Method for monitoring a package, sentinel indicator system and logistics system

• US 8,368,511 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Johnson, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): LITTLEJOHN JR, MANCIL H
• Application Number:
  US12/532,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.31, 340/652, 340/635, 340/945, 340/984, 340/505, 340/540, 340/541, 340/572.1, 340/673, 340/570, 340/568.1, 340/5.92, 702 50- 56, 702/108, 702/188, 702/187, 702/122, 705/28, 109/41, 109/42
• US Class Current: 340/5.92
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 79/02 Arrangements or devices for indicating incorrect storage or transport B65D79/005 takes precedence ; measuring devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/126 by rigid element, e.g. lid
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/18 Actuation by interference with heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength; Actuation by intruding sources of heat, light, or radiation of shorter wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence

Abstract

There is provided a method for monitoring a package for storage and/or transport of at least one item. An exemplary method comprises receiving at a transmission unit measured data about properties of the item and/or about influences on the item via at least two sensors. The exemplary method also comprises executing via the transmission unit a decision of a logical node of a logistics system about a selection of data transmitted to a receiving unit. The exemplary method additionally comprises sending information about the desired selection of data from a control unit to the transmission unit. Finally, the exemplary method comprises enabling a user to make a selection relating to types of data to be transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a package for storage and/or transport of at least one item, the method comprising:

monitoring at least two physical properties of an time by at least two sentinel sensors, where at least one of the sensors is connected to a memory module storing predefined or measured data;

receiving time- and temperature-dependent measurement data from the sentinel sensor by a determining module;

determining a current status by the determining module by applying the measurement data to trend data from the memory module containing data representing one or more predefined temperature-depended shelf-life trends as the trend data;

permitting a reading unit for receiving data from the sentinel sensors to retrieve current status data corresponding to the current status determined by the determining module via a communications interface to a transmission unit, which is a transponder including an integrated circuit coupled to an antenna and which executes a decision about a selection of data to be transmitted; and

taking the decision by a logical node about a selection of data, which is transmitted from the transmission unit to a receiving unit, wherein the transmission unit comprises alert and sensor status data for a selection desired and made by a user and program instructions for relaying communications between the receiving unit and the sensor and is adapted to operate according to a mobile communication standard.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the transmission unit is adapted to relate the data from the sensors independently.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors is adapted to detect an influence of parameters which require a change of the transmission of data.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the user is enabled to perform the selection of the types of data at a webpage.

5. A sentinel indicator system, comprising:

a transmission unit as a transponder including an integrated circuit coupled with an antenna adapted to operate according to a mobile communication standard;

at least two sentinel sensors adapted to monitor at least two physical property of an item;

a memory module storing predefined or measured data containing data representing one or more predefined temperature-dependent shelf-life trends;

a determining module that is adapted to receive time- and temperature-dependent measurement data from the sentinel sensor and determining a current status by applying the measurement data to the trend data from the memory module;

a communication interface that is adapted to permit a reading unit for receiving data from the sentinel sensors to retrieve current status data corresponding to the current status;

a logical node for taking a decision about a selection of data which is transmitted from a transmission unit to a receiving unit;

a power management module; and

wherein the transmission unit executing the decision about a selection of data to be transmitted is adapted to process alert and sensor status data for a selection desired and made by a user and program instructions for relaying communications between the receiving unit and the sensor.

6. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, comprising one or more additional sentinel sensors also communicatively coupled with the transponder permitting the same or a different reader, or both, to retrieve item data measured by the one or more additional sensors.

7. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein the module compares the status data to one or more predetermined trends, and provides an alert when at least one impact data has reached a critical value.

8. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, comprising one or more additional item integrity sensors also communicatively coupled with the transponder being adapted to permit the same or a different reader, or both, to retrieve item data measured by the one or more additional sensors.

9. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein the power management module periodically activates the monitoring component from a sleep or other low power state to gather the sensor measurements.

11. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of the sensors is equipped in a way, that it is capable of detecting an influence of parameters which require a change of the transmission of data.

12. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect a transponder signal emitted by an aircraft, or to detect aircraft pressurization, or to detect a 400 cycle sound emitted from an aircraft in order to be non operational while on aircraft.

13. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 12, wherein the memory module collects data from all on-board sensors such as temperature, GPS, vibration etc, and caches the information until it can be sent safely via the desired communications method.

14. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein more sensors of a same type are combined to obtain a two or three dimensional picture of a unit to be measured.

15. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 5, wherein more transmission units of the same kind are implemented to improve reading quality or reading velocity.

16. The sentinel indicator system recited in claim 15, wherein the more transmission units are arranged in the form of a net.

10. A logistics system for transporting a package with at least one item from a starting point to a receiving point, the logistics system comprising a logical node that is adapted to send controlling information to at least two sensors of a sentinel indicating system and to contain at least one reading unit for receiving data from the sentinel sensors, where the sentinel indicator system comprises:

a transmission unit as a transponder including an integrated circuit coupled with an antenna adapted to operate according mobile communication standard;

at least two sentinel sensors adapted to monitor at least two physical property of an item;

a memory module storing predefined or measured data representing one or more predefined temperature-dependent shelf-life trends;

a determining module that is adapted to receive time-and-temperature-dependent measurement data from the sentinel sensor and determining a current status by applying the measurement data to the trend data from the memory module;

a communication interface that is adapted to permit a reading unit for receiving data from the sentinel sensors to retrieve current status data corresponding to the current status;

a logical node for taking a decision about a selection of data which is transmitted from a transmission unit to a receiving unit;

a power management module; and

wherein the transmission unit executing the decision about a selection of data to be transmitted is adapted to process alert and sensor status data for a selection desired and made by a user and program instructions for relaying communications between the receiving unit and the sensor.