Asset tracking and management system and method

Abstract

The invention provides an asset tracking and management system and method. An exemplary asset tracking and management method performed by a processor in a vehicle or a trailer of the vehicle may include detecting separation of the trailer from the vehicle at a first geographic location. A message may be sent to a server / cloud computer to inform the server / cloud computer of the separation of the trailer from the vehicle. The message may include location information for identifying the first geographic location. Inventory information, such as, for example, tracking numbers and / or descriptions of items contained in the trailer, may also be sent. The server / cloud computer receives the message and assigns another vehicle to travel to the first geographic location by using the location information and transports the trailer or the item to a second geographic location. The second geographic location may be a destination for delivering the item.

Description

Technical Field

[0001]

[0013] In general overview, embodiments described in this disclosure relate generally to asset tracking and management systems and methods. Background Art

[0002] There are many challenges associated with tracking and managing various types of items and transporting items from one location to another, especially when the transportation involves multiple vehicles. It is desirable to address at least some of these challenges. Summary of the invention

[0003] It must be understood that the various operations described herein should always be implemented and / or performed in accordance with the owner's manual and safety guidelines. An exemplary method performed by a processor of an asset tracking and management system located in a vehicle or a trailer of a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include detecting the separation of a first trailer from the vehicle at a first geographic location. A message may be sent by a processor to another processor, which may be part of a server / cloud computer, to notify the server / cloud computer of the separation of the trailer from the vehicle. The message may include location information for identifying the first geographic location. The processor of the asset tracking and management system may also send inventory information to the server / cloud computer, such as, for example, tracking numbers and / or descriptions of items contained in the trailer. The server / cloud computer receives the message and may allocate another vehicle to travel to the first geographic location by using the location information and transport the trailer or items contained in the trailer to a second geographic location. The second geographic location may be a destination for delivering the items. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Detailed description is set forth below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those shown in the accompanying drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. The elements and / or components in the accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, singular and plural terms may be used interchangeably, depending on the context.

[0005] Figure 1 An exemplary vehicle including an asset tracking and management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0006] Figure 2 A second exemplary scenario associated with the operation of an asset tracking and management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0007] Figure 3 A flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of operation of an asset tracking and management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008] Figure 4 A flowchart showing an exemplary operation method of a server computer or a cloud computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0009] Figure 5 Some exemplary components that may be included in a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010] The present disclosure will be described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. However, the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that various changes in form and detail can be made to various embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but should only be limited according to the attached claims and their equivalents. The following description is presented for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that alternative implementations can be used in any desired combination to form additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure. For example, any one of the functionalities described with respect to a particular device or component can be performed by another device or component. In addition, although specific device characteristics have been described, embodiments of the present disclosure may involve many other device characteristics. In addition, although embodiments have been described in a language specific to structural features and / or method actions, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the described embodiments.

[0011] As used herein, certain words and phrases are only for convenience, and these words and terms should be interpreted as referring to various objects and actions that are generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art in various forms and equivalent forms. For example, words such as "articles", "objects", "packages" and "assets" used herein can refer to any object transported in a vehicle. Words such as "position", "stop" and "place" can be used interchangeably in this article and generally refer to geographic location. As used herein, the word "information" refers to any of various forms of data that can be processed by a processor (digital data, digital images, detector signals, etc.). Words such as "attachment", "separation", "hook-up" and "disconnection" can be used interchangeably. As used herein, the word "image" covers one or more images in one or more forms. Therefore, for example, the description of the action associated with "image" herein must be understood as indicating the action performed on a single image in some scenes and the action performed on multiple images in some other scenes. Multiple images can be included in various forms, such as, for example, in the form of video clips and / or in the form of real-time video. As used herein, the term "detector" (which may be used interchangeably with the term "sensor") refers to any device that can be used to obtain information about an object, detect the presence of an object, and / or detect an action performed by a person. It must be understood that as used herein, terms such as "implementation," "application," "scenario," "situation," and "circumstance" are abbreviated versions of the phrase "in an example ("implementation," "application," "scenario," "situation," "method," and "circumstance") according to the present disclosure." It must also be understood that as used herein, the term "example" is intended to be non-exclusive and non-limiting in nature.

[0012] Figure 1 A vehicle 105 is shown including an asset tracking and management system 115. In this example, the vehicle 105 is a truck having a hitch 106 that can be used to hitch a trailer, such as, for example, the illustrated exemplary trailer 107. In other embodiments, the vehicle 105 can be any of various types of vehicles including a hitch for attaching a trailer, such as, for example, a van, a truck, a sedan, a station wagon, an 18-wheeler, an autonomous vehicle, an electric vehicle, a gasoline vehicle, or a hybrid electric vehicle.

[0013] Another asset tracking and management system 120 may be located in a trailer 107 that is detachably coupled to the vehicle 105. In another embodiment according to the present disclosure, the asset tracking and management system 115 or the asset tracking and management system 120 may be omitted. It must be understood that the description provided herein with respect to the asset tracking and management system 115 located in the vehicle 105 may be equally applicable to the asset tracking and management system 120 located in the trailer 107 of the vehicle 105, and vice versa. It must also be understood that when the vehicle 105 is an autonomous vehicle, the description provided herein with respect to the driver 110 of the vehicle 105 may be equally applicable to the computer of the autonomous vehicle. Therefore, the various actions described herein with respect to the driver 110 of the vehicle 105 may be performed by the computer of the autonomous vehicle and / or by the occupants of the autonomous vehicle.

[0014] The vehicle 105 may also include other components such as, for example, a vehicle computer 130, an infotainment system 135, a camera 108, and an object sensor 109. The camera 108 is an exemplary imaging device, and in other implementations, several other cameras may be used. The object sensor 109 is also an exemplary sensor / detector, and in other implementations, several such sensors and detectors may be used. The various components disposed in the vehicle 105 may be communicatively coupled to the asset tracking and management system 115 and / or the asset tracking and management system 120 via a wired communication system and / or a wireless communication system.

[0015] The vehicle computer 130 may perform various functions for the vehicle 105, such as, for example, controlling engine operation (fuel injection, speed control, emission control, braking, etc.), managing climate control (air conditioning, heating, etc.), and issuing messages (check engine light, bulb failure, low tire pressure, etc.). The vehicle computer 130 may also provide various types of information to the asset tracking and management system 115, such as, for example, information related to operations associated with the vehicle 105 (mobile status, parking status, trailer connection status, etc.).

[0016] The infotainment system 135 may be an integrated unit that includes various components such as a radio, display, speakers, and other components such as a USB access port, systems, ultra-wideband (UWB) systems, and global positioning satellite (GPS) navigation systems). In one exemplary implementation, the display screen may include a graphical user interface (GUI) for use by the driver 110. The GUI may be used for various purposes, such as entering commands for interacting with the GPS navigation system, selecting a phone number for making a phone call, and making song selections. In one exemplary implementation, according to the present disclosure, the driver 110 of the vehicle 105 may use the GUI to communicate with the asset tracking and management system 115.

[0017] The vehicle 105 may also include one or more detectors, sensors, and / or imaging devices. The detector may be any of various types of detection devices, such as, for example, a motion sensor, a magnetic sensor, a radar detector, a sonar detector, a light detection and ranging (lidar) detector, and / or an infrared detector. The sensor may be any of various types of sensing devices, such as, for example, a position sensor of a gear lever coupled to the vehicle 105, which provides information about the position of the gear lever (drive, park, reverse, or neutral). The information may be transmitted to the asset tracking and management system 115 so that the asset tracking and management system 115 can identify the state of the vehicle 105 (moving, stopped, etc.). The object sensor 109 is another exemplary sensor configured to transmit a signal to the asset tracking and management system 115 when the trailer 107 is separated from the vehicle 105.

[0018] The imaging device may include any of various types of cameras, such as, for example, a digital camera, a video camera, or an infrared camera. In the illustrated implementation, the camera 108 is an exemplary device configured to provide information in the form of an image to the asset tracking and management system 115. In other implementations, additional cameras and / or other types of devices may be used to provide information to the asset tracking and management system 115. The images provided by the camera may be evaluated by the asset tracking and management system 115 for various purposes. In an exemplary scenario, the asset tracking and management system 115 may evaluate the images provided by the camera 108 to detect the separation of the trailer 107 from the vehicle 105.

[0019] The asset tracking and management system 115 may include a processor 116 and a memory 117 having stored therein instructions that can be executed by the processor 116 for performing various operations according to the present disclosure. For example, the processor 116 may perform various operations associated with inventory, tracking, and management of various items located inside the trailer 107. Figure 1 Some exemplary items shown in 1 include a first item 128, a second item 126, and a third item 127. Each of these exemplary items may be due for delivery at a single location or multiple locations.

[0020] In the exemplary scenario, first item 128 and third item 127 are due for delivery at a first location along a travel route of vehicle 105, and second item 126 is due for delivery at a second location along the travel route. The travel route of vehicle 105 may be, for example, a delivery route for making deliveries of some or all of the items contained in trailer 107.

[0021] In the first exemplary scenario, the first travel route of the vehicle 105 includes the first location but does not include the second location. Therefore, arrangements must be made to transfer the second item 126 to another vehicle having a second travel route that includes the second location. Operations associated with transferring and tracking the second item 126 according to the present disclosure are performed in part by the asset tracking and management system 115 and / or the asset tracking and management system 120 in cooperation with other devices that are communicatively coupled to the asset tracking and management system 115 and / or the asset tracking and management system 120 via a wireless network (not shown). The other devices (not shown) may be, for example, a server computer or a cloud computer.

[0022] In a second exemplary scenario, all items contained in trailer 107 are transported to a second location. Vehicle 105 delivers trailer 107 to an intermediate location included in the travel route of vehicle 105. In this scenario, asset tracking and management system 115 and / or asset tracking and management system 120 cooperate with a server computer or cloud computer to arrange for the detachment of trailer 107 from vehicle 105 at the intermediate location and the attachment of trailer 107 to another vehicle (not shown) having a travel route that includes the second location. Additional details regarding such operations are provided below.

[0023] Figure 2 A second exemplary scenario associated with the operation of the asset tracking and management system 115 (and / or the asset tracking and management system 120) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In this exemplary scenario, the vehicle 105 travels from a starting location 220 (warehouse, dock, manufacturing plant, etc.) and travels east on a first travel route that includes a first location 225. The driver 110 parks the vehicle 105 at the first location 225 and detaches the trailer 107 from the vehicle 105. The object sensor 109 detects the detachment of the trailer 107 from the vehicle 105 and transmits a sensor signal to the asset tracking and management system 115. The asset tracking and management system 115 can evaluate the sensor signal and determine that the trailer 107 has been detached from the vehicle 105. In an exemplary operation, the asset tracking and management system 115 can seek confirmation of the detachment and can issue a command to the camera 108 to capture an image of the trailer 107. The asset tracking and management system 115 can evaluate one or more images captured by the camera 108 to confirm that the trailer 107 has been detached from the vehicle 105.

[0024] The asset tracking and management system 115 then wirelessly transmits a message to the computer 215 via the network 210. The message provides information about the separation of the trailer 107 from the vehicle 105 and includes location information of the first location 225. The location information of the first location 225 can be transmitted in any of a variety of forms, such as, for example, by using global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, by an address (e.g., "I-85 truck stop 5 miles east of hometown", "12568 Allen Road, any town"), or by using landmarks (town square, xxx gas station, yyy Inn", etc.).

[0025] The asset tracking and management system 115 may also transmit various other types of information to the computer 215, such as, for example, an identification tag of the trailer, odometer readings of the trailer 107 and / or vehicle 105, inventory information of the contents of the trailer 107, and details about one or more items in the trailer 107. The item details may include, for example, a tracking number, identification tag, size, shape, address, and date (delivery date, shipping date, etc.).

[0026] Computer 215 may be, for example, a cloud computer or server computer of a fleet operator that manages various operations of a fleet of vehicles including vehicle 105 and additional vehicles, such as, for example, vehicle 205 including hitch 208, and vehicle 235 including trailer 238 attached to vehicle 235 using hitch 239. The various operations may include, for example, dispatching, assigning travel routes, managing travel routes, tracking items transported by various vehicles, and maintaining an inventory of the various items transported by the various vehicles.

[0027] In a first exemplary scenario, the item 127 in the trailer 107 is due for delivery to a second location 230 that is not included in the first travel route of the vehicle 105. A processor in the computer 215 obtains information about the item 127 (and other items) from a cloud storage device configured to store package inventory information and / or from a database that may be part of the computer 215. The computer 215 identifies and establishes communication with the asset tracking and management system 236 of the vehicle 235. The communication may involve exchanging one or more messages, including a message notifying the asset tracking and management system 236 that the vehicle 235 is assigned to travel to the first location 225, pick up the item 127, and transport the item 127 to the second location 230.

[0028] The vehicle 235 may travel to the first location 225 and park near the trailer 107. The driver 237 of the vehicle 235 may manually transfer the item 127 from the trailer 107 to the trailer 238 of the vehicle 235. Alternatively, when the vehicle 235 is an autonomous vehicle, one or more robots carried by the vehicle 235 and / or located at the first location 225 may autonomously transfer the item 127 from the trailer 107 to the trailer 238 of the vehicle 235. The robot may be any of various types of robots, such as, for example, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), an automated guided vehicle (AGV), an articulated robot, an articulated arm, an industrial robot, a floor mounted robot, a humanoid robot, and a hybrid robot.

[0029] The asset tracking and management system 236 of the vehicle 235 and / or the asset tracking and management system 120 in the trailer 107 may then send a message to the computer 215 to notify the computer 215 that the item 127 has been transferred to the trailer 238. The asset tracking and management system 236 of the vehicle 235 may also communicate with the computer 215 on the way to the second location 230 and keep the computer 215 updated with the status of the item 127 (en route, stopped, unloaded, delivered, etc.).

[0030] In a second exemplary scenario, all items in trailer 107 are due for delivery to a second location 230 that is not included in the first travel route of vehicle 105. Asset tracking and management system 120 of trailer 107 and / or asset tracking and management system 115 in vehicle 105 inform computer 215 that trailer 107 has been disconnected from vehicle 105 and is ready to be transported by another vehicle. In this case, computer 215 identifies asset tracking and management system 206 of vehicle 205 and establishes communication with it. In this example, vehicle 205 does not have an attached trailer. However, in another example, a first trailer can be attached to vehicle 205, and vehicle 205 can be configured to accept the attachment of a second trailer in series with the first trailer.

[0031] Communication between the computer 215 and the asset tracking and management system 206 of the vehicle 205 may involve exchanging one or more messages, including a message notifying the asset tracking and management system 206 that the vehicle 205 is assigned to travel to the first location 225, pick up the trailer 107, and transport the trailer 107 to the second location 230.

[0032] The vehicle 205 may travel to the first location 225 and park near the trailer 107. The driver 207 of the vehicle 205 may manually couple the trailer 107 to the vehicle 205. Alternatively, when the vehicle 205 is an autonomous vehicle, one or more robots carried by the vehicle 205 and / or located at the first location 225 may autonomously manipulate the vehicle 205 and couple the trailer 107 to the vehicle 205. The robot may be any of various types of robots, such as, for example, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), an automated guided vehicle (AGV), an articulated robot, an articulated arm, an industrial robot, a floor mounted robot, a humanoid robot, and a hybrid robot.

[0033] The asset tracking and management system 206 of the vehicle 205 and / or the asset tracking and management system 120 in the trailer 107 may then send a message to the computer 215 to notify the computer 215 that the trailer 107 is now attached to the vehicle 205. The asset tracking and management system 236 of the vehicle 205 may then communicate with the computer 215 en route to the second location 230 and keep the computer 215 updated on the status of the one or more items in the trailer 107 (in transit, stopped, unloaded, delivered, etc.).

[0034] In an exemplary scenario, the vehicle 105 may not have a designated destination and / or driving route after the detachment of the trailer 107. In this case, the computer 215 may assign a driving route to the vehicle 105 and may provide instructions for attaching another trailer to the vehicle 105 before proceeding to the assigned destination on the new driving route. The other trailer (not shown) may have been previously parked at the first location 225 or may have been transported to the first location 225 by another vehicle.

[0035] Figure 3 A flowchart 300 of an exemplary method of operation of an asset tracking and management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The flowchart 300 shows a series of operations that can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, the operations represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (such as, the memory 117 of the asset tracking and management system 115), which perform the described operations when executed by one or more processors (such as the processor 116 of the asset tracking and management system 115). In general, computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform specific functions or implement specific abstract data types. The order in which the operations are described is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described operations may be implemented in a different order, omitted, combined in any order, and / or implemented in parallel.

[0036] At block 305, an asset tracking and management system, which may be located in a vehicle or a trailer attached to the vehicle, receives a sensor signal generated by an object sensor. The object sensor may generate the sensor signal based on detecting separation of the trailer from the vehicle.

[0037] At block 310 , the asset tracking and management system may communicate with a camera located in the rear of the truck to obtain images and / or video footage of the trailer.

[0038] At block 315 , the asset tracking and management system may evaluate the images and / or video clips to determine the position of the trailer relative to the vehicle.

[0039] At box 320, it is determined whether the trailer is separated from the vehicle based on evaluating the image and / or video clip. In an exemplary scenario, the sensor signal may be a false alarm, and the image may indicate that the trailer is still connected to the vehicle. If so, the actions indicated at box 305 and subsequent boxes are repeated. If the image indicates that the trailer has been separated from the vehicle, then at box 325, the asset tracking and management system obtains the location information of the trailer. In an exemplary scenario, the location information may be GPS coordinates obtained from a GPS system in the vehicle or trailer. In another exemplary scenario, the location information may be determined based on evaluating one or more images captured by one or more cameras set on the vehicle and / or trailer. The image may include landmarks near the trailer, such as, for example, signs of commercial institutions (gas stations, motels, convenience stores, etc.), road signs (street signs, road signs, etc.), and / or buildings (city halls, courts, tourist attractions, etc.).

[0040] At box 330, the asset tracking and management system can communicate wirelessly with the server computer and / or cloud computer to transmit information about the vehicle and / or trailer, such as, for example, separation of the trailer from the vehicle and the location of the trailer after separation.

[0041] At box 335, the asset tracking and management system can provide additional information related to one or more items contained in the trailer to the server computer and / or cloud computer, such as, for example, inventory information, tracking number, identification tag, size, shape, address, and date (delivery date, shipping date, etc.).

[0042] At block 340 , the asset tracking and management system may await instructions from the server computer and / or the cloud computer.

[0043] Figure 4A flowchart 400 of an exemplary method of operating a server computer or cloud computer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Flowchart 400 shows a series of operations that can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, the operations represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media (such as memory in a server computer or cloud computer) that perform the enumerated operations when executed by one or more processors (such as processors in a server computer or cloud computer). The following description refers to a server computer, but it must be understood that the description is equally applicable to a cloud computer.

[0044] At block 405, the server computer determines whether a message has been received from the asset tracking and management system of the first vehicle or the first trailer attached to the first vehicle. If no message has been received, the server computer continues to wait for a message.

[0045] If a message has been received, the server computer may update the inventory database based on the information contained in the message at block 410. For example, the message may provide information related to one or more items contained in the first trailer, such as, for example, inventory information, tracking number, identification label, size, shape, address, and date (delivery date, shipping date, etc.).

[0046] At block 415, destination information for the first trailer and / or one or more items contained in the first trailer is identified. In an exemplary scenario, the first trailer (along with all of its contents) may have to be transported to a destination that is not included in the designated travel route of the first vehicle. In this exemplary scenario, the trailer must be disconnected from the vehicle and reattached to a replacement vehicle that can travel to the trailer's intended destination.

[0047] In another exemplary scenario, one or more items contained in a first trailer are delivered to a destination not included in the designated travel route of the first vehicle. In this scenario, the one or more items must be unloaded from the first trailer and loaded into a second trailer that can be attached to a replacement vehicle.

[0048] At block 420, it is determined whether the first vehicle has reached a location where the trailer or items located in the trailer can be transferred to another vehicle. This action can be implemented, for example, via communication implemented between a server computer and an asset tracking and management system of the first vehicle or the first trailer. If the destination has not yet been reached, communication is maintained.

[0049] If the location has been reached, then at box 425, in one case, a second vehicle can be dispatched to the location of the first trailer to transport the trailer (and its contents) to the trailer's destination. In another case, a second vehicle with a second trailer attached can be dispatched to the location of the first trailer to transport one or more items to one or more destinations of the one or more items. The one or more items can be transferred from the first trailer to the second trailer, for example, manually by the driver of the second vehicle or by using an automatic machine. In another exemplary scenario, the second vehicle can be dispatched to the location where the first trailer is expected to be before the first vehicle arrives at the location where the transfer can be made.

[0050] Figure 5 Some exemplary components that may be included in the vehicle 105 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure are shown. Exemplary components may include detectors / sensors 505, imaging devices 510, vehicle computers 130, infotainment systems 135, and asset tracking and management systems 115. The various components are communicatively coupled to each other via one or more buses, such as exemplary bus 511. Bus 511 may be implemented using various wired and / or wireless technologies. For example, bus 511 may be a vehicle bus that uses a controller area network (CAN) bus protocol, a media oriented systems transport (MOST) bus protocol, and / or a CAN flexible data (CAN-FD) bus protocol. Some or all of bus 511 may also use a bus protocol such as Ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi, Or near field communication (NFC) and other wireless technologies.

[0051] Detectors / sensors 505 may include various types of detectors / sensors, such as, for example, motion sensors, radar detectors, sonar detectors, light detection and ranging (lidar) detectors, and / or infrared detectors. In an exemplary implementation, object sensor 109 may be any of such detectors / sensors.

[0052] The imaging device may include any of various types of cameras, such as, for example, a digital camera, a video camera, or an infrared camera. Figure 1In the illustrated implementation shown, the camera 108 is an exemplary imaging device configured to provide information in the form of images to the asset tracking and management system 115. In other implementations, additional cameras and / or other types of devices may be used to provide information to the asset tracking and management system 115. The images provided by the camera may be evaluated by the asset tracking and management system 115 for various purposes. In an exemplary scenario, the asset tracking and management system 115 may evaluate the images provided by the camera 108 to detect the state of the trailer 107 relative to the vehicle 105, such as, for example, whether the trailer 107 is attached to the vehicle 105, detached from the vehicle 105, being detached from the vehicle 105, or being attached to the vehicle 105.

[0053] The signals transmitted by the various detectors of the detector / sensor 505 to the asset tracking and management system 115 may vary depending on the type of detector. For example, the camera 108 may provide an image of the trailer 107 in one of a variety of formats (jpeg, mpeg, etc.).

[0054] The infotainment system 135 may include a display system with a GUI 501 that can be used to perform various operations. For example, the driver 110 of the vehicle 105 can use the GUI to interact with the asset tracking and management system 115. In an exemplary implementation, the asset tracking and management system 115 can display step-by-step text instructions, verbal instructions, and / or graphical images that assist the driver 110 in performing various actions according to the present disclosure. Some exemplary actions may include detaching the trailer 107 from the vehicle 105, attaching the trailer 107 to another vehicle 205, transferring one or more items from the trailer 107 to another trailer 238, route information for the driving route, and addresses of various locations along the driving route (location 220, location 225, location 230, etc.).

[0055] The asset tracking and management system 115 can be implemented in a variety of ways. In one exemplary implementation, the asset tracking and management system 115 can be a stand-alone device (e.g., enclosed in a housing). In another exemplary implementation, some or all of the components of the asset tracking and management system 115 can be housed, merged, or can share functionality with the vehicle computer 130. For example, an integrated unit combining the functionality of the asset tracking and management system 115 with the functionality of the vehicle computer 130 can be operated by a single processor and a single memory device. In the exemplary configuration shown, the asset tracking and management system 115 includes a processor 116, an input / output interface 515, and a memory 117.

[0056] The input / output interface 515 is configured to support information transfer and communication between the asset tracking and management system 115 and other components coupled to the bus 511 , such as, for example, to receive images from the imaging device 510 and signals from the detector / sensor 505 .

[0057] The memory 117, as one example of a non-transitory computer-readable medium, may be used to store an operating system (OS) 535, an image assessment module 525, a database 530, and various code modules, such as, for example, an asset tracking and management system module 520. The code modules are provided in the form of computer-executable instructions that may be executed by the processor 116 for performing various operations according to the present disclosure.

[0058] The asset tracking and management system module 520 may be executed by the processor 116 for performing various operations according to the present disclosure. Some exemplary operations are described above with reference to the flowchart 300. Performing some of these operations may involve the asset tracking and management system module 520 utilizing an image evaluation module 525 for evaluating images captured by a camera, such as, for example, the camera 108.

[0059] The database 530 may be used to store various types of data, such as, for example, information related to the vehicle 105, trailer 107, contents of the trailer 107, travel routes, addresses, schedules, tracking, and inventory.

[0060] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings that form a part of the above disclosure, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure can be practiced. It should be understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to "one embodiment", "embodiment", "example embodiment", "example embodiment", etc. indicate that the described embodiment may include specific features, structures or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when specific features, structures or characteristics are described in conjunction with an embodiment, whether or not explicitly described, those skilled in the art will recognize such features, structures or characteristics in conjunction with other embodiments.

[0061] The implementation of the systems, devices, apparatuses and methods disclosed herein may include or utilize one or more devices including hardware (such as, for example, one or more processors and system memory discussed herein). The implementation of the apparatus, system and method disclosed herein may communicate through a computer network. "Network" is defined as one or more data links that enable electronic data to be transmitted between a computer system and / or module and / or other electronic device. When information is transmitted or provided to a computer via a network or another communication connection (hardwired, wireless, or any combination of hardwired or wireless), the computer appropriately regards the connection as a transmission medium. The transmission medium may include a network and / or a data link, which may be used to carry a desired program code device in the form of a computer executable instruction or data structure, and may be accessed by a general or special-purpose computer. The combination of the above items should also be included within the scope of non-transitory computer-readable media.

[0062] Computer executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data that, when executed at a processor, cause the processor to perform a certain function or group of functions. Computer executable instructions may be, for example, binary code, intermediate format instructions (such as assembly language), or even source code. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or method actions, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the features or actions described above. Rather, the described features and actions are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

[0063] The memory device may include any one memory element or combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., random access memory (RAM, such as DRAM, SRAM, SDRAM, etc.) and non-volatile memory elements (e.g., ROM, hard drive, magnetic tape, CDROM, etc.). In addition, the memory device may incorporate electronic, magnetic, optical and / or other types of storage media. In the context of this document, a "non-transitory computer readable medium" can be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared or semiconductor system, device or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer readable media would include the following: portable computer floppy disk (magnetic), random access memory (RAM) (electronic), read-only memory (ROM) (electronic), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM, EEPROM or flash memory) (electronic), and portable compact disk read-only memory (CD ROM) (optical). It should be noted that the computer-readable medium may even be paper or another suitable medium on which the program is printed, since the program may be captured electronically, for example via an optical scan of the paper or other medium, and then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the functions described herein may be performed in one or more of the following: hardware, software, firmware, digital components, or analog components. For example, one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) may be programmed to implement one or more of the systems and programs described herein. Certain terms are used throughout the specification and claims to refer to specific system components. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, components may be referred to by different names. This document is not intended to distinguish between components that have different names but the same function.

[0065] It should be noted that the above-mentioned detector embodiments may include computer hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof to perform at least a portion of their functions. For example, the detector may include computer code configured to be executed in one or more processors and may include hardware logic / circuitry controlled by the computer code. These example devices are provided herein for illustrative purposes and are not intended to be limiting. As known to those skilled in the relevant art, the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in other types of devices.

[0066] At least some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a computer program product that includes such logic stored (e.g., in the form of software) on any computer-usable medium. Such software, when executed in one or more data processing devices, causes the devices to operate as described herein.

[0067] Although various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it should be understood that various embodiments of the present disclosure are presented only by way of example and not by way of limitation. Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but should only be limited according to the attached claims and their equivalents. The foregoing description has been presented for illustration and description purposes. The foregoing description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. In view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible. In addition, it should be noted that any or all of the foregoing alternative implementations can be used in any desired combination to form additional hybrid implementations of the present disclosure. For example, any one of the functionalities described with respect to a particular device or component can be performed by another device or component. In addition, although specific device characteristics have been described, embodiments of the present disclosure may involve many other device characteristics. In addition, although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and / or method actions, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described. Rather, specific features and actions are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the described embodiments. Unless otherwise specifically stated or otherwise understood within the context when used, conditional language, such as, in particular, "can," "might," "may," or "may" is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments may include certain features, elements, and / or steps, while other embodiments may not. Therefore, such conditional language is generally not intended to imply that one or more embodiments require each feature, element, and / or step in any way.

[0068] According to the present invention, a system is provided, the system having: at least one of a server computer or a cloud computer; a first vehicle, the first vehicle being coupled to a first trailer; a camera, the camera being mounted on one of the first vehicle or the first trailer; a first asset tracking and management system, the first asset tracking and management system being disposed in at least one of the first vehicle or the first trailer attached to the first vehicle, the first asset tracking and management system comprising: a first memory, the first memory storing computer executable instructions; and a first processor, the first processor being configured to access the first memory and execute the computer executable instructions to at least: evaluate an image of the first trailer captured by the camera; detect separation of the first trailer from the first vehicle at a first geographic location based on evaluating the image; obtain location information of the first geographic location; transmit a message to one of the server computer or the cloud computer, the message notifying the server computer or the cloud computer of the separation of the first trailer from the first vehicle and including location information for identifying the first geographic location; and transmit a request to the server computer or the cloud computer to dispatch a second vehicle to the first geographic location to transport the first trailer or one of at least a first item contained in the first trailer to the second geographic location.

[0069] According to one embodiment, the present invention is also characterized by: a second asset tracking and management system, which is arranged in at least one of the second vehicle or the second trailer attached to the second vehicle, and the second asset tracking and management system includes: a second memory, which stores computer-executable instructions; and a second processor, which is configured to access the second memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least: receive instructions from one of the server computer or the cloud computer to travel to the first geographic location, and transport the first trailer or one of at least the first items contained in the first trailer to the second geographic location.

[0070] According to one embodiment, said at least one of said first vehicle or said first trailer comprises a communication system configured to wirelessly transmit said message to one of said server computer or said cloud computer.

[0071] According to one embodiment, the first vehicle further includes a navigation system configured to provide location information of the first geographic location to the first asset tracking and management system in the form of global positioning system (GPS) coordinates.

[0072] According to one embodiment, a portion of the first memory is configured as a database for storing at least one of inventory information of at least the first item or tracking information of at least the first item.

Claims

1. A method wherein include: detecting, by a first processor, separation of a first trailer from a first vehicle at a first geographic location; transmitting, by the first processor to a second processor, a message notifying the second processor of the separation of the first trailer from the first vehicle and including location information identifying the first geographic location; and Inventory information is determined by the first processor and / or the second processor, the inventory information comprising at least one of a tracking number or a description of at least a first item contained in the first trailer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first processor is part of an asset tracking and management system disposed in at least one of the first trailer or the first vehicle, and wherein the second processor is part of one of a server computer or a cloud computer. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting the separation of the first trailer from the first vehicle comprises evaluating a video segment including at least one image of the first trailer.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: include: At least one of an identification tag or an odometer reading of at least one of the first trailer or the first vehicle is determined by the first processor and / or the second processor.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: include: A request is determined by the first processor and / or the second processor to dispatch a second vehicle to the first geographic location to transport one of the first trailer or at least the first item contained in the first trailer to a second geographic location.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising: include: At least one of a set of step-by-step text instructions or a set of step-by-step verbal instructions is provided by the first processor to assist a driver of the first vehicle in transferring at least the first item from the first trailer to a second trailer attached to the second vehicle.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising: include: Communications are initiated by the first processor with a third processor of the robot to enable the third processor to operate the robot to transfer at least the first item from the first trailer to a second trailer attached to the second vehicle.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first geographic location.

9. A method wherein include: receiving, by the first processor from the second processor, a first message notifying the first processor of separation of the first trailer from the first vehicle at a first geographic location and including location information for the first geographic location; and A second vehicle is assigned, by the first processor, to travel to the first geographic location and transport one of the first trailer or at least a first item contained in the first trailer to a second geographic location by using the location information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first processor is part of one of a server computer or a cloud computer, and wherein the second processor is part of an asset tracking and management system disposed in at least one of the first trailer or the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: include: At least one of an identification tag or an odometer reading of at least one of the first trailer or the first vehicle is received by the first processor from the second processor.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the location information comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates of the first geographic location.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first message further includes at least one of a tracking number or a description of the first item.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: include: receiving, by the first processor, from the second processor, a second message notifying the first processor of a transfer of at least the first item from the first trailer to a second trailer attached to the second vehicle; and Confirmation of the transfer of at least the first item from the first trailer to the second trailer is received by the first processor from a third processor located in one of the second vehicle or the second trailer attached to the second vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: include: Information associated with tracking movement of the second vehicle and at least the first item located in the second trailer is received by the first processor from the third processor.

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