Beacon enabled distribution items
Systems and methods of tracking distribution items using hardware components on or in the distribution items. Shippers and recipients of distribution items can track or locate a distribution item, especially a high value item, if the distribution item is lost, misrouted, or delayed. Distribution items can be tracked until an indication of delivery, such as at a delivery location.
1. A system for enabling automatic tracking of a location of a distribution item comprising:
a beacon on the distribution item having a sensor and a microprocessor for emitting and receiving signals;
one or more processors in communication with the beacon, the one or more processors configured to:
receive, by the sensor and the microprocessor of the beacon, an interrogation signal;
transmitting, by the beacon in response to the interrogation signal, an identifier signal, the identifier signal including a unique identifier associated with the distribution item;
transmitting, by the beacon, a delivery event indicator;
in response to emitting the identifier signal and the delivery event indicator, receiving, by the beacon, a deactivation signal; and
deactivating the beacon.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifier signal comprises geographic coordinates of the beacon.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit the delivery event indicator by:
determining geographic coordinates of the beacon; and
determining that the determined geographic coordinates correspond to a delivery point.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit the delivery event indicator by receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a delivery event associated with the delivery event indicator is opening of the distribution item.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deactivation signal is received from a remote computing device.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the remote computing device is a mobile computing device associated with a delivery resource.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive, by the beacon, an alert initiation signal; and
emit, in response to the received alert initiation signal, an alert.
9. A method for enabling automatic tracking of a location items comprising:
receiving, by a beacon on a distribution item an interrogation signal;
transmitting, by the beacon in response to the interrogation signal, an identifier signal, the identifier signal including a unique identifier associated with the distribution item;
transmitting, by the beacon, a delivery event indicator;
in response to transmitting the identifier signal and the delivery event indicator, receiving, by the beacon, a deactivation signal; and
deactivating the beacon.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identifier signal comprises geographic coordinates of the beacon.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises:
determining geographic coordinates of the beacon; and
determining that the determined geographic coordinates correspond to a delivery point.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises:
receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input;
transmitting, in response to receiving the input, the delivery event indicator.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a delivery event associated with the delivery event indicator is opening of the distribution item.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein deactivating the beacon comprises receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the deactivation signal is received from a remote computing device.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the remote computing device is a mobile computing device associated with a delivery resource.
18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, by the beacon, an alert initiation signal; and
emitting, in response to the received alert initiation signal, an alert.