Wirelessly enabled trailer locking/unlocking

• US 7,379,805 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/891,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20060015233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/50, 701/300, 701/301, 702/57, 702/82
• 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 (or 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, said transmitting being performed to automatically change said locking device from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state, in response to said tractor and said trailer arriving at or departing from said staging area.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driver'"'"'s terminal is accessible 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, said transmitting being performed to automatically change said locking device from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state, in response to said tractor and said trailer arriving at or departing from said staging area.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said driver'"'"'s terminal is accessible 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 (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 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, said transmitting being performed to automatically change said locking device from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state, in response to said tractor and said trailer arriving at or departing from said staging area.

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, said transmitting being performed to automatically change said locking device from an unlocked state to a locked state, or from a locked state to an unlocked state, in response to said tractor and said trailer arriving at or departing from said staging area.