US2014258166A1PendingUtilityA1

Sensor based logistics system

69
Assignee: FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES INCPriority: Sep 25, 2009Filed: May 16, 2014Published: Sep 11, 2014
Est. expirySep 25, 2029(~3.2 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Mark D. HammJames B. GreerDaniel A. OstMiley E. AinsworthWilliam S. MurphyZachary S. PerryOle-Petter SkaaksrudKenneth L. MilmanMichael R. WestJames Randy Jacobs
G06Q 10/08G06Q 10/0833
69
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for tracking one or more items. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for tracking one or more items. The method may include periodically detecting, by a sensor device, sensor information of the one or more items, and periodically transmitting, by the sensor device, the sensor information. The method may also include determining if the one or more parties is authorized to receive the sensor information. The method may also include transmitting the sensor information to the one or more authorized parties. The method may further include determining if the one or more parties is authorized to receive the sensor information and the periodically transmitting the sensor information to the one or more authorized parties based on a set of one or more permissions that grants or restricts access of the one or more parties to the sensor information based on the set of one or more permissions.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A computer-implemented method for accessing information regarding one or more shipments, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving, at a tracking center, sensor information associated with the one or more shipments; and   reporting the received sensor information to a party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of sensor information collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments based on rules associated with the party that provide an indication as to whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further comprises the step of:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party at a frequency less than a frequency that the sensor information is collected by the sensor associated with the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the sensor information is collected at a street address-level and the received sensor information is reported to the party at a city-level. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further comprises the step of:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further comprises the step of:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments. 
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 reconfiguring one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information. 
 
     
     
         24 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations including:
 receiving, at a tracking center, sensor information associated with the one or more shipments;   reporting the received sensor information to a party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of sensor information collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments based on rules associated with the party that provide an indication as to whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further includes:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party at a frequency lower than collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the sensor information is collected at a street address-level and the received sensor information is reported to the party at a city-level. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to perform an operation including:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to perform an operation including:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further includes:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.   
     
     
         30 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein reporting the received sensor information further includes:
 reporting the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 30 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to perform an operation including:
 preventing the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         33 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 32 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to perform an operation including:
 reconfiguring one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information.   
     
     
         35 . A tracking center for accessing information regarding one or more shipments, comprising:
 an input unit configured to receive sensor information associated with the one or more shipments; and   a processor configured to report the received sensor information to a party at a level of specificity that is less than a level of specificity of sensor information collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments based on rules associated with the party that provide an indication as to whether the party is authorized to access the received sensor information.   
     
     
         36 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 report the received sensor information to the party at a frequency lower than collected by a sensor associated with the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         37 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein:
 the sensor information is collected at a street address-level; and   the processor is further configured to report the received sensor information to the party at a city-level.   
     
     
         38 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prevent the party from accessing the received sensor information when one or more sensors associated with the one or more shipments is at a predetermined location.   
     
     
         39 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prevent the party from accessing the received sensor information at a predetermined time.   
     
     
         40 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 report the received sensor information to the party after a predetermined time delay.   
     
     
         41 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 report the received sensor information to the party when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is within a predetermined boundary relative to the delivery location of the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         42 . The tracking center of  claim 41 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the delivery location or as a predetermined time to reach the delivery location. 
     
     
         43 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 prevent the party from accessing the received sensor information when a sensor associated with the one or more shipments is outside of a predetermined boundary relative to the originating location of the one or more shipments.   
     
     
         44 . The tracking center of  claim 43 , wherein the predetermined boundary is defined as either a predetermined distance relative to the originating location or as a predetermined time away from the originating location. 
     
     
         45 . The tracking center of  claim 35 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 reconfigure one or more sensor devices associated with the one or more shipments to modify the frequency or precision of the received sensor information, wherein the reconfiguring occurs in response to an alert created by a reading of the sensor information.

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