TRANSPORTATION ROUTE MANAGEMENT

• US 20120235791A1
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Donlan, Brian, Baumgartner, Michael, Minassian, Norayr, Warkander, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,558,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• 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: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

Monitoring systems in accordance with the disclosure store one or more reporting behavior profiles that include parameters that determine when a monitoring device associated with a shipping container initiates transmission of a status message to a remote location, e.g., an operations center, a government interface, or a commercial interface. At least a portion of the parameters of the reporting behavior profiles are dependent on a location of the monitoring system. The reporting behavior profiles can cause the monitoring device to initiate a message based on many conditions. For example, the report conditions can include when the present location deviates from a predetermined route of the reporting behavior profile, when the present location of the container remains unchanged for a certain time, when a security condition of the container changes, when an environmental condition of the container changes, etc.

Claims

1. A system for operating a container management system, the system comprising:

a housing configured to couple to a container;

a monitoring circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the monitoring circuit comprising;

a memory storing a plurality of reporting behavior profiles, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring circuit initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location,

a sensor interface configured to receive information from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container;

a position location module configured to determine a location of the monitoring device,

a wireless module, and

a controller coupled to the first memory, the sensor interface, the wireless module and the position location module and configured to;

monitor the at least one condition associated with container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device,

receive a wakeup signal,

receive an indication of a present location of the monitoring device from the position location module in response to receiving the wakeup signal,

compare the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of the plurality of reporting behavior profiles,

if the determined present location corresponds to at least one of the compared location parameters of the plurality of reporting behavior profiles, select the at least one corresponding reporting behavior profile, and

cause the wireless module to initiate a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the at least one matching reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container; and

a battery coupled to the monitoring circuit and configured to provide electrical power to at least a portion of the monitoring circuit.

2. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises the determined present location deviating from a predetermined route.

3. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a deviation between the present location and the predetermined route by determining a distance between the present location and a line connecting two points that defines a portion of the predetermined route.

4. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 2, wherein the predetermined route is represented by a plurality of rectangles and semi-circles or circles.

5. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises the determined present location remaining at a same location for a time exceeding a threshold time.

6. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive the wakeup signal from a key fob or a wireless device.

7. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the wakeup signal is an initial wakeup signal received at a beginning of a delivery route and the reporting behavior profiles correspond to starting point specific reporting behavior profiles.

8. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the wakeup signal is received from a clock coupled to the controller.

9. A method of managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device, the method comprising:

receiving information at a monitoring device coupled to a container from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container;

monitoring the at least one condition associated with the container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device;

receiving a wakeup signal at the monitoring device;

subsequent to receiving the wakeup signal, determining a present location of the monitoring device;

comparing the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of a plurality of reporting behavior profiles stored in a memory of the monitoring device, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring device initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location;

if the determined present location corresponds to at least one of the compared location parameters of the plurality of reporting behavior profiles, selecting the at least one corresponding reporting behavior profile; and

determining to initiate a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the at least one matching reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container.

10. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, wherein the determined present location corresponds to a location specific to a mode of transportation, the method further comprising selecting one of the reporting behavior profiles corresponding to the specific mode of transportation.

11. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, further comprising determining one of a plurality of communication systems to utilize for the transmission of the reporting message to the remote location based on the present location of the monitoring device.

12. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, further comprising storing data representative of the present location with data indicative of a frequency that the present location was previously detected.

13. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 12, further comprising using the frequency data for selecting the reporting behavior profile.

14. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a destination; and

determining the reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the indication of the destination.

15. A machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device, the instructions causing one or more machines to:

receive information at a monitoring device coupled to a container from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container;

monitor the at least one condition associated with the container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device;

receive a wakeup signal;

subsequent to receiving the wakeup signal, determine a present location of the monitoring device;

compare the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of a plurality of reporting behavior profiles stored in a memory of the monitoring device, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring device initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location;

if the determined present location corresponds to at least one of the compared location parameters of the plurality of reporting behavior profiles, select the at least one corresponding reporting behavior profile; and

cause initiation of a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the at least one matching reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container.

16. The machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 15, wherein the determined present location corresponds to a location specific to a mode of transportation, the instructions causing the one or more machines to select one of the reporting behavior profiles corresponding to the specific mode of transportation.

17. The machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 15, the instructions causing the one or more machines to determine one of a plurality of communication systems to utilize for the transmission of the reporting message to the remote location based on the present location of the monitoring device.

18. The machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 15, the instructions causing the one or more machines to store data representative of the present location with data indicative of a frequency that the present location was previously detected.

19. The machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 18, the instructions causing the one or more machines to use the frequency data to select the reporting behavior profile.

20. The machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 15, the instructions causing the one or more machines to:

receive an indication of a destination; and

determine the reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the indication of the destination.