Portable computing device and method for asset management in a logistics system

• US 9,720,480 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2015
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fedex Corporate Services Incorporated (FedEx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gregory, Timothy L., Lemmon, Andy N., Veitenheimer, John Marshall, Jacobs, James Randy, Ainsworth, Miley E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang, Yong Hang
• Application Number:
  US14/638,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20150177810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/007 Data loggers attached to transport containers for perishable products, e.g. food or medicines
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light G01N3/00 - G01N19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for tracking one or more items. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a device for tracking one or more items. The device may include a plurality of sensors for detecting light, temperature, humidity, pressure, and acceleration. The device may also include a memory for storing information received from the plurality of sensors.

Claims

1. A package tracking device, comprising:

a battery;

at least two light sensors configured to detect changes in an amount of light within the package;

a circuit board arranged with a first processing device associated with a first plurality of functions of the device, wherein the first plurality of functions includes collecting data from the at least two light sensors, and a second processing device associated with a second plurality of functions of the device, wherein power requirements of functions from the second plurality of functions exceed power requirements of functions from the first plurality of functions;

the device is configured to;

turn off any combination of elements associated with functions from the first plurality of functions and the second plurality of functions to minimize the overall power usage; and

selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off, upon detection of a change in the amount of light within the package.

2. The package tracking device of claim 1, wherein the combination of elements includes one or more of the following:

the first processing device, the second processing device, a GPS antenna, a GSM antenna, and a SIM card.

3. The package tracking de vice of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of functions further includes low-level power management, low-power mesh networking transmitting, and low-power mesh networking transmitting receiving.

4. The package tracking device of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of functions includes network connectivity, data transmitting, data receiving, persistent storage of recorded data, location data collection, high-level power management, and electronics diagnostics.

5. The package tracking device of claim 1, wherein the first processing device and the second processing device are located on opposite sides of the circuit board.

6. The package tracking device of claim 1, further configured to detect the change in the amount of light within the package when the combination of elements is off.

7. The package tracking device of claim 1, further configured to detect a change in the amount of light within the package regardless of a position of the device in the package.

8. The package tracking device of claim 1, further including a set of sensors configured to detect changes of at least one of the following:

temperature, acceleration, light level, motion, pressure, humidity, gas level, airflow, and vibrations.

9. The package tracking device of claim 8, wherein when a change in one of the set of sensors is above a predetermined threshold, the package tracking device changes a parameter associated with a function from the first plurality of functions.

10. A package tracking device, comprising:

a battery;

a set of sensors configured to detect one or more conditions of the package, wherein the set of sensors includes at least two light sensors;

a circuit board arranged with;

a first processing device associated with a first plurality of functions of the device, wherein the first plurality of functions includes collecting data from the set of sensors and detecting a change in light and selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off, and

a second processing device associated with a second plurality of functions of the device, wherein power requirements of functions from the second plurality of functions exceed power requirements of functions from the first plurality of functions; and

wherein the device is configured to turn off any combination of elements associated with functions from the second plurality of functions to minimize the overall power usage and to extend the battery life.

11. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the one or more conditions includes temperature, acceleration, light level, motion, pressure, humidity, gas level, airflow, and vibrations.

12. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the combination of elements includes one or more of the following:

the first processing device, the second processing device, a GPS antenna, a GSM antenna, and a SIM card.

13. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of functions further includes low-level power management, low-power mesh networking transmitting, and low-power mesh networking transmitting receiving.

14. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the second plurality of functions includes network connectivity, data transmitting, data receiving, persistent storage of recorded data, location data collection, high-level power management, and electronics diagnostics.

15. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the first processing device and the second processing device are located on opposite sides of a circuit board.

16. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the set of sensors configured to detect changes when the combination of elements is off.

17. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the set of sensors includes at least an accelerometer, and the first processing device is configured to detect a change in acceleration and selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off.

18. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the set of sensors includes at least two light sensors, and the first processing device configured to detect a change in light and selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off.

19. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the first processing device configured to detect a change in pressure and selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off.

20. The package tracking device of claim 10, wherein the first processing device configured to detect a change in humidity and selectively turn on one or more of the elements that were previously turned off.