Transportation route management

• US 9,558,468 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2011
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Donlan, Brian, Baumgartner, Michael, Minassian, Norayr, Warkander, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US13/049,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,148 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/426.22, 340/426.23, 340/426.36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication

Abstract

Monitoring systems in accordance with the disclosure store one or more reporting behavior profiles that include parameters that determine when a monitoring device associated with a shipping container initiates transmission of a status message to a remote location, e.g., an operations center, a government interface, or a commercial interface. At least a portion of the parameters of the reporting behavior profiles are dependent on a location of the monitoring system. The reporting behavior profiles can cause the monitoring device to initiate a message based on many conditions. For example, the report conditions can include when the present location deviates from a predetermined route of the reporting behavior profile, when the present location of the container remains unchanged for a certain time, when a security condition of the container changes, when an environmental condition of the container changes, etc.

Claims

1. A system for operating a container management system, the system comprising:

a housing configured to couple to a container, the container comprising a container identifier;

a monitoring circuit at least partially enclosed within the housing, the monitoring circuit comprising a authentication code, the monitoring circuit comprising;

a memory storing a plurality of reporting behavior profiles, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring circuit initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location,

a sensor interface configured to receive information from one or more sensors associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container, wherein each of the one or more sensors comprises a unique sensor identifier;

a position location module distinct from the sensor interface, the position module being configured to determine a location of the monitoring device,

a door sensor distinct from the sensor interface, the door sensor being configured to detect when a door of the container is open or closed;

a wireless module, and

a controller coupled to the memory, the sensor interface, the wireless module and the position location module and configured to;

monitor the at least one condition associated with container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device,

receive a wakeup signal,

receive an indication of a present location of the monitoring device from the position location module in response to receiving the wakeup signal,

determine a frequency comprising a number of times the present location has been experienced on previous deliveries,

compare the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of the plurality of reporting behavior profiles,

identify a most likely reporting behavior profile from the plurality of reporting behavior profiles based at least in part on the comparison and the frequency,

determine a size and a shape of geo-zone segments associated with the most likely reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the present location and the frequency, wherein the size the geo-zone segments is based at least in part on a mode of transportation of the container,

and

cause the wireless module to initiate a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the most likely reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container, the reporting message comprising the authentication code, the container identifier, and the unique sensor identifier of the one or more sensors associated with the monitored condition; and

a battery coupled to the monitoring circuit and configured to provide electrical power to at least a portion of the monitoring circuit.

2. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises the determined present location deviating from a predetermined route.

3. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a deviation between the present location and the predetermined route by determining a distance between the present location and a line connecting two points that defines a portion of the predetermined route.

4. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 2, wherein the predetermined route is represented by a plurality of rectangles and semi-circles or circles on a display of the monitoring device.

5. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the at least one condition comprises the determined present location remaining at a same location for a time exceeding a threshold time.

6. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to receive the wakeup signal from a key fob or a wireless device.

7. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the wakeup signal is an initial wakeup signal received at a beginning of a delivery route and the reporting behavior profiles correspond to starting point specific reporting behavior profiles.

8. The system for operating a container management system as in claim 1, wherein the wakeup signal is a periodically generated signal generated by a clock of the monitoring circuit, and wherein a periodicity of the periodically generated signal is determined by the at least one matching reporting behavior profile.

9. A method of managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device, the method comprising:

receiving information at a monitoring device coupled to a container from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container, the monitoring device comprising an authentication code and the container comprising a container identifier;

monitoring the at least one condition associated with the container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device using one or more sensors of the monitoring device, wherein each of the one or more sensors comprises a unique sensor identifier;

monitoring whether a door of the container is open or closed using a door sensor distinct from the sensor interface;

receiving a wakeup signal;

subsequent to receiving the wakeup signal, determining a present location of the monitoring device using a position module distinct from the at least one sensor;

determining a frequency comprising a number of times the present location has been experienced on previous deliveries;

comparing the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of a plurality of reporting behavior profiles stored in a memory of the monitoring device, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring device initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location;

identifying a most likely reporting behavior profile from the plurality of reporting behavior profiles based at least in part on the comparison and the frequency;

determining a size and a shape of geo-zone segments associated with the most likely reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the present location and the frequency, wherein the size the geo-zone segments is based at least in part on a mode of transportation of the container;

and

determining to initiate a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the most likely reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container, the reporting message comprising the authentication code, the container identifier, and the unique sensor identifier of the one or more sensors associated with the monitored condition.

10. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, wherein the determined present location corresponds to a location specific to a mode of transportation, the method further comprising selecting one of the reporting behavior profiles corresponding to the specific mode of transportation.

11. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, further comprising determining one of a plurality of communication systems to utilize for the transmission of the reporting message to the remote location based on the present location of the monitoring device.

12. The method of managing the reporting behavior of the container monitoring device as in claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a destination; and

determining the reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the indication of the destination.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device, the instructions causing one or more machines to:

receive information at a monitoring device coupled to a container from at least one sensor associated with the container, the information being indicative of at least one condition associated with the container, the monitoring device comprising an authentication code and the container comprising a container identifier;

monitor the at least one condition associated with the container and/or another condition associated with the monitoring device using one or more sensors of the monitoring device, wherein each of the one or more sensors comprises a unique sensor identifier;

monitor whether a door of the container is open or closed using a door sensor distinct from the sensor interface;

receive a wakeup signal;

subsequent to receiving the wakeup signal, determine a present location of the monitoring device using a position module distinct from the at least one sensor;

determine a frequency comprising a number of times the present location has been experienced on previous deliveries;

compare the present location with respective location parameters associated with respective ones of a plurality of reporting behavior profiles stored in a memory of the monitoring device, each of the reporting behavior profiles defining behavior parameters affecting conditions under which the monitoring device initiates transmission of a message, at least a portion of the behavior parameters being a function of location;

identify a most likely reporting behavior profile from the plurality of reporting behavior profiles based at least in part on the comparison and the frequency;

determine a size and a shape of geo-zone segments associated with the most likely reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the present location and the frequency, wherein the size the geo-zone segments is based at least in part on a mode of transportation of the container;

and

cause initiation of a transmission of a reporting message to a remote location based on the behavior parameters of the most likely reporting behavior profile and the monitored condition of the monitoring device and/or the container, the reporting message comprising the authentication code, the container identifier, and the unique sensor identifier of the one or more sensors associated with the monitored condition.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 13, wherein the determined present location corresponds to a location specific to a mode of transportation, the instructions causing the one or more machines to select one of the reporting behavior profiles corresponding to the specific mode of transportation.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 13, the instructions causing the one or more machines to determine one of a plurality of communication systems to utilize for the transmission of the reporting message to the remote location based on the present location of the monitoring device.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable media having instructions stored thereon for managing the reporting behavior of a container monitoring device as in claim 13, the instructions causing the one or more machines to:

receive an indication of a destination; and

determine the reporting behavior profile based at least in part on the indication of the destination.