Systems and methods for freight tracking and monitoring

• US 9,965,739 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moir, William Mark, Vandy, Scott Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Florian M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US15/393,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20170109694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 495 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/083 lift truck scale
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/415 combined with recording means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/002 Means for correcting for obliquity of mounting for pendulum-weight apparatus G01G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/42 electrically operated
• 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 10/08345 Pricing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided for enhanced freight tracking and monitoring. The system may track the location of a freight shipment within a carrier'"'"'s transportation network from the time it is picked up by a carrier from a consignor until it is delivered to a consignee, provide for weight determinations and shipping re-classifications of the freight shipment during transport, and provide real-time status information and reports to the carrier, consignor, and/or consignee.

Claims

1. A method for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

receiving, via a lift truck computing device disposed on a lift truck, an electronic manifest from an enterprise system, the electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of shipping data for each of a plurality of freight shipments, the portion of the shipping data identifying (1) respective unique tracking identifiers associated with the freight shipments, and (2) respective final delivery destinations of the respective freight shipments being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network;

displaying, via a display disposed on the lift truck, at least a portion of the electronic manifest;

receiving, via the lift truck computing device, input initiating a location event for a freight shipment of the plurality of freight shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of the freight shipment;

receiving, via the lift truck computing device, inspection data in response to initiating the location event, the inspection data indicating a condition of freight of the freight shipment at the indicated location;

determining, via the lift truck computing device and lift truck detecting devices, whether the inspection data exceeds a plurality of predefined inspection threshold numeric values; and

detecting, by the lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device, an overage or a shortage, and damage of the freight of the freight shipment in response to determining that at least two of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values are exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating, via the lift truck computing device, respective inspection thresholds, among a plurality of predefined inspection thresholds, to denote a predefined amount of freight overage, or freight shortage or freight damage that is acceptable for the freight of the freight shipment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, via the lift truck computing device, an inspection alert in response to determining that the inspection data exceeds at least one of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values, the inspection alert notifies at least one entity that the at least one predefined inspection threshold numeric value is exceeded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location event further indicates that the freight shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving information identifying the second location of the freight shipment.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the freight shipment is located, and a distance the freight shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

electronically transmitting, from the lift truck computing device to the enterprise system, at least a portion of the information identifying the second location of the freight shipment.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, via the lift truck computing device, a location validation that confirms the second location of the freight shipment.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, a weight of the at least a portion of the freight shipment;

electronically transmitting, from the reweigh computing device to the lift truck computing device, the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment; and

receiving, via the lift truck computing device, the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein prior to determining the weight, the method further comprises:

receiving, via the lift truck computing device, one or more images of the freight shipment captured via an imaging device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a reweigh classification of the freight shipment and a billing classification of the freight shipment are substantially the same, the reweigh classification is determined based in part on the weight determination and dimensions of the freight shipment; and

generating a classification alert in an instance in which the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

updating the billing classification to indicate the reweigh classification of the freight shipment in the instance in which the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the lift truck computing device, a reweigh classification of the freight shipment while the freight shipment is being transported through the carrier'"'"'s transportation network.

17. A lift truck for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

a lift truck computing device, disposed on the lift truck, configured to;

receive an electronic manifest from an enterprise system, the electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of shipping data for each of a plurality of freight shipments, the portion of the shipping data identifying (1) respective unique tracking identifiers associated with the freight shipments, and (2) respective final delivery destinations of the respective freight shipments being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network;

display, via a display device, at least a portion of the electronic manifest;

receive input initiating a location event for a freight shipment of a plurality of freight shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of the freight shipment; and

receive inspection data in response to initiating the location event, the inspection data indicating a condition of freight of the freight shipment at the indicated location;

lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device configured to determine whether the inspection data exceeds a plurality of predefined inspection threshold numeric values; and

the lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device configured to detect an overage or a shortage, and damage of the freight of the freight shipment in response to determining that at least two of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values are exceeded.

18. The lift truck of claim 17, wherein the lift truck computing device is further configured to:

designate respective inspection thresholds, among a plurality of predefined inspection thresholds, to denote a predefined amount of freight overage, or freight shortage or freight damage that is acceptable for the freight of the freight shipment.

19. The lift truck of claim 17, wherein the lift truck computing device is further configured to:

generate an inspection alert in response to determining that the inspection data exceeds at least one of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values, the inspection alert notifies at least one entity that the at least one predefined inspection threshold numeric value is exceeded.

20. The lift truck of claim 17, wherein the location event further indicates that the freight shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.