SENSOR BASED LOGISTICS SYSTEM

• US 20130063279A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamm, Mark D., Greer, James B., Ost, Daniel A., Ainsworth, Miley E., Murphy, William S., Perry, Zachary S., Skaaksrud, Ole Petter, Milman, Kenneth L., West, Michael R., Jacobs, James Randy
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for accessing information regarding one or more shipments. There is provided a computer-implemented method for accessing information regarding one or more shipments. The method includes receiving sensor information associated with the one or more shipments at a tracking center. The method also includes analyzing rules associated with a party to determine whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information. The method further includes restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information based on the analyzed rules.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A computer-implemented method for accessing information regarding one or more shipments, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a tracking center, sensor information associated with the one or more shipments;

analyzing rules associated with a party to determine whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information; and

restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information based on the analyzed rules.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of data collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a frequency lower than collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor collects sensor information at a street address-level, the method further comprising:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a city-level.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location.

24. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

reconfiguring one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for accessing information regarding one or more shipments, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a tracking center, sensor information associated with the one or more shipments;

analyzing rules associated with a party to determine whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information; and

restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information based on the analyzed rules.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of data collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a frequency lower than collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the sensor collects sensor information at a street address-level, the method further comprising:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a city-level.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

reporting the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein restricting the party from accessing the received sensor information further comprises the step of:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, the method further comprising:

reconfiguring one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information.

37. A tracking center for accessing information regarding one or more shipments, comprising:

an input unit configured to receive sensor information associated with the one or more shipments; and

a processor configured to;

analyze rules associated with a party to determine whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information; and

restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information based on the analyzed rules.

38. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of data collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

39. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a frequency lower than collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.

40. The tracking center of claim 38, wherein the sensor collects sensor information at a street address-level, and the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

reporting the received sensor information to the party at a city-level.

41. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location.

42. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time.

43. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

reporting the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.

44. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

reporting the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.

45. The tracking center of claim 44, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location.

46. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor configured to restrict the party from accessing the received sensor information is further configured to:

preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments.

47. The tracking center of claim 46, wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location.

48. The tracking center of claim 37, wherein the processor is further configured to:

reconfigure one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information.