Wirelessly enabled trailer locking/unlocking

• US 20060015233A1
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2004
• 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: Olsen, John A. III, Bradley, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/27 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5973 Remote control

Abstract

A method and system for providing improved handling of tractors and trailers )pr any powered vehicle and storage devices towed thereby) with a staging area. One invention relates to the provision of automatic locking or unlocking of a trailer door when the trailer leaves or enters the hub, respectively. A RFID signal strength evaluation scheme is also provided, which monitors successful RFID-to-antennae communications under various weather conditions, in order to determine an optimum read process. Under another embodiment, Geofencing and/or Wi-Fi can be used to trigger various events.

Claims

1. A method for automating inbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area, in which drivers drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said hub, said trailers having rear doors configured to open and close, said trailers also having locks configured to be selectively locked or unlocked in order to respectively secure or release said rear doors relative to a predetermined position, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a first identifier stored on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a tractor, the tractor being inbound to said staging area and being driven by a driver;

reading a second identifier stored on a second radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a trailer, said trailer being pulled by said tractor;

sending the first and second identifiers along a first communication link to an information management system;

transmitting information along a second communications link from said information management system to said driver'"'"'s terminal, said terminal being within the tractor and accessible to said driver; and

wirelessly transmitting information along a third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to a locking device configured to selectively lock and unlock the rear door of said trailer, such that said locking device can be selectively operated to change from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driver'"'"'s terminal is accessable to said driver while sitting in the seat of said driver.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein information sent along said second communications link includes query information to the driver as to the condition of the driver'"'"'s equipment.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said unlocking of said trailer is automatic upon the transmission of said information along said second link between said information system and said driver'"'"'s terminal.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wireless transmission of information along said third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said locking device is provided by a Bluetooth protocol.

6. A method for automating inbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area, in which drivers drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said hub, said trailers having rear doors configured to open and close, said trailers also having locks configured to be selectively locked or unlocked in order to respectively secure or release said rear doors relative to a predetermined position, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a first identifier stored on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a tractor, the tractor being inbound to said staging area and being driven by a driver;

reading a second identifier stored on a second radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a trailer, said trailer being pulled by said tractor;

sending the first and second identifiers along a first communication link to an information management system;

confirming that said first and second identifiers satisfy a preestablished relationship;

pursuant to said confirmation above, transmitting information along a second communications link from said information management system to said driver'"'"'s terminal, said terminal being within the tractor and accessible to said driver; and

wirelessly transmitting information along a third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to a locking device configured to selectively lock and unlock the rear door of said trailer, such that said locking device can be selectively operated to change from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driver'"'"'s terminal is accessable to said driver while sitting in the seat of said driver.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein information sent along said second communications link includes query information to the driver as to the condition of the driver'"'"'s equipment.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said unlocking of said trailer is automatic upon the transmission of said information along said second link between said information system and said driver'"'"'s terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said wireless transmission of information along said third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said locking device is provided by a Bluetooth protocol.

11. A method for automating outbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area, in which drivers drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said staging area, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a first identifier stored on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a tractor, the tractor being driven by a driver and outbound from said staging area;

reading a second identifier stored on a second radio-frequency identification (REID) tag that is physically associated with a trailer, said trailer being pulled by said tractor;

sending the first and second identifiers along a first communication link to an information management system;

transmitting information along a second communications link from said information management system to said driver'"'"'s terminal, said terminal being within said tractor and accessible to said driver; and

wirelessly transmitting information along a third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to a locking device configured to selectively lock and unlock the rear door of said trailer, such that said locking device can be selectively operated to change from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state.

12. A method for automating outbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area, in which drivers drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said staging area, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a first identifier stored on a first radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that is physically associated with a tractor, the tractor being driven by a driver and outbound from said staging area;

reading a second identifier stored on a second radio-frequency identification (RFID)) tag that is physically associated with a trailer, said trailer being pulled by said tractor;

sending the first and second identifiers along a first communication link to an information management system;

confirming that said first and second identifiers satisfy a preestablished relationship;

pursuant to said confirmation above, transmitting information along a second communications link from said information management system to said driver'"'"'s terminal, said terminal being within said tractor and accessible to said driver; and

wirelessly transmitting information along a third communications link from said driver'"'"'s terminal to a locking device configured to selectively lock and unlock the rear door of said trailer, such that said locking device can be selectively operated to change from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state.

13. A method for automating inbound and outbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area having at least one wireless access point, in which drivers, having driver'"'"'s terminals, drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said staging area, said trailers having at least one Tirelessly operated locking device for locking a rear door of the trailer, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing an outermost geofence, an intermediate geofence, and an innermost geofence, said geofences readable by a driver'"'"'s terminal;

upon the crossing of said outermost geofence by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a first signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said staging area wireless access point;

pursuant to the reciept of said first signal, creating a driver'"'"'s dispatch including instructions for the driver upon arrival at said staging area;

upon the crossing of said intermediate geofence by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a second signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said staging area wireless access point;

pursuant to the reciept of said second signal, sending said driver'"'"'s dispatch to said driver'"'"'s terminal; and

upon the crossing of said innermost geofence by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a third signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said locking device such that said locking device is unlocked.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the media access control (MAC) addresses of said driver'"'"'s terminal and said locking device are verified as valid according to a preestablished protocol prior to unlocking of said wirelessly operated locking device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the step of locking said wirelessly operated locking device upon the crossing of one of said geofences as said vehicles are exiting from the staging area.

16. A method for automating inbound and outbound tractor/trailer exchange procedures at a staging area having at least one wireless access point, in which drivers, having driver'"'"'s terminals, drive tractors pulling detachable trailers in and out of said staging area, said trailers having at least one wirelessly operated locking device for locking a rear door of the trailer, said method comprising the steps of:

establishing an outermost Wi-Fi boundary, an intermediate Wi-Fi boundary, and an innermost Wi-Fi boundary, said Wi-Fi boundary readable by a driver'"'"'s terminal;

upon the crossing of said outermost Wi-Fi boundary by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a first signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said staging area wireless access point;

pursuant to the reciept of said first signal, creating a driver'"'"'s dispatch including instructions for the driver upon arrival at said staging area;

upon the crossing of said intermediate Wi-Fi boundary by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a second signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said staging area wireless access point;

pursuant to the reciept of said second signal, sending said driver'"'"'s dispatch to said driver'"'"'s terminal; and

upon the crossing of said innermost Wi-Fi boundary by said driver'"'"'s terminal, sending a third signal from said driver'"'"'s terminal to said locking device such that said locking device is unlocked.

17. A method of testing RFID capture on vehicles in an environment, comprising the steps of:

A) monitoring weather characteristics of said environment;

B) monitoring the capture of data from an RFID device to a RFID reader,

C) recording a video record of a plurality of attempts to capture information from the RFID device to the RFID reader; and

D) using the test results of steps A, B, and C to evaluate RFID capture for a variety of weather conditions and vehicle characteristics.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein vehicle position and speed is monitored.