Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating a content-related notification using a container interface display apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016239799-A1
Application number	US-201614993569-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 18, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are described for generating a content related notification based upon managed logistics information related to a container using a container interface display apparatus. Such a container interface display apparatus records an update to the managed logistics information maintained in a memory of the container interface display apparatus and then accesses at least a portion of the managed logistics information maintained in the memory after recording the update. The container interface display apparatus then detects a notification event based upon the accessed portion of the managed logistics information. Such notification event is related to status information associated with the container or an item stored within the container. The container interface display apparatus then generates the content related notification related the notification event and dynamically displays information related to the content related notification on a display screen of the container interface display apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . An enhanced logistics monitoring system for generating a content related notification based upon managed logistics information related to a container, the system comprising:
a container interface display apparatus disposed on an exterior wall of the container, the container interface display apparatus further comprising
a ruggedized housing capable of being mounted to the exterior wall of the container,
a processing unit disposed within the housing,
a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory maintaining at least a logistics information management program code section for execution by the processing unit, wherein the memory further maintaining the managed logistics information on what is stored within the container,
a display screen coupled to the processing unit, wherein the display screen is viewable outside the housing and disposed relative to the housing in a configuration oriented away from the exterior wall of the container when the housing is mounted to the exterior wall, and
a wireless communication interface operatively coupled to the processing unit, wherein the wireless communication interface provides the processing unit with access to a wireless communication path; and
a second node device in operative communication with the wireless communication interface of the container interface display apparatus over the wireless communication path, wherein the second node device further comprises a logistics data store device for maintaining logistics operation related information involving the container; wherein the processing unit of the container interface display apparatus, when executing the logistics information management program code section, is operative to
record an update to the managed logistics information in the memory,
access at least a portion of the managed logistics information in the memory after recording the update,
detect a notification event based upon the accessed portion of the managed logistics information, wherein the notification event is related to status information associated with the container or an item stored within the container,
generate the content related notification related the notification event,
cause the display screen to provide information related to the content related notification on the display screen,
generate a notification message associated with the content related notification, and
cause the wireless communication interface to transmit the notification message to the second node device over the wireless communication path; and
wherein the second node device is operative to receive the notification message from the wireless communication interface of the container interface display apparatus, and update the logistics operation related information maintained in the logistics data store device based upon the notification message.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the container interface display apparatus of the system further comprises an internal sensor disposed within the container and coupled to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is further operative to receive condition information from the internal sensor and store the condition information in the memory as part of the status information in the managed logistics information.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the condition information indicates a detected environmental condition within the container.

4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the internal sensor comprises a motion sensor; and
wherein the condition information indicates a detected movement in what is stored within the container, wherein the detected movement is sensed by the motion sensor.

5 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the internal sensor comprises at least a depth sensor exposed to a storage space within the container; and
wherein the condition information indicates a detected configuration change between at least two mapping scans of what is stored within the container, wherein the mapping scans are generated by the depth sensor.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification event based on the item further comprises a delivery related parameter, and wherein the content related notification comprises an identification of the item and information related to the delivery related parameter.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the delivery related parameter comprises at least one from a group consisting of a delivery date, a delivery time, a delivery shipment category, a delivery service identifier, a delivery mode identifier, and a special handling identifier.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the notification event based on the status information further comprises a content status related parameter related to a storage space within the container.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the content status related parameter comprises at least one from a group consisting of information on a detected environmental change within the container, a detected movement within the container, a detected change in a configuration of what is stored within the container.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the content related notification provided on the display screen comprises an identification of the item and a location of the item within the container.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the content related notification provided on the display screen comprises one or more scannable objects associated with the item and the content related notification.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises one from a group consisting of a unit load container (ULD) for transport on an aircraft, a storage container area integrated as part of a vehicle, a tractor trailer, and an intermodal container for intermodal shipment.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second node device comprises one of a managing node apparatus, a back-end server, and a user access device.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second node device is further operative to transmit a logistics operation message to a third node device based upon the notification message.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the logistics operation message indicates a prioritized unloading operation to be performed on the container based upon the notification message.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the third node device is related to a delivery service entity, and wherein the logistics operation message comprises a update notification to the delivery entity, wherein the update notification relates to the notification event and the item.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the third node device comprises one of a delivery service entity managing node apparatus, a delivery service entity back-end server, and a delivery service entity user access device used by logistics personnel associated with the delivery service entity.

18 . A container interface display apparatus for generating a content related notification based upon managed logistics information related to a container, the apparatus comprising
a ruggedized housing capable of removably mounting to a wall of the container; a processing unit disposed within the housing; a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory maintaining at least a logistics information management program code section for execution by the processing unit, wherein the memory further maintaining the managed logistics information on what is stored within the container; a display screen coupled to the processing unit, where

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Burch V Reuben F
• Scott Mark E

Classifications

• H04W4/12

  Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements · CPC title

• G01G23/3735

  using a digital network · CPC title

• G01G23/18

  Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication; Recording devices; Scales, e.g. graduated · CPC title

• H04W4/80

  Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication · CPC title

• G01F17/00

  Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies (measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B) · CPC title