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An improved scheduling system for scheduling, in real time, two or more customer visits (e.g. pickups, deliveries, or service visits) in response to a single request. The single request preferably specifies a date and a time window for a first customer visit, and a periodic schedule according to whi

An improved scheduling system for scheduling, in real time, two or more customer visits (e.g. pickups, deliveries, or service visits) in response to a single request. The single request preferably specifies a date and a time window for a first customer visit, and a periodic schedule according to which the customer visit should reoccur. Accordingly, the system allows a user to use a single request to schedule a series of periodically-reoccurring customer visits. In one embodiment, responsive to the request, the system firmly schedules the first customer visit, and tentatively schedules all other customer visits in the series. Shortly before each tentatively scheduled customer visit is to occur, the system determines whether to make the tentatively scheduled customer visit in view of holidays, capacity, and cost. If so, the system firmly schedules the customer visit. If not, the system notifies the user and allows the user to reschedule the visit.

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What we claim is: 1. A computer-readable medium for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of: (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle v

What we claim is: 1. A computer-readable medium for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of: (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of: (a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; (a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits: identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. 2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein: said Step (3) includes determining whether it would be possible to make said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; and and Step (4) includes determining, for each particular one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether it would possible to make said particular delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days. 3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein: said Step (3) includes determining whether it would be economically desirable to make said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; and and Step (4) includes determining, for each particular one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether it would economically desirable to make said particular delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days. 4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first delivery; said first delivery includes a first set of items; said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional deliveries; and said additional deliveries each include a second set of items. 5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein: said first set of items includes substantially all of the items delivered during said first delivery; and said second set of items includes substantially all of the items within said first set of items. 6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein said single request comprises: a definition of said first set of items; an indication that said first set of items should be delivered within said particular time window on said first day; and an indication that said first set of items should be delivered, according to a reoccurring delivery schedule, within said particular time window an at least one day other than said first day. 7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium comprises computer-executable instructions for performing said Steps (1), (2), (3), (4), and (5) in real time. 8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions for displaying a confirmation message to said user confirming that said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits has been scheduled, and wherein said step of displaying a confirmation message is executed in response to a combination of: (a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days. 9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first pickup; and said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional pickups. 10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions for displaying a message to said user indicating that said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits cannot be scheduled, and wherein said step of displaying said message is executed in response to a combination of: (a) said request, and (b) a determination in Step (3) not to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day, or (c) a determination in Step (4) not to schedule at least one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits within said particular time window on one of said subsequent days. 11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein said computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable instructions for, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits: identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows. 12. A method of scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said method comprising the steps of: (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining, via a computer processor, whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of: (a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days: (a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits: identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first delivery; said first delivery includes a first set of items; said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional deliveries; said additional deliveries each include a second set of items; said first set of items includes all of the items delivered during said first delivery; and said second set of items includes substantially all of the items within said first set of items. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein said single request comprises: a definition of said first set of items; an indication that said first set of items should be delivered within said particular time window on said first day; and an indication that said first set of items should be delivered, according to a reoccurring delivery schedule, within said particular time window on at least one day other than said first day. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein said Steps (1), (2), (3), (3), and (5) are performed in a real time computing environment. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first pickup; and said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional pickups. 17. A system for scheduling delivery vehicle visits to a customer, said system comprising: a central processing unit; and a memory coupled to said central processing unit; said central processing unit being configured for: (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of delivery vehicle visits to said customer, said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits comprising a first delivery vehicle visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made on subsequent days, each delivery vehicle visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits, whether to schedule said respective delivery vehicle visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; (5) in response to a combination of: (a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first delivery vehicle visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days: (a) scheduling said first delivery vehicle visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional delivery vehicle visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits: identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first delivery; said first delivery includes a first set of items; said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional deliveries; said additional deliveries each include a second set of items; said first set of items includes all of the items delivered during said first delivery; and said second set of items includes substantially all of the items within said first set of items. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein said central processing unit is further configured for performing said Steps (1), (2), (3), (4) , and (5) in real time. 20. The system of claim 17, wherein: said first delivery vehicle visit is a first pickup; and said two or more additional delivery vehicle visits are additional pickups. 21. A computer-readable medium for scheduling customer visits to a customer, said computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of: (1) receiving a single request from a user to schedule a periodic series of customer visits to said customer, said periodic series of customer visits comprising a first customer visit to be made on a first day and two or more additional customer visits to be made on subsequent days, each customer visit within said periodic series to be made on a different day, but within a particular time window, wherein said particular time window is a discrete block of time having a specified start time and a specified end time; (2) allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of customer visits; (3) determining whether to schedule said first customer visit within said particular time window on said first day; (4) determining, for each respective one of said two or more additional customer visits, whether to schedule said respective customer visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; and (5) in response to a combination of: (a) said request, (b) a determination in Step (3) that said first customer visit should be scheduled within said particular time window on said first day, and (c) a determination in Step (4) to schedule each respective one of said two or more additional customer visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days: (a) scheduling said first customer visit to be made within said particular time window on said first day; and (b) scheduling each of said respective additional customer visits to be made within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days; wherein, in response to determining not to schedule a particular one of said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits: identifying, and presenting to the user, two or more alternative time windows; and allowing said user to schedule said particular delivery vehicle visit to be made within a particular one of said two or more alternative time windows; and wherein said step of allowing said user to specify a schedule for said periodic series of delivery vehicle visits includes allowing said user to specify a certain number of delivery vehicle visits to be completed in said series, and a frequency with which said delivery vehicle visits are to occur. 22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein: said Step (3) includes determining whether it would be possible to make said first customer visit within said particular time window on said first day; and and Step (4) includes determining, for each particular one of said two or more additional customer visits, whether it would possible to make said particular customer visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days. 23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein: said Step (3) includes determining, whether it would be economically desirable to make said first customer visit within said particular time window on said first day; and and Step (4) includes determining, for each particular one of said two or more additional customer visits, whether it would economically desirable to make said particular customer visit within said particular time window on a particular respective one of said subsequent days.