Concepts for asset identification

• US 10,008,056 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2017
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Skonberg, Carl M., Pyzocha, Jr., Ernest J., Hill, III, Andrew J., McFarland, Bobby J.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US15/713,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20180040179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for identifying assets (e.g., mobile assets and/or personnel assets). In one embodiment, a mobile asset can be uniquely identified from RFID tags. In another embodiment, mobile assets and personnel assets can be identified from captured image data. After identification, it can be determined whether the asset (e.g., mobile asset and/or personnel asset) is authorized for one or more activities and a corresponding perceivable indication can be generated.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an asset, the method comprising:

receiving, via one or more processors, image data captured of the asset comprising a vehicle;

identifying, via the one or more processors, the asset based at least in part on the captured image data;

determining, via the one or more processors, whether the asset is authorized for one or more activities associated with access to one or more areas, based at least in part on detecting a predefined asset identifier of the vehicle in the captured image data; and

after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities, generating, via the one or more processors, (a) an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities and (b) one or more electronic preclearance documents for a custom clearance of the asset prior to the asset crossing a border of a customs area of the areas.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after a determination that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities, generating an instruction to the one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more activities are selected from a group consisting of (a) crossing one or more borders, (b) entering or exiting a staging area, and (c) entering or exiting a checkpoint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is captured based on one selected from a group consisting of a periodic basis, a regular basis, and a continuous basis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image data is captured after the vehicle enters or exits a geofenced area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the perceivable indicators are selected from a group consisting of (a) illuminating a light, (b) illuminating a beacon, (c) generating a specific sound, (d) providing visual instructions, (e) a locking gate, and (f) a boom barrier gate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the image data of the asset comprises capturing the image data in an instance in which the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, or the vehicle is traveling below the predetermined speed or the vehicle is stopped.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset further comprises a personnel asset.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the personnel asset is identified based on facial features of an image of a person in the image data.

10. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive image data captured of an asset comprising a vehicle;

identify the asset based at least in part on the captured image data;

determine whether the asset is authorized for one or more activities, based at least in part on detecting a predefined asset identifier of the vehicle in the captured image data; and

after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities associated with access to one or more areas, generate (a) an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities and (b) one or more electronic preclearance documents for a custom clearance of the asset prior to the asset crossing a border of a customs area of the areas.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to, after a determination that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities, generate an instruction to the one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the one or more activities are selected from a group consisting of (a) crossing one or more borders, (b) entering or exiting a staging area, and (c) entering or exiting a checkpoint.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image data is captured based on one selected from a group consisting of a periodic basis, a regular basis, and a continuous basis.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the image data is captured after the vehicle enters or exits a geofenced area.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the perceivable indicators are selected from a group consisting of (a) illuminating a light, (b) illuminating a beacon, (c) generating a specific sound, (d) providing visual instructions, (e) a locking gate, and (f) a boom barrier gate.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the apparatus, cause the apparatus to:

receive the image data captured of the asset by capturing the image data in an instance in which the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, or the vehicle is traveling below the predetermined speed or the vehicle is stopped.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the asset further comprises a personnel asset.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the personnel asset is identified based on facial features of an image of a person in the image data.

19. A computer program product for identifying an asset, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive image data captured of the asset comprising a vehicle;

an executable portion configured to identify the asset based at least in part on the captured image data;

an executable portion configured to determine whether the asset is authorized for one or more activities, based at least in part on detecting a predefined asset identifier of the vehicle in the captured image data; and

an executable portion configured to, after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities associated with access to one or more areas, generate (a) an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities and (b) one or more electronic preclearance documents for a custom clearance of the asset prior to the asset crossing a border of a customs area of the areas.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising an executable portion configured to, after a determination that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities, generate an instruction to the one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is not authorized for the one or more activities.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the one or more activities are selected from a group consisting of (a) crossing a border, (b) entering or exiting a staging area, and (c) entering or exiting a checkpoint.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the image data is captured based on one selected from a group consisting of a periodic basis, a regular basis, and a continuous basis.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the image data is captured after the vehicle enters or exits a geofenced area.

24. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the one or more perceivable indicators are selected from a group consisting of (a) illuminating a light, (b) illuminating a beacon, (c) generating a specific sound, (d) providing visual instructions, (e) a locking gate, and (f) a boom barrier gate.

25. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the asset comprises a personnel asset.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the personnel asset is identified based on facial features of an image of a person in the image data.

27. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein receive the image data captured of the asset comprises capturing the image data in an instance in which the vehicle is traveling at a predetermined speed, or the vehicle is traveling below the predetermined speed or the vehicle is stopped.