System and Method for Automatic Redirection of a Product Under Transport Using an Environmental Sensor
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- an environmental sensor physically associated with a product in a container so that the environmental sensor travels with the product in the container as the product is transported within a carrier'"'"'s logistics network, the environmental sensor sensing an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data;
at least one scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor;
a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner, for receiving the product environment data from the scanner and determining whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition based on the product environment data received from the environmental sensor, the hub control unit further generating a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure;
a machine controller configured to receive and execute the transporting instruction to transport the product in the container to the alternate destination; and
a sorting machinery unit associated with the machine controller, configured to sort the container with the product to the alternate destination under control of the machine controller as it executes the transporting instruction generated by the hub control unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods disclosed herein use environmental sensor technology to enhance the tracking and transporting capabilities of a product delivery system. The systems and methods provide the capability to track and verify the environmental condition(s) to which a product is subjected during its transportation or movement through a supply chain. In particular, the systems and methods allow a sender, a receiver, and other authorized persons to access or interrogate environmental data that describes the environmental conditions to which a product within a container has been subjected during transport from the sender to the receiver. The systems and methods also permit in-transit intercept handling when it is determined that a package was unexpectedly subjected to an environmental condition that by definition makes it unfit for delivery to the original receiver.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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an environmental sensor physically associated with a product in a container so that the environmental sensor travels with the product in the container as the product is transported within a carrier'"'"'s logistics network, the environmental sensor sensing an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data;
at least one scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor;
a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner, for receiving the product environment data from the scanner and determining whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition based on the product environment data received from the environmental sensor, the hub control unit further generating a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure;
a machine controller configured to receive and execute the transporting instruction to transport the product in the container to the alternate destination; and
a sorting machinery unit associated with the machine controller, configured to sort the container with the product to the alternate destination under control of the machine controller as it executes the transporting instruction generated by the hub control unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising the steps of:
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scanning, with a scanner, an environmental sensor physically associated with a product in a container to read product environment data from the environmental sensor, the product in the container under transport within a carrier'"'"'s logistics network;
transmitting the product environment data from the scanner to a computer;
determining with the computer whether an environmental condition of the contained product has transcended a limit based on the product environment data scanned from the environmental sensor;
if the determining establishes that the environmental condition has transcended the limit, automatically generating a transporting instruction with the computer to redirect the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination; and
executing the transporting instruction to route the product in the container to the alternate destination. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification