Node-Enabled Packaging Materials Used to Ship an Item

• US 20150154544A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Skaaksrud, Ole-Petter
• Granted Patent: US 10,977,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00256 Delivery operations
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 25/02 Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/02 Internal fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/102 Straps, bands, strings or other elongate elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3453 Special cost functions, i.e. other than distance or default speed limit of road segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/01 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/226 Communication links with the remote-control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/43 Control of position or course in two dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/81 Handing over between on-board automatic and on-board manual control
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0712 the arrangement being capable of triggering distinct operating modes or functions dependent on the strength of an energy or interrogation field in the proximity of the record carrier active means for hindering electromagnetic reading or writing G06K19/07336
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 : Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 : Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 : Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 : Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0838 : Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 : specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/22 : Payment schemes or models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 : using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/321 : using wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/325 : using wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 : Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 : Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 : based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 : System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 : for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 : stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 : ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 : specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/61 : for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/71 : Wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/026 : using e-messaging for transporting management information, e.g. email, instant messaging or chat
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 : characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 : characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 : Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 : Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 : for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 : Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 : managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/04 : TPC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 : Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Methods and node-enabled apparatus are described that involve use of node-enabled packaging material as part of a container for an item to be shipped. The method begins by forming at least a part of the container with the packaging material. Next, the method activates a node integrated as part of the packaging material. The node is operative to communicate with one or more network devices (such as an ID node, master node and/or server) in a wireless node network. The method then registers shipping information with a server in the wireless node network via a user access device operated by a shipping customer. The shipping information is related to the container and the node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container. The item to be shipped may be sealed within the container.

Claims

1. A method for using node-enabled packaging material as part of a container for an item to be shipped, comprising:

forming at least a part of the container with the packaging material;

activating an ID node integrated as part of the packaging material, wherein the ID node is operative to communicate directly with a master node in a wireless node network but is unable to directly communicate with a server in the wireless node network; and

registering shipping information with the server via a user access device operated by a shipping customer, the shipping information being related to the container and the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of sealing the item within the container having the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of placing the container at a first hand-off point for shipping the container.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of placing the container further comprises providing the container to a courier associated with the master node near the first hand-off point.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of placing the container further comprises depositing the container in a node-enabled logistics receptacle serviced by a courier, the node-enabled logistics receptacle being at the first hand-off point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the packaging material comprises one from a group consisting of a fiberboard container sheet, a packaging separator sheet, and cushioning material sheet.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container maintains container content information describing the item to be shipped.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the container content information further comprises customs information for a customs declaration on the item in the container.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating the ID node further comprises causing a power source within the ID node to energize the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container and to turn on a status light of the ID node.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating the ID node further comprises causing the ID node to change from a standby mode to a fully functioning mode.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of registering the shipping information further comprises:

entering a destination address for the container into the user access device as a first part of the shipping information;

entering a tracking number into the user access device as a second part of the shipping information, the tracking number being related to the container;

entering a node identification into the user access device as a third part of the shipping information, the node identification being related to the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container; and

causing the user access device to transmit the shipping information to the server.

12. A method for using node-enabled packaging material as part of a container for an item to be shipped, comprising:

forming at least a part of the container with the packaging material;

activating a node integrated as part of the packaging material, wherein the node is operative to communicate with one or more network devices in a wireless node network; and

registering shipping information with a server in the wireless node network via a user access device operated by a shipping customer, the shipping information being related to the container and the node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the node integrated as part of the packaging material comprises an ID node operative to communicate directly with a master node in the wireless node network but is unable to directly communicate with the server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the node integrated as part of the packaging material comprises a master node operative to communicate directly with the server.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the packaging material comprises one from a group consisting of a fiberboard container sheet, a packaging separator sheet, and cushioning material sheet.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the node integrated as part of the packaging material of the container maintains container content information describing the item to be shipped.

17. A node-enabled apparatus for packaging an item to be shipped, comprising:

packaging material used as part of a container that packages the item to be shipped;

an ID node integrated as part of the packaging material, wherein the ID node is operative to communicate directly with a master node in a wireless node network but is unable to directly communicate with a server in the wireless node network, the ID node further comprising

a processing unit,

a communication interface coupled to the processing unit, the communication interface providing a communication path to the master node, the communication interface being operative to receive a message broadcast from the master node and provide the message to the processing unit,

a volatile memory coupled to the processing unit,

a memory storage coupled to the processing unit, the memory storage maintaining code for execution by the processing unit and shipping information related to the container and the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material,

a power source for energizing the ID node; and

wherein the processing unit, when executing the code, is operative to

receive the shipping information from a first node in the wireless node network,

cause an advertising signal to be broadcast over the communication interface to the master node, and

share at least a part of the shipping information with the master node.

18. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 17, wherein the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material further comprises a status light indicative of an activated state of the ID node.

19. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processing unit is further operative to cause the status light to blink in a designated pattern upon receiving the shipping information.

20. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the status light is disposed within the packaging material but viewable from outside the container.

21. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packaging material includes an opening and wherein the status light is disposed in a configuration within the packaging material where the status light aligns with the opening.

22. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the status light is disposed in a recessed part of the packaging material.

23. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the status light is disposed in a translucent part of the packaging material.

24. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the status light indicates a sensed error.

25. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 18, wherein the status light indicates a status of the item.

26. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 17, wherein the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material further comprises a switch coupled to the power source for allowing the power source to energize the ID node.

27. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 26, wherein the switch is magnetically activated when the switch detects a set of magnetic field changes.

28. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 26, wherein the detected set of magnetic field changes detected by the switch further comprise a series of magnetic field changes over a period of time that define an activation pattern.

29. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 17, wherein the packaging material further comprises at least a sheet of packaging material;

and

wherein the ID node integrated as part of the packaging material is embedded within the sheet of packaging material.

30. The node-enabled apparatus of claim 17, wherein the packaging material comprises one from a group consisting of a fiberboard container sheet, a packaging separator sheet, and cushioning material sheet.