System and method for conducting an electronic auction for available cargo capacity on a cargo carrier

Abstract

The embodiments relate to systems and methods for conducting an electronic auction for available cargo capacity on a cargo carrier. In one aspect, the embodiments may monitor the cargo carrier to determine its geographic location as the cargo carrier travels towards a starting point of a route; determine a route starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the starting point of the route; begin the electronic auction to sell the available cargo capacity prior to the cargo carrier arriving at the starting point of the route, the electronic auction selling the available cargo capacity at a current route price that corresponds to the route starting distance; and receive input indicating a purchase of the available cargo capacity at the current route price. In some embodiments, a route may be partitioned into potentially overlapping segments, and electronic auctions may be conducted for each route segment.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of conducting an electronic auction for available cargo capacity on a cargo carrier, the method comprising:
 monitoring the cargo carrier to determine its geographic location as the cargo carrier travels towards a starting point of a route;   determining a route starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the starting point of the route;   beginning the electronic auction to sell the available cargo capacity prior to the cargo carrier arriving at the starting point of the route, the electronic auction for selling the available cargo capacity at a current route price that corresponds to the route starting distance; and   receiving input indicating a purchase of the available cargo capacity at the current route price.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the current route price decreases as the route starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the starting point of the route decreases. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the monitoring further comprises determining the geographic location of the cargo carrier as the cargo carrier travels along the route, the method further comprising:
 partitioning the route into a plurality of route segments, each route segment comprising a segment start point and a segment end point; and   for at least two route segments of the plurality of route segments,
 determining a segment starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the segment start point of the route segment, and 
 beginning a segment electronic auction to sell available cargo capacity prior to the cargo carrier arriving at the segment start point of the route segment, wherein the segment electronic auction sells the available cargo capacity on the route segment at a current segment price that corresponds to the segment starting distance. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising receiving input to purchase the available cargo capacity for the route segment at the current segment price. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein for the at least two route segments, the current segment price decreases as the segment starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the segment start point of the route segment decreases. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein for at least one of the segment electronic auctions, the method further comprises,
 determining that the cargo carrier has traveled past the segment start point of the route segment associated with the at least one segment auction; and   ending the at least one segment electronic auction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising
 receiving input indicating that cargo capacity for a first route segment of the plurality of route segments has been sold via a first segment electronic auction; and   identifying a second route segment comprising the first route segment, and a second segment electronic auction selling cargo capacity for the second route segment.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising
 ending the second segment electronic auction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising
 recalibrating the second segment electronic auction to only sell cargo capacity for remaining unsold portions of the second route segment not included in the first route segment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein at least two of the plurality of route segments are overlapping. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of route segments share a common segment start point. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least two of the plurality of route segments share a common segment end point. 
     
     
         13 . A system for conducting an electronic auction for available cargo capacity on a cargo carrier, the system comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
 monitor the cargo carrier to determine its geographic location as the cargo carrier travels towards a starting point of a route;   determine a route starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the starting point of the route;   begin the electronic auction to sell the available cargo capacity prior to the cargo carrier arriving at the starting point of the route, the electronic auction for selling the available cargo capacity at a current route price that corresponds to the route starting distance; and   receive input indicating a purchase of the available cargo capacity at the current route price.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the current route price decreases as the route starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the starting point of the route decreases. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the geographic location of the cargo carrier as the cargo carrier travels along the route, and:
 partition the route into a plurality of route segments, each route segment comprising a segment start point and a segment end point; and   for at least two route segments of the plurality of route segments,
 determine a segment starting distance between the geographic location of the cargo carrier and the segment start point of the route segment, and 
 begin a segment electronic auction to sell available cargo capacity prior to the cargo carrier arriving at the segment start point of the route segment, wherein the segment electronic auction sells the available cargo capacity on the route segment at a current segment price that corresponds to the segment starting distance. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein for at least one of the segment electronic auctions, the processor is further configured to:
 determine that the cargo carrier has traveled past the segment start point of the route segment associated with the at least one segment auction; and   end the at least one segment electronic auction.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive input indicating that cargo capacity for a first route segment of the plurality of route segments has been sold via a first segment electronic auction; and   identify a second route segment comprising the first route segment, and a second segment electronic auction selling cargo capacity for the second route segment.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 end the second segment electronic auction.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 recalibrate the second segment electronic auction to only sell cargo capacity for remaining unsold portions of the second route segment not included in the first route segment.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least two of the plurality of route segments are overlapping.