Method and apparatus for providing a proof of delivery verification for freight transportation systems

• US 20020123917A1
• Filed: 03/02/2001
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolfe, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a proof of delivery verification for freight transportation systems. A vehicle transmits an indication of arrival at a destination. A remote station receives the indication and validates the arrival of the vehicle. If the arrival is validated, a proof of delivery verification of a delivery associated with the arrival is provided to a shipper, carrier, or other interested party.

Claims

1. A method for providing a proof of delivery verification for a freight transportation system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a validation request message upon the arrival of a vehicle at a destination, said validation request message comprising information relating to said arrival;

receiving said validation request message by a remote station;

validating said arrival if said information matches an expected shipment record as listed in a database;

generating a proof of delivery verification if said arrival is validated; and

providing said proof of delivery verification to an interested party.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting an unlock message from said remote station to said vehicle if said arrival is validated;

receiving said unlock message by said vehicle;

generating an unlock signal as a result of receiving said unlock message;

providing said unlock signal to an electronic locking device onboard said vehicle, said electronic unlocking device for locking and unlocking a vehicle door; and

de-activating said electronic locking device thereby unlocking said vehicle door.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said validation request message comprises a shipment code, said shipment code identifying a consignee associated with said destination and an identification of goods, wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

determining whether or not said shipment code is stored in said database; and

validating said arrival if said shipment code is found in said database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said validation request message comprises a vehicle position corresponding to said destination and a vehicle identification code, wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said vehicle identification code;

determining if said record indicates an expected delivery;

validating said arrival if said record indicates an expected delivery within a predetermined distance of said vehicle position.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said validation request message comprises a vehicle position corresponding to said destination and a vehicle identification code, wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

determining a date and a time of said arrival;

retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said vehicle identification code;

determining if said record indicates an expected delivery;

validating said arrival if said record indicates an expected delivery on said date of arrival within a predetermined time period from said time of arrival and said vehicle position is within said predetermined distance of an expected delivery location provided by said record.

6. A method for providing a proof of delivery verification for a freight transportation system, comprising the steps of:

determining that a vehicle has arrived at a destination;

notifying a remote station of said arrival;

validating said arrival with respect to an expected delivery record stored in a database;

generating a proof of delivery verification if said arrival is validated; and

providing said proof of delivery verification to an interested party.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining that a vehicle has arrived at a destination comprises the steps of:

determining a first vehicle location; and

comparing said first vehicle location to a location corresponding to a predetermined destination;

wherein said vehicle is determined to have arrived at said predetermined destination if said first vehicle location is within a predetermined distance from said predetermined destination.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining that a vehicle has arrived at a destination comprises the steps of:

determining a first vehicle location;

determining a second vehicle position after a predetermined time period after said first vehicle position was determined; and

comparing said first vehicle location and said second vehicle location to a location corresponding to a predetermined destination;

wherein said vehicle is determined to have arrived at said predetermined destination if said first vehicle position and said second vehicle position are within a predetermined distance from said position corresponding to said predetermined destination.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining that a vehicle has arrived at a destination comprises the steps of:

determining a vehicle speed;

determining a vehicle location; and

comparing said first vehicle location to a location corresponding to a predetermined destination;

wherein said vehicle is determined to have arrived at said predetermined destination if said vehicle position is within a predetermined distance from said position corresponding to said predetermined destination and said vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining that a vehicle has arrived at a destination comprises the steps of:

determining a first vehicle speed;

determining a second vehicle speed after a predetermined timer period after said first vehicle speed was determined;

determining a vehicle location; and

comparing said first vehicle location to a location corresponding to a predetermined destination;

wherein said vehicle is determined to have arrived at said predetermined destination if said vehicle position is within a predetermined distance from said position corresponding to said predetermined destination and said first vehicle speed and said second vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of notifying a remote station of said arrival comprises the step of wirelessly transmitting a message from a mobile communication terminal onboard said vehicle.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

transmitting a date and time corresponding to said arrival and a vehicle identification code corresponding to said vehicle to said remote station;

comparing said vehicle identification code and said date and time to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to said vehicle indicates a shipment due on a date equal to said arrival date and at a time substantially equal to said arrival time.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

transmitting a date and time corresponding to said arrival and a mobile communication terminal identification code corresponding to a mobile communication terminal assigned to said vehicle to said remote station;

comparing said mobile communication terminal identification code and said date and time to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to said mobile communication terminal indicates a shipment due on a date equal to said arrival date and at a time substantially equal to said arrival time.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

determining a vehicle position when said vehicle has arrived at said destination;

transmitting said vehicle position and a date and time corresponding to said arrival to said remote station;

comparing said vehicle position and said date and time to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to destination within a predetermined distance from said vehicle position indicates a shipment due on a date equal to said arrival date and at a time substantially equal to said arrival time.

15. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

determining a vehicle position;

transmitting said vehicle position and a vehicle identification code corresponding to said vehicle to said remote station;

comparing said vehicle identification code and vehicle position to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to said vehicle identification code indicates a shipment due to a destination within a predetermined distance from said vehicle position.

16. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

determining a vehicle position;

transmitting said vehicle position and a mobile communication terminal identification code corresponding to said vehicle to said remote station;

comparing said mobile communication terminal identification code and vehicle position to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to said mobile communication terminal identification code indicates a shipment due to a destination within a predetermined distance from said vehicle position.

17. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of validating said arrival comprises the steps of:

transmitting a shipment code to said remote station;

comparing said shipment code to information contained in a database, wherein said arrival is validated if a record in said database corresponding to said shipment code indicates a shipment due to a consignee associated with said shipment code.

18. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of sending an unlock signal to said vehicle if said arrival was validated, said unlock signal for unlocking an electronic lock located onboard said vehicle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said message comprises a shipment code, said shipment code identifying a carrier and a shipment which was delivered by said vehicle, wherein said processor determines that said arrival is validated by retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said shipment code, said record indicating said expected delivery corresponding to said shipment code.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said message comprises a vehicle identification code, said apparatus further comprising:

means for determining a date and time that said vehicle arrived at said destination;

wherein said processor determines that said arrival is validated by retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said vehicle identification code, said record indicating an expected delivery due on a date equal to said date that said vehicle arrived at said destination and within a predetermined time period from said time that said vehicle arrived at said destination.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said vehicle identification code is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle license plate number, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a pre-assigned identification code, and a mobile communication terminal code.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein said message comprises a vehicle location and a vehicle identification code, said apparatus further comprising:

means for determining a date and time that said vehicle arrived at said destination;

wherein said processor determines that said arrival is validated by retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said vehicle identification code, said record indicating an expected delivery due within a predetermined distance from said vehicle location on a date equal to said date that said vehicle arrived at said destination and within a predetermined time period from said time that said vehicle arrived at said destination.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said vehicle identification code is selected from the group consisting of a vehicle license plate number, a vehicle identification number (VIN), a pre-assigned identification code, and a mobile communication terminal code.

26. The system of claim 25 further comprising:

an electronic locking device located onboard said vehicle for locking and unlocking a vehicle door, said electronic locking device controlled by an electrical signal;

wherein said processor further generates an unlock message which is transmitted to said vehicle if said delivery was validated by said processor, said unlock message for generating an unlock signal which is provided to said electronic locking device for unlocking said vehicle door.

19. An apparatus for providing a proof of delivery verification for a freight transportation system, comprising:

a remote station for receiving a message that a vehicle has arrived at a destination;

a database comprising expected delivery information;

a processor for validating said arrival against said expected delivery information stored in said database;

generating a proof of delivery verification if said arrival is validated; and

means for providing said proof of delivery verification to an interested party.

25. A system for providing a proof of delivery verification for a freight transportation system, comprising:

means for determining a first vehicle position;

a mobile communication terminal coupled to said means for determining said first vehicle position for determining when said vehicle has arrived at a destination, for generating a message indicative of said arrival, and for transmitting said message, said message comprising a shipment code comprising information relating to a shipment of goods carried by said vehicle;

a remote monitoring station, comprising;

a receiver for receiving said message;

a database for storing expected delivery information;

a processor for retrieving a record from said database corresponding to said vehicle and comparing said record to said shipment code, for validating a delivery of goods corresponding to said message if said vehicle position is within a predetermined distance from an expected destination in said database and said shipment code substantially matches information contained is said record, and for generating a proof of delivery verification if said delivery was validated; and

means for providing said proof of delivery message to an interested party.