Beacon enabled distribution items

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12354048-B2
Application number	US-202418424622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2024
Priority date	Jan 4, 2017
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods of tracking distribution items using hardware components on or in the distribution items. Shippers and recipients of distribution items can track or locate a distribution item, especially a high value item, if the distribution item is lost, misrouted, or delayed. Distribution items can be tracked until an indication of delivery, such as at a delivery location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for enabling automatic tracking of a location of a distribution item comprising:
a beacon on the distribution item having a sensor and a microprocessor for emitting and receiving signals;
one or more processors in communication with the beacon, the one or more processors configured to:
receive, by the sensor and the microprocessor of the beacon, an interrogation signal;
transmitting, by the beacon in response to the interrogation signal, an identifier signal, the identifier signal including a unique identifier associated with the distribution item;
transmitting, by the beacon, a delivery event indicator;
in response to emitting the identifier signal and the delivery event indicator, receiving, by the beacon, a deactivation signal; and
deactivating the beacon.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the identifier signal comprises geographic coordinates of the beacon.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit the delivery event indicator by:
determining geographic coordinates of the beacon; and
determining that the determined geographic coordinates correspond to a delivery point.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit the delivery event indicator by receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a delivery event associated with the delivery event indicator is opening of the distribution item.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the deactivation signal is received from a remote computing device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the remote computing device is a mobile computing device associated with a delivery resource.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive, by the beacon, an alert initiation signal; and
emit, in response to the received alert initiation signal, an alert.

9. A method for enabling automatic tracking of a location items comprising:
receiving, by a beacon on a distribution item an interrogation signal;
transmitting, by the beacon in response to the interrogation signal, an identifier signal, the identifier signal including a unique identifier associated with the distribution item;
transmitting, by the beacon, a delivery event indicator;
in response to transmitting the identifier signal and the delivery event indicator, receiving, by the beacon, a deactivation signal; and
deactivating the beacon.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the identifier signal comprises geographic coordinates of the beacon.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises:
determining geographic coordinates of the beacon; and
determining that the determined geographic coordinates correspond to a delivery point.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein transmitting the delivery event indicator comprises:
receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input;
transmitting, in response to receiving the input, the delivery event indicator.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a delivery event associated with the delivery event indicator is opening of the distribution item.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein deactivating the beacon comprises receiving, in a pressure sensor of the beacon, an input.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the deactivation signal is received from a remote computing device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the remote computing device is a mobile computing device associated with a delivery resource.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, by the beacon, an alert initiation signal; and
emitting, in response to the received alert initiation signal, an alert.

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Luckay Ryan M
• Dixon Jr Robert E
• Lee Sr James E

Classifications

• H04W12/47

  using near field communication [NFC] or radio frequency identification [RFID] modules · CPC title

• G06Q20/28

  Pre-payment schemes, e.g. "pay before" · CPC title

• G06K19/025

  the material being flexible or adapted for folding, e.g. paper or paper-like materials used in luggage labels, identification tags, forms or identification documents carrying RFIDs (methods for testing the genuineness of valuable papers, e.g. banknotes or passports G07D7/00; constructional features of booklets and the like B42D) · CPC title

• G08B21/0275

  Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID · CPC title

• H04W24/04

  Arrangements for maintaining operational condition · CPC title