Method and apparatus for determining if a shipment undergoes excessive vibration

• US 9,829,372 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayes, Matthew B
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Paul D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crohn, Mark
• Application Number:
  US14/471,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20160061649A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/00 Measuring characteristics of vibrations in solids by using direct conduction to the detector G01H9/00, G01H11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining when a shipment undergoes excessive vibration or bouncing is provided herein. During operation, a device such as an accelerometer, Piezoelectric, or vibration sensor, will monitor an acceleration/vibration experienced by a shipment. The device will also monitor an acceleration/vibration experienced by the shipping container housing/holding the shipment. If the acceleration or vibration of the shipment exceeds the acceleration or vibration of the shipping container by a predetermined amount, a warning will be given so that the situation can be mitigated.

Claims

1. A method of detecting improper loading of a shipment in a shipping container, the method comprising:

receiving, first data from a first accelerometer carried by the shipment, the first data indicative of a first amount of vibration of the shipment at a time;

receiving, second data from a second accelerometer carried by the shipping container, the second data indicative of a second amount of vibration of the shipping container at the time;

determining, using a logic circuit, a difference between the first amount of vibration and the second amount of vibration;

comparing, using the logic circuit, the difference to a threshold;

when the difference is greater than a threshold, generating a notification that the shipment is improperly loaded in the shipping container.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first accelerometer is affixed to the shipment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second accelerometer is affixed to the shipping container.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving identification data from the first accelerometer; and

generating identifying information corresponding the shipment to accompany the notification.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving identification data from the second accelerometer; and

generating identifying information corresponding to the shipping container to accompany the notification.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold, determining that the shipment is properly loaded in the shipping container.

7. An apparatus configured to detect improper loading of a shipment in a shipping container, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive;

first data from a first accelerometer carried by the shipment, the first data indicative of first amount of vibration experienced by the shipment at a time; and

second data from a second accelerometer carried by the shipping container, the second data indicative of a second amount of vibration experienced by the shipping container at the time;

logic circuitry configured to;

determine a difference between the first amount of vibration and the second amount of vibration;

compare the difference to a threshold; and

a user interface configured to generate a notification that the shipment is improperly loaded in response to the logic circuitry determining that the difference is greater than the threshold.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first accelerometer is affixed to the shipment.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second accelerometer is affixed to the shipping container.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive identification data from the first accelerometer; and

the user interface is configured to provide identifying information corresponding to the shipment to accompany the notification.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the receiver is configured to receive identification data from the second accelerometer; and

the user interface is configured to provide identifying information corresponding to the shipping container to accompany the notification.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the logic circuitry is configured to, when the difference is less than or equal to the threshold, determine that the shipment is properly loaded in the shipping container.