Method and transit time tester for monitoring the transit time of small-sized goods to be conveyed, particularly of letters and similar mail items

• US 20080258970A1
• Filed: 03/13/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kupfernagel, Rolf, Paetsch, Holger, Berlin, Bernhard
• Granted Patent: US 8,009,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/0004 Determining the location of mailpieces outside apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and a transit time tester for monitoring the transit time of an item to be conveyed, particularly a mail consignment, wherein the movements of a consignment are registered and stored in a transit time tester for later evaluation of the sequence of transportation. The transit time tester is equipped with sensors, satellite-based positioning system (GPS) receiver and storage media, corresponding in its dimensions and characteristics to the item to be conveyed to be monitored and determined from the sensor data the current type of conveyance with the aid of a microprocessor. To be monitored, the transit time and the routes of transportation of standard letters and similar mail consignments over a number of days. The receiver for the GPS is selectively switched on and off as a function of the changing conditions of reception and the current type of conveyance of the item to be conveyed.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method for monitoring the transit time of a mail item to be conveyed, comprising:

providing a transit time tester having;

sensors, satellite-based positioning system receiver and storage media, corresponds in its dimensions and characteristics largely to the item to be conveyed to be monitored and determines from the sensor data the current type of conveyance with the aid of a microprocessor;

registering and storing the movements of a consignment in a transit time tester for later evaluation of the sequence of transportation; and

selectively switching the receiver for the satellite-based positioning system on and off as a function of the changing conditions of reception and/or the current state of conveyance of the item to be conveyed.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the cycle times in which the geographic position of the item to be conveyed is determined are adapted to the processes typical of the item to be conveyed.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein, after interruption of the satellite link to the transit time tester, the current position is calculated from the existing data.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the take-off and/or landing phases of aircraft used for transporting the consignment are determined via the evaluation of the peak accelerations.

29. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the flight phases are detected with the aid of an air pressure sensor provided in the transit time tester.

30. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the influence of the nature of the type of conveyance used in the process chain for a typical transportation consignment on the reception of the satellite signals is used as an indication of the quality of the position determination of the consignment.

31. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein very high transverse accelerations, measured by means of the acceleration sensor, are used for detecting the location of a consignment in a mail or sorting center.

32. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein during the initializing of the transit time tester, data stored in memory is selected from the group consisting of:

list of the geographic coordinates of all mail centers

geographic coordinates of the starting location (e.g. mailbox)

geographic coordinates of the destination (receiver)

geographic coordinates of the initialization place

time interval for the GPS acquisitions to be performed as a function of the current transportation process or the location, respectively, and

predicted duration of the measurement,

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the satellite-based positioning system switches off after a predetermined number of attempts if the type of transportation or the type of conveyance does not change and the conditions of reception in a type of conveyance remain the same over a relatively long time.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the satellite-based positioning system receiver, for determining the position of the consignment in accordance with the requirements and in the knowledge of the individual types and processes of transportation, is only switched on periodically for a short time in each case.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising providing an event generator, implemented via infrared or RF remote control, which informs the transit time tester of the mailing of the consignment in the mailbox which triggers an immediate position determination of the satellite-based positioning system receiver.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the satellite-based positioning system receiver is switched off on detection of the starting phase of the transport aircraft and is only reactivated after detection of the landing phase.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein the case of a machine pass, registered by the transit time tester after interruption of a satellite-based positioning system link, in a mail center the position is determined from coordinates of the mail centers stored in the transit time tester.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein only mail centers located within an expected range are taken into consideration for position finding if the position of the last position found before interruption of the satellite-based positioning system link lies within the expected range.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the transit time tester checks whether the preconfigured cycle time and the energy reserve still present for supplying the components of the transit time tester correspond to one another, and

the current energy reserve of the transit time tester is calculated periodically by the controller.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein in the case of energy not being available adequately, cycle times are increased and the recordings of the number of position points are reduced to safeguard the measurements up to the destination.

41. A transit time tester for monitoring the transit time of a mail item to be conveyed, comprising:

a data logger with a satellite-based positioning system receiver;

an intelligent power supply that monitors available energy having;

sensors for measuring the physical quantities,

a microprocessor that detects the current types of conveyance based on the measured physical quantities and controls the transit time tester, and

an event generator for starting special procedures of the transit time tester.

42. The transit time tester as claimed in claim 41, wherein that a plurality of narrow batteries connected in parallel are provided for better mass distribution and maintaining the flexibility of the transit time tester.

43. The transit time tester as claimed in claim 42, wherein the components are constructed to be flexible in order to avoid destruction of the transit time tester at the rerouting rollers of the mail sorting machines.

44. The transit time tester as claimed in claim 43, wherein the ground plane for a satellite-based positioning system antenna consists of a flexible circuit board.