SYSTEM-INDEPENDENT DATA LOGGING

• US 20150046364A1
• Filed: 08/11/2014
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Klatu Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: KLATU Networks LLC
• Inventors: Kriss, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,430,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for tracking a shipping container. Information from a third-party shipping entity is combined with information retrieved from a data logger attached to the shipping container while the shipping container is in transit. The third-party portal provides updates through Email or the like, transmitted to an address that is uniquely associated with the shipping container and its current itinerary.

Claims

1. A method for tracking an object in transit comprising:

providing a contact address to a shipping portal operated by a shipper, wherein the contact address uniquely identifies an object to be shipped by the shipper;

receiving at least one response message sent by the shipping portal to the contact address, wherein the at least one response message includes shipping information related to the object; and

combining the shipping information with data transmitted by a data logger attached to the object and while the object is being shipped.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping information comprises a tracking identifier generated by the shipper for the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact address includes a unique identifier maintained by the data logger.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the electronic message comprises:

creating an association between the object and an address that is reserved for tracking shipments; and

using the address that is reserved for tracking shipments as the contact address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one response message includes a current or last-known location of the object.

6. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

determining a location of the object based on the current or last-known location of the object and location information received from the data logger.

7. The method of claim 5, and further comprising:

estimating an arrival time at one or more destinations of the object based on the current or last-known location of the object and the data transmitted by the data logger, wherein the data transmitted by the data logger includes a time of capture of the data transmitted by the data logger.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transmitted by the data logger includes information related to a current or recent location of the object.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising:

estimating an arrival time at one or more destinations of the object based on the information related to the current or recent location of the object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data transmitted by the data logger includes an outside temperature, a sound frequency, altitude, time-in-transit information, or information identifying absence or presence of an identifiable network.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the shipping information identifies a custody transfer, a current shipping state, weight information, or a shipping route associated with the object.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

matching an itinerary provided in the shipping information with location-related information transmitted by the data logger, the location-related information comprising at least one of a change detected in radio frequency environment, absence of a network, presence of a network, a measurement of pressure, a vibration, an acceleration or a tilt.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact address comprises an electronic mail (Email) address having a configurable portion therein, and wherein the Email address is provided to the shipping portal manually or through a programmatically automated interface to the shipping portal.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact address comprises an Email address having a configurable portion therein, and wherein the Email address is provided to the shipping portal by manually or automatically entering the Email address on a programmatically automated form provided by the shipping portal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the form is programmatically automated by automatically:

intercepting information transmitted through the shipping portal;

modifying the information; and

forwarding modified information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein programmatically automated the form includes:

providing analytics information related to one or more fields of the form, wherein the analytics information includes pricing information corresponding to the shipper, pricing information corresponding to one or more alternative shippers or statistical information corresponding to an on-time delivery history of the shipper.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact address comprises an Email address that includes a hash of information that uniquely identifies the object to be shipped.

18. A method for tracking an object in transit comprising:

obtaining an identifier that uniquely identifies a data logger attached to a shipping container;

generating an electronic mail (Email) address based on the identifier, wherein the Email address has a portion that is derived from the identifier;

providing the Email address to a shipping portal while ordering shipment of the shipping container;

configuring an Email server to receive messages addressed to the Email address; and

combining shipping information extracted from the messages addressed to the Email address with data received from the data logger during shipment of the shipping container.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the shipping information includes information identifying at least one departure location and at least one destination location or a last known location of the shipping container.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein data received from the data logger includes a physical location of the object and a time of capture of the data.