System and Method for Monitoring the Handling of a Shipment of Freight
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the handling of a shipment of freight, the system comprising:
- a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight;
a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight;
an input device accessible to an operator of the lift truck for receiving input of identifying information associated with the piece of freight;
at least one computer cooperating with the input device for receiving input of the identifying information associated with the piece of freight and cooperating with the weighing device for receiving weight of the piece of freight;
a display device having a display screen for displaying the identifying information and the weight of the piece of freight, the display device being positioned on the lift truck in a location that permits the operator of the lift truck to see information displayed on the display screen; and
a video imaging device disposed on the lift truck and positioned so that the video imaging device is capable of capturing video image data of the identifying information and weight displayed on the display screen, the video imaging device being operatively connected to said computer for transferring the captured video image data for the piece of freight from the video imaging device to the computer;
a first executable program module operable in said computer for associating the weight data with the identifying information;
a second executable program module operable in said computer for creating a segment of video image data corresponding to a period of time for which the lift truck operator is handling the piece of freight, anda third executable program module operable in said computer for associating the thus created video segment with the identifying information;
a fourth executable program module operable in said computer for storing the weight data, video segment, and the identifying information in a database; and
a fifth executable program module operable in said computer for recalling and effecting display of the video segment.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides a system and method in which a lift truck that is equipped with a weighing device; a remote computer, an input device, and a display screen. The display screen is located on the lift truck in a position that permits the operator to see information displayed thereon. During use, the operator of the lift truck inputs identifying information for the piece of freight into the computer and obtains a weight of the piece of freight with the weighing device. This information is displayed on the display screen. A video imaging device disposed on the lift truck captures video image data of information displayed on the display device. The captured video image data is communicated from the lift truck to a receiver and is displayed on a second display device within the freight terminal. The displayed video images can be monitored to verify that lift truck operators are obtaining weight data for pieces of freight.
155 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the handling of a shipment of freight, the system comprising:
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a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight; a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight; an input device accessible to an operator of the lift truck for receiving input of identifying information associated with the piece of freight; at least one computer cooperating with the input device for receiving input of the identifying information associated with the piece of freight and cooperating with the weighing device for receiving weight of the piece of freight; a display device having a display screen for displaying the identifying information and the weight of the piece of freight, the display device being positioned on the lift truck in a location that permits the operator of the lift truck to see information displayed on the display screen; and a video imaging device disposed on the lift truck and positioned so that the video imaging device is capable of capturing video image data of the identifying information and weight displayed on the display screen, the video imaging device being operatively connected to said computer for transferring the captured video image data for the piece of freight from the video imaging device to the computer; a first executable program module operable in said computer for associating the weight data with the identifying information; a second executable program module operable in said computer for creating a segment of video image data corresponding to a period of time for which the lift truck operator is handling the piece of freight, and a third executable program module operable in said computer for associating the thus created video segment with the identifying information; a fourth executable program module operable in said computer for storing the weight data, video segment, and the identifying information in a database; and a fifth executable program module operable in said computer for recalling and effecting display of the video segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for monitoring the handling of a shipment of freight within a freight terminal, the system comprising:
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a lift truck equipped for lifting and moving a piece of freight; a weighing device associated with the lift truck for obtaining the weight of the piece of freight; an input device accessible to an operator of the lift truck for receiving input of identifying information associated with the piece of freight; at least one computer cooperating with the input device for receiving input of the identifying information associated with the piece of freight and cooperating with the weighing device for receiving weight of the piece of freight, the computer including a first executable program module for associating the weight data with the identifying information; a display device having a display screen and cooperating with the computer for displaying information corresponding to the piece of freight, the display device being positioned on the lift truck in a location that permits the operator of the lift truck to see information displayed on the display screen; a video imaging device disposed on the lift truck and positioned so that the video imaging device is capable of capturing video image data of the information displayed on the display screen; a wireless transmitter communicatively connected to the video imaging device; a receiver at a receiving site communicatively connected to the wireless transmitter and operable for receiving video image data transmitted by the transmitter; and a second display device disposed within the freight terminal and communicatively connected to the receiver for receiving and displaying real time video image data of the information displayed on the display device of the lift truck so that handling of the piece of freight can be observed by personnel within the freight terminal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for monitoring the handling of a piece of freight within a freight terminal comprising:
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inputting identifying information associated with a piece of freight in connection with the handling of the piece of freight by the lift truck into a computer; obtaining weight data for a piece of freight being handled by the lift truck using a weighing device disposed on the lift truck that is capable of obtaining the weight of each piece of freight handled by the lift truck; displaying the identifying information and the weight data for the piece of freight on a display device that is cooperating with the computer for displaying information corresponding to the piece of freight, the display device being positioned on the lift truck in a location that permits the operator of the lift truck to see information displayed on the display screen; capturing video image data with a video imaging device disposed on the lift truck, wherein the video imaging device is positioned so that the video imaging device is capable of capturing video image data of the information displayed thereon; transmitting to a receiving site the captured video image data of the display device; and displaying the captured video image data on a second display device disposed within the freight terminal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification