Patent ID: 7253731

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a shipment conveyance device, wherein the shipment conveyance device is associated with a shipment, and further wherein the shipment conveyance device is at least one of a shipping container, a pallet, and a tote; a memory device, wherein the memory device is located in, on, or at, the shipment conveyance device, wherein information regarding the shipment is stored in the memory device, and further wherein the information regarding the shipment includes a description of a good, product, or item, being shipped via the shipment conveyance device, and at least one of origination information, sender information, shipper information, destination information, receiver information, handling instruction information, delivery instruction information, invoice information, packing ship information, delivery time information, and payment instruction information, regarding the shipment; a global positioning device, wherein the global positioning device is located in, on, or at, the shipment conveyance device, and further wherein the global positioning device determines a position or location of the shipment conveyance device; a processing device, wherein the processing device processes at least one of information regarding the shipment and information regarding the shipment conveyance device in response to an occurrence of an event or in response to a request for information regarding the shipment or the shipment conveyance device, wherein the processing device generates a message containing information regarding the position or location of the shipment or the shipment conveyance device and information regarding at least one of the occurrence of an event, a status of the shipment, a shipment temperature, and an impact or force on the shipment conveyance device; and a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is located in, on, or at, the shipment conveyance device, wherein the transmitter transmits the message to a communication device associated with at least one an individual or entity, a sender of the shipment, a receiver of the shipment, a carrier of the shipment, and an individual or entity authorized to receive information regarding the shipment or the shipment conveyance device.