Patent ID: 7457761
Filing Date: 2008-11-25
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of managing a delivery schedule of an order using a system configured with a server which includes a goods delivery system, the system including at least one computing unit networked to the server, the order being delivered from at least one supplier to a respective delivery agent, and from the respective delivery agent to a respective buyer, wherein the order comprises order information, said method comprising the steps of: (1) calculating a first potential arrival date of the order to a respective delivery agent's location using the server system networked to the computing unit based on an order request date, a respective buyer's address, and a fixed delay; (2) generating a work unit matrix, wherein each work unit in the work unit matrix is a multiplication factor of a size and a degree of difficulty of installation associated with each item in the order; (3)determining a number of delivery slots needed for the order by multiplying, each item in the order by a work unit selected from the work unit matrix; (4) determining an ability of the respective delivery agent to ship the order based on the first potential arrival date and the number of delivery slots; (5) determining a delivery date to the respective buyer when there is sufficient delivery agent capacity to ship the order to the respective buyer's address; (6) updating an electronic manifest indicating the delivery date of the order and a change in delivery agent capacity for the delivery date; and (7) determining whether an order change that affects the delivery date of the order has been requested, wherein the request is made by a user that is authorized by one of the respective delivery agent, the respective buyer, the at least one supplier, a store, or a logistics intermediary, wherein allowance of the order change is based on: (a) a type of order change, (b) whether the user is acting as the respective delivery agent, the respective buyer, the at least one supplier, the store, or the logistics intermediary, (c) a level of the user, and (d) a security code, wherein, upon allowance of the order change, steps (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) are repeated to determine a new delivery date.