SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURELY TRANSPORTING CARGO

• US 20180053148A1
• Filed: 01/30/2017
• Published: 02/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John S. Carter
• Original Assignee: Certainty Logistics, LLC
• Inventors: Nelson, JR., Max Rodgers
• Application Number:
  US15/419,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20180053148A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A system and method for managing the delivery and tracking of bulk materials is provided. The system may provide for tracking deliveries through multiple parties involved in the process. The system verifies a chain of custody of the bulk materials between an origin vessel, a transportation container, and a delivery vessel. The system notifies a user whether the chain of custody is correct. The system may include web and phone versions allowing the user to scan identification codes associated with specific origin vessels, delivery vessels, and transport containers, and store information relating to those identification codes for later access as a unit of information relating to a load of goods being delivered.

Claims

1. A method for delivering goods, said method comprising:

a. Scanning a first identification code associated with an origin vessel containing goods,

b. Retrieving, by a server, information relating to the origin vessel,

c. Storing said information relating to the origin vessel in a database, wherein the stored information relating to the origin vessel is grouped to a load of goods,

d. Scanning a second identification code associated with a transport container,

e. Retrieving, by a server, information relating to the transport container,

f. Storing said information relating to the transport container in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the transport container is grouped to the load of goods,

g. Retrieving, by a server from the database, one or more available drop-off locations for delivering the load of goods;

h. Selecting a drop-off location;

i. Storing information relating to the selected drop-off location in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the selected drop-off location is grouped to the load of goods;

j. Transporting the load of goods to the selected drop-off location in the transport container;

k. Scanning, at the drop-off location, a third identification code associated with a delivery vessel;

l. Retrieving, by the server, information relating to the delivery vessel;

m. Storing said information relating to the delivery vessel in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the delivery vessel is grouped to the load of goods;

n. Scanning, at the drop-off location, the second identification code associated with the transport container;

o. Verifying a chain of custody between the origin vessel, transport container, and delivery vessel; and

p. Sending a signal to a user device, wherein the signal is responsive to verifying the chain of custody, and wherein the signal indicates whether the chain of custody is correct.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of offloading the load of goods into the delivery vessel if the chain of custody is correct.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of offloading the load of goods comprises opening a valve located on a supply line to the delivery vessel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user device is located adjacent to the valve.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second identification code associated with the transport container identifies the goods to be offloaded into the delivery vessel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein information stored in the database includes at least one of:

an origin vessel identifier, a transport container identifier, a delivery vessel identifier, an origin vessel location, a transport container location, a transport offload hose location, a delivery vessel location, information relating to whether a delivery vessel has sufficient space in the delivery vessel to accept a load of goods therein, a chemical name, or a hazard category.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third identification codes is scanned via a RFID tag.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third identification codes is scanned via a global positioning system tracking device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the origin or delivery vessel identification codes includes global positioning system coordinates.

10. A method for delivering goods, said method comprising:

a. Storing origin vessel, delivery vessel, and transport container information in a database;

i. Said origin vessel information relating to a specific origin vessel;

ii. Said transport container information relating to a specific transport container;

iii. Said delivery vessel information relating to a specific delivery vessel;

b. Providing a unique identification code for each of the origin vessel, transport container, and delivery vessel, wherein the unique identification codes provide information relating to each of the respective origin vessel, transport container, and delivery vessel;

c. Scanning the unique identification code of the origin vessel;

d. Storing information relating to the origin vessel in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the origin vessel is grouped to a load of goods;

e. Scanning the unique identification code of the transport container;

f. Storing information relating to the transport container in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the transport container is grouped to the load of goods;

g. Loading the load of goods into the transport container from the origin vessel;

h. Transporting the load of goods in the transport container to a drop-off location where the delivery vessel is located;

i. Scanning the unique identification code of the delivery vessel;

j. Storing information relating to the delivery vessel in the database, wherein the stored information relating to the delivery vessel is grouped to the load of goods;

k. Verifying a chain of custody between the origin vessel, transport container, and delivery vessel; and

l. Sending a signal to a user device, wherein the signal is responsive to verifying the chain of custody, and wherein the signal indicates whether the chain of custody is correct.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of offloading the load of goods into the delivery vessel if the chain of custody is correct.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of offloading the load of goods comprises opening a valve located on a supply line to the delivery vessel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the user device is located adjacent to the valve

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of said identification codes is scanned via a RFID tag.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of said identification codes is scanned via a global positioning system tracking device.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the origin or delivery vessel identification codes includes global positioning system coordinates.

17. A system, comprising:

a. a processor; and

b. a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

i. Receiving, from a scanning device, data responsive to scanning a first identification code associated with an origin vessel, wherein information relating to the first identification code is provided and stored;

ii. Receiving, from a scanning device, data responsive to scanning a second identification code associated with a transport container, wherein information relating to the second identification code is provided and stored;

iii. Receiving, from a scanning device, data responsive to scanning a third identification code associated with a delivery vessel, wherein information relating to the third identification code is provided and stored;

iv. Verifying, by the processor, a chain of custody between the origin vessel, transport container, and delivery vessel, and

v. Sending a signal to a user device, wherein the signal is responsive to verifying the chain of custody, and wherein the signal indicates whether the chain of custody is correct.