SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF GOODS

• US 20140279596A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coreorient Oy
• Original Assignee: Coreorient Oy
• Inventors: Waris, Heikki Pekka, Paloheimo, Harri Lauri
• Granted Patent: US 9,721,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/317
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for managing transportation and storage of goods, including a personal computer device; and a package control device associated with a package. The personal computer device is configured to store transport and storage operations information regarding the package in the package control device. The package control device is configured for identifying an operator responsible for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information. The package control device is configured to allow the operator to have access to the package for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for managing transportation and storage of goods, the system comprising:

a personal computer device; and

a package control device associated with a package,

wherein the personal computer device is configured to store transport and storage operations information regarding the package in the package control device,

the package control device is configured for identifying an operator responsible for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information, and

the package control device is configured to allow the operator to have access to the package for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal computer device is at least one of a handheld device and a wearable device and a read-only identification device, including a near field communications (NFC) device,

the package control device is physically attached to the package during at least one of transport and storage,

the operator is at least one of a transporter and a recipient of the package, and

the package control device is configured to allow the operator to have access to the package based on comparing the transport and storage operations information with at least one of biometric identification information of the operator communicated to the package control device and a personal computer device of the operator communicating identification information to the package control device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a security mechanism provided in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device,

wherein the package control device is configured to allow at least one of the transport and storage operations including at least one of a pick-up operation and a drop-off operation to be performed by the operator on the package, and

the package control device is configured to authorize the security mechanism to allow at least one of the transport and storage operations based on at least one of a personal computer device identifier and biometric identifier of the operator and input from a manual input device and a read-only identification device identifier, including a near field communications (NFC) device identifier.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface device provided in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device;

wherein the package control device is configured to generate an output signal via the user interface device in response to identifying at least one of a transport and storage operation by an operator, and

the user interface device is configured to coordinate the output signal with at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and the package storage device.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a compliance evaluation device provided in the package control device and a compliance enforcement device provided in an external device,

wherein the compliance evaluation device is configured to determine how measurements correspond to conditions in the at least one of transport and storage operations information,

the compliance evaluation device is configured to change at least one of a measurement method used in compliance evaluation and compliance evaluation information when a measurement fulfills a condition,

the package control device is configured to retrieve compliance evaluation information from the compliance evaluation device and communicate the compliance evaluation information to the personal computer device,

the personal computer device is configured to communicate compliance evaluation information to the external device,

the external device is configured to determine an enforcement action in response to a compliance with the conditions,

the external device is configured to cause the enforcement action to be executed by the compliance enforcement device,

the external device is at least one of a second personal computer device and a server, and

the compliance enforcement device is configured to filter at least one of transport requests and offers by a personal computer device.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first computer device configured to generate authorization information associated with planned transport and storage operations information in the package control device,

wherein the package control device is configured to communicate the authorization information and the planned transport and storage operations information to a second computer device including at least one of a package storage device and a personal computer device,

the second computer device is configured to determine how the authorization information corresponds to previously stored authorization information, and

the second computer device is configured to generate the planned transport and storage operations information.

7. A computer implemented method for managing transportation and storage of goods, the method comprising:

associating a package control device with a package;

storing with a personal computer device transport and storage operations information regarding the package in the package control device;

identifying with the package control device an operator responsible for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information; and

allowing with the package control device the operator to have access to the package for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the personal computer device is at least one of a handheld device and a wearable device and a read-only identification device, including a near field communications (NFC) device, and

the method further comprising:

physically attaching the package control device to the package during at least one of transport and storage, wherein the operator is at least one of a transporter and a recipient of the package, and

allowing with the package control device the operator to have access to the package based on comparing the transport and storage operations information with at least one of biometric identification information of the operator communicated to the package control device and a personal computer device of the operator communicating identification information to the package control device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a security mechanism in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device;

allowing with the package control device at least one of the transport and storage operations including at least one of a pick-up operation and a drop-off operation to be performed by the operator on the package, and

authorizing with the package control device the security mechanism to allow at least one of the transport and storage operations based on at least one of a personal computer device identifier and biometric identifier of the operator and input from a manual input device and a read-only identification device identifier, including a near field communications (NFC) device identifier.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a user interface device in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device;

generating with the package control device an output signal via the user interface device in response to identifying at least one of a transport and storage operation by an operator; and

coordinating with the user interface device the output signal with at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and the package storage device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing a compliance evaluation device in the package control device and providing a compliance enforcement device in an external device;

determining with the compliance evaluation device how measurements correspond to a condition in the at least one of transport and storage operations information;

changing with the compliance evaluation device at least one of a measurement method used in compliance evaluation and compliance evaluation information when a measurement fulfills the condition;

retrieving with the package control device the compliance evaluation information from the compliance evaluation device and communicating the compliance evaluation information to the personal computer device, communicating with the personal computer device the compliance evaluation information to the external device;

determining with the external device an enforcement action in response to a compliance with the condition;

causing with the external device the enforcement action to be executed by the compliance enforcement device, wherein the external device is at least one of a second personal computer device and a server; and

filtering with the compliance enforcement device at least one of transport requests and offers by a personal computer device.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

generating with a first computer device authorization information associated with planned transport and storage operations information in the package control device;

communicating with the package control device the authorization information and the planned transport and storage operations information to a second computer device including at least one of a package storage device and a personal computer device;

determining with the second computer device how the authorization information corresponds to previously stored authorization information; and

generating with the second computer device the planned transport and storage operations information.

13. A computer program product for managing transportation and storage of goods and including one or more computer readable instructions embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium and configured to cause one or more computer processors to perform the steps of:

associating a package control device with a package;

storing with a personal computer device transport and storage operations information regarding the package in the package control device;

identifying with the package control device an operator responsible for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information; and

allowing with the package control device the operator to have access to the package for at least one of transport and storage of the package based on the transport and storage operations information.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the personal computer device is at least one of a handheld device and a wearable device and a read-only identification device, including a near field communications (NFC) device, and

further comprising:

physically attaching the package control device to the package during at least one of transport and storage, wherein the operator is at least one of a transporter and a recipient of the package, and

allowing with the package control device the operator to have access to the package based on comparing the transport and storage operations information with at least one of biometric identification information of the operator communicated to the package control device and a personal computer device of the operator communicating identification information to the package control device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a security mechanism in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device;

allowing with the package control device at least one of the transport and storage operations including at least one of a pick-up operation and a drop-off operation to be performed by the operator on the package, and

authorizing with the package control device the security mechanism to allow at least one of the transport and storage operations based on at least one of a personal computer device identifier and biometric identifier of the operator and input from a manual input device and a read-only identification device identifier, including a near field communications (NFC) device identifier.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a user interface device in at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and a package storage device;

generating with the package control device an output signal via the user interface device in response to identifying at least one of a transport and storage operation by an operator; and

coordinating with the user interface device the output signal with at least one of the package control device and the personal computer device and the package storage device.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a compliance evaluation device in the package control device and providing a compliance enforcement device in an external device;

determining with the compliance evaluation device how measurements correspond to a condition in the at least one of transport and storage operations information;

changing with the compliance evaluation device at least one of a measurement method used in compliance evaluation and compliance evaluation information when a measurement fulfills the condition;

retrieving with the package control device the compliance evaluation information from the compliance evaluation device and communicating the compliance evaluation information to the personal computer device,

communicating with the personal computer device the compliance evaluation information to the external device;

determining with the external device an enforcement action in response to a compliance with the condition;

causing with the external device the enforcement action to be executed by the compliance enforcement device, wherein the external device is at least one of a second personal computer device and a server; and

filtering with the compliance enforcement device at least one of transport requests and offers by a personal computer device.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising:

generating with a first computer device authorization information associated with planned transport and storage operations information in the package control device;

communicating with the package control device the authorization information and the planned transport and storage operations information to a second computer device including at least one of a package storage device and a personal computer device;

determining with the second computer device how the authorization information corresponds to previously stored authorization information; and

generating with the second computer device the planned transport and storage operations information.