CONCEPTS FOR ASSET IDENTIFICATION

• US 20140104036A1
• Filed: 09/25/2013
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• 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: Skonberg, Carl M., Pyzocha, Ernest J. Jr., Hill, Andrew J. III, McFarland, Bobby J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,805,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.3
• 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 an asset;

after capturing the image data of the asset, 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, the determination based at least in part on the identity of the asset; and

after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities, generating, via the one or more processors, an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities.

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 the group consisting of (a) crossing a border, (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 the 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 asset enters or exits a geofenced area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the perceivable indicators are selected from the 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 the asset is a mobile asset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile asset is identified based at least in part on a mobile asset identifier from the image data that uniquely identifies the mobile asset.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the asset is a personnel asset.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the mobile asset is identified based on the facial features of the personnel asset from the image data that uniquely identifies the personnel asset.

15. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the image data is captured after the asset enters or exits a geofenced area.

11. 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;

after capturing the image data of the asset, identify the asset based at least in part on the captured image data;

determine whether the asset is authorized for one or more activities, the determination based at least in part on the identity of the asset; and

after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities, generate an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the memory and 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.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the one or more activities are selected from the group consisting of (a) crossing a border, (b) entering or exiting a staging area, and (c) entering or exiting a checkpoint.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image data is captured based on one selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a regular basis, and a continuous basis.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the perceivable indicators are selected from the 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.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the asset is a mobile asset.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the mobile asset is identified based at least in part on a mobile asset identifier from the image data that uniquely identifies the mobile asset.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the asset is a personnel asset.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mobile asset is identified based on the facial features of the personnel asset from the image data that uniquely identifies the personnel asset.

21. 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 an asset;

an executable portion configured to, after capturing the image data of the asset, 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, the determination based at least in part on the identity of the asset; and

an executable portion configured to, after a determination that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities, generate an instruction to one or more perceivable indicators to initiate a perceivable indication that the asset is authorized for the one or more activities.

22. The computer program product of claim 21 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.

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

24. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the image data is captured based on one selected from the group consisting of a periodic basis, a regular basis, and a continuous basis.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the image data is captured after the asset enters or exits a geofenced area.

26. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the perceivable indicators are selected from the 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.

27. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the asset is a mobile asset.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the mobile asset is identified based at least in part on a mobile asset identifier from the image data that uniquely identifies the mobile asset.

29. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the asset is a personnel asset.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the mobile asset is identified based on the facial features of the personnel asset from the image data that uniquely identifies the personnel asset.