SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FREIGHT TRACKING AND MONITORING

• US 20100057592A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moir, William Mark, Vandy, Scott Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 9,841,314 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/29
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided for enhanced freight tracking and monitoring. The system may track the location of a freight shipment within a carrier'"'"'s transportation network from the time it is picked up by a carrier from a consignor until it is delivered to a consignee, provide for weight determinations and shipping re-classifications of the freight shipment during transport, and provide real-time status information and reports to the carrier, consignor, and/or consignee.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

an enterprise system comprising one or more processors configured to;

receive shipping data associated with a freight shipment, wherein the shipping data comprises a unique identifier assigned to the freight shipment and information corresponding to a destination of the freight shipment;

generate an electronic manifest, wherein the electronic manifest comprises at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the electronic manifest that comprises at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the freight shipment; and

a lift truck computing device disposed on a lift truck, the lift truck computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive the electronic manifest;

cause display of at least a portion of the electronic manifest via the display; and

receive input initiating a location event for the freight shipment, wherein the location event indicates the location of the freight shipment.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a supervisory computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause display of current status information, the current status information indicating movement and shipment progress information associated with the freight shipment.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a handheld electronic device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive the shipping data associated with the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the shipping data associated with the freight shipment to the enterprise system.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

determine a weight of at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination to the lift truck computing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to receive shipping data associated with two or more freight shipments.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is transmitted using a first message file and a second message file, the first message file comprising handling instructions for the freight shipment and the second message file comprising at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the freight shipment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location event further indicates that the freight shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive information identifying the second location of the freight shipment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the freight shipment is located, and a distance the freight shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is located within a warehouse.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to electronically transmit at least a portion of the information identifying the second location of the freight shipment the enterprise system.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive a location validation, the location validation confirming the second location of the freight shipment.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment, wherein the inspection data identifies the physical condition of the freight shipment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to generate an inspection alert if the inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment exceeds an inspection threshold.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a telematics device disposed on the lift truck, the telematics devices configured to;

receive telematics data for the lift truck, wherein the telematics data comprises at least one of seat data, seatbelt data, speed data, driver performance data, distance data, engine data, location data, or combinations thereof; and

electronically transmit the telematics data to the lift truck computing device.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an imaging device configured to;

capture one or more images of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the one or more images to the lift truck computing device; and

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

determine a weight of the at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment to the lift truck computing device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

receive the one or more images captured by the imaging device;

receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment;

determine dimensions of the freight shipment based on the one or more images captured by the imaging device; and

determine a reweigh classification for the freight shipment based on the weight determination and the dimensions of the freight shipment.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

determine if the reweigh classification of the freight shipment and a billing classification of the freight shipment are substantially the same; and

generate a classification alert if the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to electronically transmit the reweigh classification to the enterprise system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to:

receive the reweigh classification transmitted from the lift truck computing device; and

update the billing classification to indicate the reweigh classification of the freight shipment.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is received from the enterprise system.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is received from a supervisory computing device.

27. A system for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

a lift truck computing device disposed on a lift truck, the lift truck computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive an electronic manifest that comprises at least a portion of shipping data associated with a freight shipment;

an imaging device configured to;

capture one or more images of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the one or more images of the freight shipment to the lift truck computing device; and

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

determine a weight of at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination to the lift truck computing device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

receive the one or more images captured by the imaging device;

receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment;

determine dimensions of the freight shipment based on the one or more images captured by the imaging device; and

determine a reweigh classification for the freight shipment based on the weight determination and the dimensions of the freight shipment.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

determine if the reweigh classification of the freight shipment and a billing classification of the freight shipment are substantially the same; and

generate a classification alert if the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to:

receive the reweigh classification from the lift truck computing device; and

update the billing classification to indicate the reweigh classification of the freight shipment.