Node-enabled logistics receptacle in a wireless node network

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which when executed on a processor performs a method for operating a node-enabled logistics receptacle in a wireless node network having at least a first node related to an item being shipped, wherein the node-enabled logistics receptacle has an entrance opening through which the item being shipped and the first node can pass and wherein the node-enable logistics receptacle has a storage area for maintaining the item being shipped and the first node;

• the method comprising:
• detecting, by the node-enabled logistics receptacle, a signal broadcast by the first node;
• associating the node-enabled logistics receptacle with the first node;
• determining a location of the first node;
• altering a current inventory of nodes related to the node-enabled logistics receptacle based upon the location of the first node;
• determining whether any package of the altered current inventory is present outside of the node-enabled logistics receptacle based on detection of movement at the entrance opening with no detection of movement inside the storage area;
• and
• contacting a server to request a pickup when any of the current inventory is located outside the node-enabled logistics receptacle.

A node-enabled logistics receptacle assembly in a wireless node network, comprising:

• a receptacle having an entrance opening through which an item being shipped and a related node can pass and a storage area for maintaining the item being shipped and the related node;
• an embedded node assembled with the receptacle, the embedded node further comprising
• a node processing unit,
• a node memory storage coupled to the node processing unit, the node memory storage maintaining code for execution by the node processing unit and a current inventory of nodes related to the receptacle, and
• a communication interface coupled to the node processing unit and operative to communicate with nodes in the network, including the node related to the item being shipped;
• and
• wherein the node processing unit, when executing the code maintained on the node memory storage, is operative to
• detect a signal broadcast by the node related to the item being shipped,
• associate the node-enabled logistics receptacle with the node related to the item being shipped,
• determine a location of the node related to the item being shipped,
• alter the current inventory of nodes in the node memory storage based upon the location of the node related to the item being shipped;
• determine whether any package of the altered current inventory is present outside of the node-enabled logistics receptacle based on detection of movement at the entrance opening with no detection of movement inside the storage area;
• and
• contact a server to request a pickup when any of the current inventory is located outside the node-enabled logistics receptacle.