Systems, methods, and computer program products for providing real-time validation of container loading and positioning data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12093876-B2
Application number	US-202318237280-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2023
Priority date	Mar 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Various embodiments provide systems, methods, and computer program products for providing dynamic real-time verification and validation of data associated with the receiving, loading, and positioning of a plurality of containers upon a transport vehicle. One or more computer processors are configured to: receive actual load data associated with at least one container; retrieve at least a portion of expected load data associated with the container for which actual load data has been received; verify the actual weight of the one of the plurality of packages and in response to a successful verification identifying no load weight discrepancies, validate the actual load position of the one of the plurality of packages. In response to a successful validation, at least one communication configured to facilitate at least one of further loading of the plurality of packages may be generated. If validation is unsuccessful, further loading may be prevented.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions; and
processing hardware communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable medium, wherein the processing hardware is configured to execute the instructions and thereby perform operations comprising:
receiving, via a device, actual load data associated with a container to be transported upon a transport vehicle, wherein the actual load data comprises at least one of a container identification number, an actual load weight, or an actual load position for the container;
retrieving expected load data associated with the container based at least in part on at least one of: identifying the container identification number in the actual load data, the expected load data comprising at least a container information number, an expected load weight, an expected load position, or an expected load sequence for the container;
determining, based at least in part on comparing the actual load data and the expected load data, that a load position discrepancy exists;
in response to determining that the load position discrepancy exists, automatically determining a mitigating action from a plurality of mitigating actions, wherein the mitigating action is configured to at least one of alleviate or eliminate the load position discrepancy; and
automatically generating and transmitting an indication of the mitigating action to a user interface of the device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, determining that the load position discrepancy still exists; and
in response to determining that the load position discrepancy still exists, causing an alert to be generated to provide notice that the load position discrepancy still exists so that further loading activities may be at least one of paused or reorganized pending resolution of the load position discrepancy.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, determining that the load position discrepancy still exists; and
in response to determining that the load position discrepancy still exists, transmitting a finalized manifest indicating the load position discrepancy still exits.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, conducting a final comparison of the actual load data to the expected load data by comparing a plurality of parameters within the actual load data to a corresponding plurality of parameters within the expected load data;
determining, based at least in part on conducting the final comparison, that one or more accuracy discrepancies still exist; and
in response to determining that the one or more accuracy discrepancies still exist, generating a communication indicative of an unsuccessful confirmation that is configured to prevent at least one of further loading of the container or departure of the transport vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
determining that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, conducting a final comparison of the actual load data to the expected load data by comparing a plurality of parameters within the actual load data to a corresponding plurality of parameters within the expected load data;
determining, based at least in part on conducting the final comparison, that no more accuracy discrepancies still exist; and
in response to determining that no more accuracy discrepancies exist, generating a communication configured to facilitate at least one of further loading of the container or departure of the transport vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mitigating action comprises at least two mitigating actions and the indication comprises a listing thereof for user selection of one of the at least two mitigating actions, and the operations further comprise, in response to the user selection of the one of the at least two mitigating actions, initiating the one of the at least two mitigating actions.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the load position discrepancy exists comprises determining that a difference in excess of a pre-established threshold between the expected load data and the actual load data exists.

8. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computer processor and via a device, actual load data associated with a container to be transported upon a transport vehicle, wherein the actual load data comprises at least one of a container identification number, an actual load weight, or an actual load position for the container;
retrieving, by the computer processor, expected load data associated with the container based at least in part on at least one of: identifying the container identification number in the actual load data, the expected load data comprising at least a container information number, an expected load weight, an expected load position, or an expected load sequence for the container;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on comparing the actual load data and the expected load data, that a load position discrepancy exists;
in response to determining that the load position discrepancy exists, automatically determining, by the computer processor, a mitigating action from a plurality of mitigating actions, wherein the mitigating action is configured to at least one of alleviate or eliminate the load position discrepancy; and
automatically generating and transmitting, by the computer processor, an indication of the mitigating action to a user interface of the device.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining, by the computer processor, that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, determining, by the computer processor, that the load position discrepancy still exists; and
in response to determining that the load position discrepancy still exists, causing, by the computer processor, an alert to be generated to provide notice that the load position discrepancy still exists so that further loading activities may be at least one of paused or reorganized pending resolution of the load position discrepancy.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining, by the computer processor, that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, determining, by the computer processor, that the load position discrepancy still exists; and
in response to determining the load position discrepancy still exists, transmitting, by the computer processor, a finalized manifest indicating the load position discrepancy still exits.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising:
determining, by the computer processor, that the mitigating action has been performed;
in response to determining that the mitigating action has been performed, conducting, by the computer processor, a final comparison of the actual load data to the expected load data by comparing a plurality of parameters within the actual load data to a corresponding plurality of parameters within the expected load data;
determining, by the computer processor and based at least in part on conducting the final comparison, t

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Arora Shikha
• Guilford Todd
• Lam Wai
• Peck Cindy

Classifications

• B64D9/00

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• G01G19/40

  with provisions for indicating, recording, or computing price or other quantities dependent on the weight (indicating means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; recording means for weighing apparatus G01G23/18; computers in general G06) · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title

• G06Q10/08 Primary

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title