Freight tracking system and method
First Claim
1. A method for tracking freight using a freight tracking system wherein the freight tracking system comprising steps of:
- installing a controller, said controller being a personal computer, said controller being operably coupled a network;
installing at least one remote terminal, said remote terminal being a portable computing device;
installing a software application, said software application being installed on said controller and said at least one remote terminal, said software application operable to provide operation of the freight tracking system;
connecting the controller to a remote database;
deploying a warehouse gateway, said warehouse gateway being operably coupled to said at least one remote terminal and said controller, said warehouse gateway including a transceiver, said transceiver configured to transmit and detect a signal;
providing a plurality of asset tags, said asset tags having a housing, said asset tags being releasably secured to an item for shipment, said asset tags including a transmitter and receiver, said asset tags further including a visual warning indicator, said visual warning indicator operable to display a first color and a second color;
allocating a portion of said plurality of asset tags secured to a shipment of cargo, wherein the shipment of cargo includes a plurality of separate items;
pairing the portion of said plurality of asset tags selected for securement to a shipment to the warehouse gateway;
assigning the portion of said plurality of asset tags to a shipment batch, wherein the shipment batch is provided with a unique shipment batch identification number;
securing the portion of said plurality of asset tags paired with the warehouse gateway to the items within the shipment batch;
entering the shipment batch information into the software application;
linking the asset tags contained within the shipment batch, wherein communication between each asset tag within a shipment batch is established;
entering a proximity distance parameter, wherein the proximity distance parameter for each asset tag within the shipment batch is entered into the freight tracking system;
activating monitoring of each asset tag within the shipment batch;
updating the database with position information of each asset tag;
detecting that at least one asset tag has exceeded the proximity distance parameter;
alerting users of the freight tracking system, wherein the users of the freight tracking system are provided notification that an asset tag within a shipment batch has exceeded the proximity distance parameter;
correcting a location of the asset tag; and
resuming the monitoring of the asset tags within a shipment batch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A freight tracking system and method of use that is operable to track a shipment batch wherein the shipment batch comprises of a plurality of pieces and wherein each piece of the shipment batch is communicably coupled. The freight tracking system further includes a database, controller, remote terminals, warehouse gateways and a plurality of asset tags. The asset tags are communicably coupled with each other and further communicably paired with at least one warehouse gateway. The asset tags maintain communication intermediate each other and further include a display screen and a visual warning indicator. A proximity distance parameter is established for a group of asset tags that are assigned to a particular shipment batch. The asset tags within the assigned shipment batch are operable to provide notification to the users of the freight tracking system upon the exceeding of the proximity distance parameter.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for tracking freight using a freight tracking system wherein the freight tracking system comprising steps of:
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installing a controller, said controller being a personal computer, said controller being operably coupled a network; installing at least one remote terminal, said remote terminal being a portable computing device; installing a software application, said software application being installed on said controller and said at least one remote terminal, said software application operable to provide operation of the freight tracking system; connecting the controller to a remote database; deploying a warehouse gateway, said warehouse gateway being operably coupled to said at least one remote terminal and said controller, said warehouse gateway including a transceiver, said transceiver configured to transmit and detect a signal; providing a plurality of asset tags, said asset tags having a housing, said asset tags being releasably secured to an item for shipment, said asset tags including a transmitter and receiver, said asset tags further including a visual warning indicator, said visual warning indicator operable to display a first color and a second color; allocating a portion of said plurality of asset tags secured to a shipment of cargo, wherein the shipment of cargo includes a plurality of separate items; pairing the portion of said plurality of asset tags selected for securement to a shipment to the warehouse gateway; assigning the portion of said plurality of asset tags to a shipment batch, wherein the shipment batch is provided with a unique shipment batch identification number; securing the portion of said plurality of asset tags paired with the warehouse gateway to the items within the shipment batch; entering the shipment batch information into the software application; linking the asset tags contained within the shipment batch, wherein communication between each asset tag within a shipment batch is established; entering a proximity distance parameter, wherein the proximity distance parameter for each asset tag within the shipment batch is entered into the freight tracking system; activating monitoring of each asset tag within the shipment batch; updating the database with position information of each asset tag; detecting that at least one asset tag has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; alerting users of the freight tracking system, wherein the users of the freight tracking system are provided notification that an asset tag within a shipment batch has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; correcting a location of the asset tag; and resuming the monitoring of the asset tags within a shipment batch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for tracking freight using a freight tracking system wherein the freight tracking system is operable to monitor the position of each piece of a shipment batch relative to each other comprising steps of:
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installing a controller, said controller being a personal computer, said controller being operably coupled a network; installing at least one remote terminal, said at least one remote terminal being a portable computing device, said at least one remote terminal being a tablet PC or a smart phone; installing a software application, said software application being installed on said controller and said at least one remote terminal, said software application operable to provide operation of the freight tracking system; establishing a database, said database being established on a server; coupling the controller to the database, said coupling of the controller to the database being executed by a computer network connection; deploying a warehouse gateway, said warehouse gateway being operably coupled to said at least one remote terminal and said controller, said warehouse gateway including a transceiver, said transceiver configured to transmit and detect a signal; providing a plurality of asset tags, said plurality of asset tags having a housing, said asset tags being releasably secured to an item for shipment, said asset tags including a transmitter and receiver, said asset tags further including a visual warning indicator, said visual warning indicator operable to display a first color and a second color, said asset tags further including a display screen; identifying a shipment batch, said shipment batch comprising of more than one item, wherein the shipment batch is scheduled to ship to a single destination; allocating a portion of said plurality of asset tags, said portion of said plurality of asset tags being secured to the shipment batch; pairing the portion of said plurality of asset tags selected for securement to the shipment batch to the warehouse gateway; assigning the portion of said plurality of asset tags to the shipment batch, wherein the shipment batch is provided with a unique shipment batch identification number; securing the portion of said plurality of asset tags assigned to the shipment batch; entering shipment batch information into the software application, wherein the shipment batch information is inputted using a barcode located on said asset tag; linking the asset tags contained within the shipment batch, wherein communication between each asset tag within a shipment batch is established, said linking the asset tags operable to establish a mesh network wherein each asset tag secured to an assigned shipment batch is communicably connected to each other; entering a proximity distance parameter, wherein the proximity distance parameter for each asset tag within the shipment batch is entered into the freight tracking system; activating monitoring of each asset tag within the shipment batch; updating the database with position information of each asset tag, said updating the database occurring at regular intervals of time; detecting that at least one asset tag has exceeded the proximity distance parameter between itself and another asset tag within the shipment batch; alerting users of the freight tracking system, wherein the users of the freight tracking system are provided notification that an asset tag within a shipment batch has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; identifying a location of the asset tag within the shipment batch that is providing the signal that it has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; correcting the location of the asset tag; resuming the monitoring of the asset tags within a shipment batch; and providing a dock location for the shipment batch, said shipment batch being loaded onto a transport device, wherein the dock location is displayed on a screen located on the asset tag. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for tracking freight that is operable to establish position data for each item within an assigned shipment batch and wherein the each item is communicably coupled comprising steps of:
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installing a controller, said controller being a personal computer, said controller being operably coupled a network; installing at least one remote terminal, said remote terminal being a portable computing device, said at least one remote terminal being a tablet PC or a smart phone; installing a software application, said software application being installed on said controller and said at least one remote terminal, said software application operable to provide the operation of the freight tracking system; establishing a database, said database being established on a server; coupling the controller to the database, said coupling of the controller to the database being executed by a computer network connection; deploying a warehouse gateway, said warehouse gateway being operably coupled to said at least one remote terminal and said controller, said warehouse gateway including a transceiver, said transceiver configured to transmit and detect a signal; providing a plurality of asset tags, said asset tags having a housing, said asset tags being configured to be releasably secured to items within a shipment batch, said asset tags including a transmitter and receiver, said asset tags further including a visual warning indicator, said visual warning indicator operable to display a first color and a second color, said asset tags further including a display screen; identifying a shipment batch, said shipment batch comprising of more than one item, wherein the shipment batch is scheduled to ship to the same destination; allocating a portion of said plurality of asset tags, said plurality of asset tags secured to the shipment batch; pairing the portion of said plurality of asset tags selected for securement to the shipment batch to the warehouse gateway; assigning the portion of said plurality of asset tags to the shipment batch, wherein the shipment batch is provided with a unique shipment batch identification number; securing the portion of said plurality of asset tags assigned to the shipment batch; entering the shipment batch information into the software application, wherein the shipment batch information is inputted using a barcode located on said asset tag; linking the asset tags contained within the shipment batch, wherein communication between each asset tag within a shipment batch is established, said linking the asset tags operable to establish a mesh network wherein each asset tag secured to an assigned shipment batch is communicably connected to each other; entering the proximity distance parameter, wherein the proximity distance parameter for each asset tag within the shipment batch is entered into the freight tracking system; activating monitoring of each asset tag within the shipment batch; updating the database with position information of each asset tag, said updating the database occurring at regular intervals of time; detecting that at least one asset tag has exceeded the proximity distance parameter between itself and another asset tag within the shipment batch; alerting the users of the freight tracking system, wherein users of the freight tracking system are provided notification that an asset tag within a shipment batch has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; identifying a location of the asset tag within the shipment batch that is providing the signal that it has exceeded the proximity distance parameter; correcting the location of the asset tag; resuming the monitoring of the asset tags within a shipment batch; providing a dock location for the shipment batch, said shipment batch being loaded onto a transport device, wherein the dock location is displayed on a screen located on the asset tag; notifying a user of the freight tracking system that the shipment batch has been loaded onto the transport device and it ready for shipment; alerting a user subsequent departure of a transport device with a shipment batch stored thereon that at least one piece of the shipment batch is loaded onto the transport device; updating the status of the transport device within the freight tracking system subsequent departure of the transport device from its origination point; and detecting a transport device arrival at a destination location, wherein the detection of the transport device is facilitated by a warehouse gateway installed at the destination location. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification