Determining locations of cargo transportation units using image data

• US 10,598,760 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2017
• Issued: 03/24/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Seaman, Conrad Delbert, West, Stephen, Kuhn, Derek John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US15/684,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20190069139A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/12 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/31 Acquisition or tracking of other signals for positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/485 whereby the further system is an optical system or imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In some examples, a system includes at least one processor configured to receive, over a network, position data acquired by a position sensor, receive, over the network, an image of a first cargo transportation unit (CTU) acquired by a camera, and determine a location of the first CTU or a second CTU based on the position data and information in the image of the first CTU.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive, over a network, position data acquired by a position sensor;

receive, over the network, an image of a first cargo transportation unit (CTU) acquired by a camera on a second CTU in response to a trigger initiated by the first CTU; and

determine a location of the first CTU or the second CTU based on the position data and information in the image of the first CTU.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location is further based on a stored location of the first CTU captured in the image.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the received position data was acquired by the position sensor on the second CTU, and the determined location is of the second CTU.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the received position data was acquired by the position sensor on the first CTU, and the determined location is of the second CTU.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the received position data was acquired by the position sensor on the second CTU, and the determined location is of the first CTU.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the received position data was acquired by the position sensor on the first CTU, and the determined location is of the first CTU.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive, over the network, images of a plurality of CTUs acquired by one or more cameras, the plurality of CTUs including the first CTU; and

determine the location of the first CTU or the second CTU based on the position data and information in the images of the plurality of CTUs.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining of the location of the first CTU or the second CTU is based on information in the image of the first CTU that identifies the first CTU or a known location of the first CTU.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first CTU is without the position sensor or is without a communication capability to communicate with the system, and the determined location is of the first CTU.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

generate a map of CTUs using determined locations of the CTUs, the determined locations comprising the location of the first CTU or the second CTU.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to further:

determine a distance between the first CTU and the second CTU,

wherein the determined location of the first CTU or the second CTU is further based on the determined distance.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the determined distance is based on information of a size of the first CTU stored in a data repository.

13. A system comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

receive, over a network, position data acquired by a position sensor;

receive, over the network, an image of a first cargo transportation unit (CTU) acquired by a camera;

determine a location of the first CTU or a second CTU based on the position data and information in the image of the first CTU; and

select a use of the position data acquired by the position sensor that is part of a CTU that has been stationary for longer than a specified time duration.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the received image was acquired by a camera on the second CTU in response to a trigger initiated by the first CTU.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions that upon execution cause a system to:

receive, over a network, position data acquired by a position sensor;

receive, over the network, an image of a first cargo transportation unit (CTU) acquired by a camera on a second CTU in response to a trigger initiated by the first CTU; and

determine a location of the first CTU or the second CTU based on the position data and information in the image of the first CTU.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the position data is acquired by the position sensor that is battery powered and deactivated at respective time intervals.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the information in the image of the first CTU comprises information to identify the first CTU or the location of the first CTU, the determined location is of the second CTU, and determining the location of the second CTU uses a stored location of the first CTU based on the information in the image of the first CTU.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the determined location is of the first CTU, and wherein the first CTU is without the position sensor.

19. A first cargo transportation unit (CTU) comprising:

a position sensor that is activated intermittently and deactivated during respective time intervals;

a camera; and

a controller configured to;

receive, responsive to an indication of a second CTU, a trigger to activate the position sensor and the camera, and

in response to the received trigger;

cause the position sensor to acquire position information,

cause the camera to capture an image of the second CTU, and

send, over a network to a remote service, the position information and the image of the second CTU to cause the remote service to determine a location of the second CTU.

20. The first CTU of claim 19, further comprising a wireless transceiver to send the position information and the image of the second CTU wirelessly over the network.