Cargo tracking apparatus, system and method

• US 8,392,339 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tracking Innovations
• Original Assignee: Tracking Innovations
• Inventors: Kraft, Randy Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, KEVIN H
• Application Number:
  US13/017,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 705/333
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A system for tracking a location of at least one item is described. The system includes a tag associated with the at least one item during a shipping journey. The tag detects shipping information, including temperature, humidity, shock, etc. The tag sends the shipping information to a master unit. The master unit also detects certain shipping information. The master unit communicates with a central processor to provide the shipping information to the central processor. The central processor relies on the shipping information to determine one of a condition or a location of the item.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a location of at least one item, comprising:

a tag being shipped with the at least one item during a shipping journey from a point of origin to a destination, wherein the tag comprises;

a tag sensor to sense at least one shipping parameter during the shipping journey and to generate tag shipping data at least for a portion of the shipping journey,

a tag memory in communication with the tag sensor to store the tag shipping data,

a tag radio in communication with the tag memory to transmit the tag shipping data, wherein tag radio wireless communication is disabled when the at least one item is disposed on an aircraft,

a tag microcontroller to coordinate operation between the tag sensor, the tag memory, and the tag radio, and

a tag power source to provide power to the tag sensor, the tag memory, the tag radio, and the tag microcontroller;

a master unit being shipped with at least the tag, wherein the master unit comprises;

a master unit sensor to sense at least one shipping parameter during the shipping journey and to generate master unit shipping data at least for a portion of the shipping journey,

a master unit memory in communication with the master unit sensor to store the master unit shipping information and also to store tag shipping information received from the tag,

a master unit radio in communication with the master unit memory to communicate with the tag and also to receive the tag shipping data from the tag and provide the tag shipping information to the master unit memory, wherein master radio wireless communication is disabled when the at least one item is disposed on an aircraft,

a master unit microcontroller to coordinate operation between the master unit sensor, the master unit memory, and the master unit radio,

a master unit communication modem to transmit master unit shipping data and tag shipping data, and

a master unit power source to provide power to the master unit sensor, the master unit memory, the master unit radio, the master unit microcontroller, and the master unit communication modem;

a transportation vehicle for transporting the at least one item during the shipping journey from the point of origin to the destination;

means for automatically placing the master unit and tags in a deactivated state based upon placement of the at least one item on board the transportation vehicle;

a system that determines a location of the transportation vehicle when the master unit and tags are in the deactivated state; and

a central processor that receives shipping data from the master unit, determines at least one of a condition or location of the at least one item at one or more predetermined points during the shipping journey and receives tracking information via the location determining system rather than searching for signals from the master unit when the master unit and tags are in the deactivated state.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the tag comprises a plurality of tags, each of which are associated with the at least one item during the shipping journey.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag sensor includes at least a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a shock sensor, and an accelerometer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit sensor includes at least a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, and an accelerometer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit is positioned within a predetermined distance from the tag so that the tag radio and the master unit radio may communicate with one another during the shipping journey.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio operate at a 2.4 GHz frequency.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag radio communicates with the master unit radio at repetitive temporal intervals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit radio communicates with the central processor at repetitive temporal intervals to communicate shipping data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein receipt of shipping data from the master unit to the central processor is disabled when the master unit is on board the transportation vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio are re-enabled when the tag accelerometer and the master unit accelerometer detect a deceleration indicative of a complete stop of the transportation vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via at least one of a WiFi modem, a GPRS modem, or a satellite communications modem.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit further comprises:

a GPS modem for receiving GPS signals and providing GPS data to the master unit microcontroller.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag radio and the master unit radio communicate via a communication link comprising a local transmission link.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the local transmission link comprises at least one of a WiFi network, a generic wireless local area network (“

WLAN”

), a local area network (“

LAN”

), a Bluetooth connection, and a wireless personal area network (“

PAN”

).

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via a communication link comprising at least one of a wired or wireless link, radio link, electromagnetic link, cellular network link, global positioning system (“

GPS”

) link, Bluetooth link, personal area network (“

PAN”

) link, and WiFi link.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi modem, GPRS modem, or satellite communications modem based at least on comparative cost therebetween.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the WiFi modem is preferred to communication via the GPRS modem, which is, in turn, preferred to communication via the satellite.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit communication modem permits communication via at least one of a WiFi network, a cellular network, or a satellite communications network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi network, cellular network, or satellite communications network based at least on a strength of signal available for each of the modems.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the master unit microcontroller selects one of the WiFi network, cellular network, or satellite communications network based at least on comparative cost therebetween.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the WiFi network is preferred to communication via the cellular network, which is, in turn, preferred to communication via the satellite communications network.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag unit memory also stores identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the tag memory also stores identifying information comprising content information which includes invoice information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores identifying information comprising content information which includes invoice information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the master unit memory stores the tag shipping data and, thereby, acts as a data recorder for the tag.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the invoice information is accessible for inspection by customs officials.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is designed to access the location determining system to track the location of the transportation vehicle.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the master unit further includes a battery charge circuit for receiving power from the transportation vehicle.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the tag comprises an alarm that may be triggered when the parcel is removed from a designated area.

33. A method for tracking at least one item, comprising:

tagging the at least one item with a tag;

placing the at least one item with the tag in a transportation vehicle for transporting the at least one item during a shipping journey from a point of origin to a destination;

measuring at least one shipping parameter by the tag being shipped with the at least one item during the shipping journey;

generating tag shipping data based upon the at least one shipping parameter;

wirelessly transmitting the tag shipping data from the tag to a master unit being shipped with the at least one item;

receiving the tag shipping data from the tag;

storing the tag shipping data in memory of the master unit;

measuring the at least one shipping parameter by the master unit;

generating master unit shipping data based upon the at least one shipping parameter;

storing the master unit shipping data in the master unit memory;

wirelessly transmitting the master unit shipping data and the tag shipping data to a central processor;

automatically placing the master unit and tag in a deactivated state based upon placement of the at least one item on board the transportation vehicle;

disabling tag radio wireless communication when the at least one item is disposed on the transportation vehicle;

disabling master radio wireless communication when the at least one item is disposed on the transportation vehicle;

determining at least one of a condition or a location of the at least one item at one or more predetermined points during the shipping journey;

providing a system that determines a location of the transportation vehicle when the master unit and tags are in the deactivated state; and

receiving, by the central processor, tracking information via the location determining system rather than searching for signals from the master unit when the master unit and tags are in the deactivated state.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

receiving GPS information by the master unit; and

storing the GPS information as a part of the master unit shipping information.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

disabling communication between the tag and the master unit and between the master unit and the central processor when the at least one item is in a location where the communication is prohibited.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the tag transmits tag shipping data to the master unit at predetermined temporal intervals.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the master unit transmits master unit shipping information and tag information to the central processor at predetermined temporal intervals.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein communication between the tag and the master unit is disabled when the at least one item is disposed on the transportation vehicle.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing notice from the master unit to the central processor that the master unit is on board the transportation vehicle and tracking via the location determining system rather than searching for signals from the master unit.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

evaluating, by the master unit, a comparative cost between a WiFi signal, a GPRS signal, and a satellite communication signal; and

at least partially based on the comparative cost of the WiFi signal, the GPRS signal, and the satellite communication signal, selecting a WiFi channel, a GPRS channel, or a satellite communication channel with which to communicate with the central processor.

41. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

providing, via the central processor, at least one of the tag shipping data and master unit shipping data to a user.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein at least one of the tag shipping data and master unit shipping data are provided to a user in real time.

43. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing, via at least one of the tag memory and the master unit memory, identifying information comprising at least one of content information, point of origin, destination information, name and contact information for a shipper, and name and contact information for a recipient.

44. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

storing, via the master unit memory, identifying information comprising content information which includes invoice information.