NSF/USDOT: Agent-based Coordination in Public Logistics Networks

NSF/USDOT：公共物流网络中基于代理的协调

• 批准号: 0229720
• 负责人: Michael Kay
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-10-01 至 2007-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0229720&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; USDOT; Agent; based; Coordination

A public logistics network is proposed as means to provide fast, flexible, and low-cost parcel transport. Similar to the dynamic pricing used to sell airline seats, a price for each available space on a truck and storage space at a distribution center (DC) could be negotiated in real time for each individual item. A third party can search the network for any type of item in transit, negotiate the purchase of the item, and redirected it to a new destination. As compared to private logistics networks, scale economies could be realized in performing each logistics function since each element of the network has access to potentially all of the network's demand. It would be possible for small cities and towns to have access to the same low-cost parcel delivery services that are currently only available in larger cities, and the need for on-site inventory storage would be reduced since finished-goods and safety stocks would be mobile and could be re-routed only when needed.The proposed research will focus on developing a specification of the information infrastructure necessary to realize public logistics networks together with a prototype implementation of the specification. A network covering the entire U.S. will be created and used as the base network structure in all subsequent work. The core of the specification will be an agent architecture and protocols for adaptive routing and in-transit trade. Based on the local price of transport and storage at each DC, the "best" route for the package is determined. Until the package reaches its final destination, its agents would remain at the DCs both to make it possible to re-route a package in case of any disruptions in the network and to serve as trading agents to negotiate the possible resale of the package. An important research issue is to determine what is the best combination of market and pricing mechanisms for the transport services in a public logistics network.

提出建立公共物流网络，提供快速、灵活、低成本的包裹运输。与用于销售航空公司座位的动态定价类似，卡车上的每个可用空间和配送中心（DC）的存储空间的价格可以针对每个单独的项目进行实时协商。第三方可以在网络上搜索任何类型的运输物品，协商购买该物品，并将其重定向到一个新的目的地。与私有物流网络相比，规模经济可以在执行每个物流功能时实现，因为网络的每个元素都有可能获得网络的所有需求。小城市和乡镇将有可能获得目前只在大城市提供的同样的低成本包裹递送服务，并且现场库存储存的需要将减少，因为成品和安全库存将是流动的，只有在需要时才可以改变路线。拟议的研究将侧重于开发实现公共物流网络所需的信息基础设施规范，以及该规范的原型实现。一个覆盖整个美国的网络将被创建，并作为后续所有工作的基础网络结构。该规范的核心将是自适应路由和在途贸易的代理体系结构和协议。根据每个配送中心的当地运输和存储价格，确定包裹的“最佳”路线。在包裹到达最终目的地之前，它的代理将留在数据中心，以便在网络中断的情况下重新路由包裹，并作为交易代理谈判可能的转售包裹。一个重要的研究问题是确定公共物流网络中运输服务的市场和定价机制的最佳组合。