Systems and methods for rule-driven management of sensor data across geographic areas and derived actions

• US 10,726,384 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2019
• Issued: 07/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter, Ainsworth, Miley
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang
• Application Number:
  US16/394,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20190251511A1
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an information gathering method. The information gathering method includes identifying a location of a package, the location associated with one or more location-based restrictions on collecting data. The information gathering method also includes restricting access to sensor-collectable data associated with the package in accordance with the one or more location-based restrictions.

Claims

1. An information gathering method comprising the following operations performed by one or more processors at an information distributor:

identifying a routing rule associated with a package that reflects at least one of a data collection or transportation requirement associated with the package;

determining a delivery route based on the routing rule, wherein the delivery route is selected from possible routes for delivery of the package based on an amount of sensor-collectable data collected along the delivery route;

determining a set of location-based restrictions along the delivery route;

providing the set of location-based restrictions to a sensor located within or in proximity to the package;

receiving sensor data from the sensor; and

restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor violating the set of location-based restrictions, wherein restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor comprises deleting or obfuscating the sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the routing rule further reflects collecting a type of the sensor-collectable data along the possible routes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a set of conflicting collection rules among a first set of location-based restrictions on collecting data, and wherein determining the set of location-based restrictions comprises at least one of:

giving precedence to a jurisdictional restriction over an institutional restriction within set of conflicting collection rules;

or

giving precedence to a restriction with a stricter requirement within the set of conflicting collection rules.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor further comprises providing, over a network, an instruction to the sensor preventing collection of the sensor data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein obfuscating the sensor data comprises storing the sensor data in a format rendering the sensor data unreadable.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising identifying a second set of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the delivery route, and wherein identifying the set of conflicting collection rules comprises identifying conflicts among the first set of location-based restrictions and the second set of location-based restrictions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes environmental data associated with the package.

8. An information gathering system at an information distributor, the system comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions such that, when executed, cause the processors to perform a method, the method comprising;

identifying a routing rule associated with a package that reflects at least one of a data collection or transportation requirement associated with the package;

determining a delivery route based on the routing rule, wherein the delivery route is selected from possible routes for delivery of the package based on an amount of sensor-collectable data collected along the delivery route;

determining a set of location-based restrictions along the delivery route;

providing the set of location-based restrictions to a sensor located within or in proximity to the package;

receiving sensor data from the sensor; and

restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor violating the set of location-based restrictions, wherein restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor comprises deleting or obfuscating the sensor data at the information distributor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the routing rule further reflects collecting a type of the sensor-collectable data along the possible routes.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises identifying a set of conflicting collection rules among a first set of location-based restrictions on collecting data, and wherein determining the set of location-based restrictions comprises at least one of:

giving precedence to a jurisdictional restriction over an institutional restriction within set of conflicting collection rules;

or

giving precedence to a restriction with a stricter requirement within the set of conflicting collection rules.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor further comprises providing, over a network, an instruction to the sensor preventing collection of the sensor data.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein obfuscating the sensor data comprises storing the sensor data in a format rendering the sensor data unreadable.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises identifying a second set of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the delivery route, and wherein identifying the set of conflicting collection rules comprises identifying conflicts among the first set of location-based restrictions and the second set of location-based restrictions.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor data includes environmental data associated with the package.

15. A sensor located inside or in proximity to a package, the sensor comprising:

a detecting portion for collecting data associated with a package;

a memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions such that, when executed, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

identifying a routing rule associated with a package that reflects at least one of a data collection or transportation requirement associated with the package;

determining a delivery route based on the routing rule, wherein the delivery route is selected from possible routes for delivery of the package based on an amount of sensor-collectable data collected along the delivery route;

determining a set of location-based restrictions along the delivery route;

storing the set of location-based restrictions; and

restricting access to sensor data collected via the detecting portion violating the set of location-based restrictions, wherein restricting access to the sensor data comprises deleting or obfuscating the sensor data at the sensor.

16. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the routing rule further reflects collecting a type of the sensor-collectable data along the possible routes.

17. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises identifying a set of conflicting collection rules among a first set of location-based restrictions on collecting data, and wherein determining the set of location-based restrictions comprises at least one of:

giving precedence to a jurisdictional restriction over an institutional restriction within set of conflicting collection rules;

or

giving precedence to a restriction with a stricter requirement within the set of conflicting collection rules.

18. The sensor of claim 15, wherein restricting access to the sensor data associated with the sensor further comprises preventing collection of the sensor data by the detecting portion.

19. The sensor of claim 15, wherein obfuscating the sensor data comprises storing the sensor data in a format rendering the sensor data unreadable.

20. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises identifying a second set of location-based restrictions on collecting data associated with the delivery route, and wherein identifying the set of conflicting collection rules comprises identifying conflicts among the first set of location-based restrictions and the second set of location-based restrictions.