Automatic conditioning of data accumulated by sensors monitoring supply chain processes
First Claim
1. A method for use in a system in which at least one first sensor is associated with at least one first item that is transported from a first shipping location to a first receiving location so that the at least one first sensor can monitor at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item as the at least one first item is so transported, the method comprising steps of:
- (a) storing first data accumulated by the at least one first sensor in memory, at least some of the first data reflecting changes in the at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item that occurred when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item; and
(b) automatically identifying at least a portion of the first data as having been accumulated when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A product supply chain may be viewed not just as a series of discrete, unrelated shipment transactions, but as a “process” (or pipeline) that can be subject to statistical process control. The present invention is directed to novel systems and methods for collecting data concerning one or more aspects of a supply chain, for performing statistical analysis on the collected data to facilitate the identification of anomalies or inefficiencies in the process, and for communicating the results of such statistical analysis to those responsible for the supply chain so that remedial measures may be taken, if appropriate. Among other things, a method is disclosed for use in a system in which at least one first sensor is associated with at least one first item that is transported from a first shipping location to a first receiving location so that the at least one first sensor can monitor at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item as the at least one first item is so transported. The method comprises storing first data accumulated by the at least one first sensor in memory, with at least some of the first data reflecting changes in the at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item that occurred when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item, and automatically identifying at least a portion of the first data as having been accumulated when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for use in a system in which at least one first sensor is associated with at least one first item that is transported from a first shipping location to a first receiving location so that the at least one first sensor can monitor at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item as the at least one first item is so transported, the method comprising steps of:
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(a) storing first data accumulated by the at least one first sensor in memory, at least some of the first data reflecting changes in the at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item that occurred when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item; and
(b) automatically identifying at least a portion of the first data as having been accumulated when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 31)
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21. A computer-readable medium for use with at least one processor included in a system in which at least one first sensor is associated with at least one first item that is transported from a first shipping location to a first receiving location so that the at least one first sensor can monitor at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item as the at least one first item is so transported, and in which first data accumulated by the at least one first sensor is stored in memory, with at least some of the first data reflecting changes in the at least one physical or environmental condition of the at least one first item that occurred when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item, the computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a step of:
(a) automatically identifying at least a portion of the first data as having been accumulated when the at least one first sensor was associated with the at least one first item. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
Specification