Intermodal asset identification and association system
View Patent ↗Systems, methodologies and components enable the ability to assign, manage and use intermodal, bi-modal and tractor/trailer asset associations between shipping assets, for example, container/truck associations, chassis/container associations, chassis/truck associations, trailer/truck associations, associations for gensets, and refrigerated containers, etc.
1. A tracking system that associates a chassis or trailer with a truck connecting to the chassis or trailer and provides information to a server that indicates the connection so as to begin an association between the truck and the chassis or trailer, the tracking system comprising:
means for obtaining truck and/or driver identification data by performing Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) interrogation of a tag or device associated with the truck and/or driver;
means for communicating the truck and/or driver identification data to a server that runs software that identifies, verifies and records the identification data of the driver and/or truck, associates the truck with the chassis or trailer, and obtains authorization for the driver to connect the truck to the chassis or trailer; and
means for receiving the authorization and unlocking a locking mechanism that cover a seven way or gladhand connector that connects the truck to the chassis or trailer.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for obtaining truck and/or driver identification data includes a master device coupled to the chassis or trailer and a slave device coupled to the truck, wherein when the master device and the slave device are in close proximity to each other the master device interrogates the slave device to obtain the truck and/or driver identification data.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for obtaining truck and/or driver identification data includes a master device coupled to the chassis or trailer and including an interface that interrogates an Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled mobile device associated with the driver which communicates with the master device to provide the truck and/or driver identification data.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism is a seven way or gladhand connector lockout mechanism.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the means for obtaining truck and/or driver identification data operates in response to detection of power on a harness of the chassis which is energized only when the harness is connected to a truck.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an alarm that generates an audible alarm if the lockout mechanism is physically tampered with.
7. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an audible alarm that sounds if a seven way or galdhand connector for the chassis or trailer is connected to the truck without the driver first receiving authorization to connect the truck to the chassis.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lockout mechanism is included in a master device associated with and attached to the forward part of the chassis or trailer.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lockout mechanism physically prevents the driver from connecting the truck's seven way or gladhand connector to the chassis or trailer.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lockout mechanism includes a physical cover that clamps around/over a chassis seven way or gladhand connector to prevent mating of the seven way or gladhand connector of the truck and the chassis or trailer.
11. A method of associating a chassis or trailer with a truck connecting to the chassis or trailer and providing information to a server that indicates the connection so as to begin an association between the truck and the chassis or trailer, the method comprising:
obtaining truck and/or driver identification data by performing Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) interrogation of a tag or device associated with the truck and/or driver;
communicating the truck and/or driver identification data to a server that runs software that identifies, verifies and records the identification data of the driver and/or truck, associates the truck with the chassis or trailer, and obtains authorization for the driver to connect the truck to the chassis or trailer; and
receiving the authorization and unlocking a locking mechanism that covers a seven way or gladhand connector that connects the truck to the chassis or trailer.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the obtaining truck and/or driver identification data uses a master device coupled to the chassis or trailer and a slave device coupled to the truck, wherein when the master device and the slave device are in close proximity to each other the master device interrogates the slave device to obtain the truck and/or driver identification data.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the obtaining truck and/or driver identification data uses a master device coupled to the chassis or trailer and including an interface that interrogates an Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled mobile device associated with the driver which communicates with the master device to provide the truck and/or driver identification data.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism is a seven way or gladhand connector lockout mechanism.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the obtaining truck and/or driver identification data is performed in response to detection of power on a harness of the chassis which is energized only when the harness is connected to a truck.
16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating an alarm if the lockout mechanism is physically tampered with.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating an alarm if a seven way or gladhand connector for the chassis is connected to the truck without the driver first receiving authorization to connect the truck to the chassis or trailer.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lockout mechanism is included in a master device associated with and attached to the forward part of the chassis or trailer.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lockout mechanism physically prevents the driver from connecting the truck's seven way or gladhand connector to the chassis.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lockout mechanism includes a physical cover that clamps around/over a chassis or trailer seven way or gladhand connector to prevent mating of the seven way or gladhand connector of the truck and the chassis or trailer.
21. A system that enables associating at least two shipping assets with one another at a time that the assets are connected to facilitate monitoring of the assets, the system comprising:
a master device coupled to a first asset, the master device including a Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID) component that interrogates at least one identification source to identify a second asset or driver associated with the second asset,
at least one server that receives data from the master device over a communication network, determines whether the driver is authorized to associate the first asset with the second asset and communicate to the master device a result of the determination,
wherein the master device receives the result of the determination and enables coupling of the first and second asset.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the association between the master and slave device denotes one of a chassis/truck association, trailer/truck association, container/truck association, chassis/container association, chassis/truck association, or an association for at least one generator set/refrigerated container.