System and method for stealth tracking
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a delivery and stealth tracking system, the method comprising:
- during a first period of time, wirelessly gathering information indicative of an inherent property of a first wireless communications data provider device physically coupled to a shipping item with a first wireless communications data reader device;
during the first period of time, wirelessly gathering information indicative of an inherent property of a second wireless communications data provider device physically coupled to the shipping item with the first wireless communications data reader device;
calculating a current joint item-device configuration value based at least on the respective information gathered during the first period of time from both the first and the second wireless communications data provider device; and
comparing the current joint item-device configuration value with a reference joint item-device configuration value, wherein the reference joint item-device configuration value was previously calculated based at least on respective information previously gathered during a second period of time preceding the first period of time from both the first and the second wireless communications data provider devicesdetermining a delivery schedule and a delivery path for the shipping item, wherein the delivery path includes a number of tracking stations, and the delivery schedule includes a respective estimated delivery time at each respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations;
providing a tracking-alarm in response to a failure to gather information indicative of the respective inherent property of at least one of the first and the second wireless communications data provider devices of the shipping item at a respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations within an interval of time that is determined based at least on the respective estimated delivery time at the respective tracking station; and
for each tracking station of the number of tracking stations that gathers information from at least one of the first and the second wireless communications data provider devices of the shipping item, updating an item delivery record based at least on the information gathered at the respective tracking station.
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Abstract
A shipping and tracking system has a number of tracking stations that are geographically distributed. The tracking stations gather information from shipping items processed by the shipping and tracking system. The shipping and tracking system provides an enhanced level of security for selected shipping items. The enhanced level of security for the selected shipping items is based at least on the information gathered at the tracking stations. The enhanced security is provided in such a way that personnel of the shipping and delivery system cannot physically discern whether or not a shipping item is being shipped with enhanced security.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of operating a delivery and stealth tracking system, the method comprising:
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during a first period of time, wirelessly gathering information indicative of an inherent property of a first wireless communications data provider device physically coupled to a shipping item with a first wireless communications data reader device; during the first period of time, wirelessly gathering information indicative of an inherent property of a second wireless communications data provider device physically coupled to the shipping item with the first wireless communications data reader device; calculating a current joint item-device configuration value based at least on the respective information gathered during the first period of time from both the first and the second wireless communications data provider device; and comparing the current joint item-device configuration value with a reference joint item-device configuration value, wherein the reference joint item-device configuration value was previously calculated based at least on respective information previously gathered during a second period of time preceding the first period of time from both the first and the second wireless communications data provider devices determining a delivery schedule and a delivery path for the shipping item, wherein the delivery path includes a number of tracking stations, and the delivery schedule includes a respective estimated delivery time at each respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations; providing a tracking-alarm in response to a failure to gather information indicative of the respective inherent property of at least one of the first and the second wireless communications data provider devices of the shipping item at a respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations within an interval of time that is determined based at least on the respective estimated delivery time at the respective tracking station; and for each tracking station of the number of tracking stations that gathers information from at least one of the first and the second wireless communications data provider devices of the shipping item, updating an item delivery record based at least on the information gathered at the respective tracking station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A surreptitious tracking system for tracking of a shipping item through a shipping and delivery system, comprising:
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a plurality of tracking stations geographically distributed in the shipping and delivery system, each tracking station configured to wirelessly gather stealth tracking information including an amount of information indicative of an inherent property of a respective first wireless communications data provider device and an amount of information indicative of an inherent property of a respective second wireless communications data provider device of a respective shipping item passing through the respective tracking station; and a stealth tracking system communicatively coupled to each tracking station of the plurality of tracking stations, the stealth tracking station configured to; calculate a current joint item-device configuration value based at least on stealth tracking information received from a respective tracking station of the plurality of tracking stations, and compare the current joint item-device configuration value with a reference joint item-device configuration value; determine a delivery schedule and a delivery path for a respective shipping item, wherein the delivery path includes a number of tracking stations, and the delivery schedule includes a respective estimated delivery time at each respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations; provide a tracking-alarm in response to a failure to gather stealth tracking information at a respective tracking station of the number of tracking stations within an interval of time that is determined based at least on the respective estimated delivery time at the respective tracking station; and for each tracking station of the number of tracking stations that gathers stealth tracking information from the respective shipping item, update a respective item delivery record based at least on the stealth tracking information gathered at the respective tracking station. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification