Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20110022533?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=6004266
Timestamp: 2014-03-12 21:01:02
Document Index: 423992540

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US20110022533 - Method and system for providing shipment tracking and notifications - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsImproved approaches for monitoring status of articles being shipped are disclosed. The monitoring can produce notifications to interested parties. The notifications typically contain status information pertaining to the articles being shipped. Alternatively, interested parties can gain access to status...http://www.google.com/patents/US20110022533?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20110022533 - Method and system for providing shipment tracking and notificationsAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20110022533 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 12/924,470Publication dateJan 27, 2011Filing dateSep 27, 2010Priority dateFeb 28, 2000Also published asUS7212829, US7809377, US20130297524Publication number12924470, 924470, US 2011/0022533 A1, US 2011/022533 A1, US 20110022533 A1, US 20110022533A1, US 2011022533 A1, US 2011022533A1, US-A1-20110022533, US-A1-2011022533, US2011/0022533A1, US2011/022533A1, US20110022533 A1, US20110022533A1, US2011022533 A1, US2011022533A1InventorsChung Lau, C. Douglass ThomasOriginal AssigneeChung Lau, Thomas C DouglassExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (3), Referenced by (1), Classifications (22) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetMethod and system for providing shipment tracking and notificationsUS 20110022533 A1Abstract Improved approaches for monitoring status of articles being shipped are disclosed. The monitoring can produce notifications to interested parties. The notifications typically contain status information pertaining to the articles being shipped. Alternatively, interested parties can gain access to status information pertaining to the articles being shipped via a website. According to one embodiment, the status information includes at least position (location) information and shipping conditions information.
1. A system for tracking shipment of articles, comprising:
a tracking database configured to store status information pertaining to a plurality of wireless tracking devices; and a tracking computing device configured to: (i) receive certain status information from a wireless tracking device used to track shipment of an article, the wireless tracking device being within or affixed to the article and being capable of wirelessly sending the certain status information to the tracking computing device; (ii) store the certain status information to the tracking database with reference to the wireless tracking device; (iii) determine if an environmental violation has occurred based on the certain status information and at least one environmental level; (iv) send an electronic notification regarding the environmental violation to an interested person upon determining that the environmental violation has occurred; and (v) facilitate network-based access to the tracking computing device to enable interested persons to receive at least a portion of the certain status information regarding the article. 2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the certain status information being received includes position information and shipping condition information.
3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the certain status information being received includes position information pertaining to position of the wireless tracking device.
4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the position information includes at least data acquired from a GPS receiver within the wireless tracking device.
5. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the position information includes at least local network information.
6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the certain status information being received from the wireless tracking device includes shipping condition information.
7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein the tracking computing device operates, at least during the shipment of the article, to determine whether the environmental violation has occurred based at least in part on the shipping condition information.
8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein if the environmental violation is determined to have occurred, the electronic notification indicates that a temperature related to the article has exceeded a predetermined level.
9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein if the environmental violation is determined to have occurred, the electronic notification indicates that a humidity related to the article has exceeded a predetermined level.
10. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein if the environmental violation is determined to have occurred, the electronic notification indicates that an acceleration or a force induced on the article has exceeded a predetermined level.
11. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein, when the article is in a geographic region, the tracking computing device is configured to receive business information regarding a business associated with a position in the geographic region based on wireless communication between the wireless tracking device and a wireless device at the business.
wherein the certain status information being received includes position information pertaining to position of the wireless tracking device, and wherein the tracking computing device is configured to transform the position information into a point of interest based on information regarding the geographic region stored in a database. 13. A method for tracking shipment of articles using wireless tracking devices provided within or affixed to the respective articles, the method comprising:
accessing status information pertaining to a wireless tracking device used to track shipment of an article, the status information including at least position information and shipping condition information; determining if a shipping condition violation has occurred during shipment of the article based on at least the shipping condition information and at least one shipping condition level; sending an electronic notification regarding the shipping condition violation to an interested person if it is determined that the shipping condition violation has occurred during shipment; and facilitating network-based access to enable interested persons to receive at least a portion of the status information regarding the article. 14. A method for tracking shipment as recited in claim 13, wherein the shipping condition violation pertains to an environmental violation, and wherein the at least one shipping condition level pertains to an environmental level.
15. A computer-implemented method for operating a tracking computer to track articles in a geographic region, the tracking computer having a data storage device associated therewith, comprising:
receiving location information regarding a location of an article acquired by a mobile communication device in or attached to the article; receiving, from the mobile communication device, business information regarding a business associated with the location based on wireless communication between the mobile communication device and a wireless device at the business; and storing the location information and the business information in the data storage device associated with the tracking computer, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to be wirelessly coupled to a wireless network to send the location information and the business information to the tracking computer. 16. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
transforming the location information into a point of interest based on information regarding the geographic region stored in a database. Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/732,581, filed Apr. 3, 2007, which application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,637, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled, �METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING SHIPMENT TRACKING AND NOTIFICATIONS,� which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/797,517, filed Feb. 28, 2001, and entitled �METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOCATION TRACKING,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, and which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/185,480, filed Feb. 28, 2000, and entitled �METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LOCATION TRACKING,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
By way of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,637, this application also claims benefit of: (i) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/444,198, filed Jan. 30, 2003, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING STATUS INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; (ii) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/418,491, filed Oct. 15, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING STATUS INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; (iii) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/404,645, filed Aug. 19, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING POSITION AND OTHER INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; and (iv) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/375,998, filed Apr. 24, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MANAGING AND USING POSITION INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
This application is also related to: (i) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,473, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTELLIGENT ACQUISITION OF POSITION INFORMATION,� now U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,941; (ii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,472, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �Methods and Apparatus to Analyze and Present Location Information;� (iii) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,641, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICAL MONITORING AND NOTIFICATIONS THEREFOR;� (iv) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,640, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �INEXPENSIVE POSITION SENSING DEVICE;� (v) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,474, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENHANCED MESSAGING;� (vi) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/397,512, filed Mar. 26, 2003, and entitled �Applications of STATUS Information for Inventory Management.�
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly speaking, the invention relates to improved approaches for monitoring status of articles being shipped. The monitoring can produce notifications to interested parties. The notifications typically contain status information pertaining to the articles being shipped. Alternatively, interested parties can gain access to status information pertaining to the articles being shipped via a website. According to one embodiment, the status information includes at least position (location) information and shipping conditions information.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to improved approaches for monitoring status of articles being shipped. The monitoring can produce notifications to interested parties. The notifications typically contain status information pertaining to the articles being shipped. Alternatively, interested parties can gain access to status information pertaining to the articles being shipped via a website. According to one embodiment, the status information includes at least position (location) information and shipping conditions information.
The above-described systems, devices, methods and processes can be used together with other aspects of an object tracking system, including the various aspects described in: (i) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/444,198, filed Jan. 30, 2003, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING STATUS INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; (ii) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/418,491, filed Oct. 15, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING STATUS INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; (iii) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/404,645, filed Aug. 19, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MONITORING, DELIVERING, MANAGING AND USING POSITION AND OTHER INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference; and (iv) U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/375,998, filed Apr. 24, 2002, and entitled �SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING, PRESENTING, MANAGING AND USING POSITION INFORMATION,� which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6243660 *Oct 12, 1999Jun 5, 2001Precision Navigation, Inc.Digital compass with multiple sensing and reporting capabilityUS6640085 *Sep 1, 1999Oct 28, 2003Xm Satellite Radio Inc.Electronically steerable antenna array using user-specified location data for maximum signal reception based on elevation angleUS6952645 *Sep 30, 1998Oct 4, 2005Arrivalstar, Inc.System and method for activation of an advance notification system for monitoring and reporting status of vehicle travel* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS20100250460 *Jun 11, 2010Sep 30, 2010Twitchell Jr Robert WLprf device wake up using wireless tag* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification705/332, 705/333International ClassificationG01S19/09, G06Q10/00Cooperative ClassificationH04L67/04, H04L67/18, G06Q10/0832, H04W64/00, H04W4/028, H04W4/02, H04W4/027, H04W4/20, G06Q10/0833, G06Q10/00European ClassificationG06Q10/00, H04L29/08N17, H04L29/08N3, H04W4/02, H04W4/20, H04W4/02P6, G06Q10/0833, G06Q10/0832RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google