System and method for incremental object tracking and progressive remittance

• US 10,255,579 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mastercard International Incorporated (MasterCard Incorporated)
• Inventors: Unnerstall, Rick
• Primary Examiner(s): Marshall, Christle I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Habib, Asifa
• Application Number:
  US15/178,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A shipping remittance processor may receive periodic checkpoint data packets during shipping of an object, via a handler, along a shipping route. The shipping remittance processor may then analyze tracking information located in the checkpoint data packet to determine if the tracking information is authentic, and if the object has reached a checkpoint along the shipping route. If the object has reached the checkpoint, the shipping remittance processor may output a remittance indication indicating to output a portion of the total delivery remittance to the handler'"'"'s remittance account.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for incremental object tracking and progressive remittance, comprising:

receiving, at a shipping remittance processor, a checkpoint data packet including (1) location information determined from a tracker system, within a handler device, identifying a real-time geographical location of the handler device, and (2) tracking information of an object during shipment along a shipment route;

determining, via the shipping remittance processor, that the object has reached a checkpoint along the shipment route, the checkpoint being located between a beginning and end of the shipment route, the shipment route including multiple checkpoints for a single handler;

receiving, at the shipping remittance processor, a handler biometric authentication token generated at the handler device;

upon determining that the object has reached the checkpoint and authenticating the handler using the biometric token, outputting a remittance indication indicating that a portion of a total delivery remittance for delivery on the shipping route is to be distributed to a handler account of the single handler.

2. The method of claim 1, the tracking information being relayed by the handler device from a tracking tag located on the object or a shipping vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, the tracking information including data sent via a wireless transmission received by the handler device from the tracking tag located on the object or a shipping vehicle.

4. The method of claim 3, the wireless transmission being one or more of:

a RFID scan of the tracking tag by the handler device, and a Bluetooth transmission from the tracking tag to the handler device.

5. The method of claim 1, said receiving comprising receiving, via a network, the checkpoint data packet as a first communication from a tracking tag located on the object.

6. The method of claim 5, said receiving further comprising receiving the checkpoint data packet additionally as a second communication from the handler device.

7. The method of claim 1, said determining including comparing a timestamp of the tracking information within the checkpoint data packet against checkpoint requirements stored in the shipping remittance processor.

8. The method of claim 1, said outputting a remittance indication including sending the remittance indication to a shipper remittance account.

9. The method of claim 1, said outputting a remittance indication including sending the remittance indication to a prepaid resource.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the tracking information.

11. The method of claim 10, said authenticating comprising:

receiving, at the shipping remittance processor, an authentication token generated by the handler device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the handler biometric authentication token includes one or more of:

a handler fingerprint scan, a handler facial scan, and a handler retinal scan.

13. The method of claim 1, the object being a passenger in a passenger vehicle, the checkpoint data packet being received via a transmission from a mobile device of the passenger.

14. A system for incremental object tracking and progressive remittance, comprising:

a memory storing a checkpoint schedule defining checkpoints for an object traveling along a shipping route;

a shipping remittance processor adapted to execute non-transitory computer readable instructions to;

receive a checkpoint data packet including (1) location information determined from a tracker system, within a handler device, identifying a real-time geographical location of the handler device, (2) tracking information of the object during shipment along the shipping route, the shipping route including multiple checkpoints for a single handler, and (3) a handler biometric authentication token generated at the handler device;

compare the tracking information with the checkpoint schedule to determine if the object has reached one of the checkpoints,

authenticate the handler using the biometric authentication token, and

output a remittance indication indicating that a portion of a total delivery remittance, for shipment of the object along the shipping route, is to be distributed to a handler remittance account.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a communication manager in communication with the shipping remittance processor for receiving the checkpoint data packet via a wireless transmission.

16. A handler device for incremental object tracking and progressive remittance, comprising:

a memory storing a checkpoint schedule identifying shipping checkpoints along a shipping route for shipping an object, the shipping route including multiple checkpoints for a single handler;

a tracker for determining a real-time geographical location of the handler device;

a handler processor in communication with the memory and tracker, the handler processor configured to analyze the checkpoint schedule and output, via an output device, a prompt to a user to obtain biometric authentication information in response to the real-time geographical location matching one of the checkpoints;

an input interface configured to receive the authentication information.

17. The handler device of claim 16, further comprising a transmitter for transmitting a checkpoint data packet including the authentication information to a shipping remittance processor.

18. The handler device of claim 16, the input interface including a wireless scanner for receiving location information of an object via one or more of a RFID scan of a tracking tag located on the object, and a Bluetooth transmission from the tracking tag located on the object.

19. The handler device of claim 16, the input interface including a biometric scanner;

the authentication information including one or more of;

a handler fingerprint scan, a handler retinal scan, and a handler facial scan received via the biometric scanner.

20. The handler device of claim 16, further comprising a receiver for receiving a remittance data packet indicating remittance has been placed in a handler remittance account.