Method and system for tracking the delivery of an object to a specific location

• US 10,572,704 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2019
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Brinton, Brett
• Primary Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US16/391,951
• Publication Number:
  US 20190251315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

System and method for collecting object identification data from a plurality of objects that interact with a vehicle during operation of the vehicle, where the vehicle interacts with specific objects at specific geographical positions. An identification sensor is attached to a particular object that is to be delivered to specific location. A record for the object is generated, the record including the identification of the object, the position of the vehicle when the interaction between the object and the vehicle occurs, and the time of the interaction. The record also includes a specific target location for delivery of the object. Exemplary interactions include loading/unloading an object from the vehicle. The record may also include additional data about a parameter of the object (such as the object'"'"'s weight, volume, or temperature). An alert is sent to a driver of the vehicle when he approaches a location that is adjacent to the delivery location of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

tracking a current location of a vehicle during transit along a predefined driving route;

outputting on a display device an indication to a driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is approaching a specific, predefined target delivery location along the predefined driving route prior to the vehicle arriving at the specific, predefined target delivery location;

outputting on the display device an indication to the driver of the vehicle a list of specific, predefined objects that are to that are be unloaded from the vehicle at the specific, predefined target delivery location prior to the vehicle arriving at the specific, predefined target delivery location;

stopping the vehicle upon the vehicle reaching the specific, predefined target delivery location;

starting the unloading the predefined objects at the specific, predefined target delivery location; and

sending a notification alert to the driver of the vehicle if an object in the vehicle begins to unload that is not on the list of specific, predefined objects to be unloaded at the specific, predefined target delivery location.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the specific, predefined target delivery location is a bus stop.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a bus and the objects to be unloaded are passengers who are scheduled to be on the bus.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including:

storing in a memory associated with the display device a list of the specific, predefined target delivery locations prior to the vehicle starting to transit along the predefined driving route; and

storing in the memory associated with the display device the list having the specific objects on it that are to that are be unloaded from the vehicle at the specific, predefined target delivery location prior to the vehicle starting to transit along the predefined driving route.

5. The method according to claim 1 further wherein the step of sending a notification alert to the driver of the vehicle if an object in the vehicle begins to unload that is not on the list of specific, predefined objects to be unloaded at the predefined target delivery location is based solely on the current location of the vehicle that is compared to the list of specific, predefined objects to be unloaded at the specific, predefined target location.

6. A method, comprising:

storing in a computer memory a predefined driving route for a bus and predefined bus stops along the route;

storing in the memory a list of people who are approved to exit at each predefined bus stop;

tracking a current location of the bus during transit along the predefined driving route;

outputting on a display device an indication to a driver of the bus that the bus is approaching a specific, predefined bus stop along the predefined driving route prior to the bus arriving at the specific, predefined bus stop;

outputting on the display device an indication to the driver of the bus a list of people who are authorized to exit the bus at the specific, predefined bus stop prior to the bus arriving at the specific, predefined bus stop;

stopping the bus upon the bus reaching the specific, predefined bus stop;

starting the exiting of people on the bus at the specific, predefined bus stop;

comparing, via a computer processor, the names of the people exiting at the specific, predefined bus stop with the list of people authorized to exit at the specific, predefined bus stop; and

sending a notification alert to the driver of the bus if a person begins to exit who is not on the list of people authorized to exit at the specific, predefined bus stop based solely based on the person beginning to exit not being on the list of people who are approved to exit at the specific, predefined bus stop.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein storing in the memory a list of people who are approved to exit at each predefined bus stop occurs prior to the bus starting to drive on the predefined route.

8. The method according to claim 6, further including:

sensing an RFID chip that is associated with each person as they exit from the bus.

9. The method according to claim 6, further including:

sensing an RFID chip that is associated with each person as they enter the bus.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the list of people who are approved to exit at each predefined bus stop is modified after the bus starts to drive on the predefined route based on who has entered the bus.

11. The method according to claim 6 wherein the list of people who are approved to exit at each predefined bus stop is created prior to the bus starting to drive on the predefined route and is not modified while the bus is driving on the predefined route.