Systems and methods for cargo management

1. A system for use with a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the system comprising: one or more image capture devices, each image capture device configured to capture images of one or both of: an interior of a trailer; and cargo items of the trailer; and an image processor configured to estimate an amount of available cargo space within the trailer based on the images, wherein the amount of available cargo space within the trailer comprises a plurality of different types of available cargo space associated with different cargo item characteristics, and the image processor is configured to determine amounts of the different types of available cargo space; wherein the image processor is configured to identify a plurality of different types of available cargo space comprising a plurality of: cargo space available for fragile items; cargo space available for valuable items; cargo space available taking into account allowed stacking limits; cargo space available for items that can be placed on bottom, middle, top; cargo space available based on trailer weight loading criteria; cargo space available based on dimensions or shape: cargo space available taking into account delivery priorities and stops along a route; cargo space available taking into account pack together instructions; cargo space available taking into account allowed orientations; and cargo space available based on weight.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more image capture devices comprise one or more of:

a video camera;

a still camera;

an optical scanner;

an infrared scanner; and

a laser scanner.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein some or all of the one or more image capture devices are configured to be positioned inside the trailer, outside the trailer, or on a loading dock.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the images include one or both of 2D images and 3D images; and

the system further comprises a user interface including a display coupled to the image processor and configured to display the images to an operator.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is part of an onboard computer of the tractor.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the onboard computer is configured to provide information about the amount of available cargo space and the amounts of the different types of available cargo space to a transportation management system.

7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more graduation marks at the trailer, wherein at least some of the image capture devices are positioned to capture an image of the graduation marks.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to one or more of:

measure unoccupied space shown in the images to determine the amount of available space;

measure occupied space shown in the images to determine the amount of available space; and

measure dimensions of the cargo items shown in the images to determine the amount of available space.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the image processor is configured to detect an identification mark on a cargo item and to identify the cargo item using the identification mark; and

the identification mark comprises one or both of a bar code and an alphanumeric code.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a routing processor configured to one or more of:

determine at least one cargo stop for the vehicle based on the amounts of the different types of available cargo space;

modify a previous route for the vehicle based on the amounts of the different types of available cargo space;

compare the amounts of the different types of available space with a required space of cargo items at a next pick up location and to determine if the required space exceeds the amounts of different types of available cargo space; and

modify a route of the vehicle if the required space exceeds the amounts of the different types of available cargo space.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a loading processor configured to one or more of:

generate a loading map that includes a position for each cargo item based on dimensions the cargo items;

update the loading map based on the dimensions of the cargo items unloaded from the trailer and the dimensions of the cargo items subsequently loaded in the trailer; and

generate the loading map based on weight of each cargo item.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to determine characteristics for each cargo item using the captured images, the characteristics include one or more of:

allowed orientation information;

stacking limits;

fragility information;

hazmat information;

allowed position information;

value of the cargo item;

weight;

position information;

delivery priority;

customer preferences; and

cargo item set information.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a loading processor configured to generate a loading map comprising positions for each cargo item based on the characteristics plurality of different types of available cargo space.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the image capture devices are configured to capture images of the cargo items of the trailer;

the image processor is configured to extract information about the cargo items from the images; and

the system further comprises a dock processor configured to generate a distribution plan for distributing the cargo items of the trailer to a number of secondary trailers based on the information, wherein the information comprises one or more of:

identification codes;

destinations;

dimensions;

allowed orientations;

stacking information;

fragility;

value;

weight;

temperature information;

hazmat information;

customer information; and

cargo item set information.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the distribution plan takes into account an order of unloading the cargo items from the trailer.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein:

the image capture devices are configured to capture images of the cargo items of the trailer as the cargo items are unloaded from the trailer; and

the dock processor is configured to update the distribution plan in real time as the cargo items are unloaded from the trailer.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the dock processor is configured to allocate dock resources based on the information.

18. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an event detector configured to detect anomalous events that occur during at least one of unloading the cargo items and loading the cargo items.

19. A system for use with a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the system comprising: one or more image capture devices, each image capture device configured to capture images of cargo items of the trailer; an image processor configured to determine dimensions of the cargo items using the captured images, the image processor configured to estimate an amount of available cargo space within the trailer based on the captured images, wherein the amount of available cargo space within the trailer comprises a plurality of different types of available cargo space associated with different cargo item characteristics, and the image processor is configured to determine amounts of the different types of available cargo space; and a loading processor configured to generate a loading plan for the cargo items based on the dimensions of the cargo items and the plurality of different types of available cargo space; wherein the image processor is configured to identify a plurality of different types of available cargo space comprising a plurality of: cargo space available for fragile items; cargo space available for valuable items; cargo space available taking into account allowed stacking limits; cargo space available for items that can be placed on bottom, middle, top; cargo space available based on trailer weight loading criteria; cargo space available based on dimensions or shape: cargo space available taking into account delivery priorities and stops along a route; cargo space available taking into account pack together instructions; cargo space available taking into account allowed orientations; and cargo space available based on weight.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the loading processor is configured to update the loading plan as the vehicle proceeds along a route.

21. A system for use with a vehicle comprising a tractor and a trailer, the system comprising: one or more image capture devices, each image capture device configured to capture images of cargo items as the cargo items are unloaded from the trailer; an image processor configured to determine characteristics of the cargo items as the cargo items are unloaded from the trailer using the captured images, the image processor configured to estimate an amount of available cargo space within the trailer based on the captured images, wherein the amount of available cargo space within the trailer comprises a plurality of different types of available cargo space associated with different cargo item characteristics, and the image processor is configured to determine amounts of the different types of available cargo space; and a docking processor configured to generate a cross-docking distribution plan for distributing the cargo items to a plurality of secondary trailers based on the characteristics; wherein the image processor is configured to identify a plurality of different types of available cargo space comprising a plurality of: cargo space available for fragile items; cargo space available for valuable items; cargo space available taking into account allowed stacking limits; cargo space available for items that can be placed on bottom, middle, top; cargo space available based on trailer weight loading criteria; cargo space available based on dimensions or shape: cargo space available taking into account delivery priorities and stops along a route; cargo space available taking into account pack together instructions; cargo space available taking into account allowed orientations; and cargo space available based on weight.