Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Weight
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-18
2003-05-27
Bui, Bryan (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Weight
C702S173000, C702S174000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06571197
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a computerized system and method for identifying a vehicle based on a load to be transported and vehicle characteristics. More particularly, the invention relates to such a system and method which store or otherwise have access to characteristics of a number of vehicles, and which identify an appropriate vehicle in response to load information input thereto, e.g., by a prospective user of a prospective vehicle.
Transporting a load with a vehicle appropriate for the load has many advantages. Therefore, where a choice of vehicles is available, an appropriate vehicle should be selected.
The process of identifying a truck appropriate for a move based on a consideration of the particular items to be transported and the vehicles available can be performed manually or using a computer. For example, the web site at http://www.moving.com includes a “weight and volume calculator” that provides a total weight and total volume for a load in response to input by a computer user of items that make up the load. Tables of items are presented for various room types into which a user can enter the number of each listed item. This site also might provide an estimate of a truck size parameter corresponding to the particular set of items input by the computer user. However, this feature, although presented for use, was not operable shortly before this application was filed. (“Size”, depending on the context, may encompass volume or weight parameters, or both, e.g., the volume occupied by and/or the weight of a set of items constituting a given load, or the volume and/or weight capacity of a vehicle.)
The “Moving Calculator”, available on www.homefair.com, purports to calculate the approximate cost of a residential move based on the following information input by a computer user: the location of the items to be moved and the location to which the items are to be moved, room types having furniture included in the move, family size and number of years at the origin residence. At filing of this application, this “Moving Calculator” did not appear to be operable.
The “Space Estimator” available at www.upack.com calculates a “linear footage required” for moving of a user-specified set of items using trucks provided by the site operator. The calculation is based on selections made by a user from a table of default volume values for various items, the table supplied by the site operator. The user also has the option of defining additional items and specifying their volume. The system does not recommend a truck or truck size for use in transporting the item set.
The “Advanced Truck Size Calculator” available at www.yellowtruck.com recommends a vehicle type based on a checklist of items a user wishes to move. The calculation is based on selections made by a user from a table of default volume values for various items, the table supplied by the site operator. The user also has the option of defining additional items and specifying their volume.
The invention seeks to provide an improved system and method for identifying a vehicle appropriate for a given load.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides improved systems and methods for identifying a vehicle appropriate for a given load. In so doing, or independently, the invention provides for improved calculation, estimation or determination of the size of a given load, and for the manner in which a given load is defined. The invention also provides an interactive system and method for providing information regarding items to be included in a given load, and for identifying an appropriate vehicle to transport the items about which information was supplied.
Embodiments of the invention identify an appropriate vehicle based not only on load parameters such as item volume and/or weight but also on at least one other criterion or factor. Other criteria or factors include but are not limited to inefficiencies in packing the vehicle, availability in inventory of a most appropriate and other appropriate vehicles. In preferred embodiments of the invention vehicle identification is accomplished with the assistance of a user interface which allows a user to define one or more items of a load, and/or a user interface which provides graphical representations of items, such as icons, and accepts input of selected item information through interaction with the graphical representations, e.g., “point and click”, or “drag and drop”, etc., operations. In a preferred embodiment, the graphical representations represent items typically present in a household or office move, such as sofas, chairs, tables, desks, beds, etc., and selection of a particular item is achieved by dragging the item and dropping it in a graphical representation of a vehicle or storage facility.
The invention provides a method performed by a computerized system, and a computerized system, for selecting an appropriate vehicle to transport a given or projected load. A user interface is provided operable for defining characteristics of the projected vehicle load. A size of the load is calculated using characteristics defined with the user interface. A vehicle is identified based on the calculated size of the load and load capacities of vehicles stored by the system or to which the system has access, and on at least one other criterion. Other criteria may include the efficiency with which the load capacity of the transport vehicle is used, including for example either the relative skill with which the vehicle is packed or inefficiencies caused by the number, size, shape and/or weight of large or bulky items, or items which are otherwise difficult to pack or reduce the effectiveness with which the load capacity of the vehicle may be utilized, or the relationship between such items and the particular shape, size, or dimension of the vehicle in which they are to be transported; the need for special handling, storage or transportation conditions of items to be transported, as for example temperature, humidity, pressure, or other climatic or environmental conditions; and the availability of individual vehicles or vehicle classes within a fleet, or at a particular location. Following selection, the identified vehicle is provided to the user interface for presentation to a user. In the preferred embodiment, vehicle identification is based on vehicles for which the system indicates an availability for possible use by a prospective user.
The method and system provide for input by a user of characteristics of a load, or of particular items included in the load, that are relevant in determining the ultimate size of the load and/or the size capacity of the vehicle to be used for transporting the load. Such characteristics include, for example: the quantity and type of items to be included in the load; the volume and weight sizes of such items, represented by dimensions, shapes, weights and volumes; the fragility, flammability, and/or perishability of items; or other characteristics resulting in special packing and/or handling requirements.
One criterion preferably used by systems and methods according to the invention to identify an appropriate or suitable vehicle, and/or to define a required vehicle size capacity for transporting a load considers inefficiencies in packing the load inside the vehicle by a packer or packers. The inventors are aware that there exists a substantial variation in the relative efficiencies of different classes of vehicle packers. There typically exists, for example, a substantial difference in the efficiency with which vehicles are packed by professional movers and by non-professional movers who rent trucks and move their own household or office items. Packing efficiency can be expressed as the ratio of used (or unused) vehicle size capacity and the total or gross available vehicle size capacity. (The higher the used/total capacity ratio, the higher the packing efficiency, and the higher the unused/total capacity ratio, the lower the packing efficiency.) The amount of a vehicle's volume or weight load capacity left unused after an e
Frank Daniel Richard
Gayman Bryan Donald
Janowicz Thomas Joseph
Johannessen Christopher Martin
Kennedy Sean M.
Brown & Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner LLP
Bui Bryan
Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P.
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