Cargo and door sensor

• US 9,330,557 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Id Systems Incorporated (PowerFleet, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ehrman, Michael L., Wendler, Steven R., Gripp, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US14/677,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20150213705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.22, 340/540, 340/541, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 382/143, 382/154
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/00 Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators see also B65D5/4212, B65D33/004
• 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: G08B 13/08 by opening, e.g. of door, of window, of drawer, of shutter, of curtain, of blind
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold

Abstract

Implementations for a system to receive a message indicating that an ambient light level measured by an ambient light sensor within a container exceeds a first threshold value or falls below a second threshold value; in response to the message indicating that the ambient light level exceeds the first threshold value, activate a cargo sensor; and in response to the message indicating that the ambient light level falls below the second threshold value, de-activate the cargo sensor.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a memory device to store instructions; and

a processing device operatively coupled to the memory device, the processing device to execute the instructions to;

receive, from a light sensor, a first reading indicating a first light level in a container comprising a container door;

determine the container door is open in view of the first light level exceeding a first threshold value;

receive, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container; and

determine the container door is closed in view of the second light level falling below a second threshold value.

2. The system of claim 1, the processing device to:

de-activate a cargo sensor in view of the second light level falling below the second threshold value.

3. The system of claim 1, the processing device to:

activate a cargo sensor in response to the first light level exceeding the first threshold value; and

collect, by the cargo sensor, a sample indicating a cargo state of the container, wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, unload initiated, or loaded.

4. The system of claim 1, the processing device to determine the first light level exceeds the first threshold value when a predetermined number of samples of the first light level exceed the first threshold value during a time window.

5. The system of claim 1, the processing device to determine a cargo area of the container is not secure when the first light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, from a light sensor, a first reading indicating a first light level in a container comprising a container door;

determining, by a processing device, the container door is open in view of the first light level exceeding a first threshold value;

receiving, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container; and

determining the container door is closed in view of the second light level falling below a second threshold value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

de-activating a cargo sensor in view of the second light level falling below the second threshold value.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

activating a cargo sensor in response to the first light level exceeding the first threshold value; and

collecting, by the cargo sensor, a sample indicating a cargo state of the container,

wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, unload initiated, or loaded.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining the first light level exceeds the first threshold value comprises determining a predetermined number of samples of the first light level exceeds the first threshold value during a time window.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a cargo area of the container is not secure when the first light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.

11. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to:

receive, from a light sensor, a first reading indicating a first light level in a container comprising a container door;

determine the container door is open in view of the first light level exceeding a first threshold value;

receive, from the light sensor, a second reading indicating a second light level in the container; and

determine the container door is closed in view of the second light level falling below a second threshold value.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, the processing device to:

de-activate a cargo sensor in view of the second light level falling below the second threshold value.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, the processing device to collect a sample indicating a cargo state of the container, wherein the cargo state is at least one of empty, load initiated, or loaded.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, the processing device to determine the first light level exceeds the first threshold value when a predetermined number of samples of the first light level exceeds the first threshold value during a time window.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 11, the processing device to determine a cargo area of the container is not secure when the first light level exceeds the first threshold value and a rate of motion exceeds a first motion threshold value.