IP Library Granted Patent US 11,928,943
Granted Patent B2
US 11,928,943 · App. 18/234,922 · Granted Mar 12, 2024

Systems and methods for monitoring, tracking and tracing logistics

Inventors: Clinton A. Haynes (Mason, OH); Joseph Krumme Bullard (West Chester, OH); Daniel L. Morrow (Batavia, OH)
Assignee: Stress Engineering Services, Inc.
G08B13/2462G06Q10/0833G08B25/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,928,943
App. No.
18/234,922
Granted
Mar 12, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods for tracking a container with a tracking device are provided.

Claims (39)

1. A method for tracking a container, the method comprising:

associating a tracking device with the container;

identifying a destination location for the container;

detecting, by the tracking device, a current location of the container;

detecting, by the tracking device, an environmental condition associated with the container;

comparing the environmental condition to a predefined threshold;

transmitting a first alert in response to the comparing of the environmental condition to the predefined threshold;

determining, by the tracking device, that the container has been opened;

determining, based upon the current location, whether the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location; and

transmitting a second alert in response to the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental condition comprises temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental condition comprises vibration.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental condition comprises shock.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing the environmental condition to the predefined threshold is performed by the tracking device.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the transmitting the first alert is performed by the tracking device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental condition comprises temperature.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental condition comprises vibration.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental condition comprises shock.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location is performed by the tracking device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the transmitting the second alert is performed by the tracking device.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location is performed by the tracking device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the transmitting the second alert is performed by the tracking device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the tracking device transmits the second alert to a remote computing device, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the tracking device, an acknowledgement of the second alert from the remote computing device; and

terminating, upon receiving the acknowledgement, the transmitting of the second alert.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location comprises:

detecting a light intensity inside of the container; and

determining that the light intensity exceeds a predefined threshold.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

assigning a registry to the container;

detecting, by the tracking device, contents of the container;

comparing the contents of the container to the registry upon the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location; and

transmitting a notification to a remote computing device identifying results of the comparing the contents of the container to the registry.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein detecting the contents of the container comprises:

transmitting, by the tracking device, an interrogator signal to the contents of the container; and

receiving, by the tracking device, a response signal from a radio frequency identification tag located on an item of the contents of the container;

wherein the comparing the contents of the container to the registry comprises comparing a unique identifier from the radio frequency identification tag with a list of unique identifiers from the registry.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a virtual geographic boundary for the destination location, wherein the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location comprises determining that the current location of the container is outside of the virtual geographic boundary.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining that the container has been opened at a location other than the destination location comprises determining that geospatial information of the current location is outside of a predefined proximity of geospatial information of the destination location.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2023
From: HAYNES, CLINTON A.; BULLARD, JOSEPH KRUMME; MORROW, DANIEL L.
To: STRESS ENGINEERING SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064623/0496 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 18115022 · Feb 28, 2023
Continuation 17949252 · Sep 21, 2022
Continuation 17057977
Provisional Application 62806444 · Feb 15, 2019
Provisional Application 62679300 · Jun 1, 2018
Related Publication 20230394945A1 · Dec 7, 2023