satellite-assisted navigation system and/or a geographical
coordinate system such as the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)
coordinate system on the basis of the geodetic reference system
WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984)).
[0036] The trait that the determining of the delivery route and/or
of the vehicle configuration is based at least partially on the
shipment delivery information is intended to be understood, by way
of example, such that the delivery route and the vehicle
configuration are determined such that the determined delivery
route describes a path along which a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration can move in succession to the delivery
positions represented by the shipment delivery information. For
example, the determined delivery route describes a path from a
collection position, at which the shipments can be collected by the
vehicle, to the delivery positions represented by the shipment
delivery information. The determined vehicle configuration
represents, by way of example, characteristic parameters (e.g. a
vehicle type, a vehicle motorization, a set of tyres on a vehicle
and/or a vehicle design) of a vehicle suitable for moving along the
determined delivery route. For example, first of all the delivery
route and then a vehicle configuration suitable for the delivery
route are determined. In this case, the determining of the delivery
route can be based at least partially on the shipment delivery
information. The determining of the vehicle configuration is
subsequently effected at least partially based on the determined
delivery route, for example.
[0037] It goes without saying that there may be a plurality of
possible delivery routes describing different possible paths along
which a vehicle can move in succession to the delivery positions
represented by the shipment delivery information. Accordingly, the
determining of the delivery route can comprise the selecting of the
delivery route from the plurality of possible delivery routes.
[0038] Further, the determining of the delivery route (e.g. of the
plurality of possible delivery routes) can be effected at least
partially based on navigation map information. Navigation map
information is intended to be understood to mean, by way of
example, navigation and/or map data representing a map (e.g.
transport route map such as a road map, a shipping lane map and/or
an airway map) for determining a route (e.g. a delivery route). A
map is intended to be, by way of example, a two-dimensional,
three-dimensional or multidimensional (e.g. with time as the fourth
dimension) model of an area (e.g. of a geographical area such as an
area on and/or above the earth's surface). A map may be, by way of
example, a map available on the market, or may be a map generated
from sensor information from one or more autonomous and/or
semiautonomous vehicles. Map data from such a map can contain
geometric information (e.g. as a point cloud and/or octomap, cf.
the article: Hornung, Armin, et al. "OctoMap: An efficient
probabilistic 3D mapping framework based on octrees." Autonomous
Robots 34.3 (2013): 189-206), semantic information, symbolic
information, ambient features, landmarks, texts, photographs,
change information over a particular period that are input by the
user, and a lot of other additional information for representing
the map, depending on the level of abstraction.
[0039] The determining of the expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments along the determined delivery route by a
vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration can be effected
by simulating the expected energy requirement for the delivery of
the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration, for example. In this
context, the simulating can be based at least partially on the
historical delivery information. The expected energy requirement
for the delivery of the shipments along the determined delivery
route by a vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration is
intended to be understood to mean the energy requirement expected
for a vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration when this
vehicle moves along the delivery route to deliver the
shipments.
[0040] As a result of the expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments taking into consideration both the
determined delivery route and the vehicle configuration, a
particularly good approximation of the expected energy requirement
to the actual energy requirement can be achieved. By determining
the expected energy requirement when determining the delivery route
and the vehicle configuration, it is therefore possible to achieve
the effect that the combination of the determined delivery route
and the determined vehicle configuration results in the most
energy-efficient delivery possible. This is a significant
improvement over methods for route planning that are known from the
prior art in which the vehicle configuration of the vehicle making
the delivery is not taken into consideration and is not
predetermined for the delivery.
[0041] The provided delivery control information comprises, by way
of example, a representation of the determined vehicle
configuration and/or of the determined delivery route in order to
cause the delivery of the shipments along the determined delivery
route by a vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration.
This can achieve the effect that the delivery is also actually made
by a vehicle having this vehicle configuration and along this
delivery route and therefore in as energy-efficient a manner as
possible. For example, the delivery control information is provided
by virtue of its being provided for retrieval by a user (e.g. a
dispatcher) and/or a remote apparatus (e.g. an apparatus for
selecting and/or configuring vehicles) and/or a vehicle and/or sent
to a user and/or a remote apparatus and/or a vehicle. Further, the
delivery control information can be provided by outputting to a
user, for example.
[0042] The causing of the delivery of the shipments along the
determined delivery route by a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration comprises, by way of example, the selecting
of a vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration or, if no
vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration is available,
(re)configuring of a vehicle according to the determined vehicle
configuration. The (re)configuring can be effected, by way of
example, by means of the replacement of modules if the vehicle is
modular and the determined vehicle configuration represents and/or
specifies one or more modules with which the vehicle is intended to
be equipped.
[0043] Further, the causing of the delivery of the shipments along
the determined delivery route by a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration can comprise the actuating of the selected
and/or (re)configured vehicle such that the vehicle is caused to
move along the determined delivery route to deliver the shipments.
For this purpose, the determined delivery route can be programmed
into a navigation unit of the vehicle, for example.
[0044] Further advantages of the disclosed invention are described
below on the basis of exemplary embodiments of the disclosed
method, of the disclosed apparatus, of the disclosed system and of
the disclosed computer program.
[0045] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
determining of the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration
comprises the following steps: [0046] determining a possible
delivery route (e.g. a first possible delivery route) for
delivering the shipments (e.g. at least partially based on the
shipment delivery information), [0047] determining a possible
vehicle configuration (e.g. a first possible vehicle configuration)
of a vehicle for delivering the shipments along the possible
delivery route (e.g. at least partially based on the possible
delivery route and/or the historical delivery information), [0048]
determining the expected energy requirement for the delivery of the
shipments along the possible delivery route by a vehicle having the
possible vehicle configuration (e.g. at least partially based on
the possible vehicle configuration, the possible delivery route
and/or the historical delivery information).
[0049] The possible delivery route is determined, by way of
example, at least partially based on the shipment delivery
information such that it describes a path along which a vehicle can
move in succession to the delivery positions represented by the
shipment delivery information. Further, the determining of the
possible delivery route can be effected using navigation map
information. The possible delivery route is determined, by way of
example, according to presets for determining the delivery route
such as a predetermined route planning algorithm and/or one or more
predetermined route criteria such as, by way of example, "shortest
route" or "fastest route" or "most energy-efficient route" and/or a
predetermined order of the delivery positions represented by the
shipment delivery information. It goes without saying that the
determining of the possible delivery route can be based, in some
embodiments, not only on these presets and/or the shipment delivery
information but, at least partially, also on other information such
as, by way of example, traffic information (e.g. details pertaining
to traffic delays such as queues and/or accidents and/or roadworks
and/or closures). Such route planning algorithms are algorithms
known in the prior art (e.g. heuristic algorithms), for example,
for solving what is known as the commercial traveller problem.
[0050] Subsequently, by way of example, the possible vehicle
configuration of a vehicle for delivering the shipments along the
possible delivery route (i.e. the previously determined possible
delivery route) can be determined at least partially based on the
delivery route. For example, the possible vehicle configuration is
determined such that it is expected that a vehicle having the
possible vehicle configuration moves along the possible delivery
route in an energy-efficient manner. The possible vehicle
configuration is determined according to a predetermined vehicle
configuration algorithm, for example.
[0051] Such a vehicle configuration algorithm can be based, by way
of example, on predetermined associations between different
properties of possible delivery routes and different vehicle
configurations that, according to experience, are energy-efficient.
In a simple example, there may be provision for the vehicle
configuration to represent only one vehicle type. In this simple
example, possible delivery routes having a length of less than 5 km
may have the associated vehicle type of, by way of example, an
"unmanned and autonomous electrically driven land vehicle" (e.g. an
autonomous robot), delivery routes having a length of between 5 km
and 10 km may have the associated vehicle type of, by way of
example, an "unmanned and autonomous aircraft" (e.g. an aerial
drone), and delivery routes having a length of more than 10 km may
have the associated vehicle type, by way of example, an "autonomous
or semiautonomous land vehicle having an internal combustion
engine" (e.g. a car or a heavy goods vehicle), if the use of such
vehicle types for delivery routes having these lengths has been
found to be particularly energy-efficient in the past.
[0052] Alternatively or additionally, such a vehicle configuration
algorithm may be based, by way of example, on a knowledge-based
system (e.g. an expert system) and/or a self-learning system. Such
a knowledge-based system and/or self-learning system may be based,
by way of example, at least partially of the historical delivery
information. For example, such a knowledge-based system and/or
self-learning system can be trained based on the historical
delivery information such that it determines a vehicle
configuration for a vehicle for a determined delivery route such
that it is expected that a vehicle having this vehicle
configuration moves along this delivery route in as
energy-efficient a manner as possible and/or that the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along this
delivery route by a vehicle having this vehicle configuration is as
low as possible. It goes without saying that such a knowledge-based
system and/or self-learning system does not necessarily determine
the most energy-efficient vehicle configuration and/or the vehicle
configuration having the lowest expected energy requirement (e.g.
because the historical delivery information is limited and permits
only incomplete training).
[0053] Further, such a knowledge-based system and/or self-learning
system can be trained based on the historical delivery information
such that it determines for a determined delivery route not only a
vehicle configuration but also an expected energy requirement for
the delivery of the shipments along this delivery route by a
vehicle having this vehicle configuration. It goes without saying
that the actual energy requirement may differ from this expected
energy requirement (e.g. because the historical delivery
information is limited and permits only incomplete training). This
training allows the knowledge-based system and/or self-learning
system to be improved over a longer period (i.e. allows the quality
of forecast, such as e.g. the quality of the relationship that the
system maps between one or more vehicle configurations and an
expected energy consumption, to be improved) and, by way of
example, disparities between the expected energy requirement and
the actual energy requirement to be reduced in comparison with a
static system.
[0054] The basis of the training of a knowledge-based system and/or
self-learning system may be an algorithm for machine learning, for
example. Machine learning can be effected, by way of example, in
the form of supervised machine learning, unsupervised machine
learning and/or reinforcement machine learning. Algorithms for
machine learning may be based at least partially on an artificial
neural network, a support vector machine, a cluster analysis or a
combination of several (e.g. all) of these techniques.
[0055] Alternatively or additionally, the determining of the
expected energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along
the possible delivery route by a vehicle having the possible
vehicle configuration can be effected by simulating and/or
computing the expected energy requirement, for example. The
simulating can be based, by way of example, on a mathematical
and/or physical model of the vehicle having the possible vehicle
configuration (e.g. a mathematical and/or physical model mapping
the relationship between the vehicle configuration and the expected
energy requirement), which model is used during simulation in order
to be able to make a statement as to what the level of the expected
energy requirement is. This can involve further information such
as, by way of example, weather information and/or traffic
information being taken into consideration. In this case too, the
actual energy requirement can differ from this (e.g. simulated
and/or computed) expected energy requirement.
[0056] Further, the determining of the delivery route and of the
vehicle configuration can comprise the following step, for example:
[0057] determining whether the expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments along the possible delivery route (e.g.
the first possible delivery route) by a vehicle having the possible
vehicle configuration (e.g. the first possible vehicle
configuration) satisfies a predetermined energy requirement
condition, and wherein the possible delivery route is determined
(e.g. selected) as a delivery route for delivering the shipments,
and the possible vehicle configuration is determined as a vehicle
configuration for a vehicle for delivering the shipments along the
delivery route, only if it is determined that the predetermined
energy requirement condition is satisfied.
[0058] An energy requirement condition can predetermine, by way of
example, an energy requirement in the form of an energy requirement
threshold value that must not be exceeded by the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the possible
delivery route (e.g. the first possible delivery route) by a
vehicle having the possible vehicle configuration (e.g. the first
possible configuration) of a vehicle for delivering the shipments
along this possible delivery route, in order to satisfy the energy
requirement condition. In this context, an energy requirement, as
disclosed above, is intended to mean, by way of example, an
absolute energy requirement (e.g. an energy requirement in kilowatt
hours), an absolute fuel requirement (e.g. a petrol or diesel
requirement in litres), a normalized energy requirement (e.g. a
power in kilowatts (i.e. an energy requirement per unit time) or an
energy requirement per unit distance (e.g. kilometre) or per
shipment) and/or a normalized fuel requirement (e.g. a petrol or
diesel requirement in litres per unit time (e.g. minute or hour) or
per unit distance (e.g. kilometre) or per shipment) that has been
captured and/or determined by the respective vehicle during the
respective delivery.
[0059] This is advantageous, by way of example, in order to check
whether the combination of the possible delivery route and the
possible vehicle configuration result in a most energy-efficient
possible delivery of the shipments (i.e. delivery of the shipments
with an expected energy requirement that satisfies the
predetermined energy requirement condition).
[0060] For example, the determining of the delivery route and of
the vehicle configuration when it is determined that the
predetermined energy requirement condition is not satisfied
comprises the following additional steps: [0061] determining at
least one further possible delivery route (e.g. a second possible
delivery route) for delivering the shipments, [0062] determining a
further possible vehicle configuration (e.g. a second possible
vehicle configuration) of a vehicle for delivering the shipments
along the further delivery route, [0063] determining the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the
further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration, [0064] determining whether the
expected energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along
the further possible delivery route by a vehicle having the further
possible vehicle configuration satisfies the predetermined energy
requirement condition.
[0065] These additional steps in connection with the further
possible delivery route and the further possible vehicle
configurations can be effected according to the above-disclosed
steps in connection with the possible delivery route and the
possible vehicle configuration, for example. Accordingly, the
applicable disclosures in connection with the possible delivery
route and the possible vehicle configuration are also intended to
be understood to be disclosures in connection with the further
possible delivery route and the further possible vehicle
configuration.
[0066] In other words, the additional steps in connection with the
further possible delivery route and the further possible vehicle
configurations can be understood to be repetition of the
above-disclosed steps in connection with the possible delivery
route and the possible vehicle configuration. As the result of a
first pass through these steps, a first possible delivery route and
a first possible vehicle configuration are obtained, for example,
and as the result of a first repetition of these steps, a second
possible delivery route (e.g. a second delivery route different
from the first) and a second possible vehicle configuration (e.g. a
second vehicle configuration different from the first) are
obtained, for example.
[0067] In this case, however, it is possible to take measures to
prevent the same expected energy requirement from being determined
for the delivery of the shipments along the further possible
delivery route by a vehicle having the possible further vehicle
configuration. For example, the further possible delivery route
(e.g. the second possible delivery route) can be determined such
that it is different from the previously determined possible
delivery route (e.g. the first possible delivery route and/or all
previously determined possible delivery routes). For this purpose,
the determining of the further possible delivery route can be
effected according to at least partially different presets from the
determining of the previously determined possible delivery route
(e.g. all previously determined possible delivery routes), for
example according to a different predetermined route planning
algorithm and/or one or more different predetermined route criteria
such as, by way of example, "shortest route" or "fastest route" or
"most energy-efficient route" and/or a different predetermined
order of the delivery positions represented by the shipment
delivery information. It goes without saying that it is sufficient
to change one of the presets for determining the further possible
delivery route as compared with the determining of the previously
determined possible delivery route (e.g. all previously determined
possible delivery routes). By way of example, the determining of
the further possible delivery route can be effected according to
the same predetermined route planning algorithm as the determining
of the previously determined possible delivery route (e.g. all
previously determined possible delivery routes) and according to a
different predetermined order from the determining of the
previously determined possible delivery route (e.g. all previously
determined possible delivery routes).
[0068] Thereafter, it is possible, by way of example, for the
further possible vehicle configuration of a vehicle for delivering
the shipments along the further possible delivery route to be
determined at least partially based on the previously determined
further possible delivery route.
[0069] If it is subsequently determined that the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the further
possible delivery route by a vehicle having the possible further
vehicle configuration satisfies the predetermined energy
requirement condition, it is possible, by way of example, for the
further possible delivery route and the further possible vehicle
configuration to be determined (e.g. selected) as delivery route
and as vehicle configuration. Otherwise, these steps are repeated,
by way of example, with at least partially altered presets for the
determining of a further possible delivery route until the
predetermined energy requirement condition is satisfied or a
termination condition (e.g. a maximum number of repetitions) is
reached. As a result, a functional principle as with a genetic
and/or evolutionary algorithm is obtained.
[0070] The determining of the possible delivery route (e.g. the
first possible delivery route) and/or of the further possible
delivery route (e.g. the second possible delivery route) is
effected by a route planning component of the disclosed apparatus
and/or of the disclosed system, for example. A knowledge-based
system and/or self-learning system for determining the possible
vehicle configuration (e.g. the first vehicle configuration) and/or
the further possible vehicle configuration (e.g. the second vehicle
configuration) can be formed by a knowledge-based and/or
self-learning vehicle configuration component of the disclosed
apparatus and/or the disclosed system, for example. This
knowledge-based and/or self-learning vehicle configuration
component can further also be used for determining the expected
energy requirement. Alternatively or additionally, the expected
energy requirement can also be simulated and/or computed by a
simulation and/or computation component of the disclosed apparatus
and/or of the disclosed system. These components can be formed as
(e.g. at least partially or completely different) hardware
components (e.g. as server apparatuses of the disclosed system)
and/or software components (e.g. as computer programs executed on a
processor of the disclosed apparatus) and/or as a combination of
(e.g. at least partially or completely different) hardware and
software components of the disclosed apparatus and/or of the
disclosed system.
[0071] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
determining of the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration
comprises the following steps: [0072] selecting the determined
delivery route from a plurality of possible delivery routes for
delivering the shipments and/or the determined vehicle
configuration from a plurality of possible vehicle configurations
for a vehicle for delivering the shipments along the delivery
route.
[0073] In this case, the plurality of possible delivery routes and
the plurality of possible vehicle configurations can be provided
according to the above-disclosed steps for determining the possible
delivery route and the possible vehicle configuration. Accordingly,
the plurality of possible delivery routes can comprise at least a
first possible delivery route and a second possible delivery route
(e.g. a second delivery route different from the first) and the
plurality of possible vehicle configurations can comprise at least
a first possible vehicle configuration and a second possible
vehicle configuration (e.g. a second vehicle configuration
different from the first).
[0074] There may be provision for each of the possible delivery
routes from the plurality of possible delivery routes to be
determined such that it is different from the other possible
delivery routes from the plurality of possible delivery routes. For
this purpose, the determining of each of the possible delivery
routes from the plurality of possible delivery routes can be
effected according to at least partially different presets from the
determining of the other possible delivery routes from the
plurality of possible delivery routes, for example according to a
different predetermined route planning algorithm and/or one or more
different predetermined route criteria such as, by way of example,
"shortest route" or "fastest route" or "most energy-efficient
route" and/or a different predetermined order of the delivery
positions represented by the shipment delivery information. In this
case, it may be sufficient if one of the presets is different. By
way of example, each of the possible delivery routes from the
plurality of delivery routes can be determined according to the
same predetermined route planning algorithm and according to a
different predetermined order of the delivery positions.
[0075] Further, the expected energy requirement for the delivery of
the shipments along the respective possible delivery route by a
vehicle having the respective possible vehicle configuration can be
determined for each of the possible delivery routes and/or each of
the possible vehicle configurations, wherein the delivery route
from the possible delivery routes and/or the vehicle configuration
from the possible vehicle configurations having the lowest expected
energy requirement is selected for the delivery of the
shipments.
[0076] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the
determining of the delivery route and of the vehicle configuration
is effected at least partially according to an evolutionary
algorithm and/or an algorithm for machine learning.
[0077] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the historical
delivery information for each of the deliveries of shipments
associated with the delivery information further represents at
least one or more of the following details: [0078] a detail
pertaining to a vehicle speed and/or vehicle acceleration on the
delivery route and/or on a section of the delivery route for the
delivery of shipments associated with the respective delivery
information, [0079] a detail pertaining to the nature of the
delivery route and/or of a section of the delivery route for the
delivery of shipments associated with the respective delivery
information, and/or [0080] a detail pertaining to the timing of the
delivery of shipments associated with the respective delivery
information.
[0081] A detail pertaining to a vehicle speed represents, by way of
example, a vehicle speed of the vehicle on the delivery route
and/or on a section of the delivery route that is captured and/or
determined by the vehicle. For example, a detail pertaining to a
vehicle speed can represent an average vehicle speed of the vehicle
on the delivery route and/or on a section of the delivery route
that is captured by the vehicle. Alternatively, a detail pertaining
to a vehicle speed can represent a vehicle speed of the vehicle
that is captured by the vehicle at a particular position on the
delivery route.
[0082] A detail pertaining to a vehicle acceleration represents, by
way of example, a vehicle acceleration (i.e. acceleration and/or
deceleration) of the vehicle on the delivery route and/or on a
section of the delivery route that is captured and/or determined by
the vehicle. For example, a detail pertaining to a vehicle
acceleration can represent an average vehicle acceleration of the
vehicle on the delivery route and/or on a section of the delivery
route that is captured by the vehicle. Alternatively, a detail
pertaining to a vehicle acceleration can represent a vehicle
acceleration of the vehicle that is captured by the vehicle at a
particular position on the delivery route.
[0083] If the detail pertaining to the vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration represents a captured vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration, it can further represent, by way of example, a
capture time (e.g. at which the vehicle speed and/or the vehicle
acceleration was captured) and/or a capture position (e.g. at which
the vehicle speed and/or the vehicle acceleration was captured). If
the detail pertaining to the vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration represents an average vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration, on the other hand, it can further represent, by way
of example, a capture period (e.g. for which the average vehicle
speed and/or the average acceleration was determined) and/or a
capture section (e.g. a section of the delivery route for which the
average vehicle speed and/or the average vehicle acceleration was
determined). It goes without saying that the detail pertaining to
the vehicle speed and/or vehicle acceleration can represent a
vector (e.g. a speed vector and/or an acceleration vector) and/or
an absolute value (e.g. an absolute value of a speed and/or
acceleration of the vehicle).
[0084] Such details pertaining to the vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration allow conclusions to be drawn about the volume of
traffic and/or possible delays on the delivery route and/or on a
section on the delivery route, for example.
[0085] A detail pertaining to a nature of the delivery route and/or
of a section of the delivery route is intended to be understood to
mean, by way of example, parameters captured and/or determined by
the vehicle that are characteristic of the nature of the delivery
route and/or of a section of the delivery route, such as a gradient
(e.g. a maximum and/or minimum and/or average gradient) and/or a
transport route surface (e.g. asphalt and/or gravel and/or earth)
and/or the presence of obstacles (e.g. one or more steps, a fence,
etc.) on the delivery route and/or on a section of the delivery
route. Further, a detail pertaining to a nature of the delivery
route and/or of a section of the delivery route can represent a
capture time and/or a capture period and/or a capture position
and/or a capture section, for example.
[0086] Such details pertaining to the nature of the delivery route
and/or of a section of the delivery route can establish a
relationship between this nature and the vehicle behaviour (e.g. a
captured and/or determined vehicle speed and/or vehicle
acceleration), for example.
[0087] A detail pertaining to the timing of the delivery of
shipments associated with the respective delivery information can
represent, by way of example, the timing of the delivery of
shipments associated with the respective delivery information. For
example, a detail pertaining to the timing of the delivery of
shipments associated with the respective delivery information can
represent in each case the time captured and/or determined by the
vehicle at which the vehicle has reached a shipment delivery
position. By way of example, this permits conclusions regarding the
length of time that the vehicle has needed in order to move from
one shipment delivery position to the next shipment delivery
position along the delivery route.
[0088] These details can advantageously be taken into consideration
when training an above-disclosed knowledge-based and/or
self-learning system for determining the vehicle configuration, for
example.
[0089] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the shipment
delivery information for each of the shipments further represents
at least one or more of the following details: [0090] a detail
pertaining to external dimensions of the respective shipment,
[0091] a detail pertaining to a weight of the respective shipment,
[0092] a detail pertaining to a delivery time and/or pertaining to
a delivery period for the delivery of the respective shipment,
[0093] a detail pertaining to a nature of the delivery position for
the delivery of the respective shipment, and/or [0094] a detail
pertaining to a recipient name and/or pertaining to a recipient
address for the respective shipment.
[0095] A detail pertaining to external dimensions of the respective
shipment represents the external dimensions of the respective
shipment, for example; and a detail pertaining to a weight of the
respective shipment represents the weight of the respective
shipment, for example.
[0096] A detail pertaining to a delivery time for the delivery of
the respective shipment represents a time at which the respective
shipment is supposed to be delivered at the respective shipment
delivery position, for example. Accordingly, a delivery period for
the delivery of the respective shipment represents a period in
which the respective shipment is supposed to be delivered at the
respective shipment delivery position, for example.
[0097] A detail pertaining to a nature of the delivery position for
the delivery of the respective shipment is intended to be
understood to mean, by way of example, a parameter characteristic
of the expected nature of the delivery route at the delivery
position, such as a gradient (e.g. a maximum and/or minimum and/or
average gradient) and/or a transport route surface (e.g. asphalt
and/or gravel and/or earth) and/or the presence of obstacles (e.g.
one or more steps, a fence, etc.).
[0098] A detail pertaining to a recipient name and/or to a
recipient address represents the recipient name and/or the
recipient address, for example.
[0099] These details permit efficient determination of the vehicle
configuration, for example. As such, a different vehicle
configuration can allow a most energy-efficient delivery possible
for a shipment having larger external dimensions or a higher weight
than for a shipment having smaller external dimensions or a lower
weight, for example. If a detail pertaining to a nature of the
delivery position reveals that there are obstacles such as steps or
a fence at the delivery position, a vehicle configuration for a
vehicle that can overcome these obstacles (e.g. an aircraft such as
an aerial drone in the case of steps or a fence) is determined, for
example.
[0100] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises the following steps: [0101] obtaining and/or
keeping environmental information associated with the delivery of
the shipments, wherein the determining of the delivery route and/or
of the vehicle configuration and/or of the expected energy
requirement is further based at least partially on the
environmental information.
[0102] Environmental information represents capturable and/or
determinable (e.g. forecastable) environmental parameters that can
influence the expected energy requirement, for example.
[0103] The environmental information can comprise, by way of
example, weather information representing at least one detail
pertaining to the expected weather and/or pertaining to the
expected position of the sun (e.g. the expected weather and/or the
expected position of the sun at atleast one delivery position from
the delivery positions and/or on the delivery route and/or on a
section of the delivery route). The weather information is provided
by a weather service and/or at least partially based on
environmental parameters captured by sensors, for example.
[0104] Alternatively or additionally, the environmental information
can comprise traffic information representing at least one detail
pertaining to expected traffic delays (e.g. expected traffic delays
on the delivery route and/or on a section of the delivery route)
such as queues and/or accidents and/or roadworks and/or closures.
The traffic information is provided by a traffic service and/or at
least partially based on traffic parameters captured by sensors,
for example.
[0105] In particular, the determining of the expected energy
requirement and/or of the vehicle configuration may be based at
least partially on the environmental information. For example, the
expected energy requirement for vehicles having an electric drive
and photovoltaic modules can change depending on the expected
weather and/or position of the sun. If sunny weather is expected on
the delivery route, a vehicle configuration representing a vehicle
having an electric drive and photovoltaic modules is determined,
for example, whereas if cloudy weather is expected on the delivery
route, a vehicle configuration representing a vehicle having an
internal combustion engine is determined, for example.
[0106] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises the following step: [0107] obtaining historical
delivery information associated with the delivery of the shipment
when the vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration has
delivered the shipments along the determined delivery route,
wherein the delivery information represents at least details
pertaining to the determined delivery route, pertaining to the
energy requirement and pertaining to the determined vehicle
configuration.
[0108] In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method
further comprises the following steps: [0109] obtaining and/or
keeping navigation map information for determining a delivery route
for delivering the shipments.
[0110] Further advantageous exemplary configurations of the
invention can be found in the detailed description of a few
exemplary embodiments of the present invention that follows, in
particular in conjunction with the figures. The figures
accompanying the application are intended to be used only for the
purpose of clarification, however, rather than for determining the
scope of protection of the invention. The accompanying drawings are
not necessarily to scale and are merely intended to reflect the
general concept of the present invention by way of example. In
particular, features included in the figures are by no means
intended to be considered to be a necessary part of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0111] In the drawings:
[0112] FIG. 1a shows a flowchart for an exemplary embodiment of a
method according to an exemplary aspect of the invention;
[0113] FIG. 1b shows optional steps of an exemplary embodiment of a
method according to an exemplary aspect of the invention;
[0114] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of an embodiment of an
apparatus according to an exemplary aspect of the invention;
[0115] FIG. 3 shows a schematic depiction of an embodiment of a
system according to an exemplary aspect of the invention; and
[0116] FIG. 4 shows exemplary embodiments of storage media.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0117] FIG. 1a shows a flowchart with steps of an exemplary
embodiment of a method according to an exemplary aspect of the
invention. Steps 101 to 104 of the flowchart 100 can be performed
by an apparatus like the apparatus 200 from FIG. 2 disclosed below
or by a system like the system 300 from FIG. 3 disclosed below, for
example.
[0118] It is subsequently assumed by way of example that the method
is performed by an apparatus and/or a system of a delivery service
(e.g. a postal and/or parcel service). Several different vehicles
of the delivery service are configured, by way of example, such
that, after they have made a delivery of shipments (i.e. multiple
shipments) for a delivery order, they communicate historical
delivery information associated with the delivery to the apparatus
and/or the system, which performs steps 101 to 104 of the flowchart
100. A vehicle of the delivery service making such a delivery of
shipments is an appropriately configured autonomous and/or
semiautonomous land vehicle, watercraft and/or an aircraft, for
example.
[0119] In this context, the delivery of shipments (i.e. multiple
shipments) is intended to be understood in the present case to
mean, by way of example, the transport of each of the shipments by
the vehicle making the delivery along a delivery route to a
respective delivery position for the delivery of the respective
shipment. At the respective delivery position, the respective
shipment is provided by the vehicle or a delivery agent for
collection and/or receipt by the recipient of the shipment (e.g. in
a receiving compartment of a receiving apparatus such as a post box
and/or parcel box), for example.
[0120] In step 101, the historical delivery information is obtained
and/or provided. In this case, the historical delivery information
is associated with multiple deliveries of shipments made by one or
various vehicles of the delivery service, wherein the historical
delivery information for each of the deliveries of shipments
associated with the historical delivery information represents at
least details pertaining to a delivery route, pertaining to an
energy requirement and pertaining to a vehicle configuration.
[0121] The historical delivery information represents one or more
details characteristic of the respective delivery of shipments for
each of the deliveries of shipments associated with the delivery
information, for example. As disclosed above, such a detail
characteristic of a delivery of shipments is intended to represent,
by way of example, at least one parameter captured and/or
determined by the vehicle that has made the delivery during the
respective delivery, such as the energy requirement of the
vehicle.
[0122] It is subsequently assumed by way of example that the
historical delivery information for each of the deliveries of
shipments associated with the historical delivery information
represents the delivery route along which the respective vehicle
(i.e. the vehicle that has made the respective delivery) has been
moved, the energy requirement of the respective vehicle and the
vehicle configuration of the respective vehicle.
[0123] The historical delivery information can, as disclosed below,
be used for training a knowledge-based and/or self-learning system,
for example.
[0124] In a step 102, shipment delivery information for multiple
shipments to be delivered is obtained, wherein the shipment
delivery information represents, at least for each of the
shipments, a detail pertaining to the delivery position for the
delivery of the respective shipment.
[0125] The multiple shipments to be delivered for which shipment
delivery information is obtained are intended to be delivered for a
delivery order within one delivery and/or by one vehicle of the
delivery service, for example. The trait that the shipment delivery
information represents, at least for each of the shipments, a
detail pertaining to the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment is intended to be understood, by way of
example, such that the shipment delivery information contains a
representation of the delivery position for the delivery of the
respective shipment.
[0126] Subsequently, in a step 103, a delivery route for delivering
the shipments and a vehicle configuration for a vehicle for
delivering the shipments along the determined delivery route are
determined at least partially based on the shipment delivery
information and the historical delivery information.
[0127] An exemplary embodiment of the determining according to step
103 is disclosed below on the basis of steps 1031 to 1035 from FIG.
1b. However, it goes without saying that the invention is not
restricted to this embodiment.
[0128] In a step 1031, a possible delivery route for delivering the
shipments is determined. The possible delivery route is determined,
by way of example, at least partially based on the shipment
delivery information such that it describes a path along which a
vehicle can move in succession to the delivery positions
represented by the shipment delivery information. Further, the
determining of the possible delivery route can be effected using
navigation map information. The possible delivery route is
determined, by way of example, according to a predetermined route
planning algorithm and/or one or more predetermined route criteria
such as, by way of example, "shortest route" or "fastest route" or
"most energy-efficient route" and/or a predetermined order of the
delivery positions represented by the shipment delivery
information. Such route planning algorithms are algorithms (e.g.
heuristic algorithms) for solving what is known as the commercial
traveller problem, for example.
[0129] Subsequently, in a step 1032, a possible vehicle
configuration of a vehicle for delivering the shipments along the
possible delivery route determined in step 1031 can be determined
at least partially based on the possible delivery route determined
in step 1031.
[0130] The possible vehicle configuration is determined according
to a predetermined vehicle configuration algorithm, for example.
Such a vehicle configuration algorithm may be based on a
knowledge-based system (e.g. an expert system) and/or a
self-learning system, for example. Such a knowledge-based system
and/or self-learning system may be based, by way of example, at
least partially on the historical delivery information. For
example, such a knowledge-based system and/or self-learning system
can be trained based on the historical delivery information such
that it determines a possible vehicle configuration for a vehicle
for a possible delivery route determined in step 1031 such that it
is expected that a vehicle having this possible vehicle
configuration will move along this possible delivery route in as
energy-efficient a manner as possible and/or that the expected
energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along this
possible delivery route by a vehicle having this possible vehicle
configuration will be as low as possible. It goes without saying
that such a knowledge-based system and/or self-learning system does
not necessarily determine the possible vehicle configuration that
is the most energy-efficient and/or the possible vehicle
configuration having the lowest expected energy requirement (e.g.
because the historical delivery information is limited and permits
only incomplete training).
[0131] The basis for the training of a knowledge-based system
and/or self-learning system may be an algorithm for machine
learning, for example. Machine learning can be effected, by way of
example, in a form of supervised machine learning, unsupervised
machine learning and/or reinforcement machine learning. Algorithms
for machine learning may be based at least partially on an
artificial neural network, a support vector machine, a cluster
analysis or a combination of several (e.g. all) of these
techniques. This training allows the knowledge-based system and/or
self-learning system to be improved over a longer period (i.e. the
quality of forecast such as e.g. the quality of the relationship
that the system maps between one or more vehicle configurations and
an expected energy consumption) and, by way of example, disparities
between the expected energy requirement and the actual energy
requirement to be reduced in comparison with a static system.
[0132] In a step 1033, an expected energy requirement for the
delivery of the shipments along the possible delivery route
determined in step 1031 by a vehicle having the possible vehicle
configuration determined in step 1032 is determined.
[0133] The determining of the expected energy requirement in step
1033 can, by way of example, likewise be effected by the
knowledge-based system and/or self-learning. For example, said
system can be trained based on the historical delivery information
such that, for a possible delivery route determined in step 1031,
it determines not only a possible vehicle configuration but also an
expected energy requirement for the delivery of the shipments along
this delivery route by a vehicle having this vehicle configuration.
In this case, steps 1032 and 1033 can also be combined in one
step.
[0134] Alternatively or additionally, the determining of the
expected energy requirement in step 1033 can be effected, by way of
example, by simulating and/or computing the expected energy
requirement at least partially based on the possible delivery route
determined in step 1031 and the possible vehicle configuration
determined in step 1032.
[0135] In a step 1034, it is determined whether the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the possible
delivery route by a vehicle having the possible vehicle
configuration satisfies a predetermined energy requirement
condition.
[0136] An energy requirement condition can predetermine, by way of
example, an energy requirement in the form of an energy requirement
threshold value that must not be exceeded by the expected energy
requirement for the delivery of the shipments along the possible
delivery route (e.g. the first possible delivery route) by a
vehicle having the possible vehicle configuration (e.g. the first
possible vehicle configuration) of a vehicle for delivering the
shipments along this possible delivery route, in order to satisfy
the energy requirement condition.
[0137] If the determining in step 1034 reveals that the energy
requirement condition is satisfied, the possible delivery route
determined in step 1031 can be determined as the delivery route for
the delivery of the shipments and the possible vehicle
configuration determined in step 1032 can be determined as the
vehicle configuration for a vehicle for delivering the shipments,
and the flowchart 100 can be continued in step 104.
[0138] Otherwise, steps 1031 to 1034 are repeated, for example, and
a further possible delivery route and a further possible vehicle
configuration are determined.
[0139] In this case, however, it is possible to take measures to
prevent the same expected energy requirement from being determined
for the delivery of the shipments along the further possible
delivery route by a vehicle having the possible further vehicle
configuration. For example, the further possible delivery route can
be determined for such repetition such that it is different from
all the previously determined possible delivery routes (e.g. for
the first pass and/or one or more previous repetitions of steps
1031 to 1034). For this purpose, the determining of the further
possible delivery route can be effected according to at least
partially different presets from the determining of the previously
determined possible delivery routes, for example according to a
different predetermined route planning algorithm and/or one or more
different predetermined route criteria such as, by way of example,
"shortest route" or "fastest route" or "most energy-efficient
route" and/or a different predetermined order of the delivery
positions represented by the shipment delivery information. It goes
without saying that it is sufficient to change one of the presets
for determining the further possible delivery route as compared
with the determining of the previously determined possible delivery
route (e.g. all previously determined possible delivery routes). By
way of example, just the predetermined order of the shipment
delivery positions can be altered with each repetition.
[0140] The steps 1031 to 1034 are repeated, by way of example,
until the predetermined energy requirement condition is satisfied
or a termination condition (e.g. a maximum number of repetitions)
is reached (cf. step 1035). As a result, a functional principle as
for a genetic and/or evolutionary algorithm is obtained.
[0141] In step 104, delivery control information is provided in
order to cause delivery of the shipments along the determined
delivery route by a vehicle having the determined vehicle
configuration.
[0142] The provided delivery control information comprises a
representation of the determined vehicle configuration and/or of
the determined route, for example, in order to cause the delivery
of the shipments along the determined delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined vehicle configuration. For example, the
delivery control information is provided for retrieval by a user
(e.g. a dispatcher) and/or a remote apparatus (e.g. an apparatus
for selecting and/or configuring vehicles) and/or a vehicle and/or
is sent to a user and/or a remote apparatus and/or a vehicle.
Further, the delivery control information can be provided by
outputting it to a user, for example.
[0143] The causing of the delivery of the shipments along the
determined delivery route by a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration comprises, by way of example, the selecting
of a vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration or, if no
vehicle having the determined vehicle configuration is available,
(re)configuring of a vehicle according to the determined vehicle
configuration. The (re)configuring can be effected, by way of
example, by means of the replacement of modules if the vehicle is
modular and the determined vehicle configuration represents and/or
specifies one or more modules with which the vehicle is intended to
be equipped.
[0144] Further, the causing of the delivery of the shipments along
the determined delivery route by a vehicle having the determined
vehicle configuration can comprise the actuating of the selected
and/or (re)configured vehicle such that the vehicle is caused to
move along the determined delivery route to deliver the shipments.
For this purpose, the determined delivery route can be programmed
into a navigation unit of the vehicle, for example.
[0145] FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of an exemplary embodiment
of an apparatus 200 according to an exemplary aspect of the
invention. It is subsequently assumed by way of example that the
apparatus 200 is a (e.g. central) server apparatus of a delivery
service for at least partially controlling deliveries to be made by
vehicles of the delivery service and/or delivery orders of the
delivery service.
[0146] The apparatus 200 comprises, by way of example, a processor
201 and, connected to the processor 201, a first memory as a
program and data memory 202, a second memory as a main memory 203,
an optional communication interface 204 and an optional user
interface 205.
[0147] A processor is intended to be understood to mean, by way of
example, a microprocessor, a microcontrol unit, a microcontroller,
a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application-Specific
Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or a Field Programmable Gate Array
(FPGA). It goes without saying that the apparatus 200 can also
comprise multiple processors 201.
[0148] Processor 201 executes program instructions stored in
program memory 202 and stores, by way of example, intermediate
results or the like in main memory 203. The program memory 202
contains, by way of example, program instructions of a computer
program (e.g. a computer program disclosed according to an
exemplary aspect of the invention) that cause the processor 201 to
perform and/or control a method disclosed according to an exemplary
aspect of the invention (e.g. the method according to the flowchart
100 depicted in FIG. 1) when the processor 201 executes these
program instructions stored in program memory 202. Moreover,
program memory 202 may store, by way of example, historical
delivery information, for example in the form of data (e.g. data of
a database).
[0149] Program memory 202 further contains, by way of example, the
operating system of the apparatus 200, which is loaded at least
partially into main memory 203 when the apparatus 200 is started,
and is executed by the processor 201. In particular, when the
apparatus 200 is started, at least part of the core of the
operating system is loaded into the main memory 203 and executed by
processor 201.
[0150] An example of an operating system is a Windows, UNIX, Linux,
Android, Apple iOS and/or MAC OS operating system. The operating
system in particular allows the use of the apparatus for
information and/or data processing. By way of example, it manages
resources such as a main memory and a program memory, uses
programming interfaces, inter alia, to provide other computer
programs with fundamental functions and controls the execution of
computer programs.
[0151] A program memory is, by way of example, a non-volatile
memory such as a flash memory, a magnetic memory, an EEPROM
(Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) memory and/or
an optical memory. A main memory is, for example, a volatile or
non-volatile memory, in particular a Random Access Memory (RAM)
such as a static RAM (SRAM) memory, a dynamic RAM (DRAM) memory, a
Ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) memory and/or a magnetic RAM (MRAM)
memory.
[0152] Main memory 203 and program memory 202 may also be
configured as one memory. Alternatively, main memory 203 and/or
program memory 202 may each be formed by multiple memories.
Further, main memory 203 and/or program memory 202 may also be part
of the processor 201.
[0153] Processor 201 controls the optional communication interface
204, which is configured as a wireless and/or wired communication
interface, for example. A wireless and/or wired communication
interface can receive information (via a wireless and/or wired
communication path) and forward it to the processor 201 and/or can
receive information from the processor 201 and send it (via a
wireless and/or wired communication path).
[0154] An example of a wireless communication interface is a
wireless network adapter. For example, a wireless communication
interface comprises, besides an antenna, at least one transmitter
circuit and one receiver circuit or a transceiver circuit. Examples
of a wireless communication interface are a GSM, UMTS and/or LTE
interface and/or a WLAN and/or Bluetooth interface. The GSM, UMTS
and LTE specifications are maintained and developed by the 3rd
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) and are currently available
on the Internet at www.3gpp.com, inter alia. WLAN is specified in
the Standards of the IEEE-802.11 family, for example. The Bluetooth
specifications are currently available on the Internet at
www.bluetooth.org.
[0155] An example of a wired communication interface is a wired
network adapter. For example, a wired communication interface
comprises at least one transmitter circuit and one receiver circuit
or a transceiver circuit. An example of a wired communication
interface is an Ethernet interface. Ethernet is specified in the
standards of the IEEE-802.3 family, inter alia.
[0156] The communication interface 204 is configured for receiving
information (e.g. the historical delivery information and/or the
shipment delivery information) and/or for sending information (e.g.
the delivery control information), for example.
[0157] Further, processor 201 controls the optional user interface
205, which is configured for outputting information (e.g. the
delivery control information) to a user and/or for capturing
information input by a user (e.g. the shipment delivery
information). A user interface can comprise a keyboard, a mouse, a
screen, a touch sensitive screen, a loudspeaker and/or a
microphone, for example.
[0158] The components 201 to 205 of the apparatus 200 are
communicatively and/or operatively connected to one another via one
or more bus systems (e.g. one or more serial and/or parallel bus
links), for example.
[0159] It goes without saying that the apparatus 200 can comprise
further components besides the components 201 to 205.
[0160] FIG. 3 shows a schematic depiction of an embodiment of a
system 300 according to an exemplary aspect of the invention. It is
subsequently assumed by way of example that the system 300 is a
(e.g. central) system of a delivery service for at least partially
controlling deliveries to be made by vehicles of the delivery
service and/or delivery orders of the delivery service.
[0161] System 300 comprises a route planning component 301, a
knowledge-based and self-learning vehicle configuration component
302 and an optional simulation component 303. These components can
be formed as (e.g. at least partially or completely different)
hardware components (e.g. as server apparatuses of a server cloud)
and/or software components (e.g. as computer programs executed on a
processor of the apparatus 200 disclosed above in conjunction with
FIG. 2) and/or as a combination of (e.g. at least partially or
completely different) hardware and software components.
[0162] The route planning component 301 is, by way of example,
configured for determining a possible delivery route. For example,
the route planning component 301 is configured to perform step 1031
disclosed above in conjunction with FIG. 1b.
[0163] The route planning component 301 is based, by way of
example, on an (e.g. modified) algorithm (e.g. a heuristic
algorithm) for solving what is known as the commercial traveller
problem, in order to determine the "best" possible delivery route
for the delivery of shipments. In this case, the "best" possible
delivery route is, by way of example, the "most energy-efficient
route" (e.g. the delivery route having a lowest possible energy
requirement per shipment), wherein the route planning component 301
determines the energy requirement per shipment only on the basis of
the length of the possible delivery route, the expected duration of
the delivery of the shipments along the possible delivery route and
the weight of the shipments, for example, which means that it does
not actually have to be the "most energy-efficient route". Further,
the route planning component 301 can take into consideration
presets for determining the delivery route (e.g. a predetermined
order of the delivery positions of the shipments on the delivery
route) and/or shipment delivery information for the shipments to be
delivered (e.g. details pertaining to the external dimensions
and/or pertaining to the weight, and/or a detail pertaining to the
delivery times and/or delivery periods) and/or traffic information
(e.g. details pertaining to traffic delays such as queues and/or
accidents and/or roadworks and/or closures) when determine the
possible delivery route. The determining of the delivery route
(e.g. of the plurality of possible delivery routes) can be effected
at least partially based on navigation map information kept by the
route planning component.
[0164] The knowledge-based and self-learning vehicle configuration
component 302 is, by way of example, configured for determining a
possible vehicle configuration. For example, the knowledge-based
and self-learning vehicle configuration component 302 is configured
to perform step 1032 disclosed above in conjunction with FIG. 1b.
The knowledge-based and self-learning vehicle configuration
component 302 can further also be used for determining the expected
energy requirement. For example, it may be configured to perform
step 1033 disclosed above in conjunction with FIG. 1b.
[0165] The knowledge-based and self-learning vehicle configuration
component 302 comprises an input and/or output module 3021, a query
module 3022, a knowledge database 3023, a training module 3024 and
a data collection module 3025. The knowledge database 3023 stores
historical delivery information that has been captured and/or
determined by the vehicles and obtained by the data collection
module 3025, for example. The training module 3024 is used, by way
of example, for training the knowledge database 3025 by virtue of
its filtering the historical delivery information obtained by the
data collection module 3025 such that the knowledge database 3023
is used to store only relevant historical delivery information. If
historical delivery information is continuously obtained on the
data collection module 3025, the knowledge database 3023 can be
continuously trained by the training module 3024. For example, the
training can be effected such that the knowledge database 3023 can
be taken as a basis for determining a vehicle configuration for a
vehicle for a particular delivery route such that it is expected
that a vehicle having this vehicle configuration will move along
this delivery route in as energy-efficient a manner as possible
and/or that the expected energy requirement for the delivery of the
shipments along this delivery route by a vehicle having this
vehicle configuration will be as low as possible. The training
module 3024 may be based on an algorithm for machine learning, for
example. Machine learning can be effected, by way of example, in
the form of supervised machine learning, unsupervised machine
learning and/or reinforcement machine learning. Preferably, the
machine learning is effected by means of a combination of several
of these techniques.
[0166] Besides the historical delivery information, the knowledge
database can also be used to store further information, such as,
for example, environmental information (e.g. weather information
and/or traffic information).
[0167] The input and/or output module 3021 can be used by the
vehicle configuration component 302 to receive and/or send
information. For example, the input and/or output module 3021 is
used for interchanging information with the route planning
component 301 and/or the route planning component 303. In this
case, by way of example, it is possible to interchange information
representing a possible delivery route determined by the route
planning component 301 and/or a possible vehicle configuration
determined by the vehicle configuration component 302 and/or an
expected energy requirement determined by the simulation component
303.
[0168] The determining of a possible vehicle configuration can be
effected by querying the knowledge database 3023 as appropriate,
for example. The knowledge database 3023 is queried using the query
module 3022, for example. The querying of the knowledge database
3023 is based, by way of example, at least partially on information
received from the route planning component 301 that represents a
possible delivery route determined by the route planning component
301, so that the result obtained for the query is a possible
vehicle configuration for a vehicle for which is expected that a
vehicle having this vehicle configuration will move along this
delivery route in as energy-efficient a manner as possible and/or
that the expected energy requirement for the delivery of the
shipments along this delivery route by a vehicle having this
vehicle configuration will be as low as possible.
[0169] Besides the vehicle configuration, the result obtained for
the querying of the knowledge database may also be further
information relevant to a simulation of the delivery of the
shipments along the determined possible delivery route by a vehicle
having the determined possible vehicle configuration, for example,
such as environmental information (e.g. weather information and/or
environmental information).
[0170] The simulation component 303 is, by way of example,
configured for determining an expected energy requirement. For
example, the simulation component 303 is configured to perform step
1033 disclosed above in conjunction with FIG. 1b. For example, the
simulation component can perform a virtual simulation of the
delivery of the shipments along the determined possible delivery
route by a vehicle having the determined possible vehicle
configuration, in order to determine the energy requirement
expected for the delivery. For this purpose, the simulation
component receives, by way of example, information representing the
possible delivery route determined by the route planning component
301 and/or the possible vehicle configuration determined by the
vehicle configuration component 302. It goes without saying that
further information such as, for example, traffic information
and/or environmental information can also be taken into
consideration for the simulation. The result obtained for the
simulation is the expected energy requirement, for example. It goes
without saying that this expected energy requirement may differ
from the actual energy requirement. Nevertheless, the simulation
based on the delivery route and the vehicle configuration achieves
a particularly good approximation of the expected energy
requirement to the actual energy requirement. This approximation
can be enhanced further by taking into consideration further
information.
[0171] Subsequently, the simulation component 302 can determine
whether a predetermined energy requirement condition is satisfied
(cf. step 1034), for example, and decide whether the determined
possible delivery route and the determined vehicle configuration
are supposed to be determined as the delivery route and as the
vehicle configuration for the delivery of the shipments (cf. step
1035).
[0172] Finally, FIG. 4 shows exemplary embodiments of storage media
that may store an exemplary embodiment of a disclosed computer
program. The storage medium may be a magnetic, electrical, optical
and/or other kind of storage medium, for example. The storage
medium may be, by way of example, part of a processor (e.g. the
processor 201 of the apparatus 200 from FIG. 2), for example a
(non-volatile or volatile) program memory of the processor or a
portion thereof (e.g. program memory 202). Exemplary embodiments of
a storage medium are a flash memory 400, an SSD hard disk 401, a
magnetic hard disk 402, a memory card 403, a memory stick 404 (e.g.
a USB stick), a CD-Rom or DVD 405 or a floppy disk 406.
[0173] The exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are
described in this specification are also intended to be understood
as disclosed in all combinations with one another. In particular,
the description of a feature that an exemplary embodiment comprises
is--unless explicitly explained to the contrary--also not intended
to be understood, in the present case, to mean that the feature is
indispensable or essential for the function of the exemplary
embodiment. The sequence of the method steps outlined in this
specification in the individual flowcharts is not imperative, and
alternative sequences of the method steps are conceivable--unless
indicated otherwise. The method steps can be implemented in
different ways, and implementation in software (by virtue of
program instructions), hardware or a combination of the two is
conceivable for implementing the method steps.
[0174] Terms used in the patent claims such as "comprise", "have",
"include", "contain" and the like do not exclude further elements
or steps. The wording "at least partially" covers both the
"partially" case and a "completely" case. The wording "and/or" is
intended to be understood to mean that both the alternative and the
combination are intended to be disclosed, that is to say that "A
and/or B" means "(A) or (B) or (A and B)". A plurality of units,
people or the like means multiple units, people or the like within
the context of this specification. The use of the indefinite
article does not exclude a plurality. A single device can perform
the functions of multiple units or devices cited in the patent
claims. Reference symbols specified in the patent claims are not
intended to be regarded as restrictions for the means and steps
employed.
* * * * *
References