System and method for effectuating the acquisition and distribution of tracking data on mobile assets, including shipment containers used in freight transportation

• US 20060192673A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGIT Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IGIT Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Irwin, Charles F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,385,500 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method and system for effectuating the optimum configuration of a duplex tracking device used to track the location and attributes of a mobile asset during a discrete event and the distribution of the data reported by the device so that the owner of the mobile asset and one or more of the owner'"'"'s business partners can contemporaneously access the tracking data that they require. Each party first specifies a minimum configuration for all events with which they are associated, and then optionally specifies more extensive configurations for classes of discrete events. The owner may also constrain the data that partners can request by specifying access authorities for each class of business partners. The configuration parameters for a discrete event are systematically determined to minimize the data to be reported by the device while still meeting the requirements of all the parties, as constrained by the access authorities. Each party may then view and edit, as desired, the configuration until it is frozen prior to satellite transmission to the tracking device. The apparatus includes an internet-based program tool by which any participant can contemporaneously participate in the specification of the configuration parameters for the tracking device for a discrete event, and also access the data for events with which they are associated and generate exception reports. In a preferred embodiment, the mobile asset is a shipment container used to transport freight by ocean, rail, or road, the tracking device reports via satellite communications, the discrete event is a single shipment of goods from a origin location to a destination location, and the parties include the owner of the mobile asset (carrier), the owner of the contents (shipper), the receiver (consignee), and relevant logistics providers and regulatory agencies.

Claims

1. In a system for effectuating collaboration on mobile asset tracking between one or:

many parties that own mobile assets equipped with a mobile asset tracking device (“

Owners”

) and one or many other parties with a need to know tracking data for at least one mobile asset or its contents for at least one discrete event (“

Partners”

), the method comprising the steps of;

at least one Owner and at least one Partner specifying the tracking data required for one or many mobile assets for one or many discrete events;

the at least one Owner and one Partner acquiring tracking data from one or many mobile assets for one or many discrete events which simultaneously minimizes the quantity of data acquired and satisfies the tracking data required by each party; and

at least one Owner and at least one Partner contemporaneously accessing and viewing the tracking data for mobile assets for which the party is either Owner or Partner.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile asset may have self-contained power for movement and is selected from the groups of asset types comprising trucks, railroads, ships, vans, shipment containers, trailers, rail cars, shipment boxes for road, rail, or ocean service, and machinery.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a discrete event is any continuous period between a defined initiation and termination which may be time or events.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the discrete event is a shipment defined by the delivery of goods in a container from a ship location where the loading is complete and the container is sealed for the final time to a location where the seal is broken and unloading begins.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking of mobile asset is accomplished by a tracking device attached to the mobile asset capable of remotely reporting the required data and information.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tracking device is remotely configurable.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an Owner can specify the data set to be provided by each mobile asset by first assigning an overall default data set for all trailer types, and then assigning more specific data sets for each trailer type with the capability to over-ride default for an individual mobile asset.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an Owner can specify the data set that Partners can access for that Owners mobile assets by first assigning an overall default data set for all Partners then assigning more specific data sets for each Partner type with the capability to over-ride default setting for an individual Partner.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each party can specify the set of tracking data attributes that the party requires from mobile assets for which the party is either Owner or Partner by first optionally specifying a data set that applies to all mobile assets for all events then by optionally specifying more specific data sets each of which applies only to mobile assets and events that meet the values specified for each of one or more asset or event attributes.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the more specific data sets include commodity type, shipment type, trailer type, mode, member type, partner, ship location, time period, route, and location.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking data attributes are selected from the group comprising discrete attributes including loaded time, tractor hook-up, route compliance violation, stop history, unauthorized container entry history, delivery arrival, container empty or from the group comprising continuous attributes that may be measured and updated including last reported GPS position and direction;

speed;

temperature history; and

potential late delivery.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein for a discrete attribute the user can choose to select or not select the attribute and for continuous attributes the users can specify the desired frequency of reporting in time increments or upon the occurrence of selected events.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the selected events include container loaded, unauthorized hook-up, pick-up departure, route compliance, temperature excursion, stops, unauthorized container entry, container opened, and container unloaded.

28. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracking data attributes are selected from the group including discrete attributes such as loaded time, tractor hook-up route compliance violation, stop history, unauthorized container entry history, delivery arrival, container opened, container empty or from the group of continuous attributes that may be measured and updated including volume of contents, last reported GPS location and direction, speed, temperature history, and potential late delivery.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28 wherein for a discrete attribute the party can choose to select or not select the attribute and for continuous attributes the parties can specify the desired frequency of reporting in time increments or upon the occurrence of selected events.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein the selected events include container loaded, unauthorized hook-up, pick-up departure, route compliance, temperature excursion, stops, unauthorized container entry, container opened, and container unloaded.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the technique for acquiring tracking data from one or many mobile assets for one or many discrete events in a manner that simultaneously minimizes the quantity of data acquired and satisfies the tracking data required by each party includes determining the default configuration parameters for a specific tracking device to be used during a discrete event to minimize the data and information reported by the tracking device while still meeting any and all default data and information requirements specified by each of the one or more parties associated with a discrete event, the one or more parties associated with a discrete event selectively viewing the determined default configuration parameters for the discrete event, each of the one or more parties selectively over-riding the default configuration for the discrete event by specifying a more extensive set of data and information to be applied to the discrete event, revising the configuration parameters for a specific tracking device to be used during a discrete event to meet the more extensive data and information requirements, reconfiguring the one or more tracking devices by communicating to each tracking device the determined and revised configuration parameters for the tracking device during the discrete event, the tracking device reporting the position and status attributes of the mobile asset and its contents during the discrete event as required by the configuration parameters, and at the conclusion of the event automatically reverting to the default configuration parameters to be used whenever the mobile asset is not in use for a discrete event.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein Owners includes any party or type of party that has title to, leases or otherwise controls a mobile asset equipped with a mobile asset tracking device and any party or type of party that provides or arranges for mobile asset tracking capability or services on mobile assets including asset-based transportation service providers, non-asset based transportation service providers, and private fleets.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein Partners includes any party or type of party that has a need to know tracking data for mobile assets equipped with a mobile asset tracking device including shippers, consignees, ship locations, freight brokers, third party logistics providers, fourth party logistics providers, customs brokers, freight payment service providers, risk management service providers, equipment service providers that manufactured, sold, lease, or maintains the asset, and regulatory and enforcement parties.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the technique for at least one Owner and at least one Partner contemporaneously accessing and viewing the tracking data for mobile assets for which the party is either Owner or Partner includes systematically analyzing the position and status data for each discrete event, recording the results of the analysis of the tracking data to a system database, each of the one or more parties contemporaneously searching-out, looking-up, or otherwise accessing and viewing the data and information for specific discrete events associated with the party;

and each of the one or more parties contemporaneously generating exception reports that list all discrete events associated with the party that satisfy event description attributes or data and information attributes selected by the party.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the technique for attributing and allocating the costs associated with the acquisition, analysis, and presentation of position and status data acquired from tracking devices on mobile assets include determining and recording for one or more parties for a predetermined period of time (a) the count of discrete events for which the party data and information requirements controlled in the determination of the configuration parameters for that event, (b) the count of discrete events for which that party accessed the data record for that discrete event at least once, and (c) the count of exception reports generated by that party;

and charging each party proportionately to the count of events with which the parties are associated relative to the total count of events.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the mobile asset may have self-contained power for movement and is selected from the groups of asset types comprising trucks, railroads, ships, vans, shipment containers, trailers, rail cars, shipment boxes for road, rail, or ocean service and machinery

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein a discrete event is any continuous period between a defined initiation and termination which may be time or events.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the discrete event is a shipment defined by the delivery of goods in a container from a ship location where the loading is complete and the container is sealed for the final time to a location where the seal is broken and unloading begins.

22. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the tracking of a mobile asset is effected by a tracking device attached to the mobile asset capable of remotely reporting the required data and information.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the tracking device is remotely configurable.

24. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein an Owner can specify the data set to be provided by each mobile asset by first assigning an overall default data set for all trailer types, and the more specific data sets for each trailer type with the capability to override default for an individual mobile asset.

25. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein an Owner can specify the data set that Partners can access for that Owners mobile assets by first assigning an overall default data set for all Partners then more specific data sets for each Partner type with the capability to override default setting for an individual Partner.

26. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein each party can specify the set of tracking data attributes that the party requires from mobile assets for which the party is either Owner or Partner by first optionally specifying a data set that applies to all mobile assets for all events then by optionally specifying more specific data sets each of which applies only to mobile assets and events that meet the values specified for each of one or more asset or event attributes.

27. The system as claimed in claim 26 wherein the more specific data sets include commodity type, shipment type, trailer type, mode, member type, partner, ship location, time period, route, and location.

31. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the technique for acquiring tracking data from or more mobile assets for one or more discrete events in a manner that simultaneously minimizes the quantity of data acquired and satisfies the tracking data required by each party by determining the default configuration parameters for a specific tracking device to be used during a discrete event so as to minimize the data and information reported by the tracking device while still meeting any and all default data and information requirements specified by each of the one or more parties associated with a discrete event, the one or more parties associated with a discrete event selectively viewing the determined default configuration parameters for the discrete event, one or more parties selectively over-riding the default configuration for the discrete event by specifying a more extensive set of data and information to be applied to the discrete event, revising the configuration parameters for a specific tracking device to be used during a discrete event to meet the extensive data and information requirements, reconfiguring the one or more tracking devices by communicating to each tracking device the determined and revised configuration parameters for the tracking device during the discrete event, the tracking device reporting the position and status attributes of the mobile asset and its contents during the discrete event as required by the configuration parameters, and at the conclusion of the event automatically reverting to the default configuration parameters to be used whenever the mobile asset is not in use for a discrete event.

32. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the technique for at least one Owner and at least one Partner contemporaneously accessing and viewing the tracking data for mobile assets for which the party is either Owner or Partner includes systematically analyzing the position and status data for each discrete event, recording the results of the analysis of the tracking data to a system database, each of the one or more parties contemporaneously searching out, looking-up, or otherwise accessing and viewing the data and information for specific discrete events associated with the party, and each of the one or more parties contemporaneously generating exception reports that list all discrete events associated with the part that satisfy event description attributes or data and information attributes selected by the party.

33. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the technique for attributing and allocating the costs associated with acquisition, analysis, and presentation and status data acquired from tracking devices on mobile assets includes determining and recording for one or more parties for a predetermined period of time (a) the count of discrete events for which party'"'"'s data and information requirements controlled in the determination of the configuration parameters for that event, (b) the count of discrete events for which that party accessed the data record for that discrete event at least once, and (c) the count of exception reports generated by that party, and changing each party proportionately to the count of events with which they are associated relative to the total count of events.

34. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the system is modular in design and the modules include a customer care module, a master data entry and management module, an enter and maintain transactions appointments module, a shipment tracking module, a performance module, a Gainshare incentive program creation and management module, and an account management module.

16-1. A system for effectuating collaboration on mobile asset tracking between one or more parties that own mobile assets equipped with a mobile asset tracking device (“

Owners”

) and one more other parties with a need to know tracking data for at least one mobile asset and its contents for at least one discrete event (“

Partners”

), the system comprising;

means for at least one Owner and at least one Partner to specify the tracking data required for one or more mobile assets for one or more discrete events;

means for at least one Owner and at least one Partner to acquire tracking data from one or mobile assets for one or more discrete events which simultaneously minimizes the quantity of data acquired and satisfies the tracking data required by each one or more party; and

means for at least one Owner and at least one Partner to contemporaneously access and view the tracking data for mobile assets of Owner or Partner.

17-2. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein Owners include any party or type of party that has title to, leases or otherwise controls a mobile asset equipped with a mobile asset tracking device and any party or type of party that provides or arranges for mobile asset tracking capability or services on mobile assets including asset-based transportation service providers, non-asset based transportation service providers, and private fleets.

18-3. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein Partners include any party or type of party that has a need to know tracking data for mobile assets equipped with a mobile asset tracking device including shippers, consignees, ship locations, freight brokers, third party logistics providers, fourth party logistics providers, custom brokers, freight payment service providers, risk management service providers, equipment service providers that manufacture, sell, lease, or maintains the asset, and regulatory and enforcement parties.