Devices for wirelessly routing a vehicle

• US 8,275,678 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Ralph L., Naghshineh, Steve F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/289,242
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/29
• 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: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• 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 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The present invention automates the process of receiving transportation documentation and producing advance loading manifests therefrom to optimize load planning and dynamic product shipment and delivery control. Methods provide for receipt of the transportation documentation, initial preparation, and transmission of the documentation from on board a vehicle or while the vehicle is in transit.

Claims

1. A device capable of scanning and transmitting images from a vehicle to a remote processor, the device comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory;

an image input device configured to acquire image data representing a shipping document;

a global positioning satellite device for determining location information corresponding to a location of the device;

a user display screen;

a transmission device, wherein the at least one processor, the memory, the transmission device, the image input device, and the global positioning satellite device are onboard the vehicle and for mobile use by a driver of the vehicle associated with the device; and

executable instructions stored on the memory, the executable instructions executable by the at least one processor and configured to;

scan a shipping document comprising shipping information for at least one package utilizing the onboard image input device;

receive vehicle information from a vehicle main computer associated with the vehicle and the global positioning satellite device;

calculate an estimated time of arrival based at least in part on the vehicle information;

using the transmission device, wirelessly transmit estimated time of arrival data corresponding to the calculated estimated time of arrival and the image data representing the shipping document to the remote processor, wherein the remote processor extracts and generates billing information in advance of arrival of the at least one package at an arrival destination;

using the transmission device, wirelessly receive updated route information data from the remote processor, the updated route information data based at least in part on the image data, the estimated time of arrival data, or combinations thereof; and

cause the user display screen to display a graphical representation of the updated route information data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information received from the vehicle main computer comprises at least one of:

engine temperature, oil pressure, fluid levels, tire pressure, weather condition information, speed of travel, direction of travel, and vehicle location.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the executable instructions are further configured to access the image data representing the shipping document received from the image input device and stored in the memory, to convert the image data to one or more wireless signals representing the image data, wherein the one or more wireless signals comprise at least one of a satellite signal, a radio signal, and a cellular signal, and to cause the image data to be wirelessly transmitted from a vehicle'"'"'s mobile location using the transmission device to the remote processor for further processing of the shipping document.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising an electronic input device configured to receive comments from the driver of the vehicle.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the comments correspond to the shipping document.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the comments comprise at least one of:

remarks, details, error notations, corrections, and weather conditions.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic input device comprises a keyboard.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic input device comprises computer screen and a wand.

9. The device of claim 4, wherein the electronic input device comprises a device capable of receiving spoken words and performing a voice recognition operation.

10. The device of claim 4, wherein the executable instructions are further configured to:

access the image data representing the shipping document;

break the image data representing the shipping document into a plurality of packets, wherein the plurality of packets represent the image data; and

using the transmission device, wirelessly transmit the plurality of packets representing the image data to the remote processor.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the executable instructions are further configured to record a number associated with each individual packet that is received by the remote processor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions are further configured to cause the transmission device to re-send an individual packet of the plurality of packets that is not received by the remote processor.

13. The device of claim 1, further comprising a set of work-flow executable instructions capable of identifying a classification to which an image is associated and performing one or more operations based on the classification.