Circuit with sensor to monitor and track a container

• US 11,625,667 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Issued: 04/11/2023
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products BV (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bikumala, Sathish Kumar, Files, Jace W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Rupangini
• Application Number:
  US16/173,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134554A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/44 Electric circuits for command of an exposure part G03B7/02
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/407 for investigating or analysing gases G01N27/411 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0835 Relationships between shipper or supplier and carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In some examples, a server may receive a first order to acquire a product. The server may receive a request to cancel the first order and determine that the product has shipped. The server may determine, based on sensor data received from a sensor of a circuit board in the container, that the container is unopened. After receiving a second order to ship the product to a second location, the server may instruct a courier to transport the product to the second location. For example, if the container is located at the first location, the server may instruct the courier to transport the container from the first location to the second location. If the server determines that the courier is currently transporting the container to the first location, the server may instruct the courier to transport the container to the second location instead of to the first location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a request to cancel a first order to purchase a product and ship the product to a first location;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the product has been shipped to the first location in a container that includes a seal sufficient to prevent light from entering into the container and a circuit board comprising a modem and a sensor receptive to light, the sensor positioned proximate to the seal;

receiving, by the one or more processors, sensor data from the sensor, the sensor data transmitted by the modem over a wireless network;

determining, by the one or more processors and based on the sensor data regarding light, whether the container has been opened such that the seal has been broken to cause the light to strike the sensor;

based on the open container determination, if the container has not been opened,

placing, by the one or more processors, the product in a canceled order inventory;

monitoring, by the one or more processors, incoming orders to determine if the incoming orders comprise the product;

receiving, by the one or more processors, a second order of the monitored incoming orders to purchase the product, the second order including instructions to ship the product to a second location;

instructing a customer who transmitted the request to cancel the first order to ship the first order to the second location;

instructing, by the one or more processors, a courier to transport the product from the first location to the second location to complete the purchase of the product as a new product with respect to the second order and to avoid processing the product as a returned product with respect to the first order; and

based on the open container determination, if the container has been opened,

instructing, by the one or more processors, a courier to transport the product to a location associated with a seller of the product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the courier to transport the product to the second location comprises:

determining that the container is located at the first location; and

instructing the courier to transport the container from the first location to the second location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the courier to transport the product to the second location comprises:

receiving, by the courier, the product provided by the customer; and

instructing the courier to transport the container to the second location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

breaking the seal of the container causes the light to strike the sensor, causing the circuit board to determine that the container has been opened.

5. A server comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request to cancel a first order to purchase a product and ship the product to a first location;

determining that the product has been shipped to the first location in a container that includes a seal sufficient to prevent light from entering into the container and a circuit board comprising a modem and a sensor receptive to light, the sensor positioned proximate to the seal;

receiving sensor data from the sensor, the sensor data transmitted by the modem over a wireless network;

determining, based on the sensor data regarding light, whether the container has been opened such that the seal has been broken to cause the light to strike the sensor;

based on the open container determination, if the container has not been opened,

placing the product in a canceled order inventory;

monitoring, by the one or more processors, incoming orders to determine if the incoming orders comprise the product;

receiving a second order to purchase the product, the second order of the monitored incoming orders including instructions to ship the product to a second location; and

instructing a customer who transmitted the request to cancel the first order to ship the first order to the second location;

instructing a courier to transport the product from the first location to the second location to complete the purchase of the product as a new product with respect to the second order and to avoid processing the product as a returned product with respect to the first order; and

based on the open container determination, if the container has been opened,

instructing, by the one or more processors, a courier to transport the product to a location associated with a seller of the product.

6. The server of claim 5, wherein instructing the courier to transport the product to the second location comprises:

instructing the courier to transport the container from the first location to the second location based at least in part on determining that the container is located at the first location;

or

instructing the courier to transport the container to the second location.

7. The server of claim 5, wherein:

breaking the seal of the container causes the light to strike the sensor, causing the circuit board to determine that the container has been opened.

8. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to cancel a first order to purchase a product and ship the product to a first location;

determining that the product has been shipped to the first location in a container that includes a seal sufficient to prevent light from entering into the container and a circuit board comprising a modem and a sensor receptive to light, the sensor positioned proximate to the seal;

receiving sensor data from the sensor, the sensor data transmitted by the modem over a wireless network;

determining, based on the sensor data regarding light, whether the container has been opened such that the seal has been broken to cause the light to strike the sensor;

based on the open container determination, if the container has not been opened,

placing the product in a canceled order inventory;

monitoring, by the one or more processors, incoming orders to determine if the incoming orders comprise the product;

receiving a second order to purchase the product, the second order of the monitored incoming orders including instructions to ship the product to a second location;

instructing a customer who transmitted the request to cancel the first order to ship the first order to the second location;

instructing a courier to transport the product from the first location to the second location to complete the purchase of the product as a new product with respect to the second order and to avoid processing the product as a returned product with respect to the first order; and

based on the open container determination, if the container has been opened,

instructing, by the one or more processors, a courier to transport the product to a location associated with a seller of the product.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8, wherein instructing the courier to transport the product to the second location comprises:

determining that the container is located at the first location; and

instructing the courier to transport the container from the first location to the second location.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8, wherein instructing the courier to transport the product to the second location comprises:

receiving, by the courier, the product provided by the customer; and

instructing the courier to transport the container to the second location.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8, wherein:

breaking the seal of the container causes the light to strike the sensor, causing the sensor to generate the sensor data indicating that the container has been opened.