CARGO AND DOOR SENSOR

• US 20150213705A1
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Published: 07/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrman, Michael L., Wendler, Steven R., Gripp, James E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,330,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
• 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: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Implementations for a system to receive a message indicating that an ambient light level measured by an ambient light sensor within a container exceeds a first threshold value or falls below a second threshold value; in response to the message indicating that the ambient light level exceeds the first threshold value, activate a cargo sensor; and in response to the message indicating that the ambient light level falls below the second threshold value, de-activate the cargo sensor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory device comprising instructions; and

a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device, the processing device to execute the instructions to;

receive, from a light sensor, a reading indicating a light level in a container;

determine the light level exceeds a first threshold value; and

activate a cargo sensor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the container comprises a container door.

3. The system of claim 2, the processing device to determine the container door is open when the light level exceeds the first threshold value.

4. The system of claim 2, the processing device to:

receive, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container;

determine the second light level falls below a second threshold value; and

de-activate the cargo sensor.

5. The system of claim 4, the processing device to determine that the container door is closed when the second light level falls below the second threshold value.

6. The system of claim 1, the processing device to collect, by the cargo sensor, a sample indicating a cargo state of the container, wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, unload initiated, or loaded.

7. The system of claim 1, the processing device to determine the light level exceeds the first threshold value when a predetermined number of samples of the light level exceed the first threshold value during a time window.

8. The system of claim 1, the processing device to determine a cargo area of the container is not secure when the light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, from a light sensor, a reading indicating a light level in a container;

determining, by a processing device, the light level exceeds a first threshold value; and

activating a cargo sensor.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the container comprises a container door.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining, by the processing device, that the container door is open when the light level exceeds the first threshold value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container;

determining the second light level falls below a second threshold value; and

de-activating the cargo sensor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining that the container door is closed when the second light level falls below the second threshold value.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising collecting, by the cargo sensor, a sample indicating a cargo state of the container, wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, unload initiated, or loaded.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the light level exceeds the first threshold value comprises determining a predetermined number of samples of the light level exceeds the first threshold value during a time window.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a cargo area of the container is not secure when the light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

receive, from a light sensor, a reading indicating a light level in a container;

determine the light level exceeds a first threshold value; and

activate a cargo sensor.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the container comprises a container door.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, the processing device to determine the container door is open when the light level exceeds the first threshold value.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, the processing device to:

receive, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container;

determine the second light level falls below a second threshold value; and

de-activate the cargo sensor.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, the processing device to determine that the container door is closed when the second light level falls below the second threshold value.

22. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, the processing device to collect, by the cargo sensor, a sample indicating a cargo state of the container, wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, or loaded.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, the processing device to determine the light level exceeds the first threshold value when a predetermined number of samples of the light level exceeds the first threshold value during a time window.

24. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, the processing device to determine a cargo area of the container is not secure when the light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.