Systems and methods for collecting primary and secondary data associated with shipping containers

• US 8,973,835 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• 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: Salzman, David Ray, Skonberg, Carl M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Savusdiphol, Paultep
• Application Number:
  US13/656,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20130098989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 235/454, 235/462.01, 235/462.13, 235/451, 235/462.46, 235/472.02, 235/492
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

In various embodiments, methods and systems are provided for capturing primary and secondary data associated with a product in a container or placed on a pallet. For example, a method may include (a) retrieving a primary data from a first data source physically associated with the product or container; (b) gathering secondary data using a second data source physically associated with the product or container, wherein the secondary data relates to at least one condition experienced by the product or the container; (c) retrieving the secondary data from a second data source, wherein the secondary data and the primary data are retrieved at substantially the same time; and (d) determining whether the at least one condition has transcended a limit. If a condition has transcended a limit, at least one alert may be generated and transmitted.

Claims

1. A method for capturing primary and secondary data associated with a product in a container comprising the steps of:

retrieving primary data from a first data source physically associated with the product or container;

gathering secondary data using a second data source physically associated with the product or container, wherein the secondary data relates to at least one condition experienced by the product or the container;

retrieving the secondary data from the second data source, wherein the secondary data and the primary data are retrieved at substantially the same time;

comparing the secondary data against stored rules, wherein the stored rules comprise one or more limits for the at least one condition and define an acceptable number of instances during which the at least one condition transcends at least one of the one or more limits to be at least one;

determining whether the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits;

determining the number of instances during which the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits; and

in response to a determination that the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits on more than the acceptable number of instances during which the at least one condition transcends at least one of the one or more limits, generating and transmitting at least one alert.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein retrieving a primary data comprises optically scanning the first data source.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second data source is located within the container.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second data source is an RFID sensor.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one condition is an environmental condition.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the condition is a battery charge level.

7. The method according to claim 1 further comprising comparing the primary data and secondary data to verify the authenticity of the first data source.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step is performed by a scanning device used to capture the primary data and the secondary data.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the primary and secondary data to a remote computer wherein the remote computer performs the determining step.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of retrieving primary data and retrieving secondary data are performed by the same device.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the acceptable number of instances is two.

12. A system for capturing primary and secondary data associated with a product in a container, the system comprising:

a first data source storing primary data and physically associated with the product or container;

a second data source storing secondary data relating to at least one condition experienced by the product or the container and physically associated with the product or container;

a scanner device configured to retrieve the primary data from the first data source, and the secondary data from the second data source at substantially the same time; and

a computing device configured to;

compare the secondary data against stored rules, wherein the stored rules comprise one or more limits for the at least one condition and define an acceptable number of instances during which the at least one condition transcends at least one of the one or more limits to be at least one;

determine whether the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits;

determine the number of instances during which the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits; and

in response to a determination that the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits on more than the acceptable number of instances during which the at least one condition transcends at least one of the one or more limits, generate and transmit at least one alert.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the scanner is capable of reading an RFID sensor and a printed label.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the second data source is disposed within the container.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the second data source is an RFID sensor.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one condition is an environmental condition.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the condition is a battery charge level.

18. The system according to claim 12, further configured to compare the primary data and secondary data to verify the authenticity of the first data source.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein the scanning device determines whether the at least one condition has transcended at least one of the one or more limits.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein the computer device is remote from the scanner device.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein the acceptable number of instances is two.