Systems and methods for freight tracking and monitoring

• US 9,841,314 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• 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: Moir, William Mark, Vandy, Scott Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US12/201,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,392 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3735 using a digital network
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 23/3742 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided for enhanced freight tracking and monitoring. The system may track the location of a freight shipment within a carrier'"'"'s transportation network from the time it is picked up by a carrier from a consignor until it is delivered to a consignee, provide for weight determinations and shipping re-classifications of the freight shipment during transport, and provide real-time status information and reports to the carrier, consignor, and/or consignee.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

an enterprise system comprising one or more processors configured to;

receive shipping data for a plurality of freight shipments, wherein (1) each of the plurality of freight shipments is associated with a unique identifier, (2) the plurality of freight shipments is being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network, and (3) the shipping data comprises information identifying (a) the unique identifiers associated with the respective freight shipments and (b) destinations of the respective freight shipments;

generate an electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of the shipping data for each of the plurality of freight shipments, the at least a portion of the shipping data identifying (1) the unique identifiers associated with, and (2) the destinations of, the respective freight shipments being transported through the carrier'"'"'s transportation network; and

electronically transmit the electronic manifest; and

a lift truck comprising a lift truck computing device disposed on the lift truck, the lift truck computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive the electronic manifest;

cause display of at least a portion of the electronic manifest via the display;

receive input initiating a location event for a freight shipment of the plurality of freight shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of freight of the freight shipment;

receive inspection data regarding freight of the freight shipment in response to initiating the location event, the inspection data indicating a condition of the freight of the freight shipment at the indicated location; and

determine whether the inspection data exceeds a plurality of predefined inspection threshold numeric values, and

wherein the lift truck further comprises lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device configured to;

detect an overage, or a shortage, and damage of the freight of the freight shipment in response to determining that at least two of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values are exceeded.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a supervisory computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause display of current status information, the current status information indicating movement and shipment progress information associated with the freight shipment.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a handheld electronic device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive the shipping data associated with the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the shipping data associated with the freight shipment to the enterprise system.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

determine a weight of at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination to the lift truck computing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to receive shipping data associated with two or more freight shipments.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is transmitted using a first message file and a second message file, the first message file comprising handling instructions for the freight shipment and the second message file comprising at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the freight shipment.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location event further indicates that the freight shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive information identifying the second location of the freight shipment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the freight shipment is located, and a distance the freight shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is located within a warehouse.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to electronically transmit at least a portion of the information identifying the second location of the freight shipment the enterprise system.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive a location validation, the location validation confirming the second location of the freight shipment.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment, wherein the inspection data identifies the physical condition of the freight shipment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to generate an inspection alert if the inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment exceeds an inspection threshold.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a telematics device disposed on the lift truck, the telematics device configured to;

receive telematics data for the lift truck, wherein the telematics data comprises at least one of seat data, seatbelt data, speed data, driver performance data, distance data, engine data, location data, or combinations thereof; and

electronically transmit the telematics data to the lift truck computing device.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an imaging device configured to;

capture one or more images of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the one or more images to the lift truck computing device; and

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

determine a weight of the at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment to the lift truck computing device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

receive the one or more images captured by the imaging device;

receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment;

determine dimensions of the freight shipment based on the one or more images captured by the imaging device; and

determine a reweigh classification for the freight shipment based on the weight determination and the dimensions of the freight shipment.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

determine if the reweigh classification of the freight shipment and a billing classification of the freight shipment are substantially the same; and

generate a classification alert if the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to electronically transmit the reweigh classification to the enterprise system.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to:

receive the reweigh classification transmitted from the lift truck computing device; and

update the billing classification to indicate the reweigh classification of the freight shipment.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is received from the enterprise system.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic manifest is received from a supervisory computing device.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

generate an inspection alert in response to determining that the inspection data exceeds at least one of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values, the inspection alert notifies at least one entity that the predefined inspection threshold numeric value is exceeded.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

designate respective predefined inspection threshold numeric values to denote a predefined amount of freight overage, a predefined amount of freight shortage, and a predefined amount of freight damage that is acceptable for the freight of the freight shipment.

27. A system for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:

a lift truck comprising a lift truck computing device disposed on the lift truck, the lift truck computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

receive an electronic manifest comprising shipping data for each of a plurality of freight shipments, wherein (1) each of the plurality of freight shipments is associated with a unique identifier, (2) the plurality of freight shipments is being transported through a carrier'"'"'s transportation network, and (3) the shipping data comprises information identifying (a) the unique identifiers associated with the respective freight shipments and (b) destinations of the respective freight shipments;

an imaging device configured to;

capture one or more images of a freight shipment of the plurality of freight shipments; and

electronically transmit the one or more images of the freight shipment to the lift truck computing device;

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to;

automatically determine a weight of at least a portion of the freight shipment; and

electronically transmit the weight determination to the lift truck computing device,

wherein the lift truck further comprises lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device configured to;

receive the one or more images captured by the imaging device;

receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment;

automatically determine dimensions of the freight shipment based on the one or more images captured by the imaging device, wherein the dimensions comprise a height, a length, and a width of the freight shipment;

receive input initiating a location event for the freight shipment, wherein the location event indicates the location of freight of the freight shipment;

receive inspection data in response to initiating the location event, the inspection data indicating a condition of the freight of the freight shipment at the indicated location;

determine whether the inspection data exceeds a plurality of predefined inspection threshold numeric values;

detect an overage, or a shortage and damage of the freight of the freight shipment in response to determining that at least two of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values are exceeded;

automatically determine a reweigh classification designating a shipping classification for the freight shipment based at least in part on the weight determination and the dimensions of the freight shipment, the reweigh classification determined while the freight shipment is being transported to one or more locations within the carrier'"'"'s transportation network;

identify a billing classification for the freight shipment, the billing classification corresponds to an initial shipping classification for the freight shipment provided by the consignor to the carrier; and

determine whether the designated shipping classification of the reweigh classification of the freight shipment and the initial shipping classification of the billing classification of the freight shipment are substantially the same.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to generate a classification alert if the reweigh classification and the billing classification are not substantially the same.

29. The system of claim 28 further comprising:

an enterprise system comprising one or more processors configured to;

receive the reweigh classification from the lift truck computing device; and

update the billing classification to indicate the reweigh classification of the freight shipment.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

determine whether there is an overage or shortage of the freight of the freight shipment that occurred during transport through the transportation network based in part on analyzing the weight determination.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

automatically determine the reweigh classification by automatically determining the reweigh classification designating the shipping classification for the freight shipment based on the weight determination and the dimensions of the freight shipment in response to determining that the weight determination and the dimensions comply with a minimum average density in pounds per cubic foot requirement assigned for the designated shipping classification of the reweigh classification.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:

change the initial shipping classification of the billing classification to match the designated shipping classification of the reweigh classification in response to determining that the initial shipping classification of the billing classification and the designated shipping classification of the reweigh classification are not substantially the same.