Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for timer-based management of communication devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11316972-B2
Application number	US-202016865483-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2020
Priority date	May 4, 2012
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A method of management of a communication device in an aircraft may include transitioning the communication device from a normal mode to a disabled mode based on a calculated device sleep time based on data associated with transportation information of the device. One of these modes may be a state of the device in which a transceiver of the device is deactivated and the other mode may be a state of the device in which the transceiver is activated. Therefore, the device sleep time determines when the wireless device's transceiver may not be activated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device, comprising:
a transceiver;
a memory device configured to store a set of instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the set of instructions to:
determine a device sleep time based on a start time and an end time prior to an expected delivery time of the device at a final destination;
operate the device in a disabled mode during the device sleep time, the transceiver being powered off in the disabled mode; and
power on the transceiver at the end of the device sleep time.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the end time is based on a schedule of at least one transport vehicle associated with delivery of the device.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the end time is a specific time prior to the expected delivery time of the device at the final destination.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the end time is based on a schedule delay associated with the transportation of the device.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein the schedule delay is based on a statistical analysis of schedules associated with past actual route information for transportation of the device.

6. The device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one transport vehicle includes a ground based transport vehicle.

7. The device of claim 2 , wherein the at least one transport vehicle includes an aircraft.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to:
determine, upon expiration of the device sleep time, whether the aircraft is in flight;
calculate a device re-sleep time when the aircraft is determined to be in flight;
transition the device to the disabled mode; and
power on the transceiver at the end of the device re-sleep time.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to calculate the device re-sleep time based on average flight times between an origin and a destination associated with the flight.

10. The device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to transition the device to the disabled mode upon detection of a takeoff of the aircraft.

11. The device of claim 10 , further including a sensor configured to detect the takeoff of the aircraft.

12. The device of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to receive data indicative of the takeoff from an external source.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to:
receive, upon expiration of the device sleep time, information regarding a change in a delivery schedule of the device to the final destination;
calculate a device re-sleep time based on the received information;
re-transition the device to the disabled mode; and
power on the transceiver at the end of the device re-sleep time.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the expected delivery time based on data relating to the transportation of the device.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the data relating to the transportation of the device is stored in the memory.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the data relating to the transportation of the device includes at least one of a location of an origin, a location of a destination, an expected duration of travel from the origin to the destination, an origin time zone, a destination time zone, or schedule details of at least one transport vehicle associated with transportation of the device.

17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the set of instructions to receive transportation data after a predetermined interval of time.

18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
detect a movement of a transportation vehicle transporting the device; and
adjust the start time based on the detected movement.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust the end time based on the adjusted start time.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the sleep time includes a time buffer.

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Putman John David

Classifications

• H04M1/72463 Primary

  to restrict the functionality of the device · CPC title

• H04W4/42

  for mass transport vehicles, e.g. buses, trains or aircraft · CPC title

• H04W52/0254 Primary

  detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device · CPC title

• H04M1/72451

  according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications · CPC title

• H04W52/0274

  by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof · CPC title