Rule based proximity and time based tracking system
First Claim
1. A method for determining a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
- interpreting tracking information;
applying logic rules to include or exclude said information;
assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; and
applying in hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus that automatically tracks, monitors and schedules the shipping of objects through carriers such as delivery trucks, ships, or planes is disclosed. A tracking tag is attached to each shipped object. The tracking tag and transportation system uses such techniques as GPS, cellular technology, and bar coding, and sensors such as those that make temperature, pressure, and noise measurements as sources of tracking information. Logic rules and hierarchical weights are given to each source, for any given condition so that the most accurate tracking is made. Tracking is continuous throughout the object'"'"'s trip. Another set of logic rules is applied to take actions to intervene in the shipping process. For example if it seems the object is off schedule, upgrades or downgrades to the shipping are made. The transportation system can be integrated within a customer'"'"'s company to facilitate easy scheduling, and production management. A user-friendly graphical user interface is available which displays item, time and distance related information.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method for determining a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
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interpreting tracking information; applying logic rules to include or exclude said information; assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; and applying in hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for determining a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
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interpreting tracking information; applying logic rules to include or exclude said information; assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; applying hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information; and downgrading a shipping of said object, said object being transported on a schedule from one point to another, if said object will arrive on schedule. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method for determining a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
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interpreting tracking information; applying logic rules to include or exclude said information; assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; and excluding carriers who cannot carry said object, excluding tracking information which does not match a weight of other tracking information and concluding whether said object is with a transportation means if said tracking information of said object matches with a tracking information of said transportation means.
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26. A method for determining a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
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interpreting tracking information; applying logic rules to include or exclude said information; assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; and providing a system scheduler that can route and track multiple objects, said objects to be scheduled and delivered at the same time; wherein said system scheduler applies hierarchical rules between objects. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for determining a location of an object comprising:
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a module within said information processing system for interpreting tracking information; logic rules; a module within an information processing system for applying said logic rules to include or exclude said information; a module within said information processing system for assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; a module within said information processing system for applying hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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39. The apparatus of 33, wherein said weight of each source of information is dependent upon accuracy of said source.
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55. An apparatus for determining a location of an object comprising:
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a module within said information processing system for interpreting tracking information; logic rules; a module within an information processing system for applying said logic rules to include or exclude said information; a module within said information processing system for assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; a module within said information processing system for applying hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information; a module within said information processing system for downgrading a shipping of said object, said object being transported on a schedule from one point to another, if said object will arrive on schedule. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. An apparatus for determining a location of an object comprising:
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a module within said information processing system for interpreting tracking information; logic rules; a module within an information processing system for applying said logic rules to include or exclude said information; a module within said information processing system for assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; a module within said information processing system for applying hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information; excluding carriers who cannot carry said object, excluding tracking information which does not match a weight of other tracking information and concluding whether said object is with a transport vehicle if said tracking information of said object matches with a tracking information of said transport vehicle.
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58. An apparatus for determining a location of an object comprising:
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a module within said information processing system for interpreting tracking information; logic rules; a module within an information processing system for applying said logic rules to include or exclude said information; a module within said information processing system for assessing all remaining information to determine said location of said object; a module within said information processing system for applying hierarchical rules to said tracking information to establish a weight to each source of information; a system scheduler that can route and track multiple objects, said objects to be scheduled and delivered at the same time, wherein said system schedule applies hierarchical rules between objects. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method for using tracking data about a location of an object, comprising the steps of:
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collecting tracking data; providing other information; establishing a relationship between said data and said other information; and based on said relation between said tracking data and said related information, taking at least one predetermined action; whereas said other information comprises any of; a schedule, which in turn comprises any of; a shipping schedule; a production schedule; a schedule showing times when an object shipped is needed at a destination; and third party information; and further comprising the step of;
a linked objects, and if in a supply chain where a first shipment and a at least a second shipment must arrive at a same time, where one of said first and said at least second shipment is determined to be late and said lateness can not be corrected, said other of said first shipment and said at least second shipment can also be delayed, wherein priority is optionally given to another shipment. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68)
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Specification