HAZARDOUS SHIPMENT TRACKING AND MONITORING

• US 20120179621A1
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• 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
• Application Number:
  US13/421,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179621A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/332
• 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 method for tracking the movement of hazardous shipments comprising:

receiving, via an enterprise system, shipping data for a plurality of hazardous shipments, wherein (1) each of the plurality of hazardous shipments is associated with a unique identifier, (2) the plurality of hazardous shipments is being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network, and (3) the shipping data comprises information identifying (a) the unique identifiers associated with the respective hazardous shipments and (b) destinations of the respective hazardous shipments;

generating, via the enterprise system, an electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of the shipping data for each of the plurality of hazardous shipments, the at least a portion of the shipping data identifying (1) the unique identifiers associated with, and (2) the destinations of, the respective hazardous shipments being transported through the carrier'"'"'s transportation network;

electronically transmitting, from the enterprise system, the electronic manifest;

receiving, via a handheld electronic device, the electronic manifest;

displaying, via a display disposed on the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the electronic manifest; and

receiving, via the handheld electronic device, input initiating a location event for a hazardous shipment of the plurality of hazardous shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of the hazardous shipment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, via a handheld electronic device, the shipping data associated with the hazardous shipment; and

electronically transmitting, from the handheld electronic device to the enterprise system, the shipping data associated with the hazardous shipment.

3. The method 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 hazardous shipment and the second message file comprising at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the hazardous shipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location event further indicates that the hazardous shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

5. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving information identifying the second location of the hazardous shipment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the hazardous shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the hazardous shipment is located, and a distance the hazardous shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.

10. A system for tracking the movement of hazardous shipments comprising:

an enterprise system comprising one or more memory and one or more processors, the enterprise system configured to;

receive shipping data for a plurality of hazardous shipments, wherein (1) each of the plurality of hazardous shipments is associated with a unique identifier, (2) the plurality of hazardous shipments is being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network, and (3) the shipping data comprises information identifying (a) the unique identifiers associated with the respective hazardous shipments and (b) destinations of the respective hazardous shipments;

generate an electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of the shipping data for each of the plurality of hazardous shipments, the at least a portion of the shipping data identifying (1) the unique identifiers associated with, and (2) the destinations of, the respective hazardous shipments being transported through the carrier'"'"'s transportation network; and

electronically transmit the electronic manifest; and

a handheld electronic device comprising a display, one or more memory, and one or more processors, the handheld electronic device 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 a hazardous shipment of the plurality of hazardous shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of the hazardous shipment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the handheld electronic device is configured to:

receive the shipping data associated with the hazardous shipment; and

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

12. The system of claim 10, 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 hazardous shipment and the second message file comprising at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the hazardous shipment.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the location event further indicates that the hazardous shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive information identifying the second location of the hazardous shipment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the hazardous shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the hazardous shipment is located, and a distance the hazardous shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.