Temperature environmental sensors on pallet
AssigneeWalmart Apollo, LLC
InventorAndrew B. Millhouse
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described in detail herein is a system for the detection and notification of abnormal pallet temperature fluctuation. An exemplary system includes a pallet, an ambient air temperature sensor, an item temperature sensor, an indicator light, and an electronic device. The electronic device receives temperature readings from both the ambient air temperature sensor and the item temperature sensor and compares the temperature readings against a known set of temperature thresholds corresponding to the items on the pallet. Following a determination of an unacceptable variation from a threshold, the electronic device may provide a notification through the indicator light. The notification may correspond to the criticality of the threshold passed.
Claims20
A system for the detection and notification of abnormal pallet temperature fluctuation comprising:
- a pallet configured to hold a plurality of items,
- an ambient air temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient air temperature at a location of the pallet,
- an item temperature sensor configured to physically contact at least one of the plurality of items to determine an item temperature,
- an indicator light physically connected to the pallet,
- an electronic device equipped with a processor and communicatively coupled to the ambient air sensor, the item temperature sensor and the indicator light and configured to execute a notification module that when executed:
- receives a first temperature value from the ambient air temperature sensor,
- receives a second temperature value from the item temperature sensor,
- retrieves a set of threshold values for the plurality of items,
- compares the set of threshold values to the first temperature value and the second temperature value,
- applies, based on the comparing, a set of escalation rules determined by a variance between the set of threshold values and at least one of the first temperature value and the second temperature value, and
- transmits an alert based on the applying of the set of escalation rules.
A method for detection and notification of abnormal pallet temperature fluctuation comprising:
- receiving a first temperature value from an ambient air temperature sensor;
- receiving a second temperature value from an item temperature sensor;
- retrieving a set of threshold values for a plurality of items;
- comparing the set of threshold values to the first temperature value and the second temperature value;
- applying, based on the comparing, a set of escalation rules determined by a variance between the set of threshold values and at least one of the first temperature value and the second temperature value;
- and
- transmitting an alert based on the applying of the set of escalation rules.
A smart pallet for the detection and notification of abnormal temperature fluctuation, the smart pallet comprising:
- an ambient air temperature sensor configured to detect an ambient air temperature at a location of the pallet,
- an item temperature sensor configured to physically contact at least one of the plurality of items to determine an item temperature,
- an indicator light physically connected to the smart pallet,
- a display surface, integrated in, or attached to, the smart pallet;
- an audio device integrated in, or attached to, the pallet, and a location sensor,
- wherein an electronic device equipped with a processor is communicatively coupled to the ambient air sensor, the item temperature sensor, the indicator light, the display surface and the audio device and is configured to execute a notification module that when executed:
- receives a first location value from the location sensor,
- receives a first temperature value from the ambient air temperature sensor,
- receives a second temperature value from the item temperature sensor,
- retrieves a set of threshold values for the plurality of items,
- compares the set of threshold values to the first temperature value and the second temperature value,
- applies, based on the comparing, a set of escalation rules determined by the variance between the set of threshold values and the first temperature value and the second temperature value, and
- transmits an alert based on the applying of the set of escalation rules by triggering at least one of the indicator light, the audio device and the display surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.