DYNAMIC INVENTORY DURING TRANSIT

• US 20060255916A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Cox, Paul A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

A method of dynamically keeping inventory of items in a vehicle in transit is provided. The method includes detecting an event during transit and conducting interrogations of inventory based on the detected event. The method can compare these inventories to determine disposition of inventory items by location.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically keeping inventory of items in a vehicle in transit:

the method comprising;

detecting an event during transit; and

conducting a first interrogation of inventory based on the detected event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein conducting the first interrogation further comprises:

reading identification tags on each item in the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an event further comprises:

detecting an interrogation signal.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending the interrogation signal from a location remote from the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an event further comprises:

detecting an operating parameter of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the operating parameter is at least one of vehicle'"'"'s local or zulu time, speed, altitude, position (latitude/longitude), time in transit, door closing, door opening, proximity sensors/switch state change, cargo drop zone waypoint, navigation waypoints, engine speed (rpm), throttle position, brake release, weight-on/off-wheels, or manual crew/operator initiation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a first manifest of items based on the first interrogation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

conducting a second interrogation after the detection of a second event; and

creating a second manifest of items based on the second interrogation.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating a delta manifest by comparing the first manifest to the second manifest to determine a change inventory that indicates changes between the first and second manifests.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second events is an airdrop event.

11. The method of claim 9 in which vehicle position is associated with the first, second and delta manifest.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for tracking inventory in a transport vehicle, the computer-readable medium including methods comprising:

initiating interrogations of items in a vehicle in transit in response to the detection of one or more events; and

generating a manifest of the inventory based on each interrogation.

13. The computer-readable medium method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating one or more delta manifests based on the comparison of two or more different manifests, wherein the delta manifest comprises at least one of items removed from vehicle and items added to vehicle.

14. The computer-readable medium method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the events is the detection of a select parameter associated with the transport vehicle.

15. The computer-readable medium method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the events is the detection of an inventory check/interrogation signal.

16. The computer-readable medium method of claim 12, further comprising:

tagging each generated manifest with time and location information.

17. An inventory tracking system comprising:

an interrogation device located in a transit vehicle adapted to read identification tags on items being transported; and

a control unit adapted to control the interrogation device in response to an event.

18. The inventory tracking device of claim 17, wherein the control unit is adapted to detect a parameter associated with the transit vehicle.

19. The inventory tracking device of claim 17, wherein the control unit is further adapted to receive commands from a controller that is remote from the transit vehicle.

20. The inventory tracking device of claim 17, further comprising at least one of a wireless ground link, data sharing systems, a wireless airborne link and a wireless marine link.