System and method for sensing cargo loads and trailer movement

1. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement, comprising:

a mobile computing platform mounted on a cargo container and communicatively coupled to a remote server, wherein the cargo container is movable by a vehicle and the mobile computing platform receives and stores data associated with the cargo container; and

a sensor system connected to the mobile computing platform and mounted on the cargo container, the sensor system comprising:

a sensor disposed in a predetermined location of the cargo container, wherein the sensor detects vibrations in the predetermined location of the cargo container; and

a processor connected to the sensor, wherein the processor determines a vibration state indicating cargo status and a motion state of the cargo container in response to input signals from the sensor and communicate the determined states of the cargo container to the mobile computing platform.

2. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile platform communicates with the remote server through one of a satellite communication system or a terrestrial communication system.

3. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the vibration state comprises a quiet state and a vibrating state.

4. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 3 , wherein the processor determines the quiet state in response to substantially no vibration pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

5. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 3 , wherein the processor determines the vibration state in response to a predetermined number of vibration pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

6. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 5 , wherein the predetermined time period is between one and five seconds.

7. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 5 , wherein the predetermined time period is approximately one second.

8. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 5 , wherein the predetermined number of pulses between one and two hundred pulses.

9. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the motion state comprises an in-motion state and a not-in-motion state.

10. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 9 , wherein the processor determines the in-motion state in response to a vibration rate being greater than an in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration averaging time.

11. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 10 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

12. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 11 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

13. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 12 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

14. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 12 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a number of vibration pulses detected by the sensor within a vibration sampling period.

15. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 9 , wherein the sensor determines the not-in-motion state in response to a vibration rate being less than a not-in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration average time.

16. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 15 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

17. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 16 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

18. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited, in claim 17 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

19. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 17 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a number of pulses detected by the sensor.

20. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing platform is connected to a position determination transceiver.

21. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 20 , wherein the position determination transceiver is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) transceiver.

22. A system for sensing cargo loads and movement as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing platform includes memory located in the mobile computing platform for storing vehicle data.

23. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle comprising:

providing a sensor in a predetermined location of the vehicle, wherein the sensor detects a presence or absence of a pulse;

transmitting a signal from the sensor to a processor indicating the presence or absence of a pulse;

determining, at the processor and based on the signal, whether the vehicle is in one of a vibration state indicating cargo status and a motion state, wherein the motion state comprises an in-motion state and a not-in-motion state;

communicating the processor determination to a mobile computing platform onboard the vehicle; and

transmitting a vehicle cargo status generated based on the processor determination from the mobile computing platform to a remote server.

24. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , wherein the mobile computing platform communicates with the remote server through one of a satellite communication system or a terrestrial communication system.

25. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , wherein the vibration state comprises a quiet state and a vibrating state.

26. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 25 , wherein the step of determining, at the processor, whether the vehicle is in one of a vibration state and a motion state comprises determining a quiet state in response to substantially no pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

27. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 26 , wherein the predetermined time period is between one and five seconds.

28. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 26 , wherein the predetermined time period is approximately one second.

29. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , wherein the step of determining, at the processor, whether the vehicle is in one of a vibration state and a motion state comprises determining a vibration state in response to a predetermined number of pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

30. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 29 , wherein the predetermined number of pulses is between one and two hundred pulses.

31. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , further comprising:

determining by the processor that the vehicle is in one of the in-motion state and the non-in-motion state.

32. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 31 , further comprising the step of determining a vibration rate being greater than an in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration averaging time.

33. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 32 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

34. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 33 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

35. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 34 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

36. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 34 , wherein the vibration active period is designated an active period in response to a number of pulses detected by the sensor within a vibration sampling period.

37. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 31 , further comprising the step of determining the not-in-motion state in response to a vibration rate being less than a not-in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration average time.

38. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 37 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

39. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 38 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

40. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 39 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

41. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 39 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a number of pulses detected by the sensor.

42. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , wherein the mobile computing platform is connected to a position determination transceiver.

43. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 42 , wherein the position determination transceiver is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) transceiver.

44. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , further comprising the step of storing the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.

45. A method of determining a cargo status of a vehicle as recited in claim 23 , further comprising the step of displaying the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.

46. A non-transitory storage media comprising program instructions which are computer-executable to implement determining a cargo status of a vehicle, and which when executed perform the steps of:

detecting a presence or absence of a pulse by a sensor in a predetermined location of the vehicle;

transmitting a signal from the sensor to a processor indicating the presence or absence of a pulse;

determining, at the processor and based on the signal, whether the vehicle is in one of a vibration state indicating cargo status and a motion state, wherein the motion state comprises an in-motion state and a not-in-motion state;

communicating the processor determination to a mobile computing platform onboard the vehicle; and transmitting a vehicle cargo status generated based on the processor determination from the mobile computing platform to a remote server.

47. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of communicating with the remote server through one of a satellite communication system or a terrestrial communication system.

48. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , wherein the vibration state comprises a quiet state and a vibrating state.

49. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 48 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of determining a quiet state in response to substantially no pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

50. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 49 , wherein the predetermined time period is between one and five seconds.

51. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 49 , wherein the predetermined time period is approximately one second.

52. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of determining a vibration state in response to a predetermined number of pulses detected by the sensor within a predetermined time period.

53. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 52 , wherein the predetermined number of pulses is between one and two hundred pulses.

54. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of determining that the vehicle is in one of the in-motion state and the not-in-motion state.

55. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 54 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of determining a vibration rate being greater than an in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration averaging time.

56. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 55 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

57. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 56 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

58. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 57 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

59. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 57 , wherein the vibration active period is designated an active period in response to a number of pulses detected by the sensor within a vibration sampling period.

60. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 54 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of determining the not-in-motion state in response to a vibration rate being less than a not-in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration average time.

61. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 60 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

62. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 61 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

63. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 62 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

64. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 62 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a number of pulses detected by the sensor.

65. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , wherein the mobile computing platform is connected to a position determination transceiver.

66. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 65 , wherein the position determination transceiver is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) transceiver.

67. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of storing the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.

68. The non-transitory storage media as recited in claim 46 , further comprising program instructions which when executed perform the step of displaying the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.

69. An apparatus for determining a cargo status of a vehicle comprising:

means for sensing a presence or absence of a pulse, wherein the means for sensing is located in a predetermined location of the vehicle;

means for transmitting a signal from the means for sensing to a means for processing indicating the presence or absence of a pulse;

means for determining, at the means for processing and based on the signal, whether the vehicle is in one of a vibration state indicating cargo status and a motion state, wherein the motion state comprises an in-motion state and a not-in-motion state;

means for communicating the means for processing determination to a mobile computing platform onboard the vehicle; and

means for transmitting a vehicle cargo status generated based on the means for processing determination from the mobile computing platform to a remote server.

70. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , wherein the mobile computing platform communicates with the remote server through one of a satellite communication system or a terrestrial communication system.

71. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , wherein the vibration state comprises a quiet state and a vibrating state.

72. The apparatus as recited in claim 71 , wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining a quiet state in response to substantially no pulses detected by the means for sensing within a predetermined time period.

73. The apparatus as recited in claim 72 , wherein the predetermined time period is between one and five seconds.

74. The apparatus as recited in claim 72 , wherein the predetermined time period is approximately one second.

75. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining a vibration state in response to a predetermined number of pulses detected by the means for sensing within a predetermined time period.

76. The apparatus as recited in claim 75 , wherein the predetermined number of pulses is between one and two hundred pulses.

77. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , further comprising means for determining that the vehicle is in one of the in-motion state and the not-in-motion state.

78. The apparatus as recited in claim 77 , further comprising means for determining a vibration rate being greater than an in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration averaging time.

79. The apparatus as recited in claim 78 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

80. The apparatus as recited in claim 79 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

81. The apparatus as recited in claim 80 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

82. The apparatus as recited in claim 80 , wherein the vibration active period is designated an active period in response to a number of pulses detected by the means for sensing within a vibration sampling period.

83. The apparatus as recited in claim 77 , further comprising means for determining the not-in-motion state in response to a vibration rate being less than a not-in-motion vibration percentage averaged over a vibration average time.

84. The apparatus as recited in claim 83 , wherein the vibration rate is a product of a number of active periods and a vibration active period divided by the vibration averaging time multiplied by one hundred percent.

85. The apparatus as recited in claim 84 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a vibration sampling period.

86. The apparatus as recited in claim 85 , wherein the vibration sampling period is less than five seconds.

87. The apparatus as recited in claim 85 , wherein the vibration active period is a function of a number of pulses detected by the means for sensing.

88. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , wherein the mobile computing platform is connected to a position determination transceiver.

89. The apparatus as recited in claim 88 , wherein the position determination transceiver is a Global Positioning System (GPS) transceiver or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) transceiver.

90. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , further comprising means for storing the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.

91. The apparatus as recited in claim 69 , further comprising means for displaying the vehicle cargo status at the mobile computing platform.