Pallet mesh network

• US 10,354,178 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2017
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palletechnology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palletechnology, Inc.
• Inventors: Linkesch, Richard, Wainman, Anthony John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US15/823,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20180089550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07722 the record carrier being multilayered, e.g. laminated sheets flat articles in general, see B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/38 Transceivers, i.e. devices in which transmitter and receiver form a structural unit and in which at least one part is used for functions of transmitting and receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0241 where no transmission is received, e.g. out of range of the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for a pallet embedded with an electronic device to track and manage items during shipping. Such an electronic device can receive and store shipment information associated with a pallet associated with the electronic device and/or a nearby pallet. The shipment information can include an identifier associated with the pallet. The electronic device can then attempt a connection on a first wireless interface such as a low power and short range interface. If the electronic device determines that the first wireless interface is inappropriate for a connection, it can try a second wireless interface (such as a higher power and long range interface). The electronic device can then connect on the second wireless interface and send the shipment information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating, by an electronic device attached to a pallet, a low power mode during which at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down;

while the electronic device is operating in the low power mode, determining that a triggering event has occurred, wherein determining that the triggering event has occurred comprises;

comparing data gathered by a sensor to a threshold, yielding a comparison; and

determining, based on the comparison, that the threshold has been met or exceeded;

in response to determining that the triggering event occurred;

exiting the low power mode, causing the at least one processing area of the electronic device to power up;

recording sensor data gathered from one or more sensors attached to the pallet in shipment information stored by the electronic device, the shipment information including a description of the triggering event and an identifier associated with the pallet;

receiving, from a second electronic device attached to a second pallet, second shipment information gathered by sensors of the second electronic device;

connecting to a receiver via a wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces, yielding a selected wireless interface; and

sending at least a portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, the portion of the shipment information including the description of the triggering event; and

after sending the at least the portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, reinitiating low power mode during which the at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is a predetermined time interval being met or exceeded.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the triggering event is determined based on a score determined from sensor data gathered from at least a first one of the one or more sensors attached to the pallet exceeding a predetermined threshold score.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a triggering event has occurred comprises:

receiving, from a first motion sensor of the electronic device, motion data describing a detected physical a movement of the pallet; and

determining, based on the motion data, that an intensity level of the detected physical movement meets or exceeds a threshold intensity level.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the recorded sensor data is sent over the wireless interface using a first Application Programing Interface (API) associated with a management software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded sensor data includes identifiers associated with items placed on the pallet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting to the receiver via the wireless interface comprises:

attempting to connect to the receiver via a first wireless interface, yielding a first attempt, wherein the first wireless interface uses a first radio setting and provides a first connectivity range;

determining that the first attempt to connect via the first wireless interface was unsuccessful; and

in response to determining that the first attempt was unsuccessful, attempting to connect via a second wireless interface, yielding a second attempt, wherein the second wireless interface uses a second radio setting that is different than the first radio setting and provides a second connectivity range that is different than the first connectivity range.

8. An electronic device attached to a pallet, the electronic device comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising;

initiating, by an electronic device attached to a pallet, a low power mode during which at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down;

while the electronic device is operating in the low power mode, determining that a triggering event has occurred, wherein determining that the triggering event has occurred comprises;

comparing data gathered by a sensor to a threshold, yielding a comparison; and

determining, based on the comparison, that the threshold has been met or exceeded;

in response to determining that the triggering event occurred;

exiting the low power mode, causing the at least one processing area of the electronic device to power up;

recording sensor data gathered from one or more sensors attached to the pallet in shipment information stored by the electronic device, the shipment information including a description of the triggering event and an identifier associated with the pallet;

receiving, from a second electronic device attached to a second pallet, second shipment information gathered by sensors of the second electronic device;

connecting to a receiver via a wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces, yielding a selected wireless interface; and

sending at least a portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, the portion of the shipment information including the description of the triggering event; and

after sending the at least the portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, reinitiating low power mode during which the at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the triggering event is a predetermined time interval being met or exceeded.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the triggering event is determined based on a score determined from sensor data gathered from at least a first one of the one or more sensors attached to the pallet exceeding a predetermined threshold score.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein determining that a triggering event has occurred comprises:

receiving, from a first motion sensor of the electronic device, motion data describing a detected physical a movement of the pallet; and

determining, based on the motion data, that an intensity level of the detected physical movement meets or exceeds a threshold intensity level.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the at least a portion of the recorded sensor data is sent over the wireless interface using a first Application Programing Interface (API) associated with a management software.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the recorded sensor data includes identifiers associated with items placed on the pallet.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein connecting to the receiver via the wireless interface comprises:

attempting to connect to the receiver via a first wireless interface, yielding a first attempt, wherein the first wireless interface uses a first radio setting and provides a first connectivity range;

determining that the first attempt to connect via the first wireless interface was unsuccessful; and

in response to determining that the first attempt was unsuccessful, attempting to connect via a second wireless interface, yielding a second attempt, wherein the second wireless interface uses a second radio setting that is different than the first radio setting and provides a second connectivity range that is different than the first connectivity range.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of an electronic device attached to a pallet, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

initiating, by an electronic device attached to a pallet, a low power mode during which at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down;

while the electronic device is operating in the low power mode, determining that a triggering event has occurred, wherein determining that the triggering event has occurred comprises;

comparing data gathered by a sensor to a threshold, yielding a comparison; and

determining, based on the comparison, that the threshold has been met or exceeded;

in response to determining that the triggering event occurred;

exiting the low power mode, causing the at least one processing area of the electronic device to power up;

recording sensor data gathered from one or more sensors attached to the pallet in shipment information stored by the electronic device, the shipment information including a description of the triggering event and an identifier associated with the pallet;

receiving, from a second electronic device attached to a second pallet, second shipment information gathered by sensors of the second electronic device;

connecting to a receiver via a wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces, yielding a selected wireless interface; and

sending at least a portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, the portion of the shipment information including the description of the triggering event; and

after sending the at least the portion of the shipment information and the second shipment information over the selected wireless interface, reinitiating low power mode during which the at least one processing area of the electronic device is powered down.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the triggering event is a predetermined time interval being met or exceeded.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the triggering event is determined based on a score determined from sensor data gathered from at least a first one of the one or more sensors attached to the pallet exceeding a predetermined threshold score.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining that a triggering event has occurred comprises:

receiving, from a first motion sensor of the electronic device, motion data describing a detected physical a movement of the pallet; and

determining, based on the motion data, that an intensity level of the detected physical movement meets or exceeds a threshold intensity level.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least a portion of the recorded sensor data is sent over the wireless interface using a first Application Programing Interface (API) associated with a management software.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the recorded sensor data includes identifiers associated with items placed on the pallet.