Systems and methods for freight tracking and monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841314-B2
Application number	US-20153308-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 29, 2008
Priority date	Aug 29, 2008
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

System, methods, and computer program products are provided for enhanced freight tracking and monitoring. The system may track the location of a freight shipment within a carrier's transportation network from the time it is picked up by a carrier from a consignor until it is delivered to a consignee, provide for weight determinations and shipping re-classifications of the freight shipment during transport, and provide real-time status information and reports to the carrier, consignor, and/or consignee.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A system for tracking the movement of freight shipments comprising:
an enterprise system comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive shipping data for a plurality of freight shipments, wherein (1) each of the plurality of freight shipments is associated with a unique identifier, (2) the plurality of freight shipments is being transported through a carrier's transportation network, and (3) the shipping data comprises information identifying (a) the unique identifiers associated with the respective freight shipments and (b) destinations of the respective freight shipments;
generate an electronic manifest comprising at least a portion of the shipping data for each of the plurality of freight shipments, the at least a portion of the shipping data identifying (1) the unique identifiers associated with, and (2) the destinations of, the respective freight shipments being transported through the carrier's transportation network; and
electronically transmit the electronic manifest; and

a lift truck comprising a lift truck computing device disposed on the lift truck, the lift truck computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive the electronic manifest;
cause display of at least a portion of the electronic manifest via the display;
receive input initiating a location event for a freight shipment of the plurality of freight shipments, wherein the location event indicates the location of freight of the freight shipment;
receive inspection data regarding freight of the freight shipment in response to initiating the location event, the inspection data indicating a condition of the freight of the freight shipment at the indicated location; and
determine whether the inspection data exceeds a plurality of predefined inspection threshold numeric values, and

wherein the lift truck further comprises lift truck detecting devices in communication with the lift truck computing device configured to:
detect an overage, or a shortage, and damage of the freight of the freight shipment in response to determining that at least two of the predefined inspection threshold numeric values are exceeded.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a supervisory computing device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to cause display of current status information, the current status information indicating movement and shipment progress information associated with the freight shipment.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a handheld electronic device comprising a memory, a display, and one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive the shipping data associated with the freight shipment; and
electronically transmit the shipping data associated with the freight shipment to the enterprise system.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to:
determine a weight of at least a portion of the freight shipment; and
electronically transmit the weight determination to the lift truck computing device.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the enterprise system are further configured to receive shipping data associated with two or more freight shipments.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic manifest is transmitted using a first message file and a second message file, the first message file comprising handling instructions for the freight shipment and the second message file comprising at least a portion of the shipping data associated with the freight shipment.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the location event further indicates that the freight shipment is being moved from a first location to a second location.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive information identifying the second location of the freight shipment.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the second location is received as input from a user.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the second location is received from one or more barcode labels.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is within a trailer identified by a unique trailer number, a side of the trailer in which the freight shipment is located, and a distance the freight shipment is within the trailer relative to a trailer door.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the second location indicates that the freight shipment is located within a warehouse.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to electronically transmit at least a portion of the information identifying the second location of the freight shipment the enterprise system.

16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive a location validation, the location validation confirming the second location of the freight shipment.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to receive inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment, wherein the inspection data identifies the physical condition of the freight shipment.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to generate an inspection alert if the inspection data corresponding to the freight shipment exceeds an inspection threshold.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising:
a telematics device disposed on the lift truck, the telematics device configured to:
receive telematics data for the lift truck, wherein the telematics data comprises at least one of seat data, seatbelt data, speed data, driver performance data, distance data, engine data, location data, or combinations thereof; and
electronically transmit the telematics data to the lift truck computing device.

20. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an imaging device configured to:
capture one or more images of the freight shipment; and
electronically transmit the one or more images to the lift truck computing device; and

a reweigh computing device disposed on the lift truck, the reweigh computing device configured to:
determine a weight of the at least a portion of the freight shipment; and
electronically transmit the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment to the lift truck computing device.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the one or more processors of the lift truck computing device are further configured to:
receive the one or more images captured by the imaging device;
receive the weight determination of at least the portion of the freight shipment;
determine dim

Assignees

• Moir William Mark
• Vandy Scott Christopher
• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Moir William Mark
• Vandy Scott Christopher

Classifications

• G06Q10/0875

  Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

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

• G01G23/3735 Primary

  using a digital network · CPC title

• G01G23/3742

  using a mobile telephone network · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

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