System and method for cargo transportation unit tracking and monitoring device verification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11847606-B2
Application number	US-201916399223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2019
Priority date	Apr 30, 2019
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

A system and method for providing verification of tracking and monitoring devices with cargo transportation units is provided. The track and monitoring device is mounted to the cargo transportation unit to provide location tracking and security functions. The association process is typical a manual process by a technician of identifying container visual identifiers to the installed tracking and monitoring unit. Errors in the association process can occur during installation and repairs. The association between tracking and monitoring devices and their respective cargo transportation unit is verified by receiving images from one tracking and monitoring device at a server and verifying the cargo transportation unit identifier is associated with another tracking and monitoring device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method executed at a server coupled to a network, the method comprising:
receiving, at the server, a tracking and monitoring device (TMD) identifier of a first TMD associated with a first cargo transportation unit (CTU);
determining, by the server based on the TMD identifier, communication details to communicate with the first TMD, the communication details comprising a network address and a communication protocol;
sending, from the server over the network using the communication details comprising the network address and the communication protocol, a trigger to the first TMD associated with the first CTU, the trigger to cause the first TMD to acquire an image using a camera coupled to the first TMD;
receiving, at the server over the network from the first TMD, information of an acquired CTU identifier, the acquired CTU identifier extracted from the image based on an image recognition process performed on the image;
receiving, at the server, a location of the first TMD;
determining, at the server, if there is an existing association defined in an association database between a second CTU having the acquired CTU identifier and a second TMD;
receiving, at the server, a location of the second TMD if the existing association between the second TMD and the second CTU is defined in the association database; and
verifying, at the server, the existing association between the second TMD and second CTU having the acquired CTU identifier stored in the association database based on the locations of the first TMD and the second TMD.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the information of the acquired CTU identifier comprises:
receiving the image over the network from the first TMD, the method comprising:
determining the acquired CTU identifier by performing the image recognition process at the server on the image received from the first TMD.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the information of the acquired CTU identifier comprises receiving the acquired CTU identifier extracted by the first TMD from the image based on the first TMD performing the image recognition process on the image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the first TMD and the location of the second TMD are based on location data from respective Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers associated with the first TMD and the second TMD.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the location of the first TMD and the location of the second TMD are verified based upon a distance range defined for the camera and a margin of error associated with the location data from the respective GPS receivers.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a movement of the second CTU associated with a second CTU identifier matching the acquired CTU identifier;
determining a second location of the second TMD resulting from the movement;
determining one or more TMDs at the second location;
receiving a captured CTU identifier associated with the second CTU from at least one of the one or more TMDs determined to be at the second location; and
verifying that the captured CTU identifier associated with the second TMD matches the second CTU identifier already associated with the second CTU.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a movement of the second TMD associated with a second CTU identifier matching the acquired CTU identifier;
determining a second location of the second TMD resulting from the movement;
determining one or more TMDs within a defined geographic region associated with the second location;
requesting and receiving a captured CTU identifier from at least one of the one or more TMDs determined to be within the defined geographic region;
matching the second CTU identifier to the captured CTU identifier received from a particular TMD of the at least one of the one or more TMDs; and
verifying a location of the second CTU and the second TMD relative to a location of the particular TMD.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the acquired CTU identifier is not associated with a respective TMD, the method comprises associating, by the server, the received location of the first TMD with the acquired CTU identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein if the acquired CTU identifier is not associated with a respective TMD, the method comprises determining a location of at least one TMD located in proximity to a CTU not having a respective TMD, and associating the at least one TMD with the acquired CTU identifier.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first TMD is mounted to the first CTU, and the first TMD has a wireless interface for communicating with the server.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquired CTU identifier is an ISO 6346 compliant identifier.

12. A server comprising:
a network interface;
a processor coupled to the network interface; and
a non-transitory storage medium coupled to the processor and containing instructions executable on the processor to:
receive, at the server, a tracking and monitoring device (TMD) identifier of a first TMD associated with a first cargo transportation unit (CTU);
determine, based on the TMD identifier, communication details to communicate with the first TMD, the communication details comprising a network address and a communication protocol;
send, from the server over a network using the communication details comprising the network address and the communication protocol, a trigger to the first TMD associated with the first CTU, the trigger to cause the first TMD to acquire an image using a camera coupled to the first TMD;
receive, at the server over the network from the first TMD, information of an acquired CTU identifier of a second CTU, the acquired CTU identifier extracted from the image based on an image recognition process performed on the image;
determine if there is an existing association defined in an association database between the second CTU having the acquired CTU identifier and a second TMD; and
verify the existing association of the second CTU with the second TMD using a location of the first TMD and a location of the second TMD.

13. The server of claim 12 , wherein the information of the acquired CTU identifier includes the image, and wherein the instructions are executable on the processor to:
determine the acquired CTU identifier by performing the image recognition process at the server on the image.

14. The server of claim 12 , wherein the information of the acquired CTU identifier includes the acquired CTU identifier derived by the first TMD from the image based on the first TMD performing the image recognition process on the image.

15. The server of claim 12 , wherein the locations of the first TMD and the second TMD comprise Global Positioning System (GPS) location data.

16. The server of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are executable on the processor to:
detect a movement of the second TMD;
determine a second location of the second CTU from a third TMD at the second location; and
verify an association between the second CTU and the second TMD.

17. The server of claim 12 , wherein the instructions are executable on the processor to:
detect a movement of the second TMD;
determine a location of the second TMD; and
verify the second CTU by receiving an image from a third TMD at the determined location.

18. The server of claim 12 , wherein the second CTU is identified by a plurality of images received by a plurality of TMDs.

19. The server of claim 12 , wherein the acquired CTU identifier

Assignees

• Blackberry Ltd

Inventors

• Ayoub Sameh
• Dev Prabhul
• Klowak Amanda Sarah
• Seaman Conrad Delbert

Classifications

• G06Q10/0833 Primary

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06T7/70

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title