IP Library Granted Patent US 12,222,209
Granted Patent B2
US 12,222,209 · App. 17/187,222 · Granted Feb 11, 2025

Method, apparatus, and system for shipment tracking

Inventors: Mika Ahti Petteri Viitala (Tampere, FI); Matias Mikkola (Tampere, FI); Lauri Hytönen (Tampere, FI)
Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
G01C21/3407H04W4/021H04W4/024H04W4/029G06Q10/08G06Q10/10G16Y10/40G16Y20/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,222,209
App. No.
17/187,222
Granted
Feb 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Inter-alia, a method is disclosed comprising: receiving a tracking device report at least indicative of a position of a tracking device; determining a segment along a transportation route comprising a plurality of segments to which the position of the tracking device report corresponds to, based, at least in part, on the tracking device report; and providing a configuration associated with the determined segment to the tracking device, wherein the configuration is indicative of segment specific settings for the tracking device, wherein the configuration is provided if a segment change along the transportation route has occurred, or if an updated configuration for a current segment not provided to the tracking device is available. It is further disclosed an according apparatus, and a computer program.

Claims (47)

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least perform:

sending a tracking device report at least indicative of a position of a tracking device, wherein the tracking device is configured with a plurality of positioning methods;

receiving a configuration associated with a determined segment of the tracking device over a communication interface, wherein the determined segment is a segment along a transportation route comprising a plurality of segments to which the position of the tracking device report corresponds, wherein the configuration comprises segment specific settings for the tracking device, wherein the configuration is pushed to the tracking device based on determining that a segment change along the transportation route has occurred, or determining that an updated configuration for the determined segment not provided to the tracking device is available;

enabling or disabling one or more positioning methods of the plurality of positioning methods of the tracking device based on the received configuration and based on entering or leaving the determined segment; and

receiving one or more further configurations associated with one or more segments that are expected to follow after the determined segment along the transportation route over the communication interface based on determining that the segment change along the transportation route has occurred.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein a number of the one or more further configurations provided to the tracking device is dependent upon memory capabilities of the tracking device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determined segment, one or more other segments of the plurality of segments, or a combination thereof is associated with a geofence covering a geographic area along the transportation route.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus further to perform:

determining or adapting the configuration associated with the determined segment.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration comprises one or more of the following segment specific settings:

i) one or more geofences of the determined segment;

ii) one or more associated radio maps of the determined segment;

ii) one or more sensor rules that trigger data ingestion of the determined segment; and

iii) a sample gathering interval and a tracking device report sending interval.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the configuration is provided to the tracking device over a wireless interface.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tracking device is determined as being located inside a geofence based, at least in part, on the tracking device report; and

wherein the configuration associated with the geofence is provided to the tracking device based on the tracking device being located inside the geofence.

8. A method, comprising:

sending a tracking device report at least indicative of a position of a tracking device, wherein the tracking device is configured with a plurality of positioning methods;

receiving a configuration associated with a determined segment of the tracking device over a communication interface, wherein the determined segment is a segment along a transportation route comprising a plurality of segments to which the position of the tracking device report corresponds, wherein the configuration comprises segment specific settings for the tracking device, wherein the configuration is pushed to the tracking device based on determining that a segment change along the transportation route has occurred, or determining that an updated configuration for the determined segment not provided to the tracking device is available;

enabling or disabling one or more positioning methods of the plurality of positioning methods of the tracking device based on the received configuration and based on entering or leaving the determined segment; and

receiving one or more further configurations associated with one or more segments that are expected to follow after the determined segment along the transportation route over the communication interface based on determining that the segment change along the transportation route has occurred.

9. The method according to claim 8 , the method further comprising:

determining memory capabilities of the tracking device; wherein a number of the one or more further configurations provided to the tracking device is dependent upon memory capabilities of the tracking device.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the determined segment, one or more other segments of the plurality of segments, or a combination thereof is associated with a geofence covering a geographic area along the transportation route.

11. The method according to claim 8 , the method further comprising:

determining or adapting the configuration associated with the determined segment.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the configuration comprises one or more of the following segment specific settings:

i) one or more geofences of the determined segment;

ii) one or more associated radio maps of the determined segment;

ii) one or more sensor rules that trigger data ingestion of the determined segment; and

iii) a sample gathering interval and a tracking device report sending interval.

13. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the configuration is provided to the tracking device over a wireless interface.

14. The method according to claim 8 wherein the tracking device is determined as being located inside a geofence based, at least in part, on the tracking device report; and

wherein the configuration associated with the geofence is provided to the tracking device based on the tracking device being located inside the geofence.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium storing computer program code, the computer program code when executed by a processor causing an apparatus to perform and/or control:

sending a tracking device report at least indicative of a position of a tracking device, wherein the tracking device is configured with a plurality of positioning methods;

receiving a configuration associated with a determined segment of the tracking device over a communication interface, wherein the determined segment is a segment along a transportation route comprising a plurality of segments to which the position of the tracking device report corresponds, wherein the configuration comprises segment specific settings for the tracking device, wherein the configuration is pushed to the tracking device based on determining that a segment change along the transportation route has occurred, or determining that an updated configuration for the determined segment not provided to the tracking device is available;

enabling or disabling one or more positioning methods of the plurality of positioning methods of the tracking device based on the received configuration and based on entering or leaving the determined segment; and

receiving one or more further configurations associated with one or more segments that are expected to follow after the determined segment along the transportation route over the communication interface based on determining that the segment change along the transportation route has occurred.

16. The tangible computer-readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the configuration comprises one or more of the following segment specific settings:

i) one or more geofences of the determined segment;

ii) one or more associated radio maps of the determined segment;

ii) one or more sensor rules that trigger data ingestion of the determined segment; and

iii) a sample gathering interval and a tracking device report sending interval.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2021
From: VIITALA, MIKA AHTI PETTERI; MIKKOLA, MATIAS; HYTÖNEN, LAURI
To: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
Reel/Frame 055894/0576 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220276061A1 · Sep 1, 2022
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