Improved tracking system

Abstract

A system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items, the system comprising: a plurality of tracking devices; a plurality of reusable transit items each comprising a communicator for communicating data to the plurality of tracking devices; a control module configured to receive the data from each of the plurality of tracking devices; wherein the control module is further configured to aggregate and process the data to form a historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items; and wherein the plurality of tracking devices transmit data to the control module asynchronously and the control module is further configured to order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items.

Description

[0001] IMPROVED TRACKING SYSTEM

[0002] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items, and in particular to a system configured to obtain a historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items.

[0004] BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

[0005] Reusable transit items have the potential to reduce the environmental impact and reliance on single-use materials in the packaging sector and in supply chains.

[0006] In theory, reusable transit items can create a circular packaging economy. They can be filled by a producer, transported to a supplier, used in-store to display produce, and subsequently recycled and returned to the producer for refilling.

[0007] However, in reality there are losses and efficiency problems associated with this process which prevent a closed material loop. This impacts the sustainability of the system as well as the owner of the reusable transit items.

[0008] One way to reduce asset loss is to introduce a tracking system such that the owner can keep track of their reusable transit items throughout the supply chain process and identify sources of inefficiency.

[0009] Tracking systems utilising RFID technology are known, in which the reusable transit item comprises a tag to be read by an electromagnetic reader. Handheld readers can capture information from many assets at a time and speed up auditing in comparison to manual processes. Fixed readers can be used to automatically track assets as they enter or leave a site. However, RFID systems require a large amount of fixed infrastructure and add constraints to complex supply chains. For example, even with a handheld reader, each asset has to be brought into range of the reader device, which is inefficient, labour intensive and not practical at a large scale.

[0010] A further challenge to be considered, is the overall cost of implementing a tracking system for tracking large volumes of reusable transit items. In addition to the initial investment, the durability of the tracking system also needs to be considered. Typically, reusable transit items

[0011] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) can remain in circulation for 5 to 10 years, and therefore it is important for a tracking system to at least equal this lifetime to enable a cost-effective circular packaging economy.

[0012] Thus, there is requirement for a low-cost, highly durable tracking system which is suitable for tracking large volumes of reusable transit items, without reducing the efficiency of the supply chain.

[0013] It is against this background that the present invention has arisen.

[0014] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0015] According to the present invention, there is provided a system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items, the system comprising: a plurality of tracking devices; a plurality of reusable transit items each comprising a communicator for communicating data to the plurality of tracking devices; a control module configured to receive the data from each of the plurality of tracking devices; wherein the control module is further configured to aggregate and process the data to form a historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items; and wherein the plurality of tracking devices transmit data to the control module asynchronously and the control module is further configured to order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items. The status of the reusable transit items includes one or more of the location, position, impact status, temperature and humidity of the reusable transit items.

[0016] In some embodiments, there is provided a system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items, the system comprising: one or more tracking devices; a plurality of reusable transit items each comprising a communicator for communicating data to the one or more tracking devices; a control module configured to receive the data from each of the one or more tracking devices; and wherein the control module is further configured to aggregate the data to form a historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items.

[0017] The present invention provides a fully integrated tracking system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items. As opposed to typical asset tracking systems, the system of the present invention is configured to form a historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items, instead of focussing on obtaining real-time location data for each individual asset. The system of the present invention comprises a control module which is configured to process

[0018] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) data received from tracking devices, to form the historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items. In contrast to typical asset tracking systems, the data is not processed on the reusable transit item. Rather, it is communicated to and then processed by the control module, which is remote from, and not subject to the energy / power constraints of the reusable transit item. For example, in a typical asset tracking system, such as an automotive fleet tracker, each vehicle will be fitted with GPS tracking. It will therefore report to the fleet tracker, the location of the vehicle at any time. In contrast, the reusable transit items will simply hold data regarding what communicator or location beacon it come into contact with and when that contact took place. The calculation of position is then carried out in the control module.

[0019] The transmitted data may be data from any sensor within the system, including but not limited to, temperature data, humidity data, impact data, communicator ID data and / or location beacon ID data. The control module processes this data to identify the status of the reusable transit items and orders the data chronologically such that the historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items is determined from the sensor data. The status may include the location, temperature, humidity and / or impact status. In a large-scale supply chain system, a historical overview of the location of reusable transit items is more important for identifying losses and inefficiencies than the real-time location of each asset, of which there may be millions.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control module may process temperature data to form a historical location overview of the reusable transit items by comparing received temperature data to known temperature data from locations within a system. For example, if a fire is reported at a particular location, then the control module may process the received temperature data by identifying abnormally high temperature data points. The control module may then determine that a reusable transit item was in proximity to the fire and thus determines the location of the reusable transit item from the temperature sensor data.

[0021] In some embodiments, a communicator may collect data regarding the number of mobile phones in its vicinity. In some embodiments, once received by the control module this data may be processed to determine the position of a reusable transit item. In some embodiments, a control module may process the data to determine that when a comparatively high number of mobile phones were in the vicinity of a communicator, the reusable transit item was

[0022] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) located in a customer facing area of a shop, as opposed to a warehouse location. Thus the control module processes the received data to determine the position of the reusable transit items. The position, i.e. shop floor versus warehouse may be more useful than the exact physical location, which may only be available with a limited degree of accuracy and may not provide the same level of useful insight as to "position" i.e. near customers.

[0023] In some embodiments, a system may comprise one or more location beacons. In some embodiments, a location beacon may transmit ID data to communicators and / or tracking devices via short-range wireless radio signal. In some embodiments, a location beacon may comprise a short-range wireless radio such a Bluetooth® radio. In some embodiments, a location beacon may be configured to transmit and receive short-range wireless communications. In some embodiments, a location beacon may only transmit ID data to communicators and / or tracking devices and may be configured such that it cannot receive data.

[0024] In some embodiments, a tracking device may be a location beacon. In some embodiments, a location beacon may be a relatively low-cost device. In some embodiments, a location beacon may not comprise a cellular modem, a location engine, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor and / or a memory, to keep the cost of the device low.

[0025] In some embodiments, a location beacon may be battery powered. In some embodiments, a location beacon may have a fixed position. In some embodiments, the low cost of location beacons may mean that they can be installed widely whilst maintaining the cost effectiveness of the system. In some embodiments, a location beacon may be installed in a location in which there is a high throughput of reusable transit items and communicators, for example at a convenience store. In some embodiments, a location beacon may be easy to install such that they can be installed at a site by an unskilled operative.

[0026] In some embodiments, when a communicator comes into proximity with a location beacon, it may receive a short-range radio communication from the location beacon which may include the location beacon ID. In some embodiments, the communicator may collect location beacon ID data for each location beacon it comes into proximity with and may store the location beacon ID data. In some embodiments, when the communicator comes into proximity with a tracking device, the communicator may communicate data to the tracking

[0027] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) device, including the stored location beacon ID data. In some embodiments, the location beacon ID data may be transferred to the control module by the tracking device, and the control module may decode the location history of the communicator, and thus the reusable transit device to which it is attached, by decoding the location beacon ID data.

[0028] In some embodiments, the use of location beacons may lower the cost of the system by reducing the number of higher-cost tracking devices necessary in a system, whilst ensuring sufficient data points to establish an accurate location overview of the reusable transit items.

[0029] In some embodiments, communicators may collect and store data from other communicators. In some embodiments, communicators may transfer data to other communicators as they come into proximity. In some embodiments, communicators may transfer data to other communicators through short-range wireless communication. In some embodiments, a communicator may transmit its communicator ID to other communicators, and the receiving communicator may store received communicator ID data. In some embodiments, a communicator may transmit other forms of stored data to communicators, for example temperature data, humidity data, impact data and / or any other forms of data collected from their sensors or sensors within the system. In some embodiments, communicators may transmit all their stored data when in proximity to other communicators. In some embodiments, when a communicator is in the proximity of a tracking device, a communicator may communicate all its stored data to the tracking device, including its own stored sensor data and the stored data from other communicators.

[0030] In some embodiments, the system of the present invention is suitable for use in one or more of the following: inventory measurement, cycle management, proper-use auditing, route analysis, identification of leakage points within a customer network and / or cold-chain monitoring. In some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used by stores and / or suppliers to ensure that they do not run out of reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used to identify sites which are storing too many assets and / or hoarding assets. In some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used to monitor end-to-end product quality. In some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used to improve efficiency and enable unused reusable transit items to be collected and recycled faster. In some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used to provide a live inventory of reusable transit items. In

[0031] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) some embodiments, the system of the present invention may be used to find and eliminate losses of reusable transit items from the system.

[0032] The present invention utilises parent / child technology. In some embodiments, the communicators may be considered to be 'child' devices. In some embodiments, the tracking devices may be considered to be 'parent' devices. In some embodiments, the parent tracking device is configured to gather data from the child communicator devices, which are comprised within the reusable transit items.

[0033] In some embodiments, the plurality of communicators are configured to communicate with the one or more tracking devices frequently. In some embodiments, the plurality of communicators may be configured to communicate with the one or more tracking devices at a rate of one transmission per second.

[0034] In some embodiments, the control module may receive data from each of the one or more tracking devices less frequently. In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices may be configured to store data received from each reusable transit item. In some embodiments, the tracking devices may collect and store data from communicators and may be configured to upload their stored data to the control module periodically for processing. In some embodiments, because the tracking devices may upload data to the control module periodically, the data from the communicators will likely be transmitted to the control module asynchronously, and the control module is configured to aggregate, process, and order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items. In some embodiments, this contrasts known systems, which upload location data, which has been calculated locally via a GPS device, for example, to the control module constantly, in order to provide real-time location data.

[0035] In some embodiments, tracking devices may upload data they have collected to the control module via a Wi-Fi or cellular network. In some embodiments, the tracking devices may operate in challenging network environments. In some embodiments, the tracking devices may be stored for long periods in locations without network access. In some embodiments, when this happens, they continue to collect data, store it in memory and upload the backlog when the network becomes available again. In some embodiments, tracking devices may upload observations several times per day.

[0036] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, the control module may be configured to receive the data from each of the one or more tracking devices asynchronously and is further configured to order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items.

[0037] Within the context of the present invention, the term 'location data' should be understood to mean any form of data transmitted to the control module, which is then processed by the control module to determine the location and / or position of the reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the location data of the present invention differs from traditional location data, which is limited to latitude and longitude data. In some embodiments, the location data of the present invention can include temperature data and / or humidity data and / or impact data and / or communicator ID data and / or location beacon ID data and / or any other data from sensors within the system.

[0038] Within the context of the present invention, the term "position" is used in place of, or alongside "location". The location relates to the geographical location, but that may only be determinable to a given degree of accuracy, say within a given building. However, the "position" may be informed by other associated information such as the number of mobile phones in the vicinity, indicating that the reusable transit item is in a customer environment, such as a shop floor, rather than within the warehouse part of the same building.

[0039] In some embodiments, the tracking devices may upload stored data from communicators to the control module, resulting in the position and / or location data for a given reusable transit item being received by the control module asynchronously. In some embodiments, this can occur because a communicator must come into range of a tracking device in order to communicate data to said tracking device. Additionally, in some embodiments, in order for a tracking device to transfer the stored data to the control module, the tracking device must establish a connection to the control module. In some embodiments, this may occur relatively infrequently. By way of example only, if a tracking device is mounted on a reusable transit item which is then stored in a refrigerated container, it may only be able to communicate with the control module once it is removed from said refrigerated container, which may be on a weekly basis, or even more infrequently.

[0040] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, in the period of time in which the tracking device cannot establish a connection with the control module, it may still be communicating with and storing data from communicators which come into range.

[0041] In some embodiments, once the tracking device is able to establish connection with the control module, it transmits the stored data relating to the reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the stored data may relate to the location of a reusable transit item from a period of time ago. However, in some embodiments, this data may be received by the control module after more recent position and / or location data for said reusable transit item has been received from another tracking device.

[0042] In some embodiments, the control module is therefore configured to order the asynchronous data chronologically to form a historical overview of the status, including position, location and / or temperature of the reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the control module is configured to process the data received from each of the one or more tracking devices by assigning named locations to devices and correlating observations from multiple devices to allow a more complete picture of historical movements.

[0043] In some embodiments, the communicator may be a short-range wireless device. In some embodiments, the communicator communicates data to a tracking device via short-range wireless communication. In addition to not requiring a cellular network connection, and therefore not being interrupted by network connection issues, short-range wireless devices are less expensive than cellular devices. Thus they are well-suited for the tracking of large volumes of reusable transit items, whilst minimising the overall cost of the tracking system.

[0044] In some embodiments, the majority of the reusable transit items in the system may comprise a communicator which is a short-range wireless device. In some embodiments, 90 to 95% of the reusable transit items in the system may comprise a communicator which is a short-range wireless device.

[0045] In some embodiments, communicators may have a small and thin design. This can be advantageous because it enables the communicators to be easily fitted onto any reusable transit item type. In addition, in some embodiments, the small and thin design of communicators may enable them to be easily retrofit onto existing reusable transit items.

[0046] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, a communicator cannot upload data to the network directly, and communicates data to one or more tracking devices by transmitting a message. In some embodiments, these messages may be collected, stored and forwarded by one or more tracking devices. In some embodiments, the communicator may be a Bluetooth® device and the communicator may transmit a message called an "advertisement" in the Bluetooth® Specification. In some embodiments, the transmitted messages may have a range of approximately 50 meters.

[0047] In some embodiments, the communicator may comprise a temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the communicator may comprise a humidity sensor. In some embodiments, the communicator may comprise an impact sensor. In some embodiments, the data may comprise temperature data. In some embodiments, the data may comprise humidity data. In some embodiments, the data may comprise impact data. In some embodiments, the data may comprise ID data. In some embodiments, the message transmitted by the communicator may comprise an ID number. In some embodiments, the ID number may also be printed on the outside of the communicator. In some embodiments, the ID number may be printed in the form of a 2D bar code, such as a QR code.

[0048] In some embodiments, the temperature data collected from the plurality of reusable transit items can be used in cold-chain monitoring. In some embodiments, the output of the control module may be a set of JSON reports describing the data collected from the tracking devices such as device temperature records or the location / visit history. In some embodiments, these reports may be imported into a front end system and / or exposed to customers via a data exchange interface. In some embodiments, the front end system enables the data collected from the tracking devices, communicators and control module to be viewed. In some embodiments, the front end system may be a website.

[0049] In some embodiments, the system can be used to obtain a historical location overview for a plurality of reusable transit items transporting and / or storing perishable or temperaturesensitive goods. Therefore, in some embodiments, the system can be used to monitor transport and storing conditions which could damage the quality of the products being transported in the reusable transit items.

[0050] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, the communicator may be battery powered. In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be battery powered. In some embodiments, one or more tracking devices may be mounted to a reusable transit item. In some embodiments, mounting battery powered tracking devices onto reusable transit items, may minimise the amount of fixed infrastructure required in the system. In some embodiments, tracking devices may be fitted to a minority of reusable transit items. In some embodiments, between 5% and 10% of reusable transit items may be fitted with a tracking device. In comparison to communicators, tracking devices may be relatively expensive because they may comprise more sophisticated technology such as a cellular device. By only mounting tracking devices onto a minority of reusable transit items, the overall cost of the tracking system is minimised.

[0051] In some embodiments, the battery life may be in excess of 5 years. In some embodiments, the battery life of the communicators and / or the tracking devices may match the lifetime of the reusable transit item. In some embodiments, the reusable transit item may have a lifetime of 5 to 10 years. In some embodiments, the battery life of all devices may be 5 to 10 years.

[0052] In some embodiments, prolonging the battery life within the system is important because recharging devices in a high-volume, large-scale supply system is not practical. This is in contrast to typical tracking devices used for example in fleet management, in which tracking devices can be wired into the vehicle being tracked or can be recharged periodically.

[0053] In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices comprise one or more of a cellular modem, a location engine, a short-range wireless radio, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor and / or a memory. In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices may comprise both Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi radios. In some embodiments, each tracking device records its own location visits, temperature, and movements. In some embodiments, the one or more tracking device may be a smartphone comprising a mobile app.

[0054] Short-range wireless devices, Wi-Fi and cellular radios may use a lot of battery power. In some embodiments, if the tracking devices were connected continuously to the network, the batteries would last only a few weeks. In some embodiments, in order to reach the required battery lifetime, battery management forms an important part of the system. In some embodiments, the performance of the tracking devices is optimised in order to optimise performance and prolong battery life.

[0055] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices may use their short-range wireless radio to scan regularly for nearby communicators. In some embodiments, when the tracking device is in range of a communicator, it records the communicator ID, time, and location of communication. In some embodiments, in order to prolong the battery life, battery powered tracking devices may scan for communicators periodically. In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices may scan for communicators twice per day, for example. In some embodiments, because the tracking devices may only scan for communicators periodically and may only upload data to the control module periodically, it is important for the control module to be capable of ordering asynchronous data into a chronological historical location overview of the reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the asynchronous data ordering capabilities of the control module facilitate the longevity and practicality of the system.

[0056] In some embodiments, the one or more tracking devices can connect to the control module via Wi-Fi network or via cellular network. In some embodiments, a Wi-Fi network connection is preferred and prioritised because it uses less battery power than a cellular upload.

[0057] In some embodiments, in which the tracking device comprises an accelerometer, the accelerometer data may inform the decision of how frequently the tracking device attempts connection to the control module. In some embodiments, accelerometer data may be used to determine if a tracking device is stationary or moving. In some embodiments, if it is determined that the tracking device is moving, it may upload data after every movement. In some embodiments, there may be a limitation placed on the number of uploads to prolong battery life. In some embodiments, this may be one connection every three hours, for example. In some embodiments, if it is determined from the accelerometer data that the tracking device is stationary, it may attempt to upload data less frequently. For example, in some embodiments, the tracking device may upload data every 2000 minutes (33 hours).

[0058] In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be fixed in one position. In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be a gateway device. In some embodiments, a gateway device may be a combined short-range wireless scanner and a Wi-Fi access point. In some embodiments, a gateway device may be a combined Bluetooth® scanner and a Wi-Fi access point.

[0059] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) In some embodiments, a gateway device may be installed at logistics sites where reusable transit items collect in large numbers. In some embodiments, a gateway device may require a relatively high bandwidth network connection. In some embodiments, this may be via the customer's local Wi-Fi network or through an external cellular modem.

[0060] In some embodiments, a gateway device receives data from communicators via the short- range wireless scanner. In some embodiments, tracking devices may upload data to a gateway via the gateway's Wi-Fi access point. In some embodiments, the data is protected by end-to- end encryption, to ensure the privacy and safety of the uploaded data.

[0061] In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be a scanner device. In some embodiments, a scanner device may be battery powered. In some embodiments, a scanner device may be mounted on a reusable transit item. In some embodiments, a scanner is substantially the same as a tracking device described herein, but does not have a cellular radio. In some embodiments, a scanner device may be significantly cheaper than a tracking device comprising a cellular radio, and may be able to operate with a smaller battery. In some embodiments, a scanner device can store its own location data. In some embodiments, the scanner device may store data received from communicators. In some embodiments, the scanner device may upload the data via a Wi-Fi connection to a gateway device. In some embodiments, a scanner must use a gateway to upload data. In some embodiments, scanners can only upload data via a gateway using Wi-Fi because they do not comprise a cellular radio. In some embodiments, any device connecting to a gateway device must use the industry standard WPA2 authentication and encryption system. In some embodiments, all data may be end-to-end encrypted from the device to the server.

[0062] In some embodiments, the authentication and encryption system includes password protecting the gateway devices and providing the tracking devices and / or scanner devices with an algorithm that can determine the password once in range of the gateway device. In some embodiments, by password protecting the gateway devices within the system, communication can be limited to only those tracking devices and / or scanner devices within the system of the present invention.

[0063] In some embodiments, in normal operation, scanner devices may spend most of their time out of range of a gateway device. In some embodiments, a scanner device may only be in a

[0064] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) location with a gateway device every few weeks. In this case they continue to collect information, store it in memory and upload it to the gateway device once they come back into range of a gateway, for example in a customer warehouse.

[0065] In some embodiments, in order to prolong battery life, a scanner device may scan for communicators a limited number of times per day. In some embodiments, the scanner device may scan for communicators twice per day for example. In some embodiments, the scanner device may attempt to upload data a limited number of times per day. In some embodiments, the scanner device may upload data after every movement.

[0066] In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be mains powered. In some embodiments, a gateway device may be mains powered. In some embodiments, mains powered tracking devices may not possess the same requirement for battery conservation as battery powered tracking devices. In some embodiments, mains powered tracking devices, such as gateways, may scan for communicators continuously, allowing them to collect messages from a large number of communicators very quickly.

[0067] In some embodiments, one of the tracking devices may be an access point device. In some embodiments, the access point device may be mains powered. In some embodiments, the access point device may require a mains power supply and may be battery powered. In some embodiments, the access point device may be distinguished from a gateway type device because it comprises an internal cellular network connection. In some embodiments, in which the access point device is battery powered, the access point device may contain the same technology as other tracking devices but may be packaged in a larger box with a high-capacity battery. In some embodiments, access point devices are more convenient to install. In some embodiments, an access point device may be easily and temporarily installed at a location receiving a high volume of reusable transit items. In some embodiments, the access point device may be configured to be fixed to a wall. In some embodiments, the access point device may be configured to be fixed inside a delivery vehicle, for example.

[0068] In some embodiments, in order to prolong battery life, access point devices may scan for communicators every few hours and upload data to the network once or twice per day. In some embodiments, access point devices can connect to the control module via Wi-Fi network, using their Wi-Fi radio or via cellular network using their cellular radio. In some

[0069] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) embodiments, a Wi-Fi network connection is preferred and prioritised because it uses less battery power than a cellular upload.

[0070] In some embodiments, cellular, Wi-Fi and short-range wireless radio interfaces are active within tracking devices only when uploading data to the network or scanning for a communicator. The approximate timings for each operation may be, but are not limited to:

[0071] • Cellular data upload: 30 seconds

[0072] • Short-range wireless scan: 10s for reusable transit item mounted tracking devices including scanner devices, 2 minutes for access point devices

[0073] • WiFi data upload: 15 seconds

[0074] In some embodiments, in which the gateway device is mains powered, the gateway device may short-range wireless scan for communicators continuously, because it is not limited by power constraints. In some embodiments, the gateway device may short-range wireless scan substantially continuously. In an exemplary embodiment, the gateway device may have a cycle of short-range wireless scanning for four seconds and then turning off for one second.

[0075] In some embodiments, the exact timings are configurable via settings sent over the air. In some embodiments, each tracking device is active for a total of a few minutes per day. In some embodiments, the tracking devices remain with their radios turned off to conserve battery. Within the context of the present invention, the term 'turned off' should be understood to mean that the power supply to the radios circuit is completely disconnected so there is no possibility of a connection.

[0076] In some embodiments, the reusable transit item may be one or more of the following: a pallet, a roll cage, a container, a crate, a tote box, a stillage, a pallet box and / or a foldable pallet box.

[0077] Device data flow

[0078] The communication of data from a communicator to the control module may take place via several routes. In some embodiments, data may be communicated from a communicator to a tracking device, and directly transferred to the control module. In some embodiments, a tracking device may upload data to the control module over Wi-Fi or cellular network. In some embodiments, the primary transport of data from a tracking device to the control module may be cellular. In this case the tracking device uses the cellular modem to establish a

[0079] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) connection to the control module. In some embodiments, data may be transferred from the tracking device to the control module using end-to-end encryption (AES) of data. In some embodiments, encryption keys are rotated regularly to ensure the safety and privacy of the system. In some embodiments, the connection may be transient. In some embodiments, the connection may typically last approximately 30 seconds.

[0080] In some embodiments, data may be communicated from a communicator to a tracking device, and subsequently to a gateway device before being transferred to the control module. In some embodiments, tracking devices which are scanner devices lack a cellular modem and so must use a gateway. In some embodiments, the connection may be transient. In some embodiments, the connection may typically last 15 to 30 seconds.

[0081] In some embodiments, the gateway device may use a cellular backhaul to transfer data. In some embodiments, this option bypasses customer network infrastructure completely. In some embodiments, the backhaul connection is permanent.

[0082] In some embodiments, a gateway may be configured to use a customer network for backhaul. In this case the customer isolates gateway traffic via a private network, VPN, or equivalent tunnelling technology. In some embodiments, the backhaul connection is permanent.

[0083] Connection establishment

[0084] In some embodiments, the tracking device does not have a public IP address. In some embodiments, tracking devices do not accept incoming connections. In some embodiments, outgoing connections are temporarily established for a period of a few seconds (see timings above) to burst-upload stored data. In some embodiments, devices will typically establish an outbound connection a few times per day:

[0085] • In some embodiments, tracking devices, including access points can establish outbound connections using the cellular network (GSM, LTE CAT-M and NB-loT). These connections use cellular industry encryption and authentication. In some embodiments, each tracking device has a Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) chip permanently soldered to its circuit board. In some embodiments, the SIM contains an Identifier (ICCID) that uniquely identifies the device. In some embodiments, it also contains a private key that is used for an authentication protocol with the phone

[0086] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) network operator. In some embodiments, the encryption key is stored in secure memory on the SIM. In some embodiments, it is not possible to extract the key from the SIM card. In some embodiments, the authentication process runs on the SIM, not on the device processor. This makes it difficult for even a well-funded and motivated hacker to clone a cellular device.

[0087] • In some embodiments, tracking devices including scanner devices and access points can establish outbound connections using a Wi-Fi link to a gateway device. These connections are protected using the industry standard WPA2 authentication and encryption system

[0088] • In some embodiments, communicators never make network connections of any kind. In some embodiments, communicators may establish short-range radio connection with location beacons and / or other communicators. In some embodiments, communicators may broadcast a message that contains their ID. In some embodiments, this ID is burned into the short-range wireless chip during manufacturing and cannot be changed. In some embodiments, the short-range wireless radio inside each communicator is set up to be "unconnectable". This means that the radio receiver is never turned on, making it impossible for an external device to connect to the communicator. In some embodiments, the short-range wireless radio inside each communicator is set up to both receive and transmit short-range radio communications.

[0089] • In some embodiments, location beacons may never make network connections of any kind. In some embodiments, location beacons may broadcast a message that contains their ID. In some embodiments, this ID is burned into the short-range wireless chip during manufacturing and cannot be changed. In some embodiments, the short-range wireless radio inside each location beacon is set up to be "unconnectable". This means that the radio receiver is never turned on, making it impossible for an external device to connect to the location beacon. Alternatively, in some embodiments, location beacons may comprise a short-range wireless radio and may be configured to transmit and receive short range wireless communications. In some embodiments, location beacons may have a fixed position. In some embodiments, location beacons may be mains powered. In some embodiments, location beacons may be battery powered. In some embodiments, location beacons may broadcast a message containing their ID

[0090] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Y1 periodically. In some embodiments, location beacons may broadcast a message containing their ID at a rate of one transmission per second for example. In some embodiments, gateways need a network connection to send the data they receive from communicators, and tracking devices including scanner devices and access points to the network. In some embodiments, gateways are connected to a local WiFi network, protected using WPA2. In some embodiments, the gateway is connected using a cellular modem, with cellular authentication and encryption as described above.

[0091] Control module architecture

[0092] In some embodiments, the control module comprises architecture for optimising dataflow and security.

[0093] In some embodiments, the control module is a data processing system. In some embodiments, the control module is used to:

[0094] • Receive and store data from tracking devices.

[0095] • Send configuration and firmware changes of devices.

[0096] • Process raw data into actionable data feeds used by customers.

[0097] • Manage device metadata. For example, data fields that define the customer, end customer (environment) and customer definable tags for each device.

[0098] • Manage customer location sets. These consist of location names and coordinates that are used to generate more intelligible location visit reports in the data-feed.

[0099] • Correlate communicator observations from multiple tracking devices to provide a coherent location history.

[0100] FIGURES

[0101] The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

[0102] Figure 1 shows a communicator;

[0103] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Figure 2 shows a battery powered tracking device;

[0104] Figure 3 shows a scanner type tracking device;

[0105] Figure 4 shows a gateway type tracking device with an external cellular modem;

[0106] Figure 5 shows an access point type tracking device;

[0107] Figure 6 shows a schematic overview of the system;

[0108] Figures 7A and 7B show schematically, the transfer of data from a location beacon to a tracking device;

[0109] Figure 8 shows schematically, the transfer of data from tracking device to control module;

[0110] Figure 9 shows schematically, the transfer of data from communicator to control module;

[0111] Figure 10A illustrates the collection of data by multiple communicators; and

[0112] Figure 10B illustrates the grouping of data received by the control module.

[0113] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0114] The present invention provides a system fortracking a plurality of reusable transit items, including but not limited to pallets, roll cages, containers, crates, tote boxes, stillages, pallet boxes and / or foldable pallet boxes. The system is configured to form a historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items, suitable for use in a large-scale supply chain system.

[0115] Referring to Figure 1, the majority of reusable transit items to be tracked comprise a communicator 10. Each communicator 10 is battery powered and has a small, thin design to be compatible with any type of reusable transit item. The system utilises parent / child technology as each communicator 10 communicates data to one or more tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. Each communicator 10 comprises a temperature

[0116] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) sensor and ID data. The ID data may also be printed on the outside of the communicator, including as 2D bar code such as a QR code 12.

[0117] Each communicator 10 comprises a short-range wireless device. This may be a Bluetooth® device. The short-range wireless radio inside each communicator 10 may be set up to be "unconnectable" and transmit only, or may be set-up to both receive and transmit short- range radio communications. The communicator 10 communicates data to a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 via short-range wireless communication. This data includes temperature and ID data. When a communicator 10 has been configured to receive data, this data may also include stored location beacon ID data for location beacons 13 with which the communicator 10 has come into proximity. Each communicator 10 is configured to communicate with the one or more tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 frequently, for example at a rate of one transmission per second. As the communicator does not comprise a cellular radio, it cannot communicate with the control module directly. The communicator 10 transmits a message with a range of approximately 50 meters. If a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is in range, the message is collected, stored and forwarded to the control module by the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50.

[0118] Tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 comprise one or more of a cellular modem, a location engine, a short-range wireless radio, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor and / or a memory. The tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 may comprise both Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi radios. Tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 record their own location visits, temperature, and movements.

[0119] Tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 may have different forms as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. Additionally, a tracking device may be a smartphone comprising a mobile app. As illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 7, a tracking device 20, 30, 50 may be battery powered.

[0120] Figures 2 and 3 show embodiments of a tracking device 20, 30 which may be mounted directly onto a reusable transit item. As tracking devices 20, 30 are more sophisticated than communicators 10, they are also more expensive and require more power. Consequently, approximately 5 to 10% of reusable transit items are fitted with a tracking device 20, 30 in order to minimise the cost of the tracking system.

[0121] As shown in Figure 3, a tracking device 30 may be a scanner device. A scanner device is battery powered and is similar to the tracking device 20, but does not have a cellular radio. This can

[0122] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) make a scanner device a cheaper alternative to the tracking device 20 as it can operate with a smaller battery. A scanner device stores its own location data as well as data received from any communicators 10 with which it communicates.

[0123] The tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 use their short-range wireless radio to scan regularly for nearby communicators 10. When the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is in range of a communicator 10, it records the communicator ID, time, and location of communication. It may also record stored location beacon ID data. In order to prolong the battery life, battery powered tracking devices 20, 30, 50 scan for communicators 10 periodically, for example twice per day.

[0124] Referring to Figure 4, the tracking device 40 is a gateway device, which is fixed in one position. This example of a gateway device is mains powered and scans for communicators 10 continuously, enabling the collection of messages from a large number of communicators 10 very quickly. A gateway device may be a combined short-range wireless scanner and a Wi-Fi access point. Gateway devices may be installed at logistics sites where reusable transit items collect in large numbers. A gateway device may require a relatively high bandwidth network connection and may use the customer's local Wi-Fi network or through an external cellular modem 42 as shown in Figure 4.

[0125] Referring to Figure 5, the tracking device 50 is an access point device. An access point device may be mains or battery powered. When an access point device is battery powered, it is distinguished from the tracking device 20 because it is packaged in a larger box 52 with a higher-capacity battery. When an access point device is mains powered, it is distinguished from gateway type devices because it comprises an internal cellular network connection. Access point devices can be more convenient to install and can be easily and temporarily installed at a location receiving a high volume of reusable transit items. This may be fixed to a wall or inside a delivery vehicle, for example. Access point devices may scan for communicators 10 every few hours and upload data to the network once or twice per day to prolong battery life.

[0126] Except for scanner type tracking devices 30, tracking devices 20, 40, 50 can connect to the control module 70 via Wi-Fi network or cellular network, using their Wi-Fi radio or cellular

[0127] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) radio. For battery powered tracking devices 20, 50 a Wi-Fi network connection is prioritised because it uses less battery power than a cellular upload.

[0128] T racking devices 20, 30, 50 may upload data to a gateway via the gateway's Wi-Fi access point. The gateway type tracking device 40 transfers the collected data to the control module 70. The data is protected by end-to-end encryption, to ensure the privacy and safety of the uploaded data. Any device connecting to a gateway device must use the industry standard WPA2 authentication and encryption system.

[0129] Scanner type tracking devices 30 do not comprise a cellular radio, and therefore cannot upload directly to the control module 70. Scanner type tracking devices 30 upload the collected data via a Wi-Fi connection to a gateway device. To prolong battery life, a scanner device scans for communicators 10 a limited number of times per day such as twice per day, for example. The scanner device may attempt to upload data a limited number of times per day or may be configured to upload data after every movement.

[0130] Connection to the network is not always accessible if the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is within a challenging network environment. The tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 continues to collect data from in-range communicators 10, stores it in memory and uploads the backlog when the network becomes available again.

[0131] The tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 can comprise an accelerometer, and accelerometer data may inform the decision of how frequently the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 attempts connection to the control module and / or gateway. The accelerometer data may be used to determine if a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is stationary or moving, for example. If it is determined that the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is moving, it may upload data after every movement. There may be a limitation placed on the number of uploads to prolong battery life, such as one connection every three hours, for example. If it is determined from the accelerometer data that the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is stationary, it may attempt to upload data less frequently. For example, the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 may upload data every 2000 minutes (33 hours).

[0132] This is an important feature for optimising the battery life of battery powered tracking devices 20, 30, 50. The battery life of all devices in the system is at least equal to the lifetime of the reusable transit item being tracked. This is in excess of 5 years and may be 5 to 10 years.

[0133] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Cellular, Wi-Fi and / or short-range wireless radio interfaces are active within battery powered tracking devices 20, 30, 50 only when uploading data to the network and / or scanning for a communicator 10. Each tracking device 20, 30, 50 is active for a total of a few minutes per day with the exact timings configurable via settings sent over the air. The tracking devices 20, 30, 50 remain with their radios turned off to conserve battery. The power supply to the radio's circuit is completely disconnected so there is no possibility of a connection.

[0134] Referring to Figure 6, a schematic overview of the system is shown applied to the tracking of roll cages 60, 80. The majority of roll cages 60 are fitted with low-cost short-range wireless communicators 10. A minority of roll cages 80 are fitted with battery powered tracking devices 20. The communicators 10 communicate messages, including temperature and ID data to the tracking devices 20, as indicated by the arrow 62. This can occur at any point along the supply chain, including storage or transit because the tracking device 20 is in circulation with the roll cages 60 comprising communicators 10. Alternatively or additionally, the communicators 10 may communicate with access point type tracking devices 50, which are installed in storage units and warehouses 76. This is indicated by the arrows 64. Alternatively or additionally, the communicators 10 may communicate with access point type tracking devices 50 installed in transportation vehicles 78. This is indicated by the arrow 66.

[0135] The tracking devices 20, 50 store data from the communicators 10. The tracking devices 20, 50 then upload this data to the control module 70 when a connection can be established, illustrated by arrows 68, 72, 74.

[0136] Referring to Figure 7, there is shown a communicator 10 which is configured to receive a short-range radio communication from a location beacon 13, indicated by arrow 15. Location beacons 13 may be fixed in position, for example at a convenience store, or other location where there is a high-throughput of reusable transit items. Location beacons 13 can be mains powered or battery powered. Location beacons 13 broadcast their location beacon ID periodically, for example at a rate of one transmission per second. When a communicator 10 comes into proximity with a location beacon 13, it receives a short-range wireless radio communication from the location beacon 13 including the location beacon ID. The communicator 10 collects the location beacon ID data for each location beacon 13 it comes into proximity with and stores the location beacon ID data.

[0137] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) A tracking device, such as an access point device 50a may be a location beacon and may transmit location beacon ID data to a communicator 10, as indicated by arrow 21. Tracking devices may only scan for communicators 10 several times a day. A communicator 10 may move through a warehouse for example, where it is brought into proximity of a tracking device, but is not able to transmit data to the tracking device because the tracking device is not scanning for communicators 10. The communicator 10 receives and stores ID data from the access point tracking device 50a and the control module 70 is able to process this data point to form the historical location overview of the reusable transit item to which the communicator 10 is attached.

[0138] The communicator 10 communicates data to one or more tracking devices 50, as indicated by arrow 17. It should be understood that although Figure 7 shows an access point tracking device 50, the communicator 10 may communicate with any type of tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50. When the communicator 10 comes into proximity with a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50, the communicator 10 communicates data to the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50, including the stored location beacon ID data, via short-range wireless communication. Each communicator 10 is configured to communicate with tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 frequently, for example at a rate of one transmission per second. The communicator 10 transmits a message with a range of approximately 50 meters. If a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is in range, the message is collected, stored and forwarded to the control module 70 by the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50.

[0139] Alternatively or additionally, where a tracking device 20, 30, 50 is battery powered and mobile, the tracking device 20, 30, 50 may receive location beacon ID data from the location beacon 13, as it comes into proximity of the location beacon's broadcast.

[0140] The location beacon ID data may be transferred to the control module 70 by the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50, and the control module 70 may decode the location history of the communicator 10, and thus the reusable transit device to which it is attached, by decoding the location beacon ID data.

[0141] Referring to Figure 7B, in addition to receiving short-range wireless communications from the location beacon 13, a communicator lOd may also receive short-range wireless communications from other communicators lOe, as they come into proximity, as indicated

[0142] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) by arrow 23. The short-range wireless communication received from other communicators lOe may include the communicator ID and any other stored sensor data, for example stored location beacon ID data, temperature sensor data, humidity sensor data and / or impact sensor data. Accordingly, a communicator lOd may be configured to store communicator ID and other sensor data from other communicators lOe, alongside its own stored data.

[0143] A communicator lOd may transfer the entirety of its stored data to a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 before the data is transmitted to the control module 70. The control module 70 may decode the location history of the communicators lOd and lOe, by processing the transmitted data. The transmitted data may include communicator ID data, location beacon ID data, temperature data, humidity data, impact data and / or any other data collected from sensors within the system The control module aggregates, processes and orders this data chronologically to form the historical location overview of the reusable transit items.

[0144] Referring to Figure 8, the data can be sent from a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 to the control module 70 via several different routes. A tracking device 20, 50 may use its cellular modem to establish a cellular connection to the control module 70, as indicated by the arrows 82. The connection 82 is transient and typically lasts approximately 30 seconds.

[0145] A tracking device 20, 30, 50 may connect to a gateway tracking device 40 if one is available, indicated by arrow 84. A tracking device 30 which is a scanner device, must always connect to a gateway device as it lacks a cellular modem and therefore, cannot connect to the control module 70 via the route indicated by arrows 82. The connection between the tracking device 20, 30, 50, and the gateway tracking device 40 is transient and typically lasts 15 to 30 seconds.

[0146] The gateway tracking device 40 may use a cellular backhaul to transfer data, as indicated by arrows 86. This option bypasses customer network infrastructure completely. The backhaul connection is permanent.

[0147] The gateway tracking device 40 may be configured to use a customer network 88 for backhaul, as indicated by the arrows 92. In this case the customer isolates gateway traffic via a private network, VPN, or equivalent tunnelling technology 90. The backhaul connection is permanent.

[0148] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) Referring to Figure 9, an overview of data transfer from communicator 10 to control module 70 is shown. Each tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 collects and stores data from a plurality of communicators, before establishing a connection and uploading the data to the control module 70. The tracking device may be a smartphone 100.

[0149] The control module is configured to aggregate the data received from the tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 and / or smartphone 100 to form a historical overview of the location of the reusable transit items.

[0150] Tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 and / or smartphone 100 upload data to the control module 70 periodically, for example, several times a day. The control module 70 receives the data from each of the one or more tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 and / or smartphone 100 asynchronously.

[0151] Data may be uploaded asynchronously because the message transmitted by a communicator 10 has a range of approximately 50 meters. A communicator 10 must come into range of a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 in order to communicate data to said tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50. In order for a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 to transfer the stored data to the control module 70, the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 must establish a connection to the control module 70. This may occur relatively infrequently, and on a different timescale for each tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50. In the period of time in which the tracking device cannot establish a connection with the control module, it may still be communicating with and storing data from communicators 10 which come into range. Once the tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 is able to establish connection with the control module 70, it transmits the stored data relating to the reusable transit items. The stored data may relate to the location of a reusable transit item from a period of time ago and this data may be received by the control module 70 after more recent location data for said reusable transit item has been received from another tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50.

[0152] Referring to Figure 10A, the collection of temperature data from three communicators 10a, 10b, 10c is shown. Each of the circles illustrates a data collection point, with the recorded temperature indicated by the number within each circle. The communicators 10a, 10b, 10c take measurements at different times to one another, and the exact timings are configurable via settings sent over the air. The communicators 10a, 10b, 10c may take a measurement

[0153] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) periodically, for example every 10 seconds or may be configured to take a measurement more or less frequently, as shown by communicator 10b.

[0154] Figure 10B illustrates the grouping of data which occurs when a communicator 10 transfers data to a tracking device 20, 30, 40, 50 and when this data is uploaded to the control module 70. As can be seen in Figure 10B, the data is grouped into three data packages 102, 104, 106. This corresponds to the three communicators 10a, 10b, 10c moving location and transferring data to three different tracking devices as they come into range. Figure 10B illustrates a first tracking device receiving data from communicator 10a and 10b, and packaging this data into data package 102 which is uploaded to the control module 70. A second tracking device receives data regarding communicator 10a and 10b, and packages this data into data package 106, which is uploaded to the control module 70. A third tracking device receives data regarding communicators 10b and 10c and packages this data into data package 104, which is uploaded to the control module 70. Tracking devices may operate in challenging network environments and may go long periods in locations without network access, and without being able to upload data to the control module 70. Therefore the control module 70 may receive data package 104 after data packages 102 and 106. Thus, the control module 70 receives the data for communicator 10b asynchronously. The control module 70 is further configured to order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the location of the communicators 10a, 10b, 10c and the reusable transit items to which they are attached.

[0155] The control module 70 processes the data received from each of the one or more tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 by assigning named locations to devices and correlating observations from multiple devices to allow a more complete picture of historical movements. The output of the control module 70 may be a set of JSON reports describing the data collected from the tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 such as device temperature records or the location / visit history. These reports may be imported into a front end system and / or exposed to customers via a data exchange interface.

[0156] The control module 70 comprises architecture for optimising dataflow and security. The control module 70 is used to:

[0157] Receive and store data from tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50.

[0158] Send configuration and firmware changes of devices.

[0159] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) • Process raw data into actionable data feeds used by customers.

[0160] • Manage device metadata. For example, data fields that define the customer, end customer (environment) and customer definable tags for each device.

[0161] • Manage customer location sets. These consist of location names and coordinates that are used to generate more intelligible location visit reports in the data-feed.

[0162] • Correlate communicator observations from multiple tracking devices 20, 30, 40, 50 to provide a coherent location history.

[0163] Various further aspects and embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure.

[0164] "and / or" where used herein is to be taken as specific disclosure of each of the two specified features or components with or without the other. For example "A and / or B" is to be taken as specific disclosure of each of (i) A, (ii) B and (iii) A and B, just as if each is set out individually herein.

[0165] Unless context dictates otherwise, the descriptions and definitions of the features set out above are not limited to any particular aspect or embodiment of the invention and apply equally to all aspects and embodiments which are described.

[0166] It will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the invention has been described by way of example with reference to several embodiments. It is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and that alternative embodiments could be constructed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0167] SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Claims

CLAIMS1. A system for tracking a plurality of reusable transit items, the system comprising: a plurality of tracking devices; a plurality of reusable transit items each comprising a communicator for communicating data to the plurality of tracking devices; a control module configured to receive the data from each of the plurality of tracking devices; wherein the control module is further configured to aggregate and process the data to form a historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items; and wherein the plurality of tracking devices transmit data to the control module asynchronously and the control module is further configured to order the data chronologically to form the historical overview of the status of the reusable transit items.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the status of the reusable transit items includes one or more of the location, position, impact status, temperature and humidity of the reusable transit items.

3. The system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the one or more tracking devices are configured to store data received from each reusable transit item.

4. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communicator is a short-range wireless device.

5. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communicator comprises a temperature sensor.

6. The system according to any of the preceding claims wherein the data comprises temperature data.SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)7. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data comprises ID data.

8. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the communicator is battery powered.

9. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the tracking devices is battery powered.

10. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the tracking devices is mounted to a reusable transit item.

11. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the tracking devices comprise one or more of a cellular modem, a location engine, a short- range wireless radio, an accelerometer, a temperature sensor and / or a memory.

12. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein one of the tracking devices is a gateway device.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein one of the tracking devices is mains powered.

14. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the reusable transit item is one or more of the following: a pallet, a roll cage, a container, a crate, a tote box, a stillage, a pallet box and / or a foldable pallet box.SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26)

Images