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US 11,568,353 B2Granted
Shipping package tracking or monitoring system and method
AssigneePackage, Inc.
InventorsBryan Jonathan Davis, Ronald Eugene Fisher, James Mark Fisher, David Fraser, Andrew David Cater, Mark Joseph Meyer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shipping package (1) comprises an enclosure for receiving content within, a closure (14) for sealing the enclosure, a label comprising shipping information, a network module (380), a sensor module (382), and a battery module (384). The battery module provides power to the network module and the sensor module. The sensor module (382) providing location information to the network module, the network module transmits a shipping status message to an external device.
Claims20
A shipping package comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting a shipping status message to an external device;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing location information to the network module, wherein the sensor module comprises a camera module, the camera module being configured or configurable to be activated when the enclosure is opened;
- and
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module.
4 more elements
A shipping package comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting a shipping status message to an external device;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing location information to the network module;
- and
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module;
- wherein the battery module is initially in a disabled state, the battery module is configured or configurable to enter an enabled state when the enclosure is sealed with the closure, the battery module providing power to the network module and the sensor module.
5 more elements
A shipping package comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting a shipping status message to an external device;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing location information to the network module;
- and
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module;
- wherein the shipping package is configured or configurable to be stored or transported in a container configured or configurable to store a plurality of other shipping packages, the container comprising a network relay, the network module relaying communications through the network relay.
5 more elements
A shipping package comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting a shipping status message to an external device;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing location information to the network module;
- and
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module;
- wherein the shipping package is in proximity to a plurality of other shipping packages, the network module forming an ad-hoc network with the plurality of other shipping packages.
5 more elements
A method of tracking a shipping package, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a shipping package comprising an enclosure for receiving content within, a closure for sealing the enclosure, a label comprising shipping information, a network module, a sensor module, a memory module, and a battery module, the battery module providing power to the network module, the memory module, and the sensor module;
- receiving level of service parameters in the memory module;
- detecting by the sensor module conformance to the level of service parameters;
- monitoring, while the shipping package is travelling between a source and a destination, sensor data obtained from the sensor module;
- transmitting a shipping status message, through the network module, to an external device, the shipping status message being in part based on the sensor data;
- detecting, using the sensor module, when a traveled route of the shipping package deviates from a shipping route configured or configurable in a memory module of the shipping package, the memory module being coupled to the network module, the battery module, and the sensor module;
- and
- configuring the shipping status message to comprise an alert indicating that the shipping package is not following the shipping route.
5 more elements
A shipping package system comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting or receiving data to or from an external device or a network module of one or more additional shipping package systems, wherein the network module is configured or configurable as an ad hoc networking platform;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing sensor information to the network module;
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module;
- a memory module coupled to the network module, the battery module, and the sensor module.
4 more elements
A shipping package system comprising:
- an enclosure for receiving content within;
- a closure for sealing the enclosure;
- a label comprising shipping information;
- a network module configured or configurable for transmitting or receiving data to or from an external device or a network module of one or more additional shipping package systems, wherein the network module is configured or configurable to communicate with the network module of the one or more additional shipping package systems to determine which of the network modules has the highest bandwidth;
- a sensor module configured or configurable for providing sensor information to the network module;
- a battery module configured or configurable for providing power to the network module and the sensor module;
- a memory module coupled to the network module, the battery module, and the sensor module.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.