System and method for managing containers

Abstract

A system for managing containers includes a server, a portable electronic device and a check apparatus. The server stores a piece of transaction data. The portable electronic device is configured to receive the piece of transaction data from the server, to determine whether a shaking criterion is met based on acceleration of the portable electronic device, and to display a barcode corresponding to the piece of transaction data when the shaking criterion is met. The portable electronic device is further configured to capture an image and send the image to the server. The check apparatus is configured to read and decode the barcode, and to display information relating to the piece of transaction data based on data encoded in the barcode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for managing containers, comprising:
 a server configured to store a piece of transaction data that is related to a delivery of a container;   a portable electronic device configured to communicate with said server to receive the piece of transaction data therefrom, and including a camera, an accelerometer, a first display, and a first processor that is electrically connected to said camera, said accelerometer and said first display, and that is configured to
 after receiving the piece of transaction data from said server, obtain acceleration data relating to acceleration of said portable electronic device through said accelerometer, 
 determine whether a shaking criterion is met based on the acceleration data thus obtained, 
 when it is determined that the shaking criterion is met, control said first display to display a barcode corresponding to the piece of transaction data, 
 control said camera to capture an image, and 
 send the image thus captured to said server for storage therein; and 
   a check apparatus including
 a barcode reader that is configured to read the barcode displayed on said first display, 
 a second display, and 
 a second processor that is electrically connected to said barcode reader and said second display, and that is configured to decode the barcode and to control said second display to display information relating to the piece of transaction data based on data encoded in the barcode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said portable electronic device further includes a storage that is electrically connected to said first processor and that stores an application, and said first processor of said portable electronic device is configured, when executing the application, to determine whether the shaking criterion is met by determining whether an acceleration variation indicated by the acceleration data exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said second processor of said check apparatus is further configured to, after controlling said second display to display the information relating to the piece of transaction data, generate a completion notification corresponding to the piece of transaction data, and to transmit the completion notification to said server; and   said server is configured to initially store the piece of transaction data with a tag that indicates a pending state, and to change the tag to indicating a finished state in response to receiving the completion notification.   
     
     
         4 . A method for managing containers to be performed by a portable electronic device that includes a first processor, an accelerometer, a first display and a camera and that communicates with a server storing a piece of transaction data, the piece of transaction data being related to a delivery of a container, the method comprising steps of:
 receiving, by the first processor, the piece of transaction data from the server;   after receiving the piece of transaction data, obtaining, by the first processor, acceleration data that relates to acceleration of the portable electronic device through the accelerometer;   determining, by the first processor, whether a shaking criterion is met based on the acceleration data thus obtained;   when it is determined that the shaking criterion is met, controlling, by the first processor, the first display to display a barcode that corresponds to the piece of transaction data;   controlling, by the first processor, the camera to capture an image; and   sending, by the first processor, the image to the server for storage therein.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , the portable electronic device further including a storage storing an application, wherein the step of determining whether a shaking criterion is met includes:
 by the first processor, executing the application stored in the storage to determine whether the shaking criterion is met by determining whether an acceleration variation indicated by the acceleration data exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , to be performed further by a check apparatus that includes a second processor, a barcode reader and a second display, the method further comprising steps of:
 reading, by the barcode reader, the barcode displayed on the first display of the portable electronic device;   decoding, by the second processor, the barcode thus obtained; and   controlling, by the second processor, the second display to display information that relates to the piece of transaction data based on data encoded in the barcode.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising steps of:
 by the server, initially storing the piece of transaction data with a tag that indicates a pending state;   by the check apparatus after displaying the information that relates to the piece of transaction data, generating a completion notification that corresponds to the piece of transaction data;   by the check apparatus, transmitting the completion notification thus generated to the server; and   by the server in response to receiving the completion notification, changing the tag associated with the piece of transaction data stored in the server to indicating a finished state.