Method and device for controlling a transport system to perform transport tasks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12572880-B2
Application number	US-202218698232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2022
Priority date	Nov 9, 2021
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

Aspects concern a. method for controlling a transport system comprising determining, for first score adjustment vectors, allocation rates, fulfilment rates and gains of fulfilled predetermined transport tasks. The method further comprises determining a second score adjustment vector from the allocation rates, fulfilment rates and gains determined for the first score adjustment vectors by estimating the second score adjustment vector to maximize a gain of fulfilled requested transport tasks subject to a predetermined minimum allocation rate of requested, transport tasks of each transport task category and a predetermined minimum fulfilment rate of requested transport tasks of each transport task category. Additionally, the method comprises controlling the transport system to perform transport tasks of a set of requested transport tasks by determining scores for each requested transport task, adjusting the scores of each transport task according to the second score adjustment vector and prioritizing requested transport tasks depending on their adjusted scores.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for controlling a transport system, comprising:
determining, by a transport system controller, for each first score adjustment vector of a plurality of first score adjustment vectors, wherein each first score adjustment vector comprises, for each transport task category of a plurality of transport task categories, a respective score adjustment value associated with the transport task category,
an allocation rate of predetermined transport tasks for each transport task category,
a fulfilment rate of predetermined transport tasks for each transport task category and
a gain of fulfilled predetermined transport tasks,
which are achieved if, for each predetermined transport task, scores reflecting costs and profit of predetermined transport tasks are adjusted according to the score adjustment value of the first score adjustment vector associated with the transport task category of the transport task and the transport system prioritizes predetermined transport tasks depending on their scores; determining, by the transport system controller, a second score adjustment vector, comprising, for each transport task category of the plurality of transport task categories, a respective score adjustment value associated with the transport task category, from the allocation rates, fulfilment rates and gains determined for the first score adjustment vectors by estimating the second score adjustment vector to maximize a gain of fulfilled requested transport tasks subject to a predetermined minimum allocation rate of requested transport tasks of each transport task category and a predetermined minimum fulfilment rate of requested transport tasks of each transport task category; and controlling, by the transport system controller, the transport system to perform transport tasks of a set of requested transport tasks by determining scores for each requested transport task, adjusting the scores of each transport task according to the score adjustment value associated with the transport task category of the second score adjustment vector, prioritizing requested transport tasks depending on their adjusted scores and communicating each prioritized transport task to a respective transport resource of the transport system.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second score adjustment vector is estimated by searching a score adjustment vector which maximizes the gain of fulfilled requested transport tasks while meeting the predetermined minimum allocation rate of requested transport tasks of each transport task category and the predetermined minimum fulfilment rate of requested transport tasks of each transport task category and which is achieved if the score of each requested transport task is adjusted according to the score adjustment value of the second score adjustment vector associated with the transport task category of the requested transport task and the transport system prioritizes requested transport tasks depending on their adjusted scores.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each score of a transport task is a score of performing the transport task with a respective transport resource of the transport system.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each score reflects a cost of performing the transport task with die respective transport resource for the transport system and a profit of performing the transport task with the respective transport resource for the transport system, wherein the profit is a profit relative to time required for the transport system to fulfil the transport task.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each score is a cost score and prioritizing transport tasks depending on adjusted scores comprises controlling the transport system to perform a transport task with a transport resource instead of performing another transport task with the transport resource, if the adjusted score of performing the transport task with the transport resource is lower than the adjusted score of performing the other transport task with the transport resource.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein each score is a profit score and prioritizing transport tasks depending on adjusted scores comprises controlling the transport system to perform a transport task with a transport resource instead of performing another transport task with the transport resource, if the adjusted score of performing the transport task with the transport resource is higher than the adjusted score of performing the other transport task with the transport resource.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising determining the allocation rates of the predetermined transport tasks, the fulfilment rates of the predetermined transport tasks and the gain of fulfilled predetermined transport tasks, by operation of the transport system and/or by simulation.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined transport tasks are historical transport tasks of the transport system.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined allocation rate for each transport task category is given by a predefined percentage of an allocation rate for the transport task category achieved when disregarding profit when assigning transport resources of the transport system to the predetermined transport tasks and wherein the predetermined fulfilment rate for each transport task category is given by a predefined percentage of a fulfilment rate for the transport task category achieved when disregarding profit when assigning transport resources of the transport system to the predetermined transport tasks.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined allocation rate for each transport task category and the predetermined fulfilment rate for each transport task category fire given by an operator strategy of the transport system.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the transport system comprises multiple transport sub-systems and each transport task category contains the transport tasks performed for a respective transport sub-system associated with the transport task category.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each transport sub-system handles transport of a respective type of goods, wherein different transport sub-systems handle different types of goods.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the types of goods comprise persons, fresh food and parcels.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the transport sub-systems share transport resources.

15 . The method of claim 1 , comprising determining the second score adjustment vector using Bayesian optimization or a Multi Armed Bandit algorithm.

16 . The method of claim 1 , comprising repeatedly updating the second score adjustment vector during operation of the transport system.

17 . A transport system controller comprising:
a processing unit; a communication interface operably connected to the processing unit; and a memory operably connected to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores program code which when executed cause the processing unit to:
determine, for each first score adjustment vector of a plurality of first score adjustment vectors, wherein each first score adjustment vector comprises, for each transport task category of a plurality of transport task categories,
a respective score adjustment value associated with the transport task category,
an allocation rate of predetermined transport tasks for each transport task category,
a fulfilment rate of predetermined transport tasks for each transport task category and
a gain of fulfilled predetermined transport tasks,
which are achieved if, for each predetermined tr

Assignees

• Grabtaxi Holdings Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Sun Chang
• Niu Junpeng
• Lin Larry Jun Jie

Classifications

• G06Q10/06

  Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G06Q10/08 Primary

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title