Systems and methods for transporting a product using an environmental sensor
First Claim
1. A system for transporting a product via a carrier, the system comprising:
- an environmental sensor physically associated with a product, the environmental sensor configured to record product environment data during transport of the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network;
at least one scanner for reading the product environment data from the sensor at one or more locations within the carrier'"'"'s logistics network; and
a computer connected to communicate with the at least one scanner, the computer configured for;
determining, based on the product environment data, whether the environmental condition of the product has transcended a limit during transport;
routing the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a first receiver so long as the determining has not established that the environmental condition has transcended the limit; and
rerouting the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a second receiver, different from the first receiver, if the determining establishes that the environmental condition has transcended the limits;
wherein the environmental sensor associated with said product comprises a visual indicator for indicating to handlers of said product that the environmental condition of said product has transcended a limit and said product is to be rerouted to said second receiver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods disclosed herein use environmental sensor technology to enhance the tracking and transporting capabilities of a product delivery system. The systems and methods provide the capability to track and verify the environmental condition(s) to which a product is subjected during its transportation or movement through a supply chain. In particular, the systems and methods allow a sender, a receiver, and other authorized persons to access or interrogate environmental data that describes the environmental conditions to which a product within a container has been subjected during transport from the sender to the receiver. The systems and methods also permit in-transit intercept handling when it is determined that a package was unexpectedly subjected to an environmental condition that by definition makes it unfit for delivery to the original receiver.
145 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A system for transporting a product via a carrier, the system comprising:
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an environmental sensor physically associated with a product, the environmental sensor configured to record product environment data during transport of the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network; at least one scanner for reading the product environment data from the sensor at one or more locations within the carrier'"'"'s logistics network; and a computer connected to communicate with the at least one scanner, the computer configured for; determining, based on the product environment data, whether the environmental condition of the product has transcended a limit during transport; routing the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a first receiver so long as the determining has not established that the environmental condition has transcended the limit; and rerouting the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a second receiver, different from the first receiver, if the determining establishes that the environmental condition has transcended the limits; wherein the environmental sensor associated with said product comprises a visual indicator for indicating to handlers of said product that the environmental condition of said product has transcended a limit and said product is to be rerouted to said second receiver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of transporting a product via a carrier, the method comprising:
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physically associating an environmental sensor with the product; reading product environment data from the environmental sensor at a location within the carrier'"'"'s logistics network, the product environment data having been recorded by the environmental sensor during transport; determining, based on the product environment data, whether the environmental condition of the product has transcended a limit during transport; routing the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a first receiver so long as the determining has not established that the environmental condition has transcended the limit; and rerouting the product through the carrier'"'"'s logistics network to a second receiver, different from the first receiver, if the determining establishes that the environmental condition has transcended the limit, wherein the environmental sensor associated with said product comprises a visual indicator for indicating to handlers of said product that the environmental condition of said product has transcended a limit and said product is to be rerouted to said second receiver. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification