System and method for weighing and tracking freight
First Claim
1. A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
- a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight;
a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight;
a scanner accessible to an operator of the lift truck for scanning coded identifying information associated with the piece of freight;
a wireless transmitter communicatively connected to the weighing device and to the scanner and operable for transmitting weight data and identifying information obtained for the piece of freight to a receiving site;
a receiver at the receiving site communicatively connected to said transmitter and operable for receiving the weight data and identifying information transmitted by said transmitter;
a base computer communicatively connected to said receiver for receiving the weight data and identifying information; and
a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identifying information for the freight.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
In a freight shipment system and method, the lift trucks used by the freight carrier for handling and loading freight shipments are equipped with a weighing device capable of weighing each piece of freight handled by the lift truck. The lift truck is also equipped with a scanner for scanning coded identifying information associated with each piece of freight. As each piece of freight is handled by the lift truck, the coded identifying information for that piece of freight is captured along with the weight of the load. This information is transmitted to a computer system where it can be used for real-time invoicing. The system can also use the captured information to perform additional automated functions, such as tracking of shipments, freight loss control, and assisting in avoiding overloaded trucks. The same system can monitor maintenance information for the lift trucks so as to provide timely preventive maintenance, and can also provide the human resources information, such as the lift truck driver identification and amount of time worked.
72 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight; a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight; a scanner accessible to an operator of the lift truck for scanning coded identifying information associated with the piece of freight; a wireless transmitter communicatively connected to the weighing device and to the scanner and operable for transmitting weight data and identifying information obtained for the piece of freight to a receiving site; a receiver at the receiving site communicatively connected to said transmitter and operable for receiving the weight data and identifying information transmitted by said transmitter; a base computer communicatively connected to said receiver for receiving the weight data and identifying information; and a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identifying information for the freight. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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a plurality of lift trucks, each equipped for lifting and moving pieces of freight; a weighing device associated with each said lift truck for obtaining the weight of a piece of freight handled by the lift truck; a scanner provided on each said lift truck for scanning coded identifying information associated with that piece of freight; a wireless transmitter associated with each said lift truck communicatively connected to the weighing device and to the scanner on the said lift truck and operable for transmitting weight data and identifying information obtained for the piece of freight to a receiving site; a receiver at the receiving site communicatively connected to each said transmitter and operable for receiving the weight data and identifying information transmitted by each transmitter; a base computer communicatively connected to said receiver for receiving the weight data and identifying information; a database associated with said computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identifying information; and at least one data processing module communicatively connected to said database and operable for generating output information regarding the freight handled by the lift trucks. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight; a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight; a scanner accessible to an operator of the lift truck for scanning coded identifying information associated with the piece of freight; a movement document for each freight shipment that is handled by the system, the movement document being intended to follow the freight shipment as it is transported by a freight carrier, and said movement document including coded identifying information that can be read by said scanner; a base computer communicating with said weighing device for receiving weight data for a piece of freight and communicating with said scanner for receiving identifying information obtained for the piece of freight; a database associated with said base computer for receiving and storing the weight data and identifying information for the freight; and an invoice generator communicating with said database for generating customer invoices based upon the thus-obtained weight data and identifying information.
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23. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight; and equipping at least one additional lift truck with a weighing device to obtain the weight from a piece of freight, a scanner to scan coded identifying information associated with the piece of freight, and a wireless transmitter for transmitting weight data and identifying information obtained for the piece of freight to the receiving site. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31)
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26. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising;
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equipping lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; generating a movement document for a freight shipment, the movement document including a printed description of the freight shipment, the number of freight pieces, and coded identifying information that can be read by a scanner; scanning the coded identifying information from the movement document in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; and storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight.
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30. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight; and reading via the scanner trailer identifying information as the lift truck approaches or enters the trailer to deliver a piece of freight, associating the trailer identifying information with a maximum load limit for that trailer, generating an accumulated load weight for that trailer each time the lift truck delivers a piece of freight to that trailer, comparing the maximum load limit with the accumulated load weight, and generating a signal to the operator of the lift truck when the accumulated loud weight reaches a predetermined value in relation to the maximum load limit for the trailer.
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32. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information far the piece of freight; and generating real-time location information about the location of the piece of freight and transmitting said location information to said receiving site.
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33. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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equipping a lift truck at a first freight terminal with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck at the first freight terminal; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck at the first freight terminal; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight; transporting freight from the first terminal to a second freight terminal at a location distant from said first freight terminal, said second freight terminal also having a lift truck equipped with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck, scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift track at the second terminal; obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight handled by the lift truck at the second terminal; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; and storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A method for weighing and tracking freight comprising:
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equipping a lift truck with a weighing device capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; generating a movement document for a freight shipment, the movement document including a printed description of the freight shipment, the number of freight pieces, and coded identifying information that can be read by a scanner; scanning coded identifying information associated with a piece of freight from the movement document for that piece of freight; lifting the piece of freight by the lift truck and obtaining the weight data for the piece of freight from the weighing device; transmitting to a receiving site the weight data obtained by the weighing device and the identifying information obtained by the scanner; receiving at the receiving site the transmitted weight data and identifying information; storing the thus obtained weight data and identifying information for the piece of freight; and generating customer invoices based upon the stored weight data and identifying information. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification