CARGO TRACKING APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20100076902A1
• Filed: 01/04/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tracking Innovations
• Original Assignee: National Air Cargo, Inc. (National Air Cargo Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kraft, Randy Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,131 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for tracking a location of at least one item is described. The system includes a tag associated with the at least one item during a shipping journey. The tag detects shipping information, including temperature, humidity, shock, etc. The tag sends the shipping information to a master unit. The master unit also detects certain shipping information. The master unit communicates with a central processor to provide the shipping information to the central processor. The central processor relies on the shipping information to determine one of a condition or a location of the item.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a location of at least one item, comprising:

a tag associated with the at least one item during a shipping journey from a point of origin to a destination, wherein the tag comprises

a tag sensor to sense at least one shipping parameter during the shipping journey and to generate tag shipping data at least for a portion of the shipping journey,

a tag memory in communication with the tag sensor to store the tag shipping data,

a tag radio in communication with the tag memory to transmit the tag shipping data,

a tag microcontroller to coordinate operation between the tag sensor, the tag memory, and the tag radio, and

a tag power source to provide power to the tag sensor, the tag memory, the tag radio, and the tag microcontroller;

a master unit associated with at least the tag, wherein the master unit comprises

a master unit sensor to sense at least one shipping parameter during the shipping journey and to generate master unit shipping data at least for a portion of the shipping journey,

a master unit memory in communication with the master unit sensor to store the master unit shipping information and also to store tag shipping information received from the tag,

a master unit radio in communication with the master unit memory to communicate with the tag and also to receive the tag shipping data from the tag and provide the tag shipping information to the master unit memory,

a master unit microcontroller to coordinate operation between the master unit sensor, the master unit memory, and the master unit radio,

a master unit communication modem to transmit master unit shipping data and tag shipping data, and

a master unit power source to provide power to the master unit sensor, the master unit memory, the master unit radio, the master unit microcontroller, and the master unit communication modem;

a central processor that receives shipping data from the master unit and determines at least one of a condition or location of the at least one item at one or more predetermined points during the shipping journey.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the tag comprises a plurality of tags, each of which are associated with the at least one item during the shipping journey.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag sensor includes at least a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a shock sensor, and an accelerometer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit sensor includes at least a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, and an accelerometer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit is positioned within a predetermined distance from the tag so that the tag radio and the master unit radio may communicate with one another during the shipping journey.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio operate at a 2.4 GHz frequency.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag radio communicates with the master unit radio at repetitive temporal intervals.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit radio communicates with the central processor at repetitive temporal intervals.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag radio and the master radio are disabled when the at least one item is disposed on an aircraft.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio are disabled when the tag accelerometer and the master unit accelerometer detect an acceleration indicative of a take-off by the aircraft.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio are re-enabled when the tag accelerometer and the master unit accelerometer detect a deceleration indicative of a landing by the aircraft.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via at least one of a WiFi modem, a GPRS modem, or a satellite communications modem.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi modem, GPRS modem, or satellite communications modem based at least on a strength of signal available for each of the modems.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit further comprises:

a GPS modem for receiving GPS signals and providing GPS data to the master unit microcontroller.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio communicate via a communication link comprising a local transmission link.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the local transmission link comprises at least one of a WiFi network, a generic wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

), a local area network (“

LAN”

), a Bluetooth connection, and a wireless personal area network (“

PAN”

).

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via a communication link comprising at least one of a wired or wireless link, radio link, electromagnetic link, cellular network link, global positioning system (“

GPS”

) link, Bluetooth link, personal area network (“

PAN”

) link, and WiFi link.

24. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi modem, GPRS modem, or satellite communications modem based at least on comparative cost therebetween.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the WiFi modem is preferred to communication via the GPRS modem, which is, in turn, preferred to communication via the satellite.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via at least one of a WiFi network, a cellular network, or a satellite communications network.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi network, cellular network, or satellite communications network based at least on a strength of signal available for each of the modems.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi network, cellular network, or satellite communications network based at least on comparative cost therebetween.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the WiFi network is preferred to communication via the cellular network, which is, in turn, preferred to communication via the satellite communications network.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tag unit memory also stores identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the content information includes invoice information.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.

33. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the content information includes invoice information.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.

36. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores the tag shipping data and, thereby, acts as a flight recorder for the tag.

15. A method for tracking at least one item, comprising:

tagging the at least one item with a tag;

measuring at least one shipping parameter by the tag during a shipping journey;

generating tag shipping data based upon the at least one shipping parameter;

transmitting the tag shipping data from the tag to a master unit;

receiving the tag shipping data from the tag;

storing the tag shipping data in a master unit memory;

measuring the at least one shipping parameter by the master unit;

generating master unit shipping data based upon the at least one shipping parameter;

storing the master unit shipping data in the master unit memory;

transmitting the master unit shipping data and the tag shipping data to a central processor; and

determining at least one of a condition or a location of the at least one item at one or more predetermined points during the shipping journey.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving GPS information by the master unit;

and storing the GPS information as a part of the master unit shipping information.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

disabling communication between the tag and the master unit and between the master unit and the central processor when the at least one item is in a location where the communication is prohibited.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the tag transmits tag shipping data to the master unit at predetermined temporal intervals.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the master unit transmits master unit shipping information and tag information to the central processor at predetermined temporal intervals.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

measuring, by the master unit, a strength of a WiFi signal, a GPRS signal, and a satellite communication signal; and

at least partially based on the strength of the WiFi signal, the GPRS signal, and the satellite communication signal, selecting a WiFi channel, a GPRS channel, or a satellite communication channel with which to communicate with the central processor.

37. The method of claim 17, wherein communication between the tag and the master unit is disabled when the at least one item is disposed on an aircraft.

38. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

sensing, via an accelerometer, an acceleration indicative of a take-off by the aircraft; and

generating a first accelerometer signal for evaluation prior to disabling communication between the tag and the master unit.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

sensing, via an accelerometer, a deceleration indicative of a landing by the aircraft;

generating a second accelerometer signal for evaluation; and

re-enabling communication between the tag and the master unit.

40. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

evaluating, by the master unit, a comparative cost between a WiFi signal, a GPRS signal, and a satellite communication signal; and

at least partially based on the comparative cost of the WiFi signal, the GPRS signal, and the satellite communication signal, selecting a WiFi channel, a GPRS channel, or a satellite communication channel with which to communicate with the central processor.

41. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing, via the central processor, at least one of the tag shipping data and master unit shipping data to a user.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the tag shipping data and master unit shipping data are provided to a user in real time.

43. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing, via at least one of the tag memory and the master unit memory, identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the content information includes invoice information.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.